GrACE Invites You to an Inspiring Cath Ed Talks Event on February 12, 2025: From Maintenance to Mission: Strengthening the Sacred Triad
GrACE is delighted and excited to deliver a session for ACSTA's Catholic Ed Talks series, titled “From Maintenance to Mission: Strengthening the Sacred Triad.” Building on the powerful discussions from the GrACE October 2024 Summit, this session explores the vital shift from maintaining the status quo to embracing a mission-focused approach in Catholic education. Together, we will delve into actionable ways to strengthen the Sacred Triad of home, school, and parish, ensuring Catholic education remains a vibrant and transformative force for generations to come.
Why This Session Matters
This session reflects the shared responsibility of educators, families, parish leaders, and advocates to advance Catholic education. Inspired by themes from the GrACE Summit, it emphasizes partnership, Gospel witness, and renewal as the foundation for boldly moving into the future.
Special Guest: Michael Hauptman
GrACE is thrilled to co-host Michael Hauptman, a renowned advocate for Catholic education. His insights and expertise will enrich the dialogue as we celebrate our unified commitment to preserving and promoting the mission of Catholic education across Alberta and beyond.
What to Expect
Inspiration & Insight:
Discover how the united efforts of GrACE, CCSSA, and ACSTA are shaping a mission-oriented future for Catholic education, rooted in faith, values, and excellence.A Unified Vision:
Explore how strengthening the Sacred Triad of home, school, and parish ensures Catholic education remains a vibrant gift that forms disciples and transforms communities.Community Connection:
Join an inspiring dialogue that reaffirms our shared mission to nurture faith, foster academic excellence, and build resilient, Gospel-centered communities.
Join the Movement
Let’s build on the momentum of the Summit and continue moving boldly from maintenance to mission. Together, we celebrate and strengthen the Sacred Triad that makes Catholic education a beacon of faith, learning, and community.
Engage in an inspiring dialogue that reaffirms our shared mission to nurture faith, foster academic excellence, and build resilient, Gospel-centered communities.
Be Part of the Movement
Let’s build on the momentum of the Summit and continue moving boldly from maintenance to mission. Together, we celebrate and strengthen the Sacred Triad that makes Catholic education a beacon of faith, learning, and community.
A Unified Vision:
Explore how strengthening the Sacred Triad of home, school, and parish ensures Catholic education remains a vibrant gift that forms disciples and transforms communities.Community Connection:
Engage in an inspiring dialogue that reaffirms our shared mission to nurture faith, foster academic excellence, and build resilient, Gospel-centered communities.
Be Part of the Movement
Let’s build on the momentum of the Summit and continue moving boldly from maintenance to mission. Together, we celebrate and strengthen the Sacred Triad that makes Catholic education a beacon of faith, learning, and community.
Register now for Catholic Ed Talks - February 2025 using the link below, and access the Zoom details provided.
Jubilee Year of Hope: Catholic Education as a Light for Renewal in Alberta
The Jubilee Year of 2025 calls for mercy, forgiveness, and renewal—transforming lives and offering hope. Inspired by Pope Francis, nations like Cuba, Zimbabwe, and the United States have embraced the Jubilee spirit through acts of clemency and justice. These global efforts remind us of the power of mercy to restore dignity and create new beginnings.
Throughout Alberta and beyond, Catholic education reflects this Jubilee mission by fostering faith, hope, and compassion in students. As a vital pillar of the sacred triad of home, school, and parish, Catholic schools inspire the next generation to embrace mercy and justice while addressing societal challenges.
The Role of Fully Publicly Funded Catholic Education
Fully publicly funded Catholic education ensures that Alberta’s schools remain accessible to all, providing a foundation rooted in faith and values. Catholic schools are essential for shaping compassionate, engaged citizens who carry the spirit of renewal into their communities. By supporting this ministry, we ensure its continued impact on families and society.
Answering the Call
The Jubilee invites everyone to take action. In Alberta, this means:
Advocating for fully publicly funded Catholic education.
Supporting local Catholic schools through time, talent, or resources.
Building strong connections within the sacred triad of home, school, and parish.
As the Jubilee reminds us to open doors of mercy globally, let us open doors of opportunity here at home. Together, we can ensure Catholic education continues to inspire, transform, and bring hope to future generations
Pilgrimage: A Journey of Faith and Catholic Education
The Jubilee Year 2025, with its theme “Pilgrims of Hope,” is a call to embark on a profound journey of spiritual renewal. This journey reflects the mission of Catholic education, where students, educators, and communities walk with Christ, grow in faith, and transform the world with love and service.
Like a pilgrimage, Catholic education is a journey of discovery, reflection, and growth. Catholic schools serve as sanctuaries where students deepen their understanding of Gospel values, nurture their spiritual formation, and learn to care for creation as stewards of God’s gifts. Inspired by Pope Francis’ Jubilee message, “Pilgrims of Hope”, Catholic education in Alberta emphasizes gratitude, solidarity, and a shared commitment to building a more just and compassionate world.
GrACE plays a vital role in this mission. By fostering advocacy, cooperation, and gratitude, GrACE ensures that Catholic education continues to thrive and inspire future generations. Through its support, Catholic schools remain vibrant spaces where faith and learning intersect, forming disciples of Christ who carry His message into their families, communities, and the wider world.
The Jubilee Year reminds us that Catholic education and faith are interconnected journeys. Together, GrACE and Catholic education invite all to walk this path of hope, gratitude, and renewal, ensuring the transformative power of Catholic education shines brightly for generations to come.
Welcoming a New Year in Catholic Education: Guided by the Holy Spirit
As we begin this New Year, GrACE invites you to join us in asking the Holy Spirit to guide all our thoughts, words, and actions in the months ahead.
January 1, celebrated as the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, is also a perfect day to reflect on the blessings of the past year and turn to the Holy Spirit for wisdom and grace as we journey forward—especially through the mission of Catholic education.
The Vatican’s Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy encourages us to give a deeper, faith-filled meaning to the custom of exchanging New Year greetings. By offering our greetings and intentions to the Lord, we acknowledge that this New Year, like all time, belongs to Him. As Catholic educators, students, and advocates, we are called to place the year ahead under the Lord’s guidance, trusting that His Spirit will lead us in our shared mission to form disciples, inspire hearts, and nurture faith-filled communities.
At GrACE, we believe Catholic education is a powerful means through which the Holy Spirit works to inspire hope, cultivate faith, and transform lives. This New Year is an opportunity for us to deepen our commitment to this mission. Whether in our schools, parishes, or homes, we encourage everyone to pause and ask the Holy Spirit to inspire every decision, every lesson, and every interaction, illuminating the path forward for all entrusted to our care.
Through Catholic education, we have the privilege of shaping young minds and hearts to walk with Christ and see the world through the lens of faith, love, and compassion. Let us enter this New Year united in our dedication to this sacred task. Together, may we live out our faith more fully, place every challenge and blessing in God’s loving hands, and trust in the Spirit to lead us.
As we greet one another and share our hopes for the future, may our words reflect the Holy Spirit at work in us and through Catholic education. May this year bring abundant blessings, deepened faith, and strengthened unity as we continue to build a compassionate and Christ-centered world.
Celebrating the 2025 Jubilee of Hope
Pope Francis Opens the Holy Door of Saint Peter's Basilica
On Christmas Eve, December 24, 2024, Pope Francis opened the Holy Door of Saint Peter's Basilica, arking the official inauguration of the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope. This symbolic act during the Christmas Mass signaled the beginning of an extraordinary year dedicated to faith, renewal, and global unity.
The Jubilee, observed every 25 years, invites pilgrims worldwide to deepen their spiritual journey. This Holy Year concludes on January 6, 2026, with the closing of the Holy Door, reflecting the journey of hope and transformation experienced by the faithful.
The Holy Door: A Path to Holiness
The Holy Door holds profound significance, representing a call to walk in holiness. Pilgrims from all nations are invited to cross its threshold, following in the footsteps of Pope Francis and embracing the Jubilee's message of salvation and renewal. This tradition, dating back to the 15th century, emphasizes the grace and unity found in Christ.
A Year of Faith and Renewal
Pope Francis shared a powerful message of hope during his homily, reflecting on the Nativity story. He reminded the world of the joy found in Christ's birth, proclaiming, “Hope is not dead; hope is alive and it embraces our lives forever!” The Holy Father urged believers to strengthen their faith, recognizing the presence of the Risen Christ in their daily lives.
An Invitation to Hope
This Jubilee invites everyone to rediscover the joy of encountering Christ and to carry the light of Christian hope into their communities. Pope Francis encourages all to embrace this year as a time of transformation, urging, “With haste, let us set out to behold the Lord who is born for us... and bring hope to the way we live our daily lives.”
Stay Connected with GrACE
Join us in celebrating the 2025 Jubilee of Hope. Subscribe to our newsletter for updates on events, reflections, and ways to participate in this historic Holy Year. Together, let us walk the path of faith, share the joy of the Gospel, and embrace the promise of hope.
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