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Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
"It all starts with faith.". This is the simple
message that you are invited to focus on when we celebrate Catholic
Education Sunday on November 5.
It all starts with faith. Our Catholic schools
exist because of our faith. This faith, the enduring love of
Jesus Christ, is what we strive to show to our students. We can
only do this if we ourselves also live it. It is a faith that we
need to start and end each of our days with. It is a faith that
must constantly be fueled if it is to be bright enough to be seen by
others.
The faith formation of the children in our Cahtolic
schools is dependent on our own faith formation. Each of us -
from teachers to administrators, parents to parishioners, community
members to bishops - are critical to the faith formation of the
children who have been gifted to us from our loving Father. Their
faith formation is only possible if we are people of faith.
Catholic education is not faith formation solely for our
children in schools. Our own faith formation is essential to the
success of our Catholic schools, as well as to the life and vitality of
the Church. It is only through the spirit of our faith that we
will see vibrant parishes and schools alive with the love of Jesus
Christ. Faith formation is for all of us in the community.
As bishops, our daily faith formation is integral in our mission to
bring Christ to all in the community.
Each of us is called to be active members of the
Church. Therefore, we have both the right and responsibility to
be active participants in forming and transforming the faith life of
our parishes and schools. We must find opportunities to be
inspired by faith so that we may inspire others with our faith.
To be people of faith means to be people who pray. Our faith
formation must devote time to works of justice, compassion and
love. Our faith is strengthened in our participation in the
sacraments. Our children are enriched when they see how we
proclaim our faith by praying the Our Father at Mass or receiving
Christ through the Eucharist. Our communities are filled with an
abundance of programs, workshops and conferences that will inspire our
faith and rejuvenate our spirits. These are a few of the ways we
can strengthen our faith and deepen our relationship with Christ, so
that we may confidently be mentors of faith to those in our schools,
parishes and communities.
This year, let us focus on our own personal faith
formation - participate fully in weekly Mass, show compassion and love
to all those around us, and take part in opportunities that strengthen
our faith, physically, mentally and spiritually. We are members
of Christ's Church, who should never forget that all our actions must
always "start with faith."
Yours in Christ,
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Most Reverend Thomas Collins
Archbishop of Edmonton
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Most Reverend Frederick Henry
Bishop of Calgary
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Reverend Charles Lavoie
Vicar General of Grouard-McLennan
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Most Reverend Lawrence Huculak
Eparchy of Edmonton
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Most Reverend Denis Croteau
Bishop of Mackenzie-Fort Smith
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Most Reverend Luc Bouchard
Bishop of St. Paul
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