www.characterconferences.com TEACH WITH A PURPOSE: A Series of Seminars for Teachers of Catholic Schools Presented by Mann Rentoy (Online) mannrentoy@gmail.com

4. TEACHER’S PRAYER TO SAINT JOSEPH
O Blessed Saint Joseph,
guardian of the Child Jesus,
we pray that you will help us
in our daily troubles and tribulations
as we try to pass on to our students
all the teachings that they need,
to be able succeed in their chosen
professions.
Help us to teach,
and help them to learn.
Guide us all as you guide your most Holy
Son, Jesus.
Obtain for us the graces we need,
not only to teach and to learn,
but to stay on the path shown
by the Light of Christ.
Amen.

6. This Seminar is
NOT JUST for
Religion
Teachers.

7. This Seminar is
for ALL Teachers
working in a
Catholic School,
whatever
subject we are
teaching.

8. Stop Teaching
Subjects.
Start Teaching
Children.

9. Stop Teaching.
Start
Evangelizing.

10. Evangelization is, therefore, the mission of the
Church; that is, she must proclaim the good
news of salvation to all, generate new creatures
in Christ through Baptism, and train them to live
knowingly as children of God.

11. The Catholic school forms part of the saving mission
of the Church, especially for education in the faith.
It is precisely in the Gospel of Christ, taking root in
the minds and lives of the faithful, that the Catholic
school finds its definition as it comes to terms with
the cultural conditions of the times.

12. Specific character of the Catholic school :
its reference to a Christian concept of
life centred on Jesus Christ.

13. Integration of faith and culture

14. Integration of faith and life

15. IT’S ABOUT TIME
WE ASK THE
QUESTION:

16. What makes us,
Catholic Schools,
any different?

17. Why?

18. The specific mission of the Catholic school,
then, is a critical, systematic transmission of
culture in the light of faith and the bringing
forth of the power of Christian virtue by the
integration of culture with faith and of faith
with living.

19. … Catholic schools must be
seen as "meeting places for
those who wish to express
Christian values in
education"(19).

20. If teaching is such a noble job,
teaching in a Catholic School is
doubly noble:
Ultimately, our employer is
Christ Himself!

21. The Catholic school, far more than any
other, must be a community whose aim is
the transmission of values for living. Its
work is seen as promoting a faith-
relationship with Christ in Whom all values
find fulfilment.

22. 55. The Catholic school loses its
purpose without constant
reference to the Gospel and a
frequent encounter with Christ.

23. TEACHERS

24. 78. By their witness and their
behaviour, teachers are of
the first importance to
impart a distinctive character
to Catholic schools.

25. It is, therefore, indispensable to
ensure their continuing formation
through some form of suitable
pastoral provision.

26. This must aim to animate them as witnesses of
Christ in the classroom and tackle the
problems of their particular apostolate,
especially regarding a Christian vision of the
world and of education, problems also
connected with the art of teaching in
accordance with the principles of the Gospel.

27. 83. To commit oneself to working in accordance
with the aims of a Catholic School is to make a
great act of faith in the necessity and influence
of this apostolate.

28. Only one who has this conviction and accepts
Christ's message, who has a love for and
understands today's young people, who
appreciates what people's real problems and
difficulties are, will be led to contribute with
courage and even audacity to the progress of
this apostolate in building up a Catholic school…

32. CRISIS OF THE
DIGITAL GENERATION

33. Digital
Addiction

34. Self-Centered
Vain

35. Depression

36. Teen Suicide

38. Teen
Pregnancy

41. Pornography

46. The Catholic School, # 43
Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education, 1977.
The achievement of this specific aim of the Catholic
school depends not so much on subject matter or
methodology as on the people who work there. The
extent to which the Christian message is transmitted
through education depends to a very great extent on
the teachers.

47. Evangelization in the Modern World (Evangelii Nuntiandi), #21
Pope Paul VI, 1975
Modern man listens more willingly
to witnesses than to teachers, and if
he does listen to teachers, it is
because they are witnesses.”

48. The Catholic School, # 43
Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education, 1977.
The nobility of the task to which teachers are called
demands that, in imitation of Christ, the only
Teacher, they reveal the Christian message not only
by word but also by every gesture of their behavior.

49. The Catholic School, # 78
Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education, 1977.
By their witness and their behavior teachers are
of the first importance to impart a distinctive
character to Catholic schools.

50. The Religious Dimension of Education in a Catholic School: Guidelines for Reflection and Renewal, #83.
Congregation for Catholic Education, 1988.
The life of faith is expressed in acts of
religion. The teacher will assist students
to open their hearts in confidence to
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit through
personal and liturgical prayer.

51. The Religious Dimension of Education in a Catholic School: Guidelines for Reflection and Renewal, #111.
Congregation for Catholic Education, 1988.
Each of the students has his or her own life, family
and social background, and these are not always
happy situations. They feel the unrest of the child or
adolescent, which grows more intense as they face
the problems and worries of a young person
approaching maturity. Teachers will pray for each of
them, that the grace present in the Catholic school’s
milieu may permeate their whole person, ….

52. The Religious Dimension of Education in a Catholic School: Guidelines for Reflection and Renewal, #111.
Congregation for Catholic Education, 1988.
And the students will learn that they must pray for
their teachers. As they get older, they will come to
appreciate the pain and the difficulties that teaching
involves. They will pray that the educational gifts of
their teachers may be more effective, that they may
be comforted by success in their work, that grace
may sustain their dedication and bring them peace in
their work.

53. The Catholic School on the Threshold of the Third Millennium, #19.
Congregation for Catholic Education, 1997.
In the Catholic school, “prime responsibility for
creating this unique Christian school climate
rests with the teachers, as individuals and as a
community”. Teaching has an extraordinary
moral depth and is one of man’s most excellent
and creative activities, for the teacher does not
write on inanimate material, but on the very
spirits of human beings.

54. The Catholic School on the Threshold of the Third Millennium, #19.
Congregation for Catholic Education, 1997.
… we must remember that teachers and
educators fulfill a specific Christian vocation and
share an equally specific participation in the
mission of the Church, to the extent that “it
depends chiefly on them whether the Catholic
school achieves its purpose.”

59. Educating Together in Catholic Schools: A Shared Mission between Consecrated Persons and the Lay Faithful,
#4.
Congregation for Catholic Education, 2007.
The project of the Catholic school is
convincing only if carried out by people
who are deeply motivated, because they
witness to a living encounter with Christ,

60. Canon #803 §2.
The instruction and education in a Catholic
school must be grounded in the principles of
Catholic doctrine; teachers are to be
outstanding in correct doctrine and integrity of
life.

61. “No Catholic
school can be
effective
without
dedicated
Catholic
teachers…”

62. “Catholic
education is
above all a
question of
communicating
Christ, of helping
to form Christ in
the lives of
others…”

63. “The life of a
teacher, as I
know from
personal
experience, is
very challenging
and demanding,
but it is also
profoundly
satisfying…”

64. “Not only are the
attitudes of
teachers crucial
for the success of
Catholic
education, but
also the attitudes
of Catholic
parents…”

65. “The mission of the
Catholic school is the
integral formation of
students, so that they
may be true to their
condition as Christ’s
disciples and as such work
effectively for the
evangelization of culture
and for the common good
of society.”
– Address of the Saint Pope John Paul II to the Bishops of the
Ecclesiastical Regions of Chicago, Indianapolis, and Milwaukee
(USA) on Their “Ad Limina” Visit, May 30, 1998

66. “Catholic education aims
not only to communicate
facts, but also to transmit
a coherent,
comprehensive vision of
life, in the conviction that
the truths contained in
that vision liberate
students in the most
profound meaning of
human freedom.”
Address of the Holy Father Pope John Paul II to the Bishops of
the Ecclesiastical Regions of Chicago, Indianapolis, and
Milwaukee (USA) on Their “Ad Limina” Visit, May 30, 1998

67. “In a cultural climate in
which moral norms are
often thought to be
matters of personal
preference, Catholic
schools have a crucial role
to play in leading the
younger generation to
realize that freedom
consists above all in being
able to respond to the
demands of the truth(cf. Veritatis Splendor, #84).” – Address of the Holy Father Pope John Paul
II to the Bishops of the Ecclesiastical Regions of Chicago, Indianapolis, and
Milwaukee (USA) on Their “Ad Limina” Visit, May 30, 1998

69. A good school provides a rounded
education for the whole person. And
a good Catholic school, over and
above this, should help all its
students to become saints.
Pope Benedict XVI

70. Let us thank all those who teach
in Catholic schools. Educating is
an act of love; it is like giving life.
Pope Francis

71. Catholic schools carry out a great mission, to
serve God by building knowledge and
character... By teaching the word of God, you
prepare your students to follow a path of
virtue.
George W. Bush

72. Our Catholic schools exist
to help young people attain
holiness in their lives, that
is, to become saints.
Salvatore J. Cordileone

73. “The task of a teacher is not simply to impart
information or to provide training in skills intended to
deliver some economic benefit to society; education is
not and must never be considered as purely utilitarian.
It is about forming the human person, equipping him or
her to live life to the full, in short it is about imparting
wisdom. And true wisdom is inseparable from
knowledge of the Creator, for “both we and our words
are in his hand, as are all understanding and skill in
crafts (Wis 7:16).”
Pope Benedict 16th, Address to Teachers and Religious, 2010

74. “Teaching is a beautiful profession, it’s a pity
teachers are poorly paid because it is not just
about the time they spend in school, then the time
they spend preparing, the time they spend on
each individual student: how to help them move
forward…
Pope Francis, Address, 2015

76. Teaching is a poorly paid job, but it’s beautiful
because it allows us to see the people who are
entrusted to our care grow day after day. It is a
little like being parents, at least spiritually. It is a
great responsibility!
Pope Francis, Address, 2015

77. “Teaching is a serious commitment that only a
mature and well-balanced person can undertake.
Such a commitment can be intimidating, but
remember that no teacher is ever alone: they
always share their work with other colleagues and
the entire educational community to which they
belong.”
Pope Francis, Address, 2015

78. “They (teachers) must aim to build an
educational relationship with each
student, who must feel accepted and
loved for who he or she is, with all of
his or her limitations and potential.”
Pope Francis, Address, 2015

79. “The duty of a good teacher , all the
more for a Christian teacher , is to love
his or her more difficult, weaker, more
disadvantaged students with greater
intensity. Jesus would say, if you love
only those who study, who are well
educated, what merit do you have?
And there are some who make us lose
our patience, but we must love them
even more!
Pope Francis, Address, 2015

80. Computers teach content, Teachers teach values
“You must not only teach content, but the values
and customs of life. There are three things that
you must pass on. A computer can teach
content, but to understand how to love, to
understand values and customs which create
harmony in society, it takes a good teacher.”
Pope Francis, Address, 2015

81. Now more than ever,
people need the
FAITH.

83. TOP TEN TRAITS OF
GREAT TEACHERS

85. Great Teachers are
humble.

86. Great Teachers are
Patient.

88. Great Teachers are Kind
and Show Respect.

89. Great Teachers have
Enthusiasm for their Subject
Matter.

91. Great Teachers Show
Not Tell.

92. Great Teachers are
Positive. They Smile.

94. Great Teachers Engage
Their Students.

96. Great Teachers Have
High Expectations.

97. Great Teachers Provide a Warm
Environment and Allow Their
Students to Make Mistakes.

99. Jesus, the ultimate Great Teacher, gave
everyone a chance. Think of the tax
collectors and prostitutes. Surely there is
hope for those who some perceive as the
least able or willing of students.

100. 5 Essential Marks of a
Catholic School

101. The Holy See’s Teaching
On Catholic Schools
by Archbishop J. Michael Miller, C.S.B.

102. 5 Essential Marks of a
Catholic School

103. 1
Inspired by a Supernatural
Vision

104. “formation of boys and
girls who will be good
citizens of this world,
loving God and
neighbor and enriching
society with the leaven
of the Gospel, fulfilling
their destiny to become
saints.”

105. 2
Founded on a Christian
Anthropology

106. Teachers should have a
clear understanding of
the human persons
entrusted to their care
and address the
requirements of both
their natural and
supernatural perfection.

107. 3
Animated by Communion
and Community

108. The school is a
genuine community
of faith, united by a
strong spiritual bond.

109. 4
Imbued with a Catholic
Worldview Throughout Its
Curriculum

110. Spirit of Catholicism
should permeate the
ENTIRE curriculum.
INTENTIONALLY
directed to the growth
of the whole person.

111. 5
Sustained by Gospel
Witness

112. Vital witness of its
teachers and
administrators, all
working to create a
Christian
atmosphere.

114. This is why
IT’S A VOCATION,
more than just an
employment.

115. This is why
IT’S A MISSION,
more than just a job.

116. To Be His Child

118. www.characterconferences.com
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