You made it to October.
That alone feels like an accomplishment. This has to have been one of the busiest and most exhausting Septembers in recent memory. Between new screening requirements, curriculum changes, reporting expectations, and continuing to support large and increasingly complex classrooms, many of us feel as though we have already been at work for several months rather than just one.
Unfortunately, October will bring its own challenges.
This month marks the anniversary of our historic strike, a reminder of what can be achieved when educators stand together in solidarity and raise their voices for public education. We will also face a referendum that will undoubtedly generate strong emotions and difficult conversations.
As Catholic educators, we are guided by principles that call us to something greater than division or fear. The dignity of every human person, the common good, solidarity, and our preferential option for the vulnerable are not simply concepts found in Church teaching. They are values we are called to live every day in our classrooms, schools, and communities.
As we move through October, we must remember our ethical responsibility not only to welcome all who enter our schools, but also to advocate for every child’s right to access them. We are called to see Christ in every student and every family. We are called to ensure that all children, regardless of where they were born or the circumstances that brought them here, are treated with dignity, respect, and compassion.
This month, we will hear messages designed to divide us, to encourage us to see differences as threats rather than gifts. We must not allow that to happen. Canada is strengthened by the diversity of its people and enriched by the stories, cultures, and experiences they bring. Excluding children from our classrooms will not lower the cost of groceries or make life more affordable. What it will do is diminish our shared humanity and erode the compassion that helps build strong communities.
As educators in our Catholic schools, we have both a moral and professional responsibility to ensure that all children have access to education and the supports they need to thrive. During Catholic Education Week, we will celebrate the theme, “The Power of the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit calls us to be people of courage, wisdom, and love. It invites us to speak for those whose voices are not always heard and to stand beside those who are vulnerable.
By standing up for our brothers and sisters who are new to this province, we bear witness to the Gospel. By protecting the dignity of every child, we proclaim the love of Christ. By choosing compassion over fear and solidarity over division, we become instruments of the Holy Spirit in our schools and communities.
This October, let us remain united in faith, steadfast in hope, and courageous in action. May we continue to be the hands and feet of Christ, building schools where every child is welcomed, every family is valued, and every person knows they belong. That is not only our calling as educators. It is our mission as Catholic educators.
