Catholic Education Week
Catholic Education Week for 2024 is May 5 - 11, 2024, and World Catholic Education Day is May 9 (Ascension Day).
Each year, Catholic schools in Saskatchewan participate in a week-long celebration to remember and share the gift of Catholic education. Join over 40,000 students in Saskatchewan—more than 22,000 with Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools—to celebrate the gift of Catholic faith-based education.
We Are Called To Love / L’éducation catholique: Appelés à aimer
“If we love one another, God lives in us.” 1 John 4:12
«Si nous nous aimons les uns les autres, Dieu demeure en nous» 1 Jean 4, 12
This year, students and staff all across the province will be taking time each day to pray together and reflect on how we are each called to love.
Follow and share using the hashtags: #CEWSK #CatholicEdSK #WeAreCalledToLove
Message from the Catholic Bishops of Saskatchewan
Monday, May 6: We are called to love as people of hope.
We pray to have the same desire for ourselves and for all people that St. Paul expressed in his Letter to the Romans: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)
Let us pray:
Good and gracious God,
As we begin this Catholic Education Week, let us journey as people of hope.
Guide us to reflect Your love in all we say and do.
May our hearts fill our schools and communities with kindness.
May our hands reach out to those in need,
and may our voices echo Your love and respect for all people.
We make this prayer in Jesus’ name, the One who brings us hope.
Amen.
Tuesday, May 7: We are called to love as people of faith.
As we pray today, let us ponder this message from the Book of Galatians: "For in Christ Jesus… the only thing that counts is faith working through love." (Galatians 5:6)
Let us pray:
Loving God,
Thank you for bringing us together as people of faith.
As we learn and grow each day, fill our hearts with a spirit of gratitude, recognizing the blessings around us and sharing them with others.
As people of faith, we are called to love with all our hearts, minds and souls, and to love our neighbours as ourselves.
Fill our hearts with empathy and kindness, that we may embrace differences and celebrate each person’s unique gifts.
We ask that you help us to always have faith and to put our trust in you.
As we share the Good News of the Gospel with others, may our words and actions reflect the love that you have poured into our hearts.
We ask this in the name of Jesus who is love itself.
Amen.
Wednesday, May 8: We are called to love as people of mercy.
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:36)
As we continue to journey through the Easter Season, let us reflect on the words of Pope Francis in his 2013 Easter message. Pope Francis stated: “Let us accept the grace of Christ’s resurrection! Let us be renewed by God’s mercy, let us be loved by Jesus, let us enable the power of His love to transform our lives too; and let us become agents of this mercy, channels through which God can water the earth, protect all creation and make justice and peace flourish.”
Let us pray:
God of mercy and love,
You have blessed us with goodness and compassion.
Inspire us to live out your call to speak and act as people of mercy.
Help us to treat each other with kindness.
Teach us to be patient and forgiving.
Guide us to love as you love; to be merciful as you are merciful.
Make our school a place of warmth, safety, and welcome, where forgiveness and acceptance are modeled daily.
May our words and actions reflect your mercy and serve as loving reminders that we are all your precious children.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Thursday, May 9: We are called to love as people of justice.
"Do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God." (Micah 6:8)
On this Ascension Thursday, we also celebrate World Catholic Education Day. At the time of his Ascension, Jesus told His followers to go and make disciples of all nations. This mission, given to us by Jesus, calls to mind our theme for this special week: We are Called to Love. He asks us to make disciples of all nations so that the love of God can be spread far and wide.
Let us pray:
Loving God, You give us love in abundance.
With Your love in our hearts, help us to work for a more just world.
Send us Your Spirit so that we can treat people fairly
and be a voice for those who are not heard.
In our work and our play, strengthen us to act with justice and mercy.
Lord, You show us kindness and love.
May we work for justice so that all may know You.
We make this prayer in the name of Jesus, Prince of Peace.
Amen.
Friday, May 10: We are called to love as people of joy.
On this final weekday of Catholic Education Week, we again celebrate the gift of Catholic education and reflect on our calling to love as people of joy. "Our heart is glad in the Lord, because we trust in his holy name." (Psalm 33:21)
Let us pray:
God of all goodness,You call us to love as You love.
Love is the purpose for which You created us in Your image -
love for You, love for Creation, and love for all Your people.
May we love generously with open hearts full of joy.
May our joyful love be a sign to our world
of the new life, strength, and hope You offer us every day.
Glory and praise to You, for calling us into Your family and into Your service,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
