“Go throughout the whole world and preach the gospel to all people.”

— Mark 16:15

This verse takes centre stage as we celebrate a fresh batch of high school graduates this year. The good news is that our proud graduates are now stepping into a new phase of their lives- defined by faith, guided by truth, and ready to explore, invent, create, and bring change. 

There is a particular hush that falls over a gymnasium when it is asked to become a church. On Venables Street, where the Jugglers have chased basketballs and banners for more than seventy years, the floor was given over this June to candlelight and quiet, to folded hands and white gowns, to the strange and tender business of sending children out into the world as something closer to adults. Notre Dame has been keeping this rite since 1953. It never seems to get easier, and perhaps it is not meant to.

The Catholic Independent Schools of the Archdiocese of Vancouver (CISVA) proudly celebrated the recognition of one of its dedicated leaders, Mrs. Reine Sader Mykyte, who was awarded the inaugural Distinguished Alumni Award by Corpus Christi College and St. Mark’s College at the University of British Columbia.

The award was presented by the Most Reverend Richard Smith, Archbishop of Vancouver and Chancellor of the Colleges, during the 2026 Convocation held on May 9, 2026. This milestone event marked the establishment of a new tradition honouring graduates whose lives reflect exceptional service to education and the wider community.

Across the Catholic Independent Schools of the Vancouver Archdiocese, faith formation stands at the center of education. Students engage with Catholic teaching through daily learning, service, and sacramental life. Among these milestones, Confirmation holds a clear role in shaping both identity and responsibility.

In Catholic education, Confirmation is part of the Sacraments of Initiation, alongside Baptism and Eucharist. Through this sacrament, students receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit and deepen their relationship with God. Schools prepare students through structured religious education, prayer, and community involvement. This preparation builds knowledge, reflection, and a sense of purpose.

This past weekend, Ms. Allison Simpson from the BC SPCA and Ms. Gema Chavez, Vice Principal and Grade 3 teacher at Queen of All Saints had the opportunity to present at the Animal Humane Conference in Whistler, where they showcased the impactful work happening at Queen of All Saints School through our SPCA Club. OTheir session focused on the power of school-based humane education and the meaningful partnerships that can form between schools and community organizations.

Across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, classrooms in the Catholic Independent Schools of the Vancouver Archdiocese shape thousands of young lives each day. Behind every lesson, every science experiment, every music rehearsal, and every quiet moment of encouragement stands a teacher who chose education as a vocation.

Now, as spring approaches, the Catholic Independent Schools of the Vancouver Archdiocese enters its primary hiring season for the coming academic year. Educators who feel called to serve in Catholic education receive an invitation to apply and join a growing community of teachers across the region.

In East Vancouver, one Catholic school carries a story across a full century. Our Lady of Sorrows School prepares for a 100 year anniversary. Generations of families, teachers, and parish members share one community rooted in faith and service.

Immigrant families built much of East Vancouver during the twentieth century. Many arrived from Italy and other parts of Europe seeking work, stability, and opportunity. Our Lady of Sorrows parish and school welcomed those families. Classrooms soon filled with children whose parents and grandparents arrived from across the world.

Every school year begins in much the same way. Classrooms fill with new voices. Teachers open textbooks and conversations. Teams gather for their first practices. Choirs rehearse. Students begin again.

Across the Catholic Independent Schools of the Vancouver Archdiocese, these small beginnings have shaped a decade of meaningful moments. When viewed together, they form a story that stretches across Vancouver, Surrey, Abbotsford, Port Coquitlam, and North Vancouver. The story speaks of perseverance, curiosity, and community. It also reflects the deeper purpose of Catholic education, to form young people who grow in faith while serving the world around them.

Students from Notre Dame Regional Secondary School recently took part in a unique learning journey designed to build independence, confidence, and practical life skills. Sixteen students travelled to Disneyland in California alongside teachers who created the opportunity as part of an initiative supporting neurodiverse learners.

The trip was designed to help students grow through real-world experiences. Throughout the journey, students navigated airports, managed personal responsibilities, worked together in small groups, and practiced decision-making in unfamiliar environments. Educators observed students encouraging one another, taking responsibility for schedules and spending, and returning to meeting points independently.

Artificial intelligence continues to shape culture, education, and daily life at a rapid pace. As these technologies become more present in classrooms, homes, and workplaces, Catholic educators and parents face an important question. How do we form young people who remain rooted in truth, virtue, and faith while living in a technological world?

A recent episode of the Proclaim Podcast explores this challenge in depth. Episode 095, Raising Saints in an AI Age, features a conversation with Matthew Harvey Sanders about the opportunities and responsibilities artificial intelligence brings to the Church and to families forming the next generation of disciples.

The ambitious production showcased the creativity and collaboration of the Carney community. The set featured an impressive Ice Palace measuring 52 feet wide and 16 feet tall, creating a stunning backdrop for the story of Anna, Elsa, and their journey of courage and love.

The production brought together 40 student performers on stage, 15 theatre production students working behind the scenes, over 15 art students, and a 27-piece orchestra made up of students and alumni performing beneath the stage, along with more than 150 costumes. Over 20 staff members contributed their time and talents to support the show.

Nearly 1,500 Catholic educators, administrators, support staff and clergy gathered at Vancouver Convention Centre for the 2026 Catholic Educators Conference, hosted by the Catholic Independent Schools of the Vancouver Archdiocese. This year marked an unprecedented level of participation, reflecting both the vitality of Catholic education in British Columbia and the shared recognition that this cultural moment demands clarity, conviction, and unity. Over the course of the conference, theology, educational research, and lived classroom experience were woven together in sustained reflection on Catholic schooling and its essential mission: forming the human person created in God’s image and likeness.  

A Grade 12 student at St. Thomas Aquinas Regional Secondary School has developed an innovative solar-powered medical device to support health care in communities with limited electricity.

Jonathan Weng designed the solar power telemedicine device, a portable health kit that includes a digital stethoscope, pulse oximeter and other diagnostic tools that operate independently of the electrical grid. The system also supports connections for additional equipment like ultrasound scanners, helping bring essential diagnostics to places where consistent power is not available.

The upcoming Catholic Educators’ Conference brings together leading voices in education, theology, learning science, and public life to address the intellectual, moral, and practical demands facing Catholic schools today. The program reflects a field shaped by rapid technological change, rising academic expectations, and an urgent need for formation grounded in faith, reason, and human dignity.

In the mid 1980s, a parent, a principal and a coach walked into a local pub known simply as “The Library”. While this sounds like the opening to a joke, what followed was anything but that.  Bert LeChasseur, Bob DeJulius and Frank Roberto chatted that evening about the CYA events of old that they had attended.  All were keen to offer Holy Cross students the same ideals that those largescale sporting events offered them: fellowship, teamwork, and community. Bob, the principal of the newly minted Holy Cross, Frank, Holy Cross teacher and coach, and Bert, volunteer coach and parent (FYI: his kids wouldn’t attend Holy Cross for years to come) settled on the idea of basketball. It was logical: All the Diocesan high schools fielded teams for both boys and girls. The invitation to the tournament was expanded to invite to include all Catholic high schools in the province. At a time when others asked them why, these men answered why not.

Students from Archbishop Carney recently participated in the Team Up to End Racism presentation, led by our PHE Department Head, Mr. Matthew Manfron, in partnership with the BC Lions and the Ministry of Education. Through powerful personal stories from and meaningful dialogue from Stephen Adekolu and Sean Millington, students were encouraged to recognize racism, reflect on its impact, and consider how each of us can be part of the solution.

Family Literacy Day 2026 brings CISVA schools together around stories, words, and shared time between students and families. Classrooms fill with favourite book characters, lively reading sessions, and short writing moments where students explain choices and share ideas with confidence. A few schools will welcome a book mobile, placing fresh books directly into student hands and sparking conversations families continue at home. Teachers design activities families complete together, reading side by side, talking through stories, and writing simple reflections. The result shows across campuses. Literacy feels joyful, social, and rooted in daily life, giving you a clear reminder reading and writing grow strongest when school and home move in step.

The Catholic Educators’ Conference is approaching, and the EXPO Hall stands out as one of the most practical and energizing parts of the event. The hall brings together organizations that directly shape classrooms, campuses, and school communities. You will walk away with tools you use immediately, contacts you rely on all year, and ideas that strengthen both learning and mission.

This year’s EXPO Hall reflects the full ecosystem of Catholic education. From classroom resources and student wellbeing to technology, facilities, faith formation, and community partnerships, the range is deep and relevant.

The 2026 BC Catholics Basketball Tournament is underway with teams from Catholic independent schools across British Columbia competing through intense round-robin and playoff action. Schools including Holy Cross, Vancouver College, St. Patrick’s, St. Thomas More, Notre Dame, Immaculata, Archbishop Carney, St. John Brebeuf, and St. Thomas Aquinas with fans watching live and online as the field narrows toward the finals. Early results show competitive matchups in both boys and girls divisions, leading to final games that will decide the 2026 champions in front of packed crowds and strong school support.