May 6, 2024
St. Francois de Laval
Patron of the Bishops of Canada
Catholic Education Week May 6-10, 2024
In joy and thanksgiving, we, the Catholic Bishops of Saskatchewan, invite you to join us in recognizing the gift and the impact of Catholic education as we celebrate Catholic Education Week in our province from May 6 to May 10.
This year’s theme – “We Are Called to Love!” – reminds us of a central theme in the Bible, where it is referenced in so many ways. We draw inspiration from I John: 4: “God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God in them.”
As we celebrate this year’s theme, we recall the many ways in which Catholic education not only exhorts us about the way of love but carries out education and related activities that reveal and reinforce the way of love and charity. To live a life of ‘love’ is not a passive issue. To nurture love in all things is to encourage and foster a virtue that calls forth a vision and response – by Catholic educators, by members of the Church, by families and the larger community. We not only are to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, but we strive to imitate Him in every way – with God’s grace and help. The journey of Jesus Christ– through His life and ministry of teaching and service, through His passion and death on the cross, and through His resurrection to new life – provides the pattern for love and charity for Catholic education and formation.
In this sense, Catholic education seeks excellence: an excellence which involves developing and bringing to bear all young peoples’ gifts and abilities to be excellent disciples of the Lord as they humbly serve God’s plan to make the world a better place and seek our ultimate destiny.
We join together in giving thanks to God for the gift of Catholic education and its unique contribution in our province and our communities. We pray in thanksgiving for the continuing existence and protection of publicly-funded Catholic education in Saskatchewan, and for hope and perseverance for educators, students and families who are navigating the many challenges and opportunities to proclaim Christ in our world today, may Catholic education continue to model Christ: “… the Way, the Truth and the Life…,” (John 14:6) and develop the head and the heart so that we may serve our brothers and sisters seeking, “… a new heaven and a new earth.” (Rev. 21:1)
Sincerely Yours in Christ,
Most Rev. Donald Bolen – Archbishop of Regina
Most Rev. Murray Chatlain – Archbishop of Keewatin-Le Pas
Most Rev. Mark Hagemoen – Bishop of Saskatoon
Most Rev. Stephen Hero – Bishop of Prince Albert
Most Rev. Michael Smolinski, CSsR – Eparchy of Saskatoon
