The silhouette is part of a sacred space at this year's When Faith Meets Pedagogy Conference, October 27-29, whose theme "The Church on a Journey: Encounter, Listen, Discern" invited school boards to submit a silhouette celebrating their unique identity.
Merchants of Hope was taken from a daily announcement by Principal Dean Younger reminding students that, "God calls each of us through our words and actions and to bring joy and hope to each other as Merchants of Hope and Missionaries of Joy."
In a visit with grade 4 classes at Annunciation School, Religion Consultant Carmelina Biundo asked students to reflect on the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board as a place where Each Belongs.'
Their joyful and enthusiastic responses opened up "a deep conversation of the beauty that takes place in our Catholic schools," said Biundo.
"It was through this conversation that our life size silhouette was born as the Merchant of Hope.'"
The silhouette was clothed in blue pants and a white golf shirt, representing the school uniform, over which were written messages of hope and inclusion to illustrate what a Merchant of Hope should look like, not in the physical sense, but in a way guided by the Holy Spirit, said Biundo.
Words like "belonging," "every child matters," "treat each other the way you want to be treated," were used by the students to describe what it means to be a merchant of hope.
The students also reminisced about sacred and spiritual events that marked a special time on their faith journey within the Catholic school community.
"I want to try my best to follow in God's footsteps," was the clearest take-away.
Noted Biundo, who reveled in her time with the students: "The words and phrases chosen by the grade 4 students capture the essence of what it means to belong' in our Catholic schools as we journey together to the risen Lord as Merchants of Hope."
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