Catholic leaders across social services, health and education are coming together in Toronto this November with a vision of unlocking the power of holistic collaboration at Catholic Charities’ Catholic Praxis: Synergy Toronto 2026.

The three-day conference, from Nov. 3 to 5 at the downtown Chelsea Hotel, aims to break down the long-standing silos between Catholic organizations that often serve many of the same vulnerable populations. Rather than asking stretched teams to do more with less, organizers are inviting participants to embrace the bolder approach of doing more together through stronger relationships and joint action.

The seed of Synergy 2026 emerged several years ago with Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Toronto and gained momentum after a pre-conference last year revealed a deep hunger among leaders for solidarity and practical collaboration. Now, the gathering is looking to be a continued step towards strengthening the Church’s collective witness by turning Catholic Social Teaching into live practice.

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“There has been a desire not only to share the Good News, but also to address the challenges faced by the various sectors, many of which are often the same. There is a clear consensus around the importance of being there, supporting one another and building our community. Whether in health, education or community services, we are serving people, and that is solely connected to the mission of the Church,” said Agnes Thomas, executive director of Catholic Charities. 

The planning team has set out to bring in a diverse lineup of speakers to cover a wide breadth of topics across the three-day conference, including Fr. Greg Boyle of Homeboy Industries, the world’s largest gang intervention and rehabilitation program; Shirlee Sharkey, former CEO of Saint Elizabeth Health; and Jean Augustine, a known community leader and advocate. 

“Across each of our speakers seems to be a theme that is inspiring, because they are all truly trailblazers. Whether it's the Sisters of St. Joseph, the Loretto Sisters in education, people like Fr. Boyle, they are there to roll up their sleeves and get to work,” said Elio Sergnese, senior advisor of policy, research and advocacy for Catholic Charities.

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“If it wasn't for people like them, I wonder if these programs would be in existence. We really have to honour them for the work that they do. We need to celebrate them. Further, we need to follow their lead and learn from them.”  

As specific details of the conference’s itinerary continue to be ironed out, Thomas and Sergnese say attendees can expect a variety of keynotes, plenaries, panels, workshops and conversational formats throughout Synergy 2026. Content across all mediums is planned to be organized around sub-themes drawn from community needs, with areas such as food insecurity and hunger, housing and homelessness, mental health, intersectionality of poverty and injustice, advocacy, palliative care and political advocacy notable inclusions among others. 

Until June 30, Catholic Charities is inviting practitioners, educators, researchers, community leaders and innovators in both Catholic and broader communities to share their own insights and research ahead of the conference. Proposals that illustrate how Catholic Social Teaching values can transform systems and daily practice can be submitted for consideration. 

Even with months to go, Thomas already sees community being built. She said major Catholic organizations are already lining up as enthusiastic early sponsors, reflecting strong momentum and belief in the Synergy vision. To date, Saint Elizabeth Foundation, Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto, Catholic Children's Aid Foundation, the Catholic Health Association of Ontario, The Catholic Register and Salt and Light Media have all joined as sponsors.

Sergnese is hopeful of an  openness for agencies to work together by recognizing just how vast the opportunities for collaboration are. Thomas echoes her colleague's sentiment, agreeing that the conference will help leaders see how much more is possible when Catholic organizations move beyond silos and begin exploring collaborative opportunities together. 

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“I  pray that anyone who comes receives something that they can apply as well as  meet and hear from someone that they never met before,” she said.  ”This is the right and apt time for us to respond to the call for community, solidarity and shared mutuality of care to creation and the people that we are called to serve.” 

For more information, including how to submit a proposal, see https://catholicpraxis.ca/.