In a school community formed by Catholic beliefs and traditions, our Mission is to educate students to their full potential by providing:

• a safe and welcoming learning environment that is an example of Christian community
• integration of Catholic, Christian beliefs into the total learning experience

We envision students who:

• are formed in the Catholic faith
• apply Christian values to life is opportunities, challenges and choices
• display self-esteem and self respect
• demonstrate skills for developing and maintaining personal and family wellness
• demonstrate global and community responsibility.

Religious Education

In carrying out its mandate to the Catholic community it serves, the school strives to deal with the spiritual dimension as well as the intellectual dimension.

In addressing itself to these spiritual matters, the life of faith, prayer, scripture, liturgy and Christian action is stressed, while biblical study, doctrine, comparative religions and theology forms the basis of the intellectual content.

The strength of a religious education programme depends on its foundation. This foundation must begin in the home. It is our hope that the religious education provided by Neil McNeil, together with his family background, will continue to enhance the student is life as a member of the Christian community long after he has left the school.

Chaplaincy

The chaplaincy team undertakes to give staff and students the opportunity, the encouragement and the support they need to act on their faith in as many significant ways as are possible in the course of a school year:

• Mass is celebrated throughout the year in the school during the liturgical seasons. Each student is also given the opportunity to celebrate the Eucharist in a small group setting.
• In order to contribute to the Catholic Community at Neil McNeil, all students are expected to participate in liturgical activities throughout the year.
• Students will be given the opportunity to participate in a day of reflection or retreat.

Father McCarthy Leadership Centre (Room 206)

The Father McCarthy Leadership Centre was developed as part of a school-wide commitment to student leadership. It is named after the founder and builder of the school, Father Garry McCarthy, who embodied the Catholic leadership quality of service to those most in need.

The highlight of The Centre is the training and supervision of senior tutors who work alongside junior students who struggle with their coursework. In addition to peer tutoring, The Centre provides the venue for an extended leadership program for identifying, forming and linking together student leaders within the school. Programs such as the grade 11 leadership course, Muskoka Woods grade nine orientation, empowered student partnership, student ambassadors to elementary schools and chaplaincy outreach all benefit from the use of meeting and planning space during the school day.