Catholic Faith
 | History of our Patron Saint:Birth date: Unknown - lived until 177 A.D. History indicates that the first saint whose body experienced the phenomenon of incorruption is St. Cecilia, the patroness of musicians. Cecilia was a member of a rich and distinguished Roman family, who gave her in marriage to a young nobleman named Valerian, despite her desire to remain a virgin. St. Cecilia (Latin: Sancta Caecilia), is a Roman martyr venerated in Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican churches. She became the patron saint of music and musicians, it being written that, as the musicians played at her wedding, Cecilia "sang in her heart to the Lord". St. Cecilia died a martyr's death and was tortured and executed due to the fact that she refused to denounce her faith. She was laid to rest in the Catacomb of St. Callistus by the future Pope Urban, who was baptized by her brother-in-law. In the year 822, during the time of the restoration of the church dedicated to her memory, Pope Pascal I wished to transfer the remains of the Saint to a place of honour in her cathedral but could not locate her grave. The Saint appeared to him in a remarkable vision while he was at prayer and told him of the location of her body. The relic was found exactly in the place indicated. 777 years later, one of the most documented exhumations of any saint's body occured in 1599. Upon discovering St. Cecilia's tomb and casket, Cardinal Sfondrato discovered that St. Cecilia's remains were found in the same position in which the Saint had died almost 1500 years before. Through a silk veil which modestly covered the body could be seen the gold embroidered dress of the Saint, the mortal wound in the neck, and the blood-stained clothes. Pope Clement VIII was informed at once of the discovery and it was said that the clergy noted that Cecilia was of small stature and that her head was turned downward, but due to a "holy reverence", no further examination was made. Summarized version of her biography retrieved from “Roman Catholic Saints” |
St. Cecilia, our patron saint, inspires us to have the strength and courage to pursue our dreams, strive for excellence,
and to use our gifts and talents to make a difference.
Mission & Vision
| Embracing... Faith & Learning to provide a Catholic education that inspires and prepares students to learn, to work, to live fully, and to serve God in one another. | TIGER PRAYER Loving God, give me: Faith to follow my dreams, courage to conquer my fears, and strength to stand up for what is right Mon Dieu, donne-moi: La passion de poursuivre mes rêves, le courage de conquérir mes peurs, et la fortitude de faire ce qui est bon et juste. | |
| Inspired by... Love of the Father Faith in Jesus Christ Hope from the Holy Spirit | ||
| Mandated by... Our students' parents. The Church's mission. Alberta Education's mandate. |
 | Religious EducationÉcole St. Cecilia Junior High values religious education, faith development, and social justice. Our Christ-centered learning community teaches and models Catholic values for students. As a result, our students are inspired to learn and to serve others.
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| The current Grade 8 religion program will be replaced in September 2021 with the Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ program. All school in ECSD use a Religious Education program that is prescribed by the Alberta Bishops and provided through the National Office for Religious Education in Ottawa. | |
| Religious Celebrations Important religious events in the liturgical year are marked by celebration. These celebrations take place in the school or at church. Students are expected to participate in all religious celebrations. Parents and families are always welcome to join us in celebration and will be informed of date, place, and time of all celebrations. | |
| Parish Information: Our school parish is St. Matthew. | |