St. Michael’s President David Sylvester welcomed attendees from all over the globe to a major conference celebrating the life and legacy of spiritual leader Father Henri Nouwen happening on campus until May 16.
St. Michael's is home to Nouwen's archives, held in the John M. Kelly Library's Special Collections: Archives and Rare Books, making it a vital centre for researchers and scholars dedicated to his work.
Celtic Studies Assistant Professor Pa Sheehan will be heading home to Ireland after many years of working abroad. While at St. Michael's, he became a dynamic force within the program both on campus and in the greater Toronto community, strengthening St. Mike’s reputation in Toronto’s Irish community through teaching, community building, and media outreach.
Read the Q & A of this interview at https://uoft.me/FarewellProfSheehan.
Next up in Celtic Studies Speaker Series, Prof. Alice Mauger, Assistant Professor of Modern Irish Social History at University College Dublin, Ireland, will explore cultural portrayals of Irish drinking since the 1950s.
RSVP: https://bit.ly/4d2teKq
Missing You This Mother’s Day
Jodh Gill is a Residence Don at St. Michael’s College and a kinesiology student at the University of Toronto. In his free time, he enjoys biking around the city and going to the gym. Originally from beautiful British Columbia, being far from home hasn’t been easy – but the community at St. Mike’s has made it feel like home, even if nothing quite replaces his mom’s cooking.
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Dear Mom,
I’ve been away from home for almost four years now, and somehow, with each year, it doesn’t get easier, it gets harder in a different way. When I first left, I thought time would slowly make things feel more normal. But instead, it’s made me realize just how much of my life is rooted in you.
I miss you. I miss your roti, I miss the feeling of just being able to exist in your presence, safe, understood, and cared for in a way that only you can. I miss the smallest things the most: you tucking me into bed, waking me up with a morning kiss, those quiet car rides to school that didn’t feel important then, but mean everything now.
Being away has taught me a lot. It’s taught me independence, sure, but more than that, it’s taught me gratitude. Every day, I find myself thinking about something new I’m thankful for when it comes to you. And the older I get, the more I begin to understand the depth of what you’ve done for me, things I couldn’t fully see as a kid.
You are not just my mom. You are my source of strength, my role model, and truly, my best friend…
Read article: https://uoft.me/mothers-day
Congratulations to Dr. Hilda P. Koster, Associate Professor of Theology and Director of The Elliott Allen Institute for Theology and Ecology at the Regis St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology, Toronto School of Theology, on being awarded a 2026–2027 Small Project Grant from the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion.
Dr. Koster’s project, Teaching Eco‑Theology across the Curriculum, is a collaborative teaching initiative that brings together faculty across the Toronto School of Theology to develop shared and innovative pedagogical approaches to ecological theology in the context of today’s intersecting social, political, and ecological crises. Rooted in the teaching commitments of the Elliott Allen Institute for Theology and Ecology at Regis St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology, the project is intentionally interdisciplinary, engaging colleagues from the University of Toronto’s School of the Environment, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, and the Department for the Study of Religion U of T as active partners in teaching and curricular development.
This grant recognizes the importance of collaborative, justice‑oriented approaches to teaching and affirms the ongoing commitment of the Toronto School of Theology to innovative theological education responsive to the urgent challenges of our time.
This year marks 30 years since the death of Henri Nouwen. To mark the occasion, The Henri Nouwen Society and St. Michael’s are hosting an international conference to celebrate profound and continuing influence of the beloved priest.
Registration is open for ‘Longing for Home: The Prophetic Witness of Henri Nouwen in a Wounded World’, May 14 - 16.
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On April 27, His Eminence Frank Cardinal Leo met with students, faculty, librarians, and staff of the University of St. Michael's College (USMC) at the close of the academic year. Cardinal Leo has served as the university's Chancellor since 2023.
President David Sylvester and the University Archivist Francesca Rousselle introduced His Eminence to the first fruits of St. Michael's Canadian Religious Communities Archive: an exhibition titled The Big Maps: The Sisters of Service as Canadian Trailblazers in the John M. Kelly Library @ustmikeskelly
Over lunch, faculty, students, and administrators discussed shared priorities: the new Diploma in Catholic Leadership offered at St. Mike’s Continuing Education @ustmikes.ce ; the formation of Catholic leaders at the Regis St. Michael's Faculty of Theology; and experiential learning opportunities.
Thank you to all who joined us in Vancouver for our Alumni, Students & Friends Reception. We had a great time reconnecting with familiar faces and welcoming our incoming students as they prepare to join us in the fall. The event was a wonderful reminder of the reach of the St. Michael’s community.
