{mosimage}NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. - Niagara Catholic School Board, celebrating a “rich history,” acknowledged its roots and symbolically steered a course for years ahead with a gala anniversary dinner Oct. 24 in Niagara Falls.

Editor's note: After a bruising provincial election campaign that revealed deep dislike among Ontario voters for any form of government-funded religious schools, Catholic education supporters have a right to be nervous. Their own system came under attack and will now be under an unfriendly microscope. In these stories, we explore some of the issues and possible solutions.

Public funding for Catholic schools varies from province to province. Some are fully funded — Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory and Northwest Territories — while Manitoba and British Columbia receive 50-per-cent funding.

The rest of the provinces, Quebec, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Nunavut, receive no funding for Catholic schools.

{mosimage}TORONTO - In a province where the government offers full funding for Catholic schools, there still exists a niche for self-funded private Catholic education, say supporters of independent schools.

TORONTO - The future of Catholic education in Ontario may be bound up with the Khalsa Community School for Sikh children in Malton, or Bialik Hebrew Day School in Toronto. Key figures in Catholic education are thinking about winning the debate over faith-based education by opening a non-Catholic religious school.

{mosimage}TORONTO - The Ontario election is over, but not the hard feelings and not the debate.

Catholics are under new pressure to justify public funding for their schools following three months of faith-and-education debate leading into the election earlier this month that saw Dalton McGuinty’s Liberals win with a solid majority.

{mosimage}RICHMOND HILL, Ont. - The York Catholic District School Board. has named a new school in Richmond Hill after internationally renowned Canadian Jean Vanier.

{mosimage}TORONTO - Among the 33 principals chosen for this year’s Canada’s Outstanding Principals Award were four Catholics from across Ontario.

Former Prime Minister John Turner, environmentalist David Suzuki and former Toronto Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin all share something in common with long-time Catholic educator Msgr. Dennis Murphy.

They have all been honoured with a National Leadership Award from Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic High School in Guelph, Ont. On May 3, Murphy joins the impressive list of the school’s past honourees. He will also be the first clergy to receive the award.

Murphy, 75, said he was surprised by the award because he retired from the Catholic education scene about eight years ago.

{mosimage}Despite a recommendation from its own review committee that The Golden Compass continue to be available to students in Grade 7 and above, the Halton Catholic District School Board has banned the book from all its libraries.