Catholic Board to celebrate Faith Day Nov. 28th

News Release
N.W.C.S.B.

Annually, the Northwest Catholic District School Board prepares a full day of faith development for all staff in its Catholic schools as part of the system professional development program. “This year the Board will host two outstanding speakers to facilitate the sessions. The focus will allow staff to talk about the challenges in Catholic education and celebrate our history and our heroes,” states Director of Education Mary-Catherine Kelly.
Catholicity Coordinator Amy LaFroy said that, “On November 28th the staff from St. Joseph’s School in Dryden will join the staff at Sacred Heart School in Sioux Lookout to celebrate the Board’s Faith Day. Monsignor Pat Stilla will serve as the Keynote Speaker with the theme of Catholic Education: The Challenges We Celebrate. The day will end with a Celebration of the Eucharist at Sacred Heart Church with Msgr. Pat and Father Mike Mahoney presiding.” Rev. Msgr. Pat Stilla, V.G. was born and raised in Thunder Bay. He was Ordained to the Priesthood for the Diocese of Thunder Bay in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. He holds a Master’s Degree in Canon Law from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. He was named a Monsignor by Pope John Paul II and appointed Vicar General of the Diocese of Thunder Bay. Since 1982 he has taught courses in Religious Education at Lakehead University, Teacher’s College as well as Scripture, Ethics and Marriage Law to teachers in a number of Ontario Catholic School Boards. Currently, he also serves as the Judicial Vicar of the Marriage Tribunal of this Diocese, Vice-Judicial Vicar of the Toronto Regional Tribunal and Judge for the Ukrainian Catholic Tribunal of Canada. He is the Dean of the Central Region of the Diocese and Rector of St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
The staff from St. Patrick’s School in Atikokan and Our Lady of the Way School in Stratton will join the staff of St. Michael’s School and St. Francis School in Fort Frances. Catholicity Coordinator Amy LaFroy said, “The day will begin with a Celebration of the Eucharist at St. Mary’s Church with Father Francis Pudicherry presiding. Dr. Mark McGowan will lead as our Keynote Speaker with the same theme, Catholic Education: Challenges We Celebrate, where he will speak of the History and Heroes in Catholic Education in Ontario.”
Dr. Mark G. McGowan is a historian and educator who specializes in the history of religion, ethnicity and education in Canada. He currently teaches history and communications at St. Michael’s College in the University of Toronto, where he has been the recipient of four university teaching awards. He served as Principal of St. Michael’s College, where he founded the Book & Media Studies Program. He was also a co-founder of the Concurrent Teacher Education Program between St. Michael’s, OISE and five other university partners. His award winning books include: Catholics at the Gathering Place (1993); The Waning of the Green: Catholics, the Irish, and Identity in Toronto (1999); Michael Power (2005); and Death or Canada (2009). Currently, he is writing a history of religious broadcasting in Canada and a book on Irish Catholics in World War I.
“The Board extends a warm welcome to all the Board’s Trustees and Catholic School Councils to participate in these Faith Day Celebrations,” said Board Chair Anne-Marie Fitzgerald.