What nourishment our Catholic schools provide to our communities. Just as the miracle of Jesus feeding the 5,000 is a story of welcoming and nourishment, so too is the story of our Catholic schools.

Catholic schools are welcoming and diverse places. Known for their standards of excellence, Catholic schools attract students of many backgrounds thus contributing to their richness and success in all realms - spiritual, academic, cultural, physical and social. Much like the crowd that followed Jesus and experienced his compassion, the communities within and surrounding our Catholic schools are faith-filled.

"And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full."

(Mt. 14: 20)

The miracle that occurs in the gospel story, where Jesus is able to take 5 loaves and 2 fish and feed 5,000 people, is a miracle of nourishment. Our Catholic schools have this same desire to nourish their students, staff, and administration in their learning mandate.

In a Catholic school, learning takes place in an environment that is wholly permeated by gospel values and sacramental life. Catholic education nourishes both the mind and spirit of the school community. Often this nourishment and fulfillment occurs simultaneously because of the unique faith community that is fostered and developed in Catholic schools.

In order to celebrate and honor the successes of our Catholic schools, we are beginning a journey to explore the rich story of these schools. We hope to highlight various achievements of Catholic school communities, as well as to explore the role that Catholic schools hold in our wider communities.

We welcome your input and would encourage you to provide comments or questions regarding Catholic schools on our online form at www.5loaves2fish.ca. For more information on 5 Loaves 2 Fish please visit www.5loaves2fish.ca. Join our 5 Loaves 2 Fish Facebook group.