Catholic school

Catholic schools are educational ministries of the Catholic Church. These schools develop their students through participation in the sacramental life of the Church, study of religion and theology, a full curriculum in secular subjects, and a variety of extra-curricular activities.

Public schools in Québec

Public schools in the province of Québec were organized along confessional lines until amendments to the Education Act took effect on July 1, 1998. Thus there existed parallel Catholic and Protestant school boards, financed and controlled by the province, which assured public education. Prior to 1998, most non-Catholics attended Protestant schools because they did not overly emphasize religious devotion, perhaps due to the variety of beliefs in Protestantism. Catholic schools, on the other hand, incorporated preparatory courses for the Sacraments into the curriculum, celebrated Mass on major feast days, organized retreats and promoted prayer at the beginning of the school day and before meals. Until the changes of 1998, the law required all religion teachers in Catholic schools to be practising Catholics. Religion courses at the time, while dealing with theology and Church history, were more pastoral in nature, especially in elementary schools. It was thus assumed that a non-believer could not properly instruct children in the Faith.

Related Topics:
Québec - Education Act - July 1 - 1998 - Protestant - Devotion - Protestantism - Sacraments - Mass - Feast - Retreat - Prayer

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The reforms of 1998 organized school boards along linguistic lines--English and French--and reduced their number, among other things. Masses are no longer celebrated in former Catholic schools and teachers cannot lead children in prayer which is not inclusive (for instance, the Hail Mary is particular to Catholics). The move towards secularism, however, is not yet complete. Religion courses are still offered in schools, though students can choose to follow moral education courses instead. Furthermore, while schools in multicultural neighbourhoods quickly removed their crucifixes and requested name changes (most Catholic schools had been named after saints), many schools in Catholic or immigrant neighbourhoods passively resisted the changes. For example, crucifixes still hang on classroom walls in many schools in the east end of Montréal, which is predominately French and Italian.

Related Topics:
Hail Mary - Montréal

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Prior to the reforms of 1998, each Catholic and Protestant school board had an English and a French sector. The importance of either sector varied from region to region and board to board.

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