by Nadia Traina
Elementary School Teacher, St. Marie of the Incarnation Catholic School

On January 28th, 1975, students from St. Mary’s Catholic School of Bradford, Ontario, walked into their new school, Marie of the Incarnation. The school was named after a French Ursuline nun. As part of a group of nuns sent to New France (Quebec) to establish the Ursuline Order, Marie was crucial in spreading Catholicism in New France. She was a religious author and has been credited with founding the first girls' school in the New World. On April 3rd, 2014, Pope Francis canonized Marie.

Fast forward to January 28th, 2025, St. Marie of the Incarnation Catholic School is celebrating its 50th Anniversary. All these years later, St. Marie of the Incarnation embodies this year's call to be Pilgrims of Hope. Through renovations, the last five decades, many staff, boundary changes and the hundreds of students who have walked the halls, you can still walk through the school's front doors and witness learning that celebrates our faith and each student's God-given potential.

As the school prepares to invite the community to celebrate during Catholic Education Week, the St. Marie of the Incarnation community celebrates the hope that built the foundations of where we learn and work, the hope we embody for each new day, and the hope of what is yet to come. 

Featured in this photo:
Debbie Gulka (staff member since 1992), Debbie Diebert (occasional staff), Darlene Delima (staff member since 2012), Carla Acevedo (staff member since 2011), Nadia Traina (former student and staff since 2017), Barbara Severino (office administrator since 2014), Diana Capicotto (office administrator since 2020) Vanessa Almeida (staff since 2013), Robin Parkes (Vice-Principal), Heinrich Bebie (Principal), Enzo Venditti (staff since 2019). 

Students: Milana and Giuliano A., Liliana D., Valentina T., and Anthony D.