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The School Sisters of Notre Dame support the Virtual YMCA

December 8, 2006

Education and collaboration are two of the values that compelled the School Sisters of Notre Dame to support the Virtual YMCA program in inner city Hamilton schools.

The Virtual YMCA is a literacy-based after-school program geared to inner city students in grades 1-5. The focus is on academic support and social growth through learning enhancement, health and recreation, values and building competence and confidence. Program objectives include helping the children improve reading, writing and speaking skills, facilitating learning, developing confidence and competence, and encouraging self-respect and respect for others. The young people take part in social and recreational activities, complete their homework with the help of teachers and receive a nutritious snack.

The Sisters believe that the best way to change the world is through the transformation of persons through education. Drawing from the SSND Constitution, Sister Delia Calis, Provincial Leader of the Canadian Province, said, “For us, education means enabling persons to reach the fullness of their potential. We educate in schools and in other areas of urgent need. Although we exclude no one from our concern, we are especially sensitive to youth and women and are impelled to prefer the poor.”

In years gone by many School Sisters of Notre Dame taught in the high-needs schools of Hamilton. Although few Sisters teach in the classroom today, the commitment to the education of children in these schools remains.

The Sisters also believe that through collaboration with like-minded people and groups more can be accomplished than any one person or organization can do alone. In fact, community life for the sisters is about this same pooling of resources for the sake of a common goal. The Virtual YMCA program is one way in which the School Sisters of Notre Dame collaborate in education today.

As members of an international congregation, the Sisters recognize their obligation and opportunities to develop a world vision and a sense of global responsibility. They believe that this internationality challenges them to witness to unity in a divided world; to discover unsuspected ways of sharing what they have, especially with the poor and marginalized; and to search for new channels of service in the universal church.

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For more information contact:
Patricia Stortz, Communications Coordinator

Transforming the world through education.