On October 8 (Wednesday), students at Loretto College School, along with local feeder schools St. Alphonsus and St. Cecilia Catholic Schools, had the incredible opportunity to watch and participate in the dramatic performance of Harvest Justice: Twice the Speed of Lightning. Mixed Company Theatre was invited to perform in Loretto College's Atrium Theatre, with two showings.
Harvest Justice: Twice the Speed of Lightning, written by Catherine Frid, is an interactive Forum Theatre presentation that was created through interviews and conversations with 15 current and former migrant workers who shared their experiences. The play invited students to step into the world of the thousands of migrant farm workers who come to Canada every year to support their families and help feed ours. These workers are often made invisible, yet their hands pick the fruits and vegetables that fill our grocery stores and lunch tables. Many face challenges that most of us rarely see: separation from their families, unsafe working conditions, and limited protections under the law.
In our Catholic tradition, the Church teaches that "the economy exists for the person, not the person for the economy" and that the dignity of work must always be protected. From Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum to today’s teachings, we are reminded that the measure of a society is found not in its wealth, but in how it treats the workers, the poor, and the vulnerable. This vision connects deeply with our Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) Pastoral Plan, which focuses on Justice this year.
Justice calls us to open our eyes to inequality, to speak up when others are silenced, and to act in solidarity with those who are treated unfairly. The migrant workers’ struggle for fair treatment is a living example of that call—not a distant issue, but a human story happening in our own fields and communities. It is about relationships, fairness, and the absolute sacred worth of every person. After seeing the play, students were invited to discuss the issues, direct the actors, and roleplay their ideas to discover how we can all create positive change.
We are so grateful to Mixed Company Theatre for joining us and for using theatre as a way to create dialogue and empathy and for challenging us to think more deeply about justice, human rights, and the sacred dignity of work. At Loretto College, the small school with the big heart, we believe that when girls are given the opportunities they need, they can become successful women leaders in the future!
