Archbishop Richard Smith says that in a city grappling with addiction, homelessness, and cultural fragmentation, Catholic education cannot be merely academic, but must form students in faith, purpose, and human dignity.
In a wide-ranging interview on the Catholic Education Matters podcast with host Troy Van Vliet, Archbishop Archbisop Smith reflected on his first months in Vancouver, the unique challenges facing Catholic schools in B.C., and the role education plays in shaping young people capable of responding to the city’s deeper social wounds.
“We want our students to know, love, and serve Jesus,” Archbisop Smith said. “That’s at the heart of the mission of a Catholic school.”
Archbisop Smith contrasted British Columbia’s Catholic school system with those in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario, where Catholic education is constitutionally protected and fully funded. In B.C., Catholic schools are responsible for all capital costs and a significant share of operating expenses, a reality he said shapes both scale and priorities.
“The system here is smaller because our resources are limited,” he said. “The key thing is quality — fidelity is excellence, not so much numbers.”
Archbisop Smith said Catholic education must reflect the conviction that faith is not confined to a single subject, but shapes the entire life of a school.
“The faith is not a compartment of our lives,” he said. “It infuses everything.”
That approach, he said, depends not only on curriculum, but on the formation of teachers and leaders themselves.
“To be convincing, you have to be convinced yourself,” Archbisop Smith said.
During the podcast, host Troy Van Vliet described St. John Paul II Academy, which he founded, as an example of a school seeking to integrate faith, worship, and family life across daily school life. Archbisop Smith responded by affirming the importance of placing Christ, beauty, and Catholic identity at the centre of Catholic education.
Archbisop Smith also spoke about the role of beauty and permanence in Catholic institutions, welcoming efforts to design schools and churches that reflect the seriousness of faith and a long-term vision.
“The Church thinks in centuries,” he said.
While Catholic education was the focus of the conversation, Archbisop Smith also connected formation in faith to the Church’s responsibility toward those experiencing poverty and addiction in Vancouver. He said schools, families, and parishes together play a role in shaping young people who understand human dignity and responsibility.
Throughout the discussion, Archbisop Smith returned repeatedly to the role of the family in faith formation.
“The real key is the family,” he said.
Six months into his role as Archbishop of Vancouver, Archbisop Smith said he is encouraged by what he has encountered in the Archdiocese, including strong commitment among educators and families and renewed interest in faith among young adults.
