Schools

Dear Teachers, thank you for visiting our website. Here you will find lesson plans and resources related to Catholic Health which has also been sent to schools within BC. Please visit periodically for updates.

National Health Care Week

Dear Teachers:

We will soon be marking our sixth annual National Catholic Health Care Week from Sunday, February 2 to Saturday, February 8, 2025. We invite you to participate in the Week by sharing the message of Catholic health care in your schools.

National Catholic Health Care Week seeks to build understanding and connection with our mission and contribution as a Catholic health community working with others to build a just and caring society where all are seen and heard. The 2025 theme “Caring for our Common Home” celebrates the interconnectedness of all creation and helps us to reflect on how our individual and collective actions and our systems—health, social, economic—can promote a healthy world where all can thrive.

The Catholic Health Alliance of Canada has put together daily reflections, activities and resources for the week. For additional CHABC resources for National Catholic Health Care Week, visit chabc.rcav.org/national-catholic-health-care-week 

Bob Breen
Executive Director

REFLECTIONS

Catholic Health Alliance of Canada created a set of five reflections for you to use each weekday during National Catholic Health Care Week, as a resource for discussion or learning. Click here to download.

They encourage prayerful reflection on aspects of our calling to promote a healthy world where all can thrive and to inspire action to protect our environment for human health and wellbeing. These reflections and prayers help us explore our Catholic identity and tradition. 

ACTIVITY & ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Celebrate and Thank Graduates
Consider using National Catholic Health Care Week to celebrate and thank graduates who have found a calling in healthcare service or to encourage students considering this career. We encourage you to celebrate and build school connections with Catholic hospitals and care centres in your communities through cards, messages and other activities. Here are some past examples from Ontario and Alberta.

Upcoming Webinar: Thursday, February 6 at 10am PT
This year, Catholic Health Alliance of Canada will be offering a special free webinar on Caring for our Common Home, celebrating information and stories of care for the environment. This inspiring webinar features the environmental efforts of Canadian Catholic organizations, and provides helpful information and resources for action. We encourage any school leaders who are active in promoting environmental sustainability and social justice to join this webinar. Webinar link coming soon!

Courageous Gift of Catholic Health Care
The Courageous Gift of Catholic Health Care, along with the fact sheet outlining the footprint of Catholic health in Canada, is a valuable resource that can be shared during this special week. Click here to download the infographic.

World Day of the Sick

Dear Teachers:

Each year on February 11, the Catholic Church marks the World Day of the Sick on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. This is a time to offer prayers for those who suffer from illness and for their caregivers.

We invite you to promote the Holy Father’s message for World Day of the Sick in your classrooms in the month of February. Below you will find prayers for the sick and suggested elementary and secondary classroom activities that can be used to teach students about the World Day of the Sick with a focus on this year's theme.

In his Message for the 33rd World Day of the Sick, Pope Francis says God remains close to those who suffer, through encounter, gift, and sharing. Pope Francis concludes his Message with a special word for those who are sick and suffering, reminding them that they have an “especially important” part to play in the Jubilee. “Your journey together is a sign of hope for everyone, ‘a hymn of dignity, a song of hope’.”

Archbishop Miller will celebrate a Mass for World Day of the Sick on Tuesday, February 11 at 11am at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, Vancouver. We also invite schools to pray for the sick and their caregivers at Mass on this day.

Catholic Health Association of BC would like to thank Natalie Chow, a secondary school teacher, for putting together these lessons plans and resources for World Day of the Sick. We hope that you will find them useful. To learn more about this day, visit chabc.rcav.org/wds2025

Bob Breen
Executive Director

 

Suggested Classroom Activities

We invite you to use the following lesson plans to teach students about the World Day of the Sick:

Within the lesson plans, you will also find a handout along with colouring pages from a few online sources and a Powerpoint Presentation. These resources have been included below for quick reference:

Prayers for World Day of the Sick

To mark World Day of the Sick, we invite schools to pray with us. Below is a prayer that can be prayed together by schools over the PA system or within the classroom:

Prayer for the Sick (Source: Holy Family Parish, St. Albert Alberta)
Father of goodness and love, hear our prayers for the sick members of our community and for all who are in need. Amid mental and physical suffering may they find consolation in your healing presence. Show your mercy as you close wounds, cure illness, make broken bodies whole and free downcast spirits. May these special people find lasting health and deliverance, and so join us in thanking you for all your gifts. We ask this through the Lord Jesus who healed those who believed. Amen.

Our Father.....Hail Mary (x3)......Glory be....

The Vision of CHABC

Our vision at CHABC is to become a province where Catholic communities have the education, and tools to meet the needs of sick, elderly, bereaved and homebound parishioners. At CHABC we:

  • Support and encourage programs that respond to the changing needs of the sick, elderly, homebound and bereaved in our parish communities.
  • Are committed to building collaborative relationships with health authorities and all levels of government.
  • Work to ensure that the conscience rights of Catholic caregivers are protected under the Physician Assisted Suicide laws.
  • Provides current information on health issues that touch on our faith to our members, staff in our facilities and our volunteers, as well as to the broader community.
  • Support individuals who work in our Catholic health care facilities and volunteer in our parishes to carry out the Mission of Catholic health care.

To learn more about the history, mission and vision of CHABC, click here.

Support the work of CHABC by becoming a Member

Catholic Health Association of BC membership is open to any organizations/societies, health care facilities or individuals who support the Catholic healthcare mission. By becoming a member, you will be included on our mailing list to receive our bi-monthly newsletter and other pertinent health-care information.
Become a Member
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