GrACE Newsletter

On Monday, October 20, 2025, Catholic school trustees will be elected across Alberta. These elections are more than procedural—they are pivotal. Because Catholic education is not just a right. It is an identity. And that identity must be preserved, protected, and proclaimed.

Trustees are not merely policy-makers. They are guardians of Catholic mission. Their decisions shape the future of our schools, our children, and our public witness.

In their 2025 Pastoral Letter, the Catholic Bishops of Alberta offer not just encouragement—but a prophetic reminder:

Catholic education is not an independent system. It is a mission of the Church.

Our Bishops call us to see Catholic schools as extensions of the sanctuary, not separate from it. They affirm that the trustee election is not just a policy moment—it is a spiritual responsibility.

Their letter offers a theological roadmap for voters, reminding all Catholics to discern with conscience and communion.

📥 Read the full letter in the link below

A special edition of the GrACE Newsletter will be released in the coming weeks, dedicated entirely to preparing for the October 20 Catholic trustee elections. This issue will include invaluable links and resources from ACSTA, along with practical guidance on advance polling and voter readiness.

It's Not A Preference. It's A Promise.

Catholic education in Alberta is not publicly funded because of denominational favour. It is publicly funded because of a protected and constitutionally enshrined identity.

Our rights under Section 93 of the Constitution Act, 1867, were granted not as a privilege but as a recognition of our distinctiveness as Catholics.

That identity is not generic. It is rooted in the Magisterium of the Church, the Eucharist, and the teachings of Jesus Christ.

To remain deserving of that protection, Catholic education must remain unmistakably Catholic.

And it starts with the trustees we elect.

We don’t need leaders who dilute identity. We need trustees who will steward it. Who will govern with fidelity. Who will protect the integrity of our schools—from both the outside, and from erosion within.

This election is not about management. It is about mission.

When you vote, ask:

• Does this candidate know and love the Catholic faith?

• Will they uphold our constitutional and canonical protections?

• Do they understand their duty to serve all Catholic families in fidelity to the Catholic Church?

• Will they defend the sacramental and doctrinal integrity of our schools?

Catholic trustees must be public witnesses to a Catholic mission. Not neutral. Not vague. Not politicized. Faithful!

This moment is not only about voting.

It is about choosing who will carry the mission of Catholic education forward in communion with the Church.

The trustees we elect will shape the witness of our schools for years to come. They will either defend our inherited mission, or drift from it.

Let us not drift. Let us decide. And let us do so with faith.

In a time of cultural confusion and increasing pressure to conform, the temptation is to retreat or remain silent. But Catholic education is not called to blend in—it is called to stand firm.

It must be:

• Joyfully Christ-centered
• Sacramentally rich
• Morally clear
• And always mission-driven

With deep gratitude for your witness, your prayers, and your steadfast support of Catholic education,

Blessings and much love.

'Jesus, I trust in You'!

Kate

Executive Director | GrACE

The voice of our young people is at the heart of Catholic education — and this October, they take the lead.

The inaugural GrACE Youth Summit will bring together students from across Alberta, the NWT, and Yukon for a bold witness of faith, formation, and fearless Catholic leadership.

• 500+ students and their teachers already confirmed in person

• Ample opportunity to join via Zoom for the live morning keynotes and youth testimony (9:30–11:30 a.m.) — at no cost to your school

• Dynamic keynote speakers and leaders: Michael Chiasson, Eric Reinhart, and Mike Landry will engage and inspire students in their Catholic identity

• Youth testimony: student leaders from across our provinces and territories sharing how they live their faith today

• Faith Alive launch moment: youth voices declaring together “Faith is alive. And we are the proof.”

• Saint Carlo Acutis connection: we anchor this day in his witness —

“The Eucharist is my highway to heaven.” — Saint Carlo Acutis

Like Carlo, our young people are witnesses to the living Christ. This is not just an event for youth — it is an event led by youth. Their voices, their stories, and their faith will be the heart of the day.

⚠️ Please note: should the October 24 date be disrupted by strike action, the GrACE Youth Summit is a moveable feast and will be rescheduled to May 2026. Our young Church will be heard.

Welcome one, welcome all — we would love to have you with us!

To Join via Zoom: Contact Kate at gracedirector7@gmail.com

We are grateful for publicly funded Catholic education in Alberta, a unique and cherished historical gift. It is an invaluable offering to both the Catholic community and wider society, carrying growing responsibility in an increasingly secular world.

There are so many positive stories about Catholic schools and education in Alberta.

Catholic education refers to educational institutions, Catholic schools, colleges, and universities; programs rooted in the Catholic faith; and the work of all who are known for their commitment to delivering academic excellence while emphasizing the values and teachings of the Catholic Church.

As a grateful advocate for Catholic education and leader in our Catholic education system, celebrate, showcase, and highlight the faith of your school.

GrACE's Faith Alive Series is not a campaign. It is a communion.

It begins with the prophetic voice of bishops, trustees, educators, and Catholic universities — and culminates in the joyful proclamation of students and student leaders who declare:

“Faith is alive. And we are the proof.”

Through reflections, witness, artwork, and student testimony, this year-long initiative centers Catholic youth as public witnesses of faith in a culture that needs clarity, truth, and hope.

This is a GrACE response to a Church and world that need the voice of young believers more than ever.

In the coming weeks, GrACE will release additional invitations, templates, and submission details to help every Catholic community participate in the Faith Alive Series.

Watch for resources connected to Catholic Education Week, the GrACE Youth Summit, and how your students can share their voice in this Alberta, NWT and Yukon-wide witness.

Follow GrACE on Facebook and Twitter. Post your pictures and tag us so we can share them and celebrate too. Thanks for being a grateful advocate of Catholic education! @GrACE4cathed

GrACE Facebook address is www.facebook.com/GrACE4cathed

Grace email is gracedirector7@gmail.com

GrACE Twitter address is @GrACE4cathed

Instagram: @grace4catholiceducation

• Sign up for GrACE’s monthly newsletter
• Share GrACE’s monthly Newsletter
• Celebrate Catholic schools and Catholic education
• Provide information to share in GrACE’s monthly newsletter
• Tell your positive stories and benefits from your Catholic school(s) and Catholic education
• Subscribe to GrACE’s Facebook; Twitter (X), and social media pages
• Encourage parents to become more actively involved in GrACE
• Support local GrACE group in your parish
• Ensure the GrACE database has your correct contact information
• Encourage a sense of collective responsibility in upholding the mission and values of Catholic education in our shared society
• Make a stand for Catholic schools and Catholic education in Alberta and beyond
• Assert your choice in favour of Catholic schools/Catholic education and its values
• Champion the benefits of Catholic schools and Catholic education, alongside its broader implications for the spiritual, intellectual, and social development of individuals and society as a whole
• Be active in the GrACE movement
• Post your pictures and tag us so we can share them and celebrate too

Student volunteers are warmly invited to represent their School in GrACE’s

social media campaign, new outreach, and database development.

All thoughts on how we can we better utilize technology platforms to ensure timely and effective communication within the wider Catholic education family and beyond will be gratefully received.

Please email gracedirector7@gmail.com to express interest and suggestions.

• 'Instruction of the Congregation for Catholic Education, ‘The identity of the Catholic school for a culture of dialogue, from the Vatican, 2022
• Growing in Faith Symposium — 5 Marks of Catholic Education
• CCSSA Catholic Leadership Quality Standards
• 5 Marks of an Excellent Catholic Leader
• The Excellent Catholic Teacher
• Calgary Catholic Schools
• Redeemer Revelations

Together, let us reclaim what is eternal. Catholic education is not merely surviving—it is reviving!