The Heart: at the centre of the design is a simple heart, symbolic of love, and of the New Testament’s message—that nothing can ever come between us and God’s love for us. God’s love for us is unshakable, unconditional, all-embracing, and enduring. As we think about the ongoing work of truth, healing and reconciliation, we know that, in many First Nation, Métis and Inuit cultures, to act “with a good heart” means to act with love, compassion, integrity, generosity, and pure intentions—which is how we are called to engage in that work of justice and renewal. As the American thinker Cornel West famously said, “Justice is what love looks like in public”.
Love directs our hearts outward, toward others. In our logo, the heart is surrounded by outward rays, symbolizing all of the ways we reflect God’s love to others, in words, decisions, and actions each day—through generosity, compassion, forgiveness, attentiveness to others, kindness, seeking justice and peace for those who are deprived of it. In the vertical and horizontal rays, we can see the outline of the cross, emphasizing how the love we share in our Catholic schools is always grounded in the love of Jesus, and in his self-giving on the cross.
The rays that surround the cross are not all the same colour but represent a spectrum of shades. Similarly, our communities are beautifully diverse, and we come together from a wide range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds, bringing the richness of our identities and life experiences.
The logo design also subtly suggests a “compass rose,” the symbol (at left) traditionally used on maps to point to the four directions—to guide us on our journeys. God’s love is what gives direction to our lives, and shows us the path we should follow.
At the bottom of the logo, we see the theme's words reflected (literally!). We, too, want to be reflections … of God’s love and care, through our smiles and acts of kindness, through our patience and understanding.
Ultimately, this logo reminds us that God’s love begins with God, takes root in our hearts, and is reflected into the world through the way we live, serve, and care for one another.