Catholicity at St. Roch

The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board is committed to providing quality Catholic education which serves the academic, social, physical and spiritual developmental needs of our students.

The historical mandate of the Catholic school system in Ontario is to model the entire syllabus of the school on the life and teaching of Jesus.  As such, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic Distri​ct School Board has expectations of all students admitted.

 Our religious expectations are as follows:

1. All students will enrol in a Religion course in each of the four years.  All religion courses are approved by the appropriate Catholic authority.  The Government of Ontario recognizes that Religion credits count towards a secondary school graduation diploma.
   
2. All students will participate in an annual retreat for the first four years that they are in a secondary school.  The retreat normally takes place during the school day at a site off school property.  The school chaplain organizes the annual retreat based on spiritual developmental themes appropriate for adolescents.
   
3. Given that the spiritual component of Cardinal Ambrozic Secondary School is infused throughout all aspects of school life, students will participate in the prayer and in the liturgical life of the school.  Catholic students are expected to participate fully as mandated by their sacramental Baptism.  Non-Catholic students are expected to participate to the extent that they can.  It is not the intention of the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board to proselytize, however, it is our tradition that the entire school participates in all of the religious events that occur during the school year. 
   
4. The Catholic District School Boards of Ontario follow approved provincial curriculum.  Given the distinctiveness of Catholic schools, the Government of Ontario recognizes parallel curricula for our system based on Catholic course profiles.  All courses in all subject areas, in a Catholic secondary school, are taught from a Catholic point of perspective.

Retreats​

One of the most wonderful​​​ aspects to Chaplaincy is being able to lead our students in retreats. The opportunity for yearly retreats is a cornerstone of Catholic Education. Retreats allow students to step back from the hectic routines of the school building, take a relaxing breath, and focus on the life and mission of the Catholic Church. The grade level retreats give students an opportunity to build community, reflect on their purpose and current direction, and participate in a prayerful experience in an alternative setting.

For more information regarding retreats, please see the Pastoral Plan on the left side menu.