Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools has a new theme song for its three-year faith theme (2020-2022), written and produced by our very own Superintendent of Schools.
- Listen/Download "Arise!" three-year faith-theme song (2020-2022)] (MP3 - 4 MB)
- "Arise!" song lyrics (PDF - 150 KB)
- The Story Behind "Arise!" (PDF - 123 KB)
Called "Arise!", the song was created by Dr. Clint Moroziuk, who, in addition to his role as Superintendent, is an accomplished musician.
"Working on this joyful project in my spare time in evenings and on weekends, and at my personal financial cost, has truly been a labour of love," Moroziuk says.
"I humbly offer it to our community as a source of joy, energy, and inspiration. It is my hope that you all enjoy this song, as we celebrate our faith theme over the next three years, and that it calls all of us to 'Arise: Get up, get going, and go with God!'"
The inspiration for this project was birthed from conversations Moroziuk had with Trustee Serena Shaw and Colin Loiselle, Religious Education Consultant, about the lack of music that reflects our theme in a tangible way.
Moroziuk felt the need to respond to this lack and started writing the lyrics and music, a process that took several weeks.
Moroziuk recorded the instrumental tracks for "Arise!" in his basement studio, starting with rough guitar and vocal tracks to serve as a guide.
The song, which was edited and mixed by Moroziuk's friend who also works in Catholic Education, features Trustee Shaw on harmony and background vocals.
"Trustee Shaw is a wonderful singer and very involved with liturgical music at her parish," Moroziuk says, adding that her parts were recorded at St. Albert Catholic Parish, a wonderfully inspirational location.
"Trustee Shaw’s vocal tracks turned out beautifully and were sent for inclusion in the recording, adding sparkle and shine in all the right places."
Moroziuk officially launched the new theme song on Nov. 20, when he shared it - along with the back story on how the song was created. - with staff and families. In December or January, the Division will share a video, set to this song, that will feature photos, videos, and art that demonstrate how students and staff are animating and living out our faith theme.
- Listen/Download "Arise!" three-year faith-theme song (2020-2022)] (MP3 - 4 MB)
- "Arise!" song lyrics (PDF - 150 KB)
- The Story Behind "Arise!" (PDF - 123 KB)
About our faith theme
As a Division, we have the privilege of helping students see themselves as Christ for others and as bearers and deliverers of His love and life-giving touch.
Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools’ three-year faith theme for 2020-2022 is Arise: Get up, get going, and go with God! This theme reflects the three-fold focus areas of the next three World Youth Day celebrations, as announced by Pope Francis in 2019.
The three themes are connected by their invitation for all to “Arise!” and to respond to God’s voice through action. Each year’s scripture provides some insight into the overall theme.
- Year 1 – Get Up!
“…I say to you, arise!” (Luke 7:14)
Arise…rise up and out of the slumber of sadness, death, darkness, apathy, sin, etc.
- Year 2 – Get Going!
“Arise! I have appointed you as a witness of what you have seen.” (Acts 26:16)
Witness…our response to hearing Christ’s voice is to “get going” and to respond through action, becoming Christ for others.
- Year 3- Go with God!
“Mary arose and went with haste.” (Luke 1:39)
Haste…the Good News of Jesus Christ inspires and ignites an excitement, and we are compelled to respond with immediacy, to “Go with God.” Like Mary after the annunciation, or the disciples who ran to the empty tomb, our joy animates us to “go” with haste to share the joy and love of the Gospels.
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Since the 2018 Synod on Young People, Pope Francis has spoken about the importance of the evangelization of young people. In our Division’s three-year faith theme, which was approved in spring 2020, we seek to echo the Pope’s continued summons for young people, and indeed all people, to listen, hear, and respond to the voice of God who calls us to “Arise!”
As a Catholic school jurisdiction, Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools has a unique opportunity to engage, encourage, and support the young people for whom we care in the development of a relationship with Jesus Christ. This opportunity extends - by way of our joint mission and collaborative partnership between school, home, and parish - to all members of our Catholic educational community…including families and staff.
The Pope invites all of us to respond to Christ's voice and to arise out of our own situations of darkness and difficulty. This faith theme has direct implications for a vital component of how faith is lived in our school communities through works of social justice, charity, and mercy.