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What St. Mike’s Celebrated in September and October

Nov 25, 2025 by jessica

News What St. Mike's Celebrated

The start of another academic term brings no shortage of things to celebrate, including Michaelmas, Fall Convocation, and a new exhibit opening in the Kelly Library.

St. Mike’s and Regis Receive $2.8-million in Lilly Grant Funding
Two exciting new initiatives are coming to Regis St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology (RSM), made possible through Lilly Endowment’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative. The University of St. Michael’s College will use a grant of $1.4-million CDN to help establish the Canadian Centre for Catholic Pastoral Leadership (CCCPL). Regis College has been awarded a grant of $1.4-million CDN to support the establishment of Walking in Service, an initiative to develop educational resources and programs to support the community-based formation of congregational leadership in Catholic Indigenous communities in Canada.

Michaelmas
The start of St. Michael’s academic year was marked by our annual Michaelmas celebration. More than 250 students, staff, and faculty took part in the day, which began with a beautiful Mass and continued with a lively street festival featuring food trucks, balloon animals, volleyball, and even some spontaneous line dancing. It was a joyful display of community and tradition, bringing the SMC community together in true St. Michael’s spirit.

Legacy Wall Inductees
As part of the Michaelmas festivities, two new honorees were added to St. Michael’s Legacy Wall. Distinguished historian and former USMC Principal Professor Mark McGowan was inducted to the legacy wall along with distinguished alumna Sr. Evanne Hunter, IBVM. Mark McGowan is renowned for his work on the history of Toronto, Canadian Catholicism, the Irish Famine and Diaspora, and the Irish in Canada. Sr. Evanne is a former Collegium member and has worked tirelessly for the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary for well over fifty years, serving as Provincial Superior for Canada, among other important roles. A luncheon for honorees and their guests was held following the Michaelmas Mass.

Collegium Retreat
On September 18th, members of the USMC Collegium participated in an annual retreat and orientation for new members. President David Sylvester gave a presentation on the history of USMC. President of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities Dr. Donna Carroll joined us from Washington, DC to contribute her unique insights to the retreat. There was also a panel discussion with President Sylvester joined by members of Collegium and senior administration who have previously served as presidents in Catholic higher education, including Dr. Mike DeGagne, Father George Smith, CSB, Dr. Carroll, and Fr. John Meehan. It was a great opportunity for new and returning members to learn about governance and Catholic higher education.

Collegium AGM
The USMC Collegium Annual General Meeting was held on October 8th. It was an opportunity to say farewell to outgoing Collegium members and welcome new members into the fold. Both incoming and outgoing Collegium members received gifts for their service. Collegium members attended a dinner in Loretto’s Romero Room after the meeting.

FAS Convocation
On October 27th, 154 graduands were honoured at the Faculty of Arts & Science Convocation. St. Mike’s students joined students from other U of T colleges for their convocation ceremony at Convocation Hall. Following the ceremony, St. Mike’s grads and their families were invited to come back to campus for a reception in Charbonnel Lounge.

Welcome Esma Tuzunatac
Esma Tuzunatac joins the Continuing Education team as a work-study student for Fall 2025. Esma is pursuing a double major in applied genetics and biotechnology & cell and molecular biology with a minor in German and will support Continuing Education’s programs, courses, and events.

Continuing Education Launches Micro Credential in Catholic Leadership
In October, Continuing Education welcomed the first cohort in SMCE2000 Leadership for Transformative Changemakers in Catholic Organizations. A group of senior leaders from education and non-profit organizations participated in sessions focused on contemporary issues in Catholic communities, inclusive leadership, communication and organizational responses to community issues using problem-based learning.

Diploma in Interfaith Dialogue
The Diploma in Interfaith Dialogue, recently assumed by Continuing Education, launched this fall with a new design that builds on the diploma’s strong foundation, offering course content and flexible delivery options that continue to support meaningful engagement, reflection, and collaboration among participants from diverse backgrounds.

Continuing Education Attends When Faith Meets Pedagogy Conference
In October, the Continuing Education team attended When Faith Meets Pedagogy, Canada’s top Catholic educational conference. The conference presented opportunities to interact with Catholic educators and teachers and keep them up to date on Continuing Education’s Additional Qualification and Interfaith Diploma offerings.

Continuing Education Council
The Continuing Education Council, responsible for providing advice to the CE Division and for reviewing and recommending new courses and programs to the Senate, met in late September. The Council approved two new courses in the Interfaith Dialogue Diploma program as well as a new Additional Qualification course for religious education teachers in Catholic schools.

Continuing Education’s Marketing and Recruitment Strategy
The Continuing Education Division began working with Sean Williams, a marketing and recruitment specialist, who has been engaged on a contract basis to assist the Division in developing a marketing strategy to boost enrollment in its courses and programs. Sean is currently meeting with stakeholders and partners to understand their interests and needs and is also conducting an environmental scan to fully understand the opportunities and challenges in marketing and recruitment in continuing education.

Special Collections Class Visits
The Kelly Library Special Collections Reading Room has always been open to students. But thanks to three Book & Media Studies classes — BMS110: The Printed Book (taught by Kit MacNeil); BMS402: The Power of Print (taught by Chris Patton); and BMS331: The History of the Book (taught by Kit MacNeil) — more students than ever have crowded in to the second-floor room to leaf through 17th- and 18th-century books. Handling samples from the library’s Rare Books Collections, students learn to identify book formats, pinpoint watermarks, write bibliographic descriptions, and figure out the printing processes and techniques used to produce the books. While some students were nervous handling 200-year-old books, many were thrilled to be engaging with the past and appreciated the hands-on nature and meticulous attention to detail the activity required.

Regis Library Collection Moved to Kelly Library
After several years of hard work, the Regis Collection has now moved to the Kelly Library and integrated with St. Michael’s materials. This achievement was possible thanks to a collaborative effort among the Regis College Library and the Technical Services and Access & Information departments at the Kelly Library.

Day of Dante
Prof. Francesco Ciabattoni of Georgetown University was welcomed to campus to speak on “Dante’s Musical Journey in the Divine Comedy.” The lecture incorporated musical examples performed by members of St. Michael’s Schola Cantorum led by Professor Michael O’Connor, W. J. Bennett Family Chair of Christianity and the Arts.

The Dante Lecture was proceeded by a tour of the Dante Gardens and followed by a reception where new additions to The Dante Collection were unveiled, making for a full evening of Dante excitement.

Opening of ‘The Big Maps: The Sisters of Service as Canadian Trailblazers’ Exhibit
The Big Maps: The Sisters of Service as Canadian Trailblazers, a new exhibit in the John M. Kelly Library, opened with much fanfare. Mark McGowan, Professor Emeritus of History and Celtic Studies at the University of Toronto and Principal Emeritus of St. Michael’s College, on the pioneering vision of Sister Catherine Donnelly, who founded the order, and the role of the Sisters of Service (SOS) in welcoming, housing, and teaching new Canadians from diverse cultural backgrounds. The lecture was recorded and is available here. The exhibit celebrates the Sisters’ place in Canadian history and marks the arrival of the SOS archives at the Kelly Library. The Big Maps will be on display until summer 2026.

Campus Walking Tour
Staff and faculty learned a bit more about the College’s history and art in a walking tour guided by our well-informed archivist, Jessica Barr. The tour was organized by the SMC Wellness Committee as a way for colleagues to connect and enjoy a mindful break.

Welcome Day
The Principal’s Office hosted a Welcome Day for our four sponsored programs, a time to set aside the books and get to know each other better. It brought together students and faculty from Christianity & Culture, Medieval Studies, Book & Media Studies, and Celtic Studies for refreshments and socializing.

Celtic Studies Lecture
The latest installment of the Celtic Speaker Series was delivered by Dr. Padraic X. Scanlan on ‘ROT: The Irish Appetite and the Great Hunger’.

Relaunch of McLuhan Salons
This fall saw the relaunch of the McLuhan Salons with two events taking place. The evenings feature a lively discussion on a chosen book, moderated by Prof. Paolo Granata.

Loneliness: A Theological Appraisal Presentation
On September 24th, Graham Ward, Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Oxford (Emeritus) and Professor Extraordinarius at the University of Stellenbosch, gave us a theological appraisal of loneliness.

Lecture on The Second Established Religion of the Caliphate
On September 19th, Dr. Philip Wood of The Aga Khan University presented on ‘The Church of The East in Ninth Century Baghdad’.

President Sylvester Elected to the IFCU Board of Administration
St. Michael’s College President David Sylvester has been elected to the International Federation of Catholic Universities’ (IFCU) Board of Administration. The global organization of Catholic academic institutions has a mandate to work collegially to facilitate research, partnership and exchange programs between Catholic universities and colleges.

St. Jerome’s University’s Sweeney Award
Congratulations to Prof. Mark McGowan, who was presented with St. Jerome’s University’s Sweeney Award for Catholic Leadership.

Royal Society of Canada Recipient
Congratulations are in order for Professor Jacqueline Murray, a fellow of St. Michael’s College, on being named to the prestigious Royal Society of Canada.

The citation honouring Murray noted her “intellectual creativity and impeccable scholarship have transformed the landscape of premodern European history. Her groundbreaking research in premodern sex, sexualities, genders and bodies has introduced innovative approaches to the study of medieval women and men and established the new research field of premodern men and masculinities.”

Four summative projects from the University of St. Michael’s College’s Diploma in Social Responsibility and Sustainability (SR & S) have earned the President’s Capstone Award. The winners were presented with a plaque in recognition of their achievement at the convocation for Continuing Education’s SR & S Diploma program that took place on Saturday, November 8 in Charbonnel Lounge.

“The incredible quality of this year’s Capstone projects proves that St. Mike’s continues to lead as an institution dedicated to social justice and sustainability, whether environmental, social, or financial. The flame lit at the creation of Continuing Education’s Corporate Social Responsibility program in 2001—Canada’s first—is burning bright, and we’re proud our graduates are sharing its light with the world,” said St. Michael’s President David Sylvester.

This year’s winning projects addressed how the mining sector evaluates ESG; underrepresentation of women in medical research; community-based programs to deliver HIV services; and securing immigrants with employment that matches their skills and experience.

As part of the SR&S diploma, each student was paired with a mentor who is a practitioner and thought leader in the field of ESG, Sustainability, & Social Responsibility. Students receive guidance as they embark on a 16-month cumulative project designed to give them hands-on practical experience in promoting positive social change and have an environment impact in the greater community.

To be considered for the Capstone Award, projects were nominated by the mentors judged by a four-person panel, which included experts in the fields of corporate social responsibility and sustainability. Winners were selected in the following categories: Advancing Social and/or Environmental Impact; Advancing Social and Environmental Responsibility, Sustainability and/or ESG in their organization; and Advancing Innovative Practices in Social and Environmental Responsibility, Sustainability and/or ESG category.

The winners of the President’s Capstone Award:

Fayiz Nooraldeen and Saif Alotaibi’s project titled ‘ESG Rating Agencies: A Comparative Study of Rating Methodologies in Social Performance within the Mining Industry’ was selected as one of the winners in the social and environmental impact category. It examined the methodologies used by leading ESG rating agencies in the mining sector and overseen by Shahin Hirji, Founder and Principal Consultant at Distill Consulting.

Heather Creighton’s project on ‘Closing the Women’s Health Gap: How the IWK Foundation is Leading Transformational Change’ was also selected in the social and environment impact category. Using her own organization as a case study, she outlined ways to close the women’s health gap. She was guided by Shawna O’Hearn, Director of Global Health at Dalhousie University.

Tyler Morden received top honours in the Advancing Social and Environmental Responsibility, Sustainability and/or ESG in their organization category for his project titled ‘From Pilot to Permanence: A Framework for Community-Corporate-Government Engagement in HIV Services’. This project advocated for a community-corporate-government partnership framework to deliver HIV services. Willa Black, Founder of Connected North, was the mentor for this project.

Victor Huynh’s “From Waste to Worth: Designing a circular, zero-waste workforce integration model for skilled job seekers in Canada” won the advancing innovative practices category. This project demonstrated how economic principles can be applied to reduce unemployment and underemployment experienced by immigrants. His mentor was Andrew Robertson, Associate Director of Public Affairs at Novo Nordisk.

In all, eight students were nominated for the award and the remaining four projects received honourable mentions.

In the Advancing Social and Environmental Responsibility, Sustainability and/or ESG in their organization category:

Michelle Muise’s project on ‘Connecting Hearts At Home: A Strategic Framework for Employee Volunteering and Social Impact at Lilly Canada’; mentored by Rachel Baptiste.

In the Advancing Innovative Practices in Social and Environmental Responsibility, Sustainability and/or ESG category:

- Alex Recio Greenwall’s project on ‘Beyond the Bottom Line: A Framework for Integrating ESG into Corporate Valuation Models’; mentored by David Rutherford.

- Kaitlyn Salvador’s project on ‘A Marketing Framework for Social Change’; mentored by Trish Tervit.

- Sage Mosgrove’s project on ‘Visualizing Change: designing data visualizations for impact in sustainability analytics’; mentored by Andrea McLeod.

Congratulations to our Capstone Award winners, honourable mentions and all who earned their Diploma in Social Responsibility and Sustainability on Saturday.

At St. Michael’s, we remember the more than 150 students and graduates who sacrificed their lives in World War I, World War and the Korean War. Their names are permanently etched into the Soldiers’ Memorial Slype, the sandstone archway between Fisher House and More House., their names visible year-round as a lasting tribute to their courage and service.

On Remembrance Day, we invite members of the community to gather at the Slype for a memorial prayer service at 9:30 a.m. The occasion will be a time to reflect on the cost of the freedoms we enjoy today, to offer a prayer of remembrance for the lives lost to war, and to bless the wreath beneath the archway of the Queen’s Park Building (Fisher House and More House). Following the service, anyone wishing to attend the University of Toronto service at Soldiers’ Tower may leave as a group.

This year marks 80 years since St. Mike’s alumni Flying Officer Donal Kevin Joseph Hector and Lieutenant Francis Frank Wilfrid McGarry — two of the names that appear on the memorial — died in service to their country.

While at the University of Toronto, Donal Hector played hockey and lacrosse. He graduated in 1943 and enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in May of that year. In January 1944, he received his wing and commission at Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. Overseas, he served as a flying officer and navigator of a Lancaster bomber. He was reported missing following a raid over Ruhr Valley in Germany (his sixth mission) and presumed dead on March 11, 1945, at the age of 24. He is buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Kleve, Germany.

Francis Frank Wilfrid McGarry graduated from the University of Toronto as part of the class of 1940 with a Bachelor of Arts and joined the Royal Canadian Naval in 1942. He served for a year at a base in Newfoundland before transferring to the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm. After earning his pilot’s wing in December 1944, he was stationed for a short time at Somerset, England. He was killed in a flying accident over Northern Ireland on September 8, 1945, at the age of 26. He is buried in Ballycranbeg (Mount St. Joseph) Roman Catholic Churchyard in County Down, United Kingdom.

Members of the St. Michael’s community continue to experience the effects of war. Professor Jaroslav Skira, the Fr. Terrance Forestell, CSB, Dean of the Regis St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology, recently travelled to war-torn Ukraine to take part in an event organized by the Ukrainian Greco-Catholic Synod of Bishops. While there he was able to reconnect with family members. He shares this moving testimonial about what he witnessed. Read ‘InsightOut: I Went to a War Zone’.

The Regis St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology offers our warmest congratulations to Sr. Carla Thomas, OP, on being named the 2025 recipient of the Governor General’s Award. The award is presented annually to the doctoral student with the highest academic standing.

Sr. Carla received her medal at the inaugural convocation for the Regis St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology, held Saturday, Nov. 8, in St. Basil’s Church.

“It is incredible,” says the Guyanese-born Sister, who belongs to the Congregation of Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena of Étrépagny in Trinidad and Tobago. “I feel immensely grateful.”

Long interested in adult faith formation, Sr. Carla enrolled in the St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology in 2017 to work on a Master of Theological Studies (MTS) degree to further her knowledge, a move she notes was fostered, encouraged and organized by her congregation.

“All credit goes to my congregation,” she says, adding that the general prioress at that time, Sr. Therese Antoine, and other sisters found St. Michael’s appealing for a variety of reasons, ranging from a Dominican presence at St. Michael’s, and in the city, to the Catholic ethos underpinning the faculty.

Once enrolled, Sr. Carla was encouraged by the supportive, dynamic community she found. She also appreciated the ecumenical approach she discovered on campus, including the presence of the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies (MASI), as well as the opportunities to take courses at all the other member colleges of the Toronto School of Theology along with the courses offered at St. Michael’s.

As her MTS studies were wrapping up, Sr. Carla discerned a desire to further deepen her knowledge and was encouraged to enrol in a doctoral program. Inspired by her own ministry contexts and the need she felt for her research to connect with the works of her religious congregation, she pursued a thesis examining Pope Francis’s contributions to family life in contexts marked by colonial histories. Her dissertation set out to propose recommendations of themes and orientations for a regional pastoral strategy aimed at accompanying the various kinds of families present in the Anglophone Caribbean. She points out that while family life is a pressing concern for the global church, the legacy of colonialism has long complicated the Church’s ministry in the region on this issue. This dissertation takes its place in the trajectory of studies by other scholars from the Caribbean who have wrestled with this subject. However, in scope and ecumenical attentiveness, it seems to be the first of its kind from a Roman Catholic perspective.

Sr. Carla undertook this research because she is mindful of the people she has encountered in her ministry who give endlessly of their time and talents to the Church but also face many challenges with church norms and teachings about family.

“I wanted my dissertation to reflect how theology impacts people,” she says.

Now finished her studies, she hopes to continue the work she has been doing with the Regional Seminary of St. John Vianney and the Uganda Martyrs in Trinidad and Tobago, work she had been engaged in for the final two years of her studies.

She was also selected recently to participate in the 2025-2026 cohort of an international panel of women religious theologians, an initiative of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), where she will use her theological training to examine challenges and opportunities that will loom large for consecrated life and the Church in the future.

As she reflects on her time in Toronto, Sr. Carla calls on a phrase coined by Dominican theologian Timothy Radcliffe to describe her experience.

“There is an ‘ecology of flourishing’” she says of life at Regis St. Michael’s. At RSM she found an eco-system of relationships, community and concern for the wider creation which enriched her studies.
“Sr. Carla has been a wonderful addition to life and learning of Regis St. Michael’s. An insightful and inspiring person, we are grateful she selected RSM for her doctoral work because our community has been enriched by her presence. We are confident she will go on to do important work in service to the Church, the academy and her community,” says RSM Dean Jaroslav Skira.

Sr. Carla expresses great thanks to her supervisor, Prof Michael Attridge, committee members Prof. Darren Dias, OP, and Sr. Susan Wood, SCL, her external examiners, various faculty and staff; her friends and colleagues in the doctoral program at RSM; her family, her community, the Dominican friars and her parish in Toronto, Our Lady of Good Counsel Caribbean Canadian Catholic Church.

And, of course, “I feel immense gratitude to God, and to God’s mercy.”

Her dissertation, she says, represents the fruits of contemplation, discovered both in prayer and in hard work in the library.

“I have a sense of gratitude and fulfillment,” she says, adding that she is keen to share her work with Caribbean theologians as well as people here in Toronto.

W. John Bennett (SMC 6T7), who has long given generously of his time and talents to the University of St. Michael’s College, will be awarded a Doctor of the University of St. Michael’s College degree, honoris causa, at the inaugural Regis St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology (RSM) convocation on Saturday, November 8^th at 2 pm in St. Basil’s Church.

A merchant banker, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Bennett is the CEO and Principal of BenvestHoldings/Bennett Church Hill Capital Inc. With more than four decades of successful merchant banking and entrepreneurial experience, he has served on the boards of numerous private and public enterprises and is an active philanthropist with a historical and educational focus.

“John Bennett is an invaluable champion of St. Michael’s, carrying forward his father William Bennett’s dedication to support his much-loved alma mater,” says University President David Sylvester. “It is particularly fitting that John should receive this honorary degree at the inaugural RSM convocation ceremony, given how instrumental he and his generosity have been to the success of the federation.”

Bennett was a member of Collegium, St. Michael’s principal governing body, from 2014-2022, serving as chair from 2015-2017. He was an active advisor in the talks leading to the federation of St. Michael’s with Regis College, serving on the federation steering committee, its governance subcommittee, and chairing its finance subcommittee. Chair of St. Michael’s most recent Presidential Search Committee, he is also a trustee of the St. Michael’s Foundation, which promotes and encourages education at St. Michael’s College. He is the current chair of the board of the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies (PIMS).

He recently created the W. J. Bennett Family Chair of Christianity and the Arts, which builds on family connections to the St. Michael’s community that date back decades.

He holds an Hons BA and an LLB from the University of Toronto and in 2019 was awarded U of T’s prestigious Arbor Award for volunteer service. In 2012 he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal and he received an honorary degree from PIMS in 2023.

A resident of Montreal, Bennett is married to Diana Collins Bennett (SMC 6T8). They have three children: Carl, Patrick, and Diana. Bennett has extensive family connections to St. Michael’s, with his father, William (Bill) graduating in 1934, as well as numerous siblings and extended family members part of the St. Mike’s alumni community. William Bennett, John’s father, received an honorary doctorate from St. Michael’s in 1986.

Since 1969, the University of St. Michael’s College has awarded honorary degrees as its highest honour, using its statutory authority as an independent university to bestow doctorates on individuals whose achievements embody or advance St. Michael’s mission, vision, and values as a Catholic institution of higher learning. Honorary Degrees are awarded to individuals who have achieved world-class excellence and exceptionality over their careers.

Formal recommendations of honorary degree candidates are made by the USMC Senate’s Committee on Honorary Degrees and approved by the Senate. Honorary degrees are typically conferred at the University of St. Michael’s College Convocation in the fall.

An experiential learning opportunity gave St. Mike’s student Sarah Frank the tools to explore her passions more deeply to learn about the world around her. She will be celebrating this milestone on Monday, October 27 when she graduates at the University of Toronto’s Convocation ceremony.

“Coming to U of T and being at St. Mike’s gave me the best four years and I’m sad to be officially concluding that chapter in my life, but I’m also excited to celebrate how awesome those four years were,” she says.

After missing out on an in-person high school graduation in 2020, Sarah Frank fully embraced her new surroundings when she moved into Sorbara Hall in her first year.

“I always felt like St. Mike’s was a place of warmth and community. The St. Mike’s community is so diverse that I felt like I was learning new things from everyone I met and having the presence of the Catholic tradition on the campus gave me a sense of calm,” she says. “The whole campus has this calming effect. The St. Mike’s quad is so beautiful and having St. Basil’s there is like a comfort built into the St. Mike’s campus.”

In residence, she enjoyed having someone to talk to and connected with her Don, with whom she shared a lot of interests, valuing her insights on course selection.

In her first year, she enrolled in St. Mike’s Gilson Seminar, which became foundational to her undergraduate experience. The Seminar is a two-part course that explores how the Christian faith intersects with some of today’s most important questions. It also includes a trip to Rome.

“It was a true hands-on learning experience—we were learning about traditions in the exact places they took root,” she says. “Studying in Rome was magical and, when I returned, I appreciated St. Mike’s even more,” she continues.

Through this experience, she formed a close-knit community and it piqued her curiosity on different fields of study, which she explored through her Book & Media Studies major and minors in history and human geography.

Students from the Gilson Seminar continued to stay in touch through Dodgeball and Meatballs evenings, where past Gilson Seminar students of all years could come together for a fun evening of intramural sports and a pasta dinner. She also attended a book club on Dante, organized by the Gilson Seminar’s teaching assistant.

In her first year, she also had the privilege of taking Introduction to Book & Media Studies with Prof. Paolo Granata. “It provided a good preview of what the program continued to be throughout the rest of my degree,” she says, adding that she appreciated how Book & Media Studies touched upon so many of her interests.

“It felt like a program curated just for me because it combined a lot of my passions, including media, marketing, journalism, and art in an interesting way,” she says.

“By studying a range of topics, I received a well-rounded education that gave me a better grasp of the world around me and the issues we currently face. I feel this understanding has benefited me in my everyday life and will certainly help me as I enter the teaching profession,” she says.

Sarah is currently pursuing a teaching degree from the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education and is open to pursuing any number of paths the profession may take her.

“I feel like everything I have learned has been so applicable to life in general and I will definitely be using this knowledge,” she says.

No matter her life’s journey, she will take with her the lessons she learned at St. Mike’s — both inside and outside of the classroom.

As Diana Radenko closes the chapter of her undergraduate studies to graduate as part of the Class of 2025, she’s excited to see how far her St. Michael’s experience will take her. She’ll cherish the memories created through her Book & Media Studies courses and documented in her leadership roles for various St. Mike’s publications.

“At St. Mike’s, I could choose what I wanted to do and what I wanted to put my energy towards. I found whatever I did, whether it was student initiatives, coursework, or going to college events, I came away with a sense of joy,” she says.

In her first year she was impressed by the expansive course offerings of the Book & Media Studies program because they offered her the flexibility to pursue her interests. In her senior years she enjoyed the higher-level seminar classes with their smaller class sizes where she connected with fellow students and professors over the course material.

“What I liked about Book & Media Studies was that there were only a handful of foundational courses. After I was done with those, I could pick and choose what I wanted to focus on. I wouldn’t have had the same freedom in another program.”

Her courses took her many places, including Massey College, the Kelly Library’s Special Collections, and to Ireland with Professors Mark McGowan and Alison Moore as part of the Boyle Seminar in Scripts and Stories where they toured museums and libraries.

“Something that stood out to me on that trip was seeing how connected we are to institutions abroad. When we went to the famine museum in Ireland, Professor McGowan stopped us in one of the rooms and explained that all the research on display had been done by U of T students. Seeing how far other students have gone really inspired me,” she says.

The trip and her studies were supported by various St. Michael’s scholarships including the Boyle Entrance Scholarship and the John and Angela Maraz Memorial Scholarship.

“The support I’ve received from St. Mike’s honestly has changed my life because I felt free to pursue the things I wanted. Knowing that there was some sort of financial backing from the college helped me perform in my studies,” she says. She was a Dean’s List Scholar in 2023, 2024, and 2025.

Diana’s impact on St. Michael’s goes beyond the classroom. She has served as a Copy Editor and Design Manager at The Mike, the student newspaper, and the past two years she was the Senior Editor of Windrose, the SMC yearbook.

“It was meaningful to be able to make something that I know other students are going to take home with them and cherish. As the Senior Editor, I felt responsible for shaping the story of the whole academic year. That responsibility connected me with St. Mike’s community,” she says.

Among her many St. Michael’s memories was celebrating the launch of the yearbook in the Dodig Family COOP. “Seeing everyone engaged with the memories that they had made over the course of the year was really heartwarming,” she says.

When she crosses the dais on October 27th, she leaves knowing she’s leaving her mark on the college that gave her so much.

The Regis St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology (RSM) has reached an important new milestone with the reception of two significant grants totalling $2.8-million CDN from the Lilly Endowment’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative.

The University of St. Michael’s College will use a grant of $1.4-million CDN to help establish the Canadian Centre for Catholic Pastoral Leadership (CCCPL), designed after national consultation with bishops, priests and lay pastoral leaders, to offer continuing education across the country. The CCCPL will be directed and developed by RSM and administered by St. Michael’s Continuing Education division. A wide variety of topics will be covered in course offerings, workshops and communities of practice, from learning how to offer spiritual direction through to managing capital projects.

Regis College has been awarded a grant of $1.4-million CDN to support the establishment of Walking in Service, an initiative to develop educational resources and programs to support the community-based formation of congregational leadership in Catholic Indigenous communities in Canada. Offerings will range from professional development workshops to newly developed courses. Adjunct faculty and community-recognized Elders with competencies in Indigenous pedagogies, ways of knowing, cultures and history will be hired to teach, mentor students, and support curricular development.

“When Regis College and St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology federated in 2022 this was precisely the kind of programming we envisioned offering by building on our respective talents and expertise,” says University President David Sylvester. “We have a mandate to serve the Church and the community, and these innovative new initiatives will provide vital training and support to two of our most important communities.”

The Walking in Service initiative was developed after significant consultation with Roman Catholic Indigenous communities in Ontario and Quebec, notes Fr. Gordon Rixon, S.J, President of Regis College, and was inspired by Pope Francis’s 2022 Penitential Pilgrimage across Canada.

“This is a significant moment in Canadian theological education, as Walking in Service will be based in trauma-informed theological education, respecting Indigenous self-determination, while incorporating land-based and cultural relevant pedagogies,” Rixon says.

In preparation for launching the two initiatives, RSM will invest in upgrading technology to ensure smooth delivery of those classes delivered online, and faculty will receive training on effective online pedagogy. The grants will also allow for professors to travel, connecting, learning, and teaching with communities outside of RSM’s Toronto base.

CCCPL programming will begin to roll out in the spring of 2026, while Walking in Service will launch in January 2026.

“While Regis College and St. Michael’s each have storied histories, these grants signify a watershed moment for RSM. We are excited not only for the coming year but for the years ahead,” says RSM Dean Jaroslav Skira.

The Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative is intended to help theological schools across the United States and Canada strengthen their educational and financial capacities to prepare and support pastoral leaders for Christian congregations both now and into the future. One of Lilly Endowment’s stated goals in funding projects is “to improve public understanding of religion and lift up in fair, accurate and balanced ways the roles that people of all faiths and various religious communities play in the United State and around the globe.”

To learn more about the Canadian Catholic Centre for Pastoral Leadership or Walking in Service, please contact Emil Iruthayathas, Director, Office of the Dean of Theology at RSM, at rsm.dean@utoronto.ca or Greg Rupik, St. Michael’s Chief of Staff, at greg.rupik@utoronto.ca.

More Coverage

Read ‘New program will develop pastoral leadership‘, published in the Catholic Register.

The Big Maps: The Sisters of Service as Canadian Trailblazers, an exciting new exhibition coming to the John M. Kelly Library, will document the history of an unconventional and uniquely Canadian women’s religious institute whose members engaged in groundbreaking work across the country.

The Big Maps opens October 23 at 6 p.m. with a talk by Mark McGowan, Professor Emeritus of History and Celtic Studies at the University of Toronto and Principal Emeritus of St. Michael’s College, on the pioneering vision of Sister Catherine Donnelly, who founded the order, and the role of the Sisters of Service (SOS) in welcoming, housing, and teaching new Canadians from diverse cultural backgrounds.

^{photo credit: Sisters of Service Fonds, Special Collections, John M. Kelly Library, University of St. Michael’s College}

The exhibit, located on the first floor of the Kelly Library and curated by Kelly archivist Francesca Rousselle, links the Institute of the SOS with an informal defining motto: “Look at the big maps. Take the long view. Don’t tie yourselves down with too many written rules and customs. Always remain flexible”, which was framed on the office wall of co-founder Rev. George Daly, CSsR.

In time, as Donnelly’s vision of teaching Sisters in Western Canada was expanded to encompass all Catholic immigrants, her spirit and determination was embedded into the SOS charism. The Kelly’s new exhibit unveils Donnelly’s personality with an iconic image of her, axe in full swing, chopping a tree to clear a rugged road in British Columbia. It also includes artifacts and photos from the 60 SOS Canadian missions.

Also displayed will be a habit introduced in 1963, years before other women’s religious communities changed to a modified habit, a detail that demonstrates the Sisters’ adjustment to the societal and Vatican II changes of the 1960s.

“There are several things that set the Sisters of Service apart,” Rousselle says of the order, founded in Toronto in 1922. “Many members had already had careers. They had the kind of experience and maturity needed to take on practical tasks, right down to hauling water.”

James Roussain, the William D. Sharpe Chief Librarian and Director of Special Collections at the Kelly Library, says the exhibit documents the role the Sisters played in the history of Canada. “In telling their stories, we are highlighting the role the SOS played in the founding and growth of immigrant communities across Canada,” says Roussain. “These women were strong builders of community and looked after themselves.”

Sister Anna McNally, who held a series of educational positions in North Saskatchewan upon the closing of residential schools, remarks that the SOS sought people in the greatest need. “Our commitment was to come to help the people until they could take over, which they did,” she says.

The exhibit also pays tribute to the early support of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto, who assigned senior Sisters as Superior and Novice Mistress for the first six years, as well as the Congregation of the Holy Redeemer (the Redemptorists).

The Big Maps exhibition was mounted to celebrate the donation of the SOS archives to the Kelly Library’s Special Collections: Archives and Rare Books, where they are available for public consultation.

The Big Maps exhibition will be on display on the ground floor of the Kelly Library until summer 2026. To attend the opening night, please RSVP.

Contact: Greg Rupik (greg.rupik@utoronto.ca)
October 14, 2025

The University of Toronto has received a grant of $991,000 USD from Lilly Endowment Inc. to establish the Canadian Centre for Catholic Pastoral Leadership (CCCPL) at the University of St. Michael’s College (USMC). The CCCPL’s programming will be directed and developed by the Regis St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology (RSM), the collaborative creation of USMC and Regis College, members of the Toronto School of Theology.

The CCCPL is being funded through Lilly Endowment’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative, which is intended to help theological schools across the United States and Canada strengthen their educational and financial capacities to prepare and support pastoral leaders for Christian congregations both now and into the future.

When launched in 2026, the CCCPL will be an innovative hub providing continuing education for pastoral leaders in ongoing formation, leadership, synodality and community-building using delivery methods that are accessible to a wide constituency of leaders, lay, religious, or ordained. Administered by USMC’s Division of Continuing Education, the Centre will offer a catalogue of topical and evergreen non-degree seminars, workshops, and courses designed to support ministers engaged with parish work in Canada’s diverse cultural contexts, while also supporting communities of practice.

“We are extremely excited to see the Canadian Centre for Catholic Pastoral Leadership take root and grow,” said St. Michael’s President David Sylvester. “The Centre is backed by world-class faculty and built upon the unique vision of RSM’s founding religious communities. A National Advisory Committee will help deepen and formalize our relationships with dioceses across the country, and RSM will learn and grow from those enhanced connections. We are pleased to serve the Church and the broader community with new lifelong learning and formation opportunities.”

St. Michael’s is one of 163 theological schools that have developed projects since 2021 funded through Lilly Endowment’s Pathways initiative. Together, the schools serve a broad spectrum of Christian traditions in the U.S. and Canada. They are affiliated with evangelical, mainline Protestant, nondenominational, Pentecostal, Orthodox, Catholic, Black church, Latino, Asian American, Indigenous and historic peace church traditions.

“Theological schools have long played a central role for most denominations and church networks in preparing and supporting pastoral leaders who guide congregations,” said Christopher L. Coble, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for religion. “These schools are paying close attention to the challenges churches are facing today and will face in the foreseeable future. The grants will help these schools engage in wide-ranging, innovative efforts to adapt their educational programs and build their financial capacities so they can better prepare pastors and lay ministers to effectively lead the congregations they will serve in the future.”

About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is a private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion and maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. A principal aim of the Endowment’s religion grantmaking is to deepen and enrich the lives of Christians in the United States, primarily by seeking out and supporting efforts that enhance the vitality of congregations and strengthen the pastoral and lay leadership of Christian communities. The Endowment also seeks to improve public understanding of religion and lift up in fair, accurate and balanced ways the roles that people of all faiths and various religious communities play in the United State and around the globe.