Last Updated: Wednesday - 01/05/2011

Schools gather to celebrate Catholic Education Sunday

EDMONTON — Students and teachers from seven schools in the Louis St. Laurent family of schools took lead roles in the liturgy at St. Thomas More Parish Nov. 4 as Catholics across the province marked Catholic Education Sunday.

Louis St. Laurent High School led a group of seven schools including St. Augustine, St. Boniface, St. Mary, St. Monica, St. Stanislaus and St. Teresa at the celebration.

The celebration reminded the community of the importance of Catholic education through the Mass in which students and teachers served as altar servers, readers, music ministers, greeters and Eucharistic ministers.

This year, Catholic Education Sunday marked the centennial of the declaration of the legal rights of Alberta Catholic schools.

The legal rights of Alberta Catholic schools were defined in the Northwest Territories ordinance of 1901.

"It is important to always remember that we have Catholic education in our province and that we don't take it for granted," Sandra Talarico, chaplain at Louis St. Laurent, told the WCR.

In his homily, Father Ken West, pastor of St. Thomas More, mentioned the importance of the collaborative roles of family, school and Church community.

The three entities should work together and put Jesus at the centre to achieve quality Catholic education, West said.

"Everyone who comes to Jesus Christ needs to do something if they wanted to be changed by (him)," West told a packed church. "Whether we're young or old, God will not forget every single good deed that we do."

School banners were brought in at the beginning of the Mass while symbols of education were brought forward during the offertory.

The symbols include: a book — symbol of knowledge that students gain while in the schools; a stump — symbol of the tree of Jesse, steady, strong and a new beginning; a rock — representing God's friendship and a lantern — symbol of how good deeds are like light to others and to the world.

The Louis St. Laurent Jazz Band provided music for the celebration while elementary school students served at the altar and read the Word of God as well as the Prayer of the Faithful.

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