The gospel story of the Feeding of the 5000 is a story of inclusion focusing on the nourishment of an entire community. The people who were fed in the gospel story were not only fed physically, but also spiritually. In eating the loaves and fish, they became active participants in a faith community.

This narrative of nourished, faith-filled community is one that is constantly being told from those who experience Catholic schools.

Amanda Achtman, a recent Grade 12 graduate of Calgary's Bishop Carroll High School, says, "our shared faith and the Catholic foundations of the school unifies us."

Achtman continues, "I have been blessed by the teachers and the students who have challenged me, encouraged me to use my gifts, and taught me to be open minded and sympathetic to others' points of view and while remaining strong in my faith and education."

Alberta's Catholic schools are a celebration of a cohesive faith community teaching gospel values and sacramental life in combination with the curriculum. This combination is an inherent part of the uniqueness of Catholic schools.

"The moral, ethical and spiritual development of students is a fundamental goal of Catholic education. And while it is clearly not confined to one area of the curriculum, all teachers, across all areas of the curriculum have a responsibility to instill in their students positive values and a capacity for moral and ethical judgment," explains Sandra Talarico, Chaplain and Religion Department head of Archbishop MacDonald High School in Edmonton. In performing the miracle of feeding 5000 onlookers who had come to hear his sermon, Jesus demonstrated the faith of the people, and made a strong foundation and cohesiveness for the Catholic Church.

With students and teachers learning in a faith community, the foundations of Alberta's Catholic schools are strong. This strength is reinforced throughout the entire school system, especially in its leaders who aim to demonstrate and live a life of faith and education.

Religious Education and Christian Family Life Consultant for Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools, Louis Kloster counts working in the Catholic school system as one of the "great blessings" of his life.

He states, "others have been witnesses of God's goodness and Christian discipleship for me; in turn, I have had the opportunity to be an ambassador or spokesperson for Christ in various ways. I have come to realize just how significant our work in Catholic education is; we are truly co-builders of God's kingdom."

The idea of being witnesses for Christ, just as Jesus witnessed the abundance of God's faith when he performed the miracle of feeding the 5000, is something that is also reflected in the work of Alberta's Catholic school trustees.

Mary Anne Penner, a trustee for Lakeland Catholic schools, details the importance of witnessing in Catholic schools. She explains, "Catholic education goes far beyond instruction since gospel values are embedded in every aspect of life and culture in a Catholic school. Catholic education provides a special way of bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ into the lives of our students through the lived witness of parents and staff as well as providing a rich and meaningful experience of Christian community, an education of the heart and soul."

Alberta's Catholic schools are one part of a strong Catholic faith community. Students in these schools are holistically educated as part of a larger community. They graduate knowing that they are part of a faith family.