GrACE Newsletter

On October 20, 2025, Albertans will head to the polls to elect Catholic school trustees. These elections are not routine—they are decisive. The future of Catholic education in Alberta depends on who we entrust to steward it. This election is not about politics. It is about identity.

In Alberta, Catholic education is not a concession. It is a constitutional identity right. This is not about favouritism. It is about formation.

Section 93 of the Constitution Act protects Catholic school rights precisely because they are Catholic—not in spite of it. The system is fully funded on the basis of its distinctive identity. If we lose the clarity of that identity, we risk losing the system itself.

In every province where identity has faded, Catholic schools have weakened. In Alberta, we still have the chance to lead. But we must protect what has been handed down.

Catholic education has never been neutral. From the early Church to the present, it has always existed to form the whole person: body, mind, and soul.

Our inheritance includes:

• The great Catholic intellectual tradition
• The lives of the saints and martyrs
• The sacramental worldview that sees Christ in all things
• The preferential option for the poor
• The dignity of every human life

This election is about whether we are willing to preserve that inheritance—and pass it on.

This election is not about managing the status quo. It is about moving from maintenance to mission.

If Catholic schools are to thrive, we must:

• Be unapologetically Catholic
• Be publicly accountable
• Be mission-aligned, parish-connected, and Christ-centered

Let us vote, pray, and witness in a way that honours the gift of Catholic education.

Christ is calling. May we respond with courage.

“Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we shall reap, if we do not lose heart.” (Galatians 6:9)

“Catholic education is a treasure of our Church. As the world grows more secular, we must choose leaders who will guard the flame of faith and ensure our schools remain faithful, hopeful, and loving.”

— The Catholic Bishops of Alberta

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.

Here’s what you can do:

• Pray for the election of faithful trustees.
• Discern candidates using ACSTA's Trustee Voter's Guide.
• Host or attend a parish Q&A with trustee candidates.
• Vote on October 20, 2025. And bring a friend!

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!

Catholic education in Alberta spans rural and urban, Indigenous and immigrant, English and French, charismatic and contemplative. This diversity is the very image of the Church.

What unites us is stronger than what divides us: one Lord, one faith, one baptism. And one Catholic school system, rooted in that unity.

Trustees are not elected to water down that identity. They are elected to preserve, protect, and proclaim it.

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

GrACE also invites pastors and parish communities to help form conscience by encouraging participation in the trustee election and sharing parish-ready materials from GrACE and ACSTA.

Visit GrACE Alberta and www.acsta.ab.ca to explore trustee resources, advocacy tools, and election guides provided by the Alberta Catholic School Trustees’ Association.

For further information for all trustee and pending trustee election matters, contact Brendan Cavanagh at executivedirector@acsta.ab.ca.

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

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

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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, 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!