Catholic Schools: Witnesses of faith in a secular age

9/2/2025

Opening of the School Year Mass - Holy Spirit Catholic School Division in Lethbridge

Each year, in the last week of August, I have the privilege of celebrating four district-wide Masses with our Catholic school communities. These celebrations are an important sign of unity, gathering teachers, superintendents, administrative and support staff, trustees, parents, and parishioners to mark the beginning of a new academic year.

This year, we are mindful of the ongoing negotiations between the Alberta teachers and the provincial government. Any potential job action must be considered in light of the Church’s social teaching, which upholds both the dignity of work and the right to collective bargaining. At the same time, we cannot overlook the impact such actions may have on students and their families. This is a moment that calls for prudence, justice, and solidarity.

This fall also brings school trustee elections. I encourage parishioners to elect Catholic trustees who are committed first and foremost to the Catholic vision and mission of our publicly funded schools, and who understand the responsibility of ensuring that the Catholic identity of our schools is respected by the constitution and in accordance with canon law and with my episcopal oversight as diocesan bishop.

Through the ongoing Diocesan Renewal process, many parish plans have identified the need for new strategies and initiatives to strengthen the partnership between parish and school. At the diocesan level, I continue to collaborate actively with our Catholic school superintendents and trustees. Together, we seek to ensure the vitality of our schools as communities of faith and learning that can form the next generation of missionary disciples of Christ.

The Catholic schools in our diocese are diverse, including public, private, and charter institutions. Yet their common goal is to lead students to know the truth, to choose the good, and to appreciate the beauty of creation through reason enlightened by faith in God. Catholic schools welcome non-Catholic students where space allows, provided that families accept the Catholic worldview that permeates the entire curriculum and a Christian understanding of the human person as being created in the image of God. This includes religious instruction, prayer, the sacraments, and the witness of Christian service.

Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education Division Staff Opening Mass

The Catholic school exists as an integral part of the mission of the Church, serving both evangelization and catechesis of young people centered on the gospel of Christ. At the same time, it offers a holistic education that forms the whole person, preparing students for life, for meaningful contribution to society, and for a deeper appreciation of the dignity of every human person. Catholic education seeks to cultivate wisdom, responsibility, and generosity, enabling students to share their gifts for the good of others.

The Dicastery for Catholic Education has spoken of an “educational emergency” that is increasingly evident in public education worldwide. This crisis stems from the difficulty of transmitting fundamental human and Christian values, and from the spread of relativism, where truth is seen as subjective and merely personal. The late Pope Francis often addressed these challenges, urging Catholic educators to foster dialogue rooted first in listening and from a clear Catholic identity. “Dialogue, in fact, educates when a person relates with respect, esteem, sincerity of listening and expresses themselves with authenticity, without obfuscating or mitigating one’s identity. We cannot create a culture of dialogue if we do not have identity.” Without identity, there can be no genuine dialogue.

Catholic schools, both public and private, have the potential to enrich our culture and serve as a vital witness in society. Despite indifference or hostility toward religion, they remind our communities of the importance of belief in God and the Gospel of Christ, which transforms values and inspires hope. Catholic education, by its very nature, fosters openness to other cultures while preserving a strong sense of identity.

The future of Catholic education depends on the commitment of parents and teachers to see Catholic schools not merely as an option for learning but as an enrichment for society as a whole. This is the great tradition of Catholic education in Alberta, and the mission entrusted to our schools.

As Bishops of Alberta, we recognize the vital role that Catholic education plays in the life of the Church and of society. We are deeply committed to protecting the integrity of our Catholic schools and to safeguarding the gift of faith they offer to students and their families. With hope and courage, let us continue to renew this remarkable legacy of Catholic education, for the good of our diocese, our province, and the generations to come.