Last Thursday, the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario celebrated the first-ever pilgrimage mass to introduce the symbol of the Holy Door. Five doors have been hand-painted by CDSBEO schools, into beautiful works of art, each representing a region of the Board. Members of the Catholic school community from all areas of the board attended a special event, which featured a mass by Archbishop Brendan O’Brien. The project originated from Pope Francis’ announcement during Lent last year, that on December 8, 2015, Catholics would enter into an Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy.
The Holy Door to St. Peter’s Basilica is only opened during a Holy Year and remains closed during all other years. The doors will be brought together for various functions throughout the board, and hinged together to signify unity across the CDSBEO.
Left to right: Rev. Brian McNally, Nancy Kirby (Trustee, Lanark County), Rev. Jacques Labelle, Rev. Julius Nwagbara, Rev. Rod McNeil, Rev. John Whyte, Archbishop Brendan O’Brien, Wm. J. Gartland (Director of Education), Brent Laton (Chair), Sue Wilson (Trustee, Prescott-Russell), John Cameron (Superintendent of School Effectiveness), Bonnie Norton (Superintendent of Business), Natalie Cameron (Superintendent of School Effectiveness), Donaleen Hawes (Superintendent of School Effectiveness), Todd Lalonde (Vice-Chair)