St Helens School hosted Fr. Tony Ricard this week and the gym came alive the moment he walked in. He has a bold presence, a quick sense of humour, and a way of speaking that keeps every student locked in. He moves, he jokes, he calls out students by name, and he holds the room with a level of confidence few speakers bring to a school setting. The students loved him.

St. Thomas Aquinas Regional School welcomed the Archbishop for their monthly school Mass. This was his first celebration with CISVA students since his appointment. The readings included Daniel 2, where the stone not shaped by human hands brings down the statue in King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, revealing God’s unshakable kingdom. The Gospel proclaimed Christ’s call to live without fear. The Archbishop centered his homily on trust in God and the steady courage formed through faith.

Seismic upgrades protect students and staff during earthquakes. These projects strengthen core structures, reduce collapse risk, and support long-term safety planning. Renovations also improve airflow, light, and daily comfort. Strong buildings help schools operate without disruption and support stability for parish communities.

The school system continues to plan for future needs. Teams review buildings, study engineering reports, and prepare long before issues appear. Renovations focus on safety, health, and learning environments that reflect the mission of Catholic education.

CISVA athletics began long before it had a name, a commission, or formal rules. Its roots stretch back to the early 1970s, when Catholic school sports were in their infancy and guided by the belief that all children deserved to play. In those early years, participation mattered because there were limited opportunities in the community to join pay-to-play sports. CISVA schools found ways, sometimes imperfect but always creative, to make room for every student who wanted to be on a team. Athletics was viewed as an extension of Catholic education, where teamwork, humility, fairness, and community were formed as intentionally as academics and faith.

Matthew Harvey Sanders leads Longbeard, a group that builds digital tools for Catholic teaching and research. His work supports clarity, accuracy, and responsible use of artificial intelligence in the Church. Many educators know his team through Magisterium AI, Vulgate AI, and the Christendom App. These platforms organize vast collections of doctrine, history, and theology into structured systems that educators, clergy, and students can use with confidence.

Artificial intelligence is transforming education, influencing how knowledge is accessed, processed, and shared. From the Catholic perspective, this development must be guided by the Church's teachings on truth, human dignity, and the common good, ensuring that technology serves integral human formation rather than undermining it. Drawing on recent papal and episcopal guidance, as well as foundational principles from earlier pontiffs, Catholic educators are called to integrate AI prudently, preserving doctrinal fidelity and fostering authentic relationships.

Holy Cross Faculty Spotlight
Grade 6 teacher Francis Apacible shows students what steady faith and genuine care look like. He teaches with patience and honesty. He shares how God works in daily life. He helps students step into leadership with confidence. His Last Supper project showed them they were capable of meaningful work. His classroom feels safe because every student is known by name and supported. Families see this in the hallways, at Mass, and in every school event. He hopes students leave closer to Jesus and ready to bring compassion into the world.

On November 11, the community at Blessed Sacrament School gathered in prayerful reflection to honour those who have served and sacrificed for peace. The Remembrance Day assembly provided students, staff, families, and parishioners an opportunity to come together in gratitude and remembrance.

From a very young age, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. As an only child for much of my childhood, I often played “school” with my cousins and naturally found myself taking on the role of the teacher. Even through play, I loved helping them learn new things and felt so proud when they remembered something I had taught them. When my younger brother was born 18 years after me, that passion only grew. I loved helping him understand new concepts and felt such joy when I could see the moment something finally “clicked” for him.

This October, the Vatican hosted the Jubilee of Education, gathering Catholic educators, students, and leaders from around the world in a profound celebration of faith, learning, and service. The event marked a historic moment of reflection on the sacred vocation of teaching and the shared mission to form minds and hearts in truth, love, and hope.

Seventy years ago, St. Jude Elementary School opened its doors in Vancouver with a simple mission: to educate children in both faith and excellence. Today, that same mission continues to guide every lesson, prayer, and community event.

Principals and representatives from many CISVA schools joined hundreds of guests at the annual Archbishop’s Dinner at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver. Among those in attendance were a group of female students from St. Thomas More Collegiate, representing the next generation of Catholic leaders shaped by faith, education, and service.

I firmly believe in the teachings of "loving one's neighbour" and respecting the dignity of every human person. My faith plays a significant role in my teaching practice. I bring my faith and values into the classroom by showing respect to the students and expecting them to show respect in return for their teachers and peers. I also incorporate faith-based stories and examples into any course I teach, ensuring that students make and see the faith-based connections in anything they learn.

Each year, the Catholic Educators Conference (CEC) gathers more than 2,000 educators, administrators, and school leaders from across British Columbia. It is the largest professional gathering of Catholic educators on the west coast.

Gema Chavez serves as Vice Principal and Grade 3 teacher at Queen of All Saints School. A lifelong member of CISVA, she feels blessed to continue her vocation within the system that shaped her own values and love of learning. With nearly two decades of experience in Catholic education, Gema is committed to nurturing curiosity, confidence, and a sense of belonging in her students. She is currently completing her Master of Education at Simon Fraser University and remains inspired by the privilege of helping children grow in both faith and character.

Carlo Acutis was not born into a monastery or a mission field. He was born into the same kind of world you know, screens, social media, and short attention spans. He loved soccer, video games, and pizza. He also loved the Eucharist with a deep and steady devotion that shaped everything he did.