GrACE Newsletter

Dear GrACE Apostles,

As another school year comes to a close, we pause with grateful hearts.

Across Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and Yukon, Catholic education continues to flourish because of the people who live its mission each day.

To our bishops, trustees, superintendents, principals, clergy, teachers, support staff, parents, parish communities, and volunteers—thank you.

Most especially, thank you to our students. Your faith, hope, generosity, and witness remind us why Catholic education matters.

This year, we have seen countless examples of Catholic education at its best: students serving others, schools growing in faith, communities coming together, and young people discovering their God-given purpose.

Every story reminds us that Catholic education is more than a system. It is a mission. A mission rooted in Jesus Christ and carried forward by people who continue to say "yes" to forming minds, hearts, and souls.

As we look ahead to exciting initiatives such as Faith Alive and a new school year, we do so with gratitude, confidence, and hope.

Thank you for being part of this extraordinary Catholic community.

May God bless you and your families with a safe, restful, and joy-filled summer.

"Jesus, I trust in You."

Kate
Executive Director | GrACE

June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus—a powerful reminder of Christ's faithful, compassionate, and sacrificial love for every person

As another school year comes to a close, the Church invites us to reflect on the Heart of Christ, which reveals God's mercy, compassion, and unwavering love for His people.

In his pastoral letter Heart Speaks to Heart, Cardinal Thomas Collins reflects on the relationship between Head, Heart, and Hands—a vision that speaks directly to the mission of Catholic education.

The Head seeks truth.

The Heart learns to love what is good.

The Hands put faith into action through service to others.

Catholic education seeks to form all three. We strive not only to educate minds, but to nurture hearts and inspire lives of faith-filled service.

Education forms the mind.

Faith forms the heart.

Discipleship forms the whole person.

This is the enduring mission of Catholic education: helping young people encounter Jesus Christ, discover their God-given gifts, and respond generously to His call.

As students, families, educators, clergy, trustees, and supporters of Catholic education, we are reminded that our schools are more than places of learning. They are communities of faith where young people are formed in wisdom, virtue, and hope.

May the Sacred Heart of Jesus continue to guide our schools, strengthen our families, and inspire each of us to live our faith with courage, joy, and love.

Most holy Heart of Jesus, fountain of every blessing, I adore You, I love You, and with lively sorrow for my sins I offer You this poor heart of mine. Make me humble, patient, pure and wholly obedient to Your will. Grant, good Jesus that I may live in You and for You. Protect me in the midst of danger. Comfort me in my afflictions. Give me health of body, assistance in my temporal needs, Your blessing on all that I do, and the grace of a holy death. Amen

Summer offers a unique opportunity to slow down, renew our relationship with Christ, and deepen our faith.

GrACE invites every Catholic family, school, parish, and community to consider one simple question:

How can I grow closer to Christ this summer?

Whether through prayer, Scripture, service, Eucharistic Adoration, parish involvement, or family faith practices, the summer months provide an opportunity to renew our hearts and prepare for the mission ahead.

Some simple ways to honour the Sacred Heart this summer include:

• Attend Mass regularly.

• Spend time in Eucharistic Adoration.

• Read a passage from the Gospel each day.

• Pray together as a family.

• Display an image of the Sacred Heart in your home.

• Reach out to someone who may be lonely or in need.

• Perform acts of kindness and service within your community.

• Offer one intentional act of charity each week in honour of the Sacred Heart.

• Pray daily: 'O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in You."

The Sacred Heart calls each of us not only to receive Christ's love but to share that love with others through compassion, generosity, forgiveness, and service.

May the love of the Sacred Heart guide our families, strengthen our communities, and deepen our faith throughout the summer months.

Across Alberta, Northwest Territories, and Yukon, Catholic schools continue to provide countless examples of faith lived with joy, courage, and hope. Here are just a few stories that remind us why Catholic education is a gift worth celebrating.

Nothing captures the promise of Catholic education more powerfully than young people stepping forward to lead. This image reminds us that Catholic schools are not simply places of learning; they are communities of formation where students are encouraged to discover their God-given gifts, find their voice, and use their talents in service of others. Across Alberta, Northwest Territories, and Yukon, Catholic education continues to shape young people who are grounded in faith, inspired by hope, and committed to making a positive difference in the world. As another school year comes to a close, we celebrate the students who inspire us, the educators who accompany them, the families who support them, and the Catholic communities that help them flourish. Together, they are living proof that Catholic education remains vibrant, transformative, and well worth celebrating.

We are blessed across Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and Yukon with a rich tradition of Catholic education—a gift nurtured and safeguarded by generations who understood that Catholic schools are not simply educational institutions, but vital partners in the mission of the Church.

Where public funding exists, it represents a hard-won legacy that continues to benefit both the Church and society. Across our Catholic schools, students encounter an education rooted in faith and reason, where Christ is known, loved, and proclaimed; where truth is pursued with confidence; and where young people are formed to live lives of service, purpose, and hope.

GrACE's monthly newsletter seeks to strengthen this shared mission by connecting Catholic communities across our three jurisdictions and sharing the many stories that reveal Catholic education at its best.

From large urban centres to remote northern communities, Catholic education continues to flourish through the dedication of students, families, clergy, trustees, leaders, and educators who witness to the Gospel every day.

Catholic education is more than a school system. It is part of a living tradition spanning two thousand years—a rich inheritance entrusted to each generation and renewed through the mission of our schools, colleges, universities, parishes, and families. Rooted in the teachings of Christ and the life of the Church, Catholic education seeks not only academic excellence, but the formation of the whole person: mind, heart, body, and spirit.

As another school year comes to a close, we give thanks for the students who inspire us, the educators who accompany them, the families who support them, and the Catholic communities that help them flourish.

Across Yellowknife Catholic Schools, Catholic Education Week was marked with joy, gratitude, and a renewed appreciation for the gift of Catholic education.

Students, families, educators, clergy, and parish communities came together in prayer, celebration, and service, demonstrating that Catholic education continues to thrive in the North.

From Blue Shirt Day celebrations to a special Catholic Education Week Mass at St. Patrick's Parish, the week highlighted the strong bonds between home, school, and parish and the shared mission of forming young people in faith, knowledge, and service.

It was a powerful reminder that wherever Catholic education takes root, communities are strengthened and hope is renewed.

During Catholic Education Week, Elk Island Catholic Schools invited students, families, and staff to reflect on what makes Catholic education a gift worth cherishing.

Through stories of faith, belonging, learning, and service, school communities highlighted the countless ways Christ is present in daily school life.

Their witness serves as a reminder that Catholic education is not simply about academic achievement, but about forming young people who understand their dignity, recognize their gifts, and are called to make a difference in the world.

School communities across Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools embraced this year's Catholic Education Week theme, reflecting on what it means to be anchored in Christ and called to bring hope to others.

Through prayer, liturgy, learning, and community gatherings, students were encouraged to see faith not as something separate from daily life but as the foundation upon which lives are built.

Their celebrations reflected the enduring mission of Catholic education: forming young people who know the truth, love what is good, and serve others generously.

Catholic education flourishes because of people who quietly and faithfully live its mission every day. Across Alberta, Northwest Territories, and Yukon, countless individuals, schools, parishes, organizations, and foundations strengthen Catholic education through leadership, generosity, service, innovation, and witness.

GrACE Champions celebrates these remarkable communities whose commitment continues to inspire, invigorate, and embolden Catholic education for future generations. We are honoured to highlight just a few of the many people making a lasting difference.

As another school year draws to a close, Edmonton Catholic Schools reminds us that Catholic education is measured not only by academic achievement, but by lives formed in faith, purpose, and service. From celebrating graduates as they begin new journeys, to sharing authentic student voices through the Humans of ECSD initiative, to honouring First Nations, Métis, and Inuit graduates through its 25th Annual Honouring Ceremony, these celebrations reflect the richness and diversity of Catholic education. Together, they reveal schools where every student is encouraged to discover their God-given gifts, embrace their identity, and carry the light of Christ into their families, communities, and the wider world.

Throughout the past school year, Holy Family Catholic Regional Division has demonstrated what it means to place Christ at the centre of school life. Guided by the theme Disciples on a Journey, students, staff, clergy, and families embraced opportunities to grow in faith through prayer, liturgy, service, and community. From welcoming the relic of St. John Paul II to celebrating the ordination of alumnus Fr. Thomas Wollis and launching The Compass faith and wellness initiative, Holy Family has continued to nurture young people who are grounded in faith, inspired by hope, and prepared to serve others with generosity and joy.

For more than four decades, the Calgary Catholic Education Foundation (CCEF) has invested in the lives of students by supporting educational opportunities that help every learner flourish. Its annual golf tournament is far more than a community event—it is a celebration of partnership, generosity, and the shared commitment to ensuring that Catholic education remains accessible, vibrant, and life-giving. By bringing together educators, parish communities, alumni, families, and supporters, the Foundation continues to strengthen the mission of Catholic education and invest in the next generation of faith-filled leaders.

These are just a few examples of the extraordinary people and communities strengthening Catholic education across Alberta, Northwest Territories, and Yukon. Every school, parish, organization, and local GrACE community has a story worth sharing, and together these stories continue to inspire, invigorate, and embolden the mission entrusted to us.

• For Catholic Education: That our schools may shine with the hope of Christ as the school year ends
• For teachers: That they may be blessed with rest, renewal, and joy as they complete another year of service
• For students: That the seeds of faith sown this year may bear lasting fruit
• For the future: That Catholic education continue to form generations anchored in Christ and ablaze with hope

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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.

• GrACE Alberta - Catholic Education Week
• 'Instruction of the Congregation for Catholic Education, ‘The identity of the Catholic school for a culture of dialogue
• 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!