When school resumes in the fall for Holy Trinity Catholic School Division, a new religion consultant will be offering guidance on how to better incorporate the faith into lessons and activities.
Jodie Bzdel served as the division’s third religion consultant from 2018 to 2023 and provided advice about how best to provide a Catholic faith-based education to students rooted in the Gospel message of Jesus Christ while forming strong faith in students and staff so they can serve their schools and communities.
Bzdel will return to the classroom in the fall to teach at St. Margaret School. Her replacement will be Lisa Busta, an English teacher and chaplain at Vanier Collegiate.
During the final board meeting of the 2022-23 school year, Bzdel reviewed all the faith-based activities that had occurred since September.
Some activities included school retreats, a staff faith day to start the school year, faith formation meetings with new teachers, creating connections with community parishes, working on a plan for enhanced faith permeation in schools and helping create the new faith theme and choosing the appropriate Bible verse.
Next year’s theme is “God holds all creation in His hands,” while the related Bible verse comes from Job 12:7-10.
Before giving her presentation, Bzdel expressed her appreciation for the support she had received with her work.
“… I wanted to take this opportunity to thank (executive) council and the board for their support with faith permeation in Holy Trinity Catholic School Division over the last five years,” she said.
Bzdel then reviewed some activities she helped lead or start during the past five years.
Some activities included taking division faith leaders to an international religious education conference in Los Angeles; incorporating commissioning masses, Peace Day masses, and outdoor family activities; bringing in advisors to support faith leaders; creating a professional growth plan for teachers to help them permeate lessons with Catholic teachings; bringing in speakers to kick off each school year; and supporting staff with professional development activities.
Other activities have included working with the Archdiocese of Regina to facilitate student retreats; receiving school support from priests, deacons and seminarians; teaching students about the Church sacrament of reconciliation; and helping schools lead masses and liturgies.
“We’ve created an inclusive Catholic school environment, opening our doors to all families that want a Catholic, faith-based education for their child,” Bzdel said. “Our Catholic face is the base of our school division and I can’t thank you enough for supporting me and making all these amazing things happen.
“We are strong together and with all things (everything is) possible through God. These things are possible with your support and understanding that we are all children of God and we are walking together in the light of Christ.”
Added Bzdel, “Thank you from the bottom of my heart. It has been just a fantastic experience being the religion consultant for the school division … .”
In response to a board question, Bzdel said she thought the division adequately supported her, including education director Ward Strueby, who was always open to new ideas and projects. She added that the religion consultant position was one of the most important roles in the division because of its effect on students and staff.
Strueby thanked Bzdel for her work, saying she did a wonderful job in the division “to bring the light of Christ to each of our staff members and students.”
Afterward, Busta joked that she had “big shoes” to fill in replacing Bzdel and had her predecessor’s phone number on speed dial.
The next Holy Trinity board meeting is Monday, Aug. 21.
