A Canadian Centre for Catholic Pastoral Leadership (CCCPL) is coming to the University of St. Michael’s College (USMC) in 2026, thanks to a $1.4 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Pathways for Tomorrow initiative.

This financial aid endeavour supports Canadian and U.S. theological schools in sustaining and strengthening their mission to formulate and support pastoral leaders for Christian congregations.

The Regis St. Michael's Faculty of Theology (RSM), a combined academic venture between the Basilian-founded USMC and the Jesuit-rooted Regis College, is entrusted with directing and developing the CCCPL’s programming.

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Continuing education courses, topical and evergreen non-degree seminars and workshops to cultivate formation, leadership, synodality and community-building skills and knowledge among lay leaders, religious and clergy is a focal point.

Dr. Jaroslav Skira, the inaugural dean of RSM since the two schools federated in 2022, said the grant money will be utilized to help ensure CCCPL courses are accessible online for  a wider diversity of parish leaders who do not live in the Greater Toronto Area.

“We wanted to make theological education accessible to a wider diversity of people,” said Skira. “We also wanted to make that align with the needs of the Church. Some of our consultations that will continue will be with clergy and lay pastoral leaders on really where they see the needs in serving the Church, and that not only includes the (Toronto archdiocese), but we’re also thinking here of all of Canada.”

David Sylvester, the president of USMC, is enthusiastic about the potential of the CCCPL, set to launch at the start of the 2026-27 academic year.

“We are extremely excited to see the Canadian Centre for Catholic Pastoral Leadership take root and grow,” said 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.”

The Ukrainian Catholic community and Canada’s Indigenous peoples are among the groups the RSM will seek a dialogue with to ascertain how the CCCPL can be useful in advancing pastoral initiatives important to them. Skira, who is Ukrainian, has been informed by Bishop Bryan Bayda, who leads the Eparchy of Toronto and Eastern Canada, that there is great interest in theological education with an Eastern Catholic Church emphasis.

“We have much in common with the Roman Catholic traditions, but Eastern Catholics have some distinctives in the way they approach their prayer, the way they worship, some of the sources that they cite,” said Skira. “Bishop Brian has expressed the desire to ensure that we also have an entree for those in the Eastern Christian traditions, Eastern Catholics as well as Eastern Orthodox.”

Skira said it is very beneficial for the CCCPL that Regis College also received a $1.4 million Pathways for Tomorrow grant for the purpose of engaging with Indigenous communities.

“We want to hear what the needs are of Indigenous communities,” said Skira. “We extend an invitation to listen, to hear from them on how we can help or support some of their particular ministries. We will be engaging with Indigenous ways of learning, trauma-informed pedagogies to understand some of their needs and how we can support a truth and reconciliation process.”

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News of this grant arrived only within the past fortnight, so there is much work to be done to develop a vision for the CCCPL and then turn it into reality. Administrative meetings will begin in earnest, and one of the first tasks is identifying an inaugural director to lead the centre.

Engagement with Toronto congregational leaders is also a priority in order to help develop a curriculum.

“What are the desires, what are the needs?” said Skira. “Vatican II speaks about the hopes and joys of the Church. How can we help sustain those hopes and those joys for the Church?”

Skira awaits the opportunity to further speak about the CCCPL with Cardinal Francis Leo, who is chancellor of USMC. Leo will preside over the USMC convocation ceremony on Nov. 8.

St. Michael’s and Regis represent two of the over 160 Canadian and American theological schools with development projects that have received funding from the Lilly Endowment’s Pathways initiative.

Christopher L. Coble, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for religion, articulated why these investments are worth making.

“Theological schools have long played a central role for most denominations and church networks in preparing and supporting pastoral leaders who guide congregations,” said Coble. “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.”

Regarding the future, Skira has been reading the many promising stories written this year about the promising increases in religiosity among Gen Z. Young faithful Christians and Catholics are leading the resurgence in Bible-reading, church attendance and online spiritual content engagement.

Skira suggests these trends open the door to some intriguing possibilities.

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“There is an uptake of those who are looking for deeper spiritual meaning, and part of the mission of Regis St. Michael's is that we think faith is integral to human flourishing,” said Skira. “It may be that the COVID pandemic caught this generation in a period of loneliness. They didn't have the relationality and ability to engage others in deeper questions. And so, in some ways, this is responding to a need that is emergent within our communities.”

He added that this development makes faculty “excited and hopeful in this Jubilee Year of Hope.”