SCHOOLS
In the early 1980’s a group of parishioners from St. Therese Church, prompted by their pastor Msgr. Leo Cleary, approached the Peterborough, Victoria, Northumberland and Clarington Roman Catholic Separate School Board requesting that an elementary Catholic school be established to serve the Courtice area. Local pressure and growth in the Courtice area led eventually to the opening in 1987 of Msgr. L. Cleary Elementary School. Residents living within the school boundaries, who direct their municipal taxes to the separate school board, may send their children to Msgr. Cleary School.

It seems only fitting that the school is named after a wonderful priest, the late Msgr Cleary, who was ordained in Peterborough in 1926, and who himself was a former teacher and principal. During his 70 years as a priest, Msgr.Cleary established a total of nine Catholic schools and seven churches in and around Durham Region.

The school philosophy of bringing together school, parents and parish into community is evident at Msgr. Cleary School as the school strives to uphold the Board’s mission statement , which reads: “The Peterborough, Victoria, Northumberland and Clarington Roman Catholic Separate School Board is to provide all students with a Catholic education that includes the knowledge, skills and values required to live a meaningful and faith filled life.”

Msgr. Leo Cleary School - Connie Rosario, Principal 433-0331
Good Shepherd School - Debbie Ford, Principal 404-9868
Mother Teresa School - Gerard vanden Wildenberg, Principal 433-5512
Holy Trinity Secondary School - Dave Dolan, Principal 404-9349

CATHOLIC YOUTH CONNECTION (CYC)
The main goals of the Catholic Youth Connection are to bring youth together, to assist in church functions, to go out into the community offering services, and to show youth how important they really are to the Church. All teenagers of high school age are welcome to join the group.

The CYC offers Catholic youth the chance to discuss their faith and see how important it really is, and to appreciate how today's youth are the foundation on which the Church must continue to build. It provides an opportunity to talk and relax with other young people, or to become involved in some community action or physical activity.

The CYC allows its members, through group discussion, to decide what activities should be planned , so that all members feel they have a say in the organization of their small community.

The CYC offers assistance to other parish groups or parishioners who are in need of help. They assist in all kinds of church gatherings by cooking, cleaning, or entertaining. The CYC has sponsored the Children's Corner at the CWL annual bazaar for many years.

Members from our CYC have had the great opportunity to attend wonderful Christian Youth events in Steubenville, Ohio, and have participated in World Youth Day since 1993, in Denver (Colorado), Paris (France), Rome (Italy), Toronto (Ontario) & are presently working toward Cologne, Germany. They also have the opportunity to attend Challenge, a youth cursillo movement, recently begun by the Peterborough Diocese.

CATHOLIC WOMEN’S CONNECTION
The main goal of the Catholic Women’s Connection (CWC) is to promote the teachings of the Catholic Church for the women within the Parish community. We support family events and functions, and fundraise for a variety of parish and community projects. The St. Therese CWC is an independent group within our own Parish and pays honour in a special way to our Lady of Perpetual Help. All Catholic women 18 years and older can join the CWC, and there is always a need for new members.

Both the Executive and General members meet monthly on the first and third Mondays of the month after the evening Mass. The meetings are one to two hours long. The Executive members review the current activities, plan future ones, and vote on how funds should be used. At the general meeting there are presentations by guest speakers, and a short business meeting including the treasurer’s report and other business issues. There are several social and spiritual events planned for the members each year such as golf tournaments, bowling nights and a women's retreat day.

The CWC helps the parish fund the upgrading of parish facilities, organizes coffee Sundays, potluck dinners and provides support for funeral lunches.

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
The main goals of the Knights of Columbus are to help Catholic men remain steadfast in faith through mutual encouragement; to promote closer ties of fraternity among themselves and at the same time to provide services to Church, country and fellow man. One and a half million Catholic men and their families belong to the organization worldwide. The Knights of Columbus is present in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Panama and many more countries. The organization was founded by Father Michael J. McGiuney, curate at St. Mary’s parish in New Haven, Connecticut on March 29, 1882.

The Knights of Columbus is open to all Catholic men who are in union with the Holy See and are at least 18 years of age. At St Therese parish there are presently 35 members, and there is always room for more. General meetings are held after the evening Mass on the first Tuesday of each month, except for July, August and holidays. At the meetings, plans are made for upcoming events, such as fundraising, and general organizational business is discussed. The Knights of Columbus offers support to its members through all types of fraternal and benefit programs, and insurance. The Knights support the parish by helping with fundraising and by providing volunteer hours. In recent years the Knights organized parish breakfasts and yard sales with great success, and helped with all kinds of manual work, such as tree planting and yard cleaning.

WORLDWIDE MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER
(Contact the parish office for more details)

A Marriage Encounter Weekend is a positive and personal experience for a couple, which offers them a technique of loving communication that they can use for the rest of their lives. The weekend is a positive, simple, common sense experience between husband and wife that revitalizes marriage. Though Marriage Encounter is a worldwide movement, its strength lies in local and parish based communities of loving couples who support one another.

The idea of marriage enrichment originated in Spain. Father Chuck Gallagher developed the idea into the Worldwide Marriage Encounter movement in the United States. The first weekend in Toronto was held in the early 1970’s and the movement has continued to expand and flourish ever since. National, District and County Coordinators and Presenting Team Couples volunteer their time, talent and gifts to promote marriage and to encounter couples in living their sacrament.

Any couple of any faith denomination can participate who are legally married in the eyes of the Church. There are literally hundreds of couples in the Durham/Peterborough County who have made a weekend. In Durham/Peterborough, weekends are held two or three times a year usually in November, February and May. Weekends are also held in other parts of the province, including Toronto, Ottawa, Niagara, and London. A Marriage Encounter Weekend begins on Friday night and ends late Sunday afternoon.

On a weekend, an atmosphere is created in which a couple can concentrate exclusively on one another. A series of talks are given by a priest and a team of trained couples. Each talk gives a husband and wife the opportunity to look at themselves as individuals, and to examine their relationship with each other, with God, and with the community at large. Marriage Encounter starts with the love you have for your spouse and helps to build, expand and deepen that relationship. The weekend shows you the way to do this and provides you with the means -- the rest is up to you. We learn a communication technique which allows and encourages us to explore together the important areas of our life in a spirit of love and understanding. The weekend provides each of us with the opportunity to get off the modern world treadmill; to stop and take a look at ourselves, at our marriage, and at our priorities. The weekend experience offers every couple the insights, the tools, and the confidence to enrich their marriage and to strengthen their love for one another.

The Marriage Encounter aims to renew the Church through the renewal of the Sacraments of Matrimony and Holy Orders. “I place much hope for the future in Marriage Encounter” said Pope John Paul II.

ADULT EDUCATION
Members of the Adult Education Committee work in close cooperation with the Pastor to educate parishioners on topics of high interest which pertain to Christ, the Church, and our Faith. Questionnaires have been used in the past to help identify those topics of most interest to parishioners. Adult education sessions usually include guest speakers or videos, and are open to everyone.

Parishioners are free to make suggestions on the choice of topic, videos or guest speakers. Please call the Pastor or submit signed suggestions ( including your phone number) to an usher, or place them in the collection basket.

ST. THERESE BIBLE STUDY GROUP
The St. Therese Bible Study Group was established in September of 1990. The main goals of the group are to provide support , to organize Life in the Spirit, Advent and Pentecost seminars and Healing Masses. The Group maintain a parish level Prayer Chain, and support all activities organized by the Pro-Life Group. Most are involved in Eucharistic Adoration.

 The Bible Study Group, under the guidance of our priests, meets each Wednesday night for Rosary and Mass prior to the meeting. Meetings are relaxed and informal, with members free to follow an attendance schedule which fits their own needs. Meetings usually consist of special prayers, the singing of hymns, and an in-depth study of the Bible using the recommended Catholic study guide. The Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) has provided series of Bible Study Videos which are veing used extensively, such as the Great Adventure, Our Father's Plan and The Acts of the Apostle to name a few. A short viewing is shown and is then followed by Scripture reading and discussion on how we might apply the message of the Scriptures to the world today. Home Rosary (Cenacle Groups) have also been formed.

The Bible Study Group welcomes women and men of all ages, including children, and over the past 13 years we have had 8 to 10 children/youth join us. We welcome members of other parishes and other faiths. Currently 17 - 20 members attend the weekly meetings. The group has organized successful seminars for the parish at large, and its members pray for the parish, as well as become involved in many parish activities.

RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS (R.C.I.A.)
R.C.I.A. refers to the process by which persons 16 years and older ordinarily become full members of the Catholic Church. Such persons include the unbaptized, baptized non-Catholics, and baptized Catholics who may not have received the Sacraments of Eucharist (Holy Communion) and Confirmation. Catholics who wish to refresh their knowledge about the fundamentals of the Catholic Faith and our life in Christ are also admitted as observers.

R.C.I.A. sessions are free (there may be a charge for books), informal and informative. Candidates are not pressured to join the Church but encouraged to make a considered decision. Typically, R.C.I.A. sessions are held at the church weekly, on a weekday evening, 7:30 - 9:00 p.m., from October through the Easter Vigil, which takes place on the Saturday evening before the Easter Sunday. At the Easter Vigil, the greatest feast of the Church year, candidates (if they so choose) receive the required Sacraments of Initiation and full membership in the Catholic Church.

THE CURSILLO MOVEMENT
The Cursillo Movement started in Spain in the late 1940’s. “Little Course” is the literal meaning of the Spanish word cursillo. Msgr. Cleary was the first Spiritual Director when Cursillo first came to the Peterborough Diocese in 1978.

The goal of the movement is that Jesus be the prime influence in our society. Christianizing the environment (by the transference of Christ’s values to others in one’s family, school, and place of business) is the purpose of the Cursillo weekend. The Cursillo weekend runs from Thursday evening to Sunday afternoon. During those three days the participants live and work together, listening to talks given by priests and lay persons. They also attend Mass, receive Communion, pray the Rosary and visit the Blessed Sacrament daily. A Cursillo weekend can be made only once in a lifetime, therefore it is not a substitute for a retreat. The basic atmosphere of a Cursillo differs greatly from the solitude of a retreat. During the three days, the teachings of Christ are discussed in a climate of joy, with many opportunities for song and laughter.

The follow up meetings are called Ultreyas. We do not currently have an Ultreya in our parish but hope to start again. The Ultreyas are a way of supporting each other in our daily walk with Christ. An active Cursillo Movement helps greatly in the spiritual growth of a parish.

PRO-LIFE GROUP
The aim of the Pro-Life Group is to protect all aspects of life from the moment of conception to natural death. The group unites the parish community in taking a stand on issues which are against our moral values and family life. The group informs the parish at large when important life issues require action. CWL members purchase petition cards against abortion, pornography, assisted suicide, and euthanasia and distribute them in the parish. The Knights of Columbus purchase roses for sale against abortion, and provide help in general. In some cases, we have gathered petitions which have been read in Parliament. All parishioners of voting age can be involved in the activities, which offer a chance to make a difference in our world.

ST. VINCENT’S KITCHEN
The St. Vincent's Kitchen group helps to provide food for the hungry in our community. The St. Vincent’s Kitchen, founded by Sally and Bill Francis, is staffed by volunteers from various Church organizations, with each group being responsible for one day per month. The Kitchen, located in downtown Oshawa, has been open for about seven years, and provides a three to four course meal for the needy. Anyone is welcomed to the Kitchen who is over 16 years of age. The St. Therese Group needs new members to help on the third Friday of the month. Members of the group can come and go at the times most convenient for them, and volunteer any length of time they can spare Food preparation takes place from 10 a.m. till 3:30 p.m., serving time is between 3:30 and 5:30 p.m., and cleanup is between 5:30 and 6:45 p.m.

FINANCE COMMITTEE
Volunteers sit with the Pastor on the Finance Committee and discern the temporal needs of the parish. They prepare a year statement reported to the parish community.