Good morning,
Today we begin celebrating Catholic Education Week throughout Canada. Later this month, on May 30th, we will also recognize World Catholic Education Day.
I’m also pleased today to release a video on Catholic Education in Holy Spirit. This video was a joint project of the Holy Spirit ATA Local and the Board of Trustees, and was filmed and produced by Erv Fehr. I’m very proud of the results. Please take some time to view Public Education- The Catholic Way (http://bit.ly/publiceducation-thecatholicway ) at your leisure, or come to a special screening on World Catholic Education Day on the evening of May 30th.
In the past I’ve spoken at length of the threat to Catholic Education and, while that is true, I want to focus my comments today on the strength of what we do in our schools and throughout our system. Catholic Education works, not just in Holy Spirit but throughout Alberta and throughout Canada. We always strive to do something very unique, form in faith ourselves and our students. We do this to build a stronger society that recognizes the dignity of all and to be counter cultural just as Jesus was in his time. Catholic Education has the potential, if we do it well, to develop people of faith – not just people of spirituality. Jesus was faithful, not just spiritual.
Over the past three years we’ve worked with an incredible faith plan that has brought all of us back to scripture through the weekly Gospels. We learned about and practiced different forms of prayer. And this year we culminated our plan by sharing our bounty- sharing our time, treasures and talents. What a beautiful way to end this year’s theme and begin to move to our next three year faith plan.
This week all staff will be gifted with Catholic Education pins that I hope you wear with great pride. We will gather in our schools each Thursday for common prayers and I would ask that you wear blue each of the next four Thursdays to show solidarity for Catholic Education.
Our job in Catholic Education will never end since faith is a journey and not a destination. Continue to give your colleagues, your students and your communities the gift of faith. As St. Francis of Assisi says, “Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary use words.” We will always be judged by our actions and while there is always work to do, our actions speak well of Catholic Education in Holy Spirit.
May God continue to bless you as we celebrate Catholic Education Week.
