Recently, the Campus Ministry team got together to reflect on Holy Week. We are grateful for their input. Thanks, too, to Campus Ministry Coordinator Nicole Ferrante for bringing those thoughts together.
Holy Week is one of the most important periods in the Christian calendar, concluding the forty-day season of Lent, and preparing Christians for the approaching celebration of Easter. At our March 18th meeting, the St. Mike’s Campus Ministry team sat down together and had an open conversation about Holy Week, with the hopes of gathering some thoughts to share with the St. Mike’s community.
Students were asked several questions to get the ideas flowing. Hopefully there will be something in their answers to inspire you as we enter into this important time.
Why is Holy Week important? What makes it special?
“I love Holy Week. I think Holy Week is awesome. I think it’s nicer than Christmas because there is much less capitalist gift buying and stuff.“-Marc-André Veselovsky SJ (Retreats and Faith Formation).
During Holy Week we remember the passion, death, and resurrection of our Lord. To re-“member” does not only mean to recall in our mind. It means to relive, to recreate. To place ourselves back into the story, and to live those final days alongside Jesus. We experience the self-giving love of Holy Thursday, the grief of Good Friday, and the emptiness of Holy Saturday, only to be filled with the fullness of joy and life as we enter the resurrection of Easter Sunday.
“I think it is [also] to remind us that in our daily life we carry our own crosses, and to remind us that there is resurrection after death, so whatever suffering we are going through, there is resurrection.” – Semira Abdella (Interfaith and Social Outreach Coordinator).
Placing ourselves in the Easter story also means coming with our reality, with the burdens we carry, with what we are doing, seeing, and experiencing, and letting the life of Christ speak hope and comfort into those places.
Is there a particular part of Holy week that you find most meaningful, or that you are most looking forward to?
“The mass I look forward to in Holy week is Good Friday. For Ethiopian Catholics [like myself] it’s not like a typical mass… it’s a 12-hour service starting from 6 am to 6pm, so it’s very interesting. People fast the whole day.” – Semira.
Holy week is an important time for all Catholics, as well as many other Christian denominations. The way in which it is observed, however, can differ depending on the church or cultural community that one is part of. Glimpses into the Holy Week celebrations that happen worldwide are a beautiful example of the unity and diversity that the Church is fortunate to foster.
“I’m going to see my friend get baptized at the Easter Vigil. So that’s very exciting… I don’t think I’ve ever had someone I know be baptized as an adult” – Justus Croskery (Catholic Faith Formation Coordinator).
Something that not everyone realizes about Lent and Holy Week is that it is an incredibly important time of preparation for those desiring to enter the Catholic Church. The Easter Vigil Mass on Holy Saturday is the time when all adults seeking the sacraments of Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation are welcomed fully into the Catholic community, after having journeyed through many months of spiritual formation.
“The liturgies are the best liturgies of the year.” – Marc-André.
Holy Week liturgies are rich with meaning and emotion. They are extremely embodied, incorporating rituals such as the waving of palms, the washing of the feet, and the veneration of the Cross. The Easter Vigil makes use of powerful symbols like fire and water and plays to the senses of sight and sound as we journey from a somber darkness into a joyous light.
“I think my favourite part would be the Easter Vigil mass. Lent is a good time to recall that we weren’t made for this world, and to see our own brokenness especially. And then with the Easter Vigil comes a really full joy – a joy because Christ satisfies the hunger that we have that none of the things that we are giving up can touch.” – Noah Stong (Catholic Faith Formation Coordinator).
The joy of the Easter Vigil Mass is palpable. As the Mass ends, we as a Church move from a season of fasting and penitence, to a season of joy and celebration.
Are there any encouragements, challenges, or words of inspiration that you would like to offer your St. Mike’s community this Holy Week?
“I guess just that we all have our own sufferings to bear, especially during the close of the semester. And I think it’s the perfect opportunity to take them and to just offer them up to Jesus and see him suffering on the cross especially prominently during Good Friday. I think it’s a good time to take a bigger-picture look at things and be like “yeah I have my own crosses… and Jesus did so much more for me.” I’m just so grateful. He’s going to give me strength.” – Justus.
“I hope that students can try to connect more with their faith by attending the different masses that occur. Just kind of step out of their academics for that one week to reflect upon the sufferings that Jesus went through for us.”. – Anita Rajkumar (Interfaith and Social Outreach Coordinator).
For those interested in participating in Holy Week liturgies here on campus, consider attending some of the following services, all taking place at St. Basil’s:
Saturday March 23rd, 6:30pm – St. Mike’s Campus Ministry Palm Sunday Mass
Wednesday March 27th, 7:00 pm – Tenebrae Service
Thursday March 28th, 7:00pm – Holy Thursday Mass
*Consider registering for our Holy Thursday Travelling Adoration event, from 5pm-Midnight, beginning with dinner and mass, and ending with a pilgrimage to seven churches around the city. Click here to register.
Friday March 29th, 3:00pm – Good Friday Service
Saturday March 30th, 8:00pm – Easter Vigil Mass
Sunday March 31st, 9:00am, 10:30am, and 12:00pm – Easter Sunday Mass
The St. Mike’s Campus Ministry team wishes a blessed and fruitful Holy Week to all!
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In 2022, Dorothy Lee travelled abroad from South Korea to Canada to study at the University of Toronto. As a second-year student, she is pursuing criminology and computer science majors. This year, I have been a part of the University of Toronto Korean Association (UTKSA) and the SMC Campus Ministry Snack Outreach Program. Throughout the semesters, she has planned academic and leisure events for Korean students and prepared snacks for the elderly and homeless people.
My passion for volunteering is rooted in my parents’ upbringings and a Christian environment. Growing up, I witnessed my parents’ dedication to helping those in need, such as participating in charity walks and delivering Christmas presents to orphans. Their efforts advised me to have love and compassion for the needy. The Christian schools and churches I attended preached and demonstrated the love of Christ by arranging numerous fundraisers and volunteer activities. I was privileged to learn from the doers of the Word. As a result, I transformed into someone who had a heart for anyone in need, empowered by the certainty to follow through on the caring intentions.
I started my journey of independent volunteering with a fundamental question about my own worth. As a high school student, I found myself grappling with the search for my strengths, those distinctive qualities that set me apart. It was through this introspection that I uncovered what truly made me unique: an unwavering passion to enact positive change in the world around me. While some of my peers tended to “go with the flow” or were passive to avoid potential conflicts, I felt driven to be proactive in making a difference. Reflecting on questions of personal value and purpose, I came to realize the inherent power I held to instigate positive change within my community, whether it be through initiatives at my school or involvement at the local youth centre. Since then, I have devised and engaged in various service projects from cleaning gyms to fundraising.
Diverse community service experience aided me in setting a principle to continually assess my capabilities before signing up to participate. Understanding the extent of what I can do assists in avoiding danger and refractory things as well as providing assistance effectively. This mindset has enabled me to approach volunteering with a sense of responsibility for others and self-care.
The preceding principle has also helped me navigate through the volunteer opportunities at U of T. Transitioning to university, academic pressures such as obtaining required grades for programs limited my time for volunteering. I had less time to devote to the community because I had to pick myself up and keep going. Therefore, I opted for activities with less time commitment, such as SMC Alumni’s Santa’s Helper and Campus Cleanup.
At the beginning of my second year, I applied to join St. Michael’s Campus Ministry snack outreach team. Initially, I felt nervous because it was my first time assisting adults who had more life experience than me. My previous works focused on youths and students, so serving the elderly was new to me. The possibility of interacting with homeless individuals also concerned me as I witnessed some unexpected situations involving them on the streets. However, as I began attending the sessions, my fears gradually dissipated, replaced by a sense of joy and calmness.
Attendance wasn’t mandatory, but I found myself drawn to join every week. Under the guidance of Hilda, our beloved cook and organizer, along with Anita and Semira, the SMC campus ministry leaders, volunteers like me were warmly welcomed and supported. There were no set milestones we needed to reach, so we could solely focus on helping people who visit to enjoy their snack/meal time as comfortably as they could. Talking and cooperating with fellow volunteers was fun and intriguing as we shared our distinct life stories. This activity became not only a commitment but also a refuge—a friendly space where all that was required was a loving heart and the willingness to serve.
Participating in serving came with another benefit. The program pushed me beyond my comfort zone, facilitating interactions with individuals from diverse backgrounds. It broadened my horizons of community service, fostered a greater sense of acceptance, and forged meaningful connections with others. It also expanded my awareness of the challenges faced by marginalized individuals and the importance of accessibility in meeting their needs.
Volunteering has been a spiritually growing and mentally fulfilling experience for me. Based on my journey, I encourage everyone to take a step over the sidelines and walk into engaging in acts of care and compassion. It will make a difference, no matter how small, in yourself and in the world.
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Anita Rajkumar is a third-year student completing a Health and Disease Specialist. She is the Community Service and Outreach Coordinator on the Campus Ministry Team at St. Michael’s College. In addition, she is a Senior Mentor on the St. Michael’s College Mentorship program. She enjoys reading and volunteering in her free time.
When red- and green-coloured ornaments are displayed in store windows, holiday songs play on the radio, and Starbucks brings out their selection of winter drinks, you know it’s the Christmas season.
Christmas is defined as a period of joy and happiness that individuals look forward to during the winter season, as it is a time when families come together to make new memories while reminiscing about old traditions. The holiday provides a sense of belonging for individuals of diverse ethnic backgrounds, as it does not require religious knowledge to celebrate, but rather a good spirit. Living in a multicultural city like Toronto, we get one of the best Christmas experiences as it overlaps with traditions of a variety of religious and cultural events.
The Christmas season traditionally begins at the start of Advent, but in western societies, commercialization pushes the date forward to the first week of November. Big box stores begin selling Christmas trees, ornaments, wreaths, and outdoor decorations early in the season to capture the attention of shoppers who would like to decorate their homes. Black Friday has been advertised as a day to purchase gifts for loved ones at a lower price, emphasizing the importance of gift exchange during the holiday season. Although religious views of Christmas do not focus on the concept of gift exchange, this gesture involves individuals expressing kindness and compassion to one another. When I purchase a gift for a family member or friend, I often think about the qualities of the person in order to find the most suitable gift. I purchase the gift to show my sense of gratitude towards the person, rather than expecting a gift in return, which is the true spirit of a holiday season that combines religious and secular views.
God gave humanity the ultimate gift, his son, the Saviour, Jesus Christ. On the Campus Ministry Team, we respond to God’s vocation by collecting toiletries and non-perishable donations for homeless shelters within the GTA during the holiday season, allowing all students to participate in the act of giving regardless of their religious background.
The beauty of Christmas is that there are no mandatory traditions tied to the holiday, which makes it easy for people to adapt and invent new traditions. My family begins decorating the Christmas tree early in November, as we enjoy observing the bright lights and ornaments early in the season, which contrasts with those who begin decorating once the Advent season begins. Stockings hang off the fireplace while nutcrackers, snow globes, and garlands fill my household. Placing the wreath on my front door symbolizes my family’s cultural identity and reminds me of how fortunate I am to live in a city that provides me with the freedom to participate in cultural events. Every year, my sister and I decorate gingerbread houses while watching classic Christmas movies like “Home Alone” and “Elf” on Christmas Eve. A tradition in my family that has been passed down for many generations includes making Sri Lankan Christmas cake, which is a decadent dessert that is made with candied fruits, nuts, rose water and brandy that must be made many weeks in advance to Christmas. Social gatherings are a central part of the holiday season so on Christmas day we exchange gifts and have a holiday meal with the extended family.
There are many opportunities to experience the Christmas season within the Greater Toronto Area. Every winter, the Distillery District is transformed into the Toronto Christmas Market, which provides an old-charm, European experience without leaving the country. The Cavalcade of Lights at Nathan Phillips Square is a must-see destination to experience the holiday lights, annual tree lighting ceremony, and go ice skating. Winterfest at Canada’s Wonderland is a similar event that is becoming increasingly popular. The Hudson’s Bay Holiday Windows at the Eaton Centre was a childhood favourite of mine, as it displayed Santa Claus and his elves preparing for Christmas. Unfortunately, the window displays have been updated since then, but it is still an iconic display. The annual Santa Claus Parade brings the community together onto the streets of Toronto, where people sing holiday carols and enjoy observing parade floats while collecting donations for a good cause. Recently, there have been parade floats with Chinese dragons and Indigenous symbols, representing the diverse communities within the city. These events provide a western perspective of the Christmas season that all individuals can engage in, despite their various denominations.
Here at the University of St. Michael’s College, we embrace the religious and secular values of Christmas by hosting a variety of events students can participate in, which include gingerbread cookie decorating events, Christmas dinners, Christmas markets and a Mass at St. Basil’s Parish. These events often support vulnerable communities within the city, allowing students to bring joy to people in need.
Ultimately, I believe Christmas in Toronto is more than a religious—or secular – moment but is a time for us to come together as a community, regardless, to celebrate the love we have for each other through selfless acts.
St. Mike’s is accepting donations for Out of the Cold’s Christmas Food Drive. Please bring your non-perishable food items to the donation box on the main floor of the Kelly Library and in the Campus Ministry Lounge (Brennan 101) any time between now and Dec. 16. Also a reminder that proceeds from the Christmas Market (Dec. 8) will go to this year’s winter charities, St. Basil’s Out of the Cold and Romero House. You can also make an online donation using this form: https://stmikes.utoronto.ca/christmas-drive-2022.
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A community Mass on Saturday evenings, a variety of multi-faith celebrations, and working with the marginalized people of Toronto are some of the many ways a revitalized campus ministry will be offering diverse programming and activities for the St. Michael’s community this academic year.
“There are three areas of growth for us,” explains Campus Ministry Director Sonal Castelino, xmcj. “We want to give students who are curious about the Catholic faith, or who want to deepen their spiritual life, opportunities such as a Scripture discussion group, regular prayer gatherings, or the chance to help with the music ministry at the Saturday Masses. We also want to offer inter-religious and inter-cultural events, providing the chance for engagement and celebration with the broader community, and we want to engage in a variety of social justice initiatives.”
And, Castelino emphasizes, as she now has a team of a team of eight student leaders in place, these activities will offer students an opportunity to work with other students, empowering them and helping them find and develop their own voices. The team includes two members dedicated to interfaith activities, two members focussed on social and community outreach, two to retreats and faith formation and two expressly dedicated to Catholic faith formation.
“There is a calling for campus ministry to offer a niche in the very busy lives of students. We want to make a connection between the campus and the city, whether with the vulnerable or with a variety of faith and cultural traditions,” she explains. “We want Campus Ministry to become a space where all will feel welcome and that they know they belong. There is a very real comfort level in our college about being open to exploring spirituality and faith. Caring for the whole student means accounting for this dimension of their campus experience as well.”
A core aspect of Campus Ministry’s offerings with be newly scheduled Student Mass, to be held Saturday evenings during the academic year at 6:30 in St. Basil’s Church. Students will have the opportunity to sign up to serve as lectors or for the music ministry, and to join in a meal with other community following Mass. Celebrants will include various priests from the University community.
For more social connections, Campus Ministry also has a new drop-in lounge, located in Brennan 101, a quiet place for connection, as well as for team members to do their work.
Campus Ministry will also offer a range of social justice initiatives, with opportunities such as visiting long-term care facilities and homeless shelters designed to offer hands-on help while also gaining an education in systemic challenges in society.
As well, the team will be involved in offering support to a range of faith traditions seeking to mark important dates in their calendars, while also hosting cultural events for special moments throughout the year such as the Hindu festival of Holi and Chinese New Year.
Finally, another development this year is off-campus retreats. Since the community spent a lot of time indoors and isolated during the pandemic, Campus Ministry will offer two opportunities for students to head off campus for a weekend, taking the time to pray, reflect, and build friendships.
“Campus Ministry should be a place that allows us to hold a mirror to ourselves showing the depth and diversity that is our college campus. We invite people into a deeper relationship with themselves, each other and God, creating space to explore different ways of being, which helps to build community, and lends support as we gain the courage to ask questions,” Castelino observes.
Campus Ministry events can be found on its Instagram account – @ustmikescampusministry – with a web page to follow.
This week promises the arrival of some very special guests to campus as the University of St. Michael’s College prepares to co-host the Canadian Catholic Campus Ministry (CCCM) conference.
The event—Come Together—will see more than 30 campus ministers from 20 campuses across Canada gather at St. Michael’s from Tues. June 7 to Fri. June 10. It offers participants the chance to have extended discussions with colleagues and other experts on best practices and how to respond to the pastoral issues seen in campus ministry offices across the country.
“I am delighted to be working with my colleagues from across the country on this conference,” says Sonal Castelino, XMCJ, who assumed her post as St. Michael’s Director of Campus Ministry in August of last year. “It is a great opportunity to gather together to reflect, share experiences, and concerns, with each other, in a spirit of trust rooted in prayer, all designed to benefit the students we serve.”
This year’s conference includes workshops by Fr. Philip Shano, SJ, on how to accompany students who identify as LGBTQ+, Elder Dr. Bob Philips on journeying with Indigenous peoples and spiritualities in Canada, Deacon Jim Panchaud on walking with students struggling with mental health, and Sr. Laurence Loubieres, XMJC, on polarization in the universal church.
Digital mindfulness expert and author Christina Crook will facilitate a day on ministering in changing mediums, while Sr. Gill Goulding, CJ, will deliver this year’s Sherlock Lecture. The talk, which is entitled Being a Listening Church: Beyond the Synod on Synodality, is open to the public at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 9 at 7 p.m. in Rm 400 of Alumni Hall. Sr. Gill will share her thoughts and experiences of the synodal process thus fair, as well as offering some suggestions on how to be a synodal church today. Sr. Gill is a professor of systematic theology at Regis College in Toronto and serves on the theological commission for the synod on new evangelism and synod on synodality.
“I am looking forward to a productive and inspiring week,” says Castelino. “On a personal note, this is a wonderful way to cap off my first year at St. Mike’s.”
Now that we are well into 2022, we’d like to take a look back at some of the events we were celebrating at St. Mike’s in December and January of this academic year.
- With the help of the Vice-President’s Working Group on Indigenous Awareness, the University of St. Michael’s College has begun to consider the priorities from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action on which we would like to focus. The working group received a list of suggested priorities and ideas from various departments, including the Dean’s Office, Campus Ministry, Facilities, Kelly Library, and more. The group has met to discuss these and plan to move forward with prioritizing the Calls to Action in our community.
- A working committee has been struck under the leadership of Campus Ministry director Sonal Castelino to begin the process of engaging in Pope Francis’ Synod on Synodality. Listening circles will be held in the coming weeks.
- St. Mike’s welcomed Melodie Buhagiar and Lisa Gleva to the community. Melodie serves as the Director of the President’s Office and Secretary to Collegium. Lisa is our new Executive Director of Advancement.
- More than 130 people joined in the virtual launch of 170 Years of Service: A Collection of Essays on the History and Mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto. The book contains several contributions from St. Mike’s faculty and alumni.
- For Let’s Talk Day on January 26, SMCSU and the Dean’s Office held an online Mental Health Seminar, and then offered a virtual screening of the film The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
- Congratulations to recent Faculty of Theology MDiv graduate Maria Drossos on her appointment as Director of the Metropolitan’s Office in Boston.
- Our friends at Regis College celebrated doctoral candidate Erica Siu Mui Lee, who recently passed her doctoral dissertation defense titled “Exploring the Contributions of Bernard Lonergan and Peter Phan to A Christian Trinitarian Approach to Religious Pluralism” with no corrections.
- In collaboration with U of T’s Campus Security, Campus Ministry collected 12 boxes of winter accessories for St. Basil’s Out of the Cold and $1,580 in gift cards for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
- Meanwhile, for the second year in a row, Joe Maiato rallied his Facilities and Housekeeping colleagues and ran also ran a fundraiser for the local Out of the Cold. The generosity of his department helped him raise $595! Well done, Joe!
- Students, faculty and staff came together—outside—to celebrate with a Christmas Festival in early December. A good time was had by all—and perhaps a Beaver Tail or two…
- As well, two socially distanced dinners—the Commuter Christmas Dinner and the Residence Formal—were held to celebrate the end of term.
Sonal Castelino, xmcj is the Director of Campus Ministry at the University of St. Michael’s College.
An open door, a standing invitation
Belonging | Curiosity | Joy | Faith| Encounter | Connections | Festivals | Art | Rituals | Culture| Friendship | Justice | Openness | Wholeness | Integrity | Good News | Silence| Searching | Worship | Advocacy| Conversion | Grace | Dialogue | Community| Hope | Engagement | Mercy | Space | Love | Service | Listening | Safe | Vocation | Mentors | Liturgy | Truth | Home| Diversity | Challenging | Prayer| Life | Exploration | Beauty| Peace | Food | Tradition | Architecture | Growth | Laughter | Conversation | Kindness | Celebration | Experience | Leadership | Journey | Compassion | Change | Novelty | Goodness | Conversation
This random series of words comes from you! Well, some of you, with whom I have had the pleasure of meeting in the past six weeks, when we spoke of the place or the role Campus Ministry has played—or you would like to see play—in your life.
This list is by no means exhaustive but, at an initial look, shows the diversity of needs and expectations. Most of these words are relational and not solitary. I see a desire for community, a need to share, a want to be accompanied, a space where dreaming is possible.
I am honoured to be in this office and to witness clubs, discussion circles, associations, and friendships trying to create these spaces—spaces which seek to find life, growth, wholeness. I am here to support you to continue and for those who struggle to find this, to aid you in your searching.
Who am I?
I am Sonal, Director of Campus Ministry here at the University of St. Michael’s College. I was born and raised in the United Arab Emirates to immigrant parents. I was 18 years old when I moved to Canada—Mississauga, ON—for university. I arrived on campus, my new home away from home, in search of community, and was quickly able to find it through Residence Life and Campus Ministry. These supports gave me the courage needed to live new experiences, meet interesting people, and form meaningful friendships.
Life on campus enabled me to become more active in my faith and more curious about my place in the world, my relationship with God, my relationship to those around me. I wanted to find words to describe and name the interior movements going on within me—to be able to articulate my faith in an intelligible and accurate way while desiring to more deeply encounter this God who remains a mystery.
This turned me towards the study of theology. My hopes were twofold: to want to put my gifts to the service of young adults—especially on university campuses (I just love campus culture!) and to find a community of faith where I can plant roots, be challenged, grow and flourish, while enabling the community to do the same.
Through my studies and involvement in campus life, I found multiple support outlets—faith-based and secular; Christian and non-Christian; intellectual and service-oriented.
These outlets challenged me, encouraging me to grow and to move beyond my comfort level while also teaching me to be more comfortable and confident of myself. These experiences shaped me to allow myself to be touched by the hope and the hurt of the world and to work and pray as a response.
This interwoven spiritual, personal, and, eventually, professional journey (I worked in Campus Ministry at the Newman Centre and in Student Life at Regis College) pushed me to take another step—one of engagement, commitment in a more formal sense—religious life.
This summer, after three years of initial formation, I made temporary vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience with a religious congregation—La Xaviere Missionnaire du Christ Jesus (the Xaviere sisters), as a visible response to a personal desire, the desire being to be available to encounter God in my everyday life and to be a channel, enabling those around me to be open to encountering the mystery of God within themselves and in those around them.
This is my hope for Campus Ministry here at St. Mike’s as well! The list of words on top is beyond a to-do list. It is proof of life that is already flourishing and I hope that continues.
I wanted to share part of my story with you to invite you to reflect on your own experiences on campus, your story here at St. Mike’s—the joyful and the painful pieces, because they add up to make you!
I want to continue this conversation with you—hear of your story, how faith has been a part of it or not. My office is always open in Brennan Hall, Room 101. Drop by; I would love to meet you!
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August 18, 2021
The University of St. Michael’s College is pleased to announce that Sonal Castelino has been appointed the University’s new Director of Campus Ministry. Castelino began her duties remotely from France in mid-August, and will arrive on campus for the start of the fall semester.
“Sonal is a perfect fit for St. Michael’s as we continue to revitalize our Campus Ministry to reach out to the needs of all students, faculty, staff and alumni,” says University President David Sylvester. “She appreciates how important a time the university years are for spiritual development and she is keen to offer her support and guidance to students of all faiths as they encounter life’s big questions. Though her work will be on the front lines (look for her new office next to the COOP), Sonal will also be a member of the senior leadership team of St. Mike’s, helping to move our community forward on the strategic initiatives identified in St. Mike’s 180. We are delighted she will be working with us.”
It was while a commerce student at the University of Toronto’s Mississauga campus that Castelino first became involved in campus ministry, asking questions about her Catholic faith. As her questions and desire to grow deeper in her faith increased, she enrolled in the Master of Divinity (MDiv) program at Regis College, also earning a certificate in pastoral competence.
After graduation, she worked at the Newman Centre as Associate Director of Formation, where her duties included creating the Faith and Reason Lecture series and developing a Rite of Christian Initiation of Adult (RCIA) program. The experience helped her establish key connections, including the Archdiocese of Toronto and Canadian Catholic Campus Ministry.
More recently, Castelino worked as the Recruiter and Student Life Coordinator at Regis College, where she created a mentorship program, helped with campus visits, worked with students to form reading groups, and co-handled the College’s social media platforms. She also served as co-Chair of the board of the Jesuit Volunteers. She recently completed her first vows with La Xavière Missionnaire du Christ Jésus.
Describing herself as a “relational” person with an open-door policy, Castelino is keen to work with students who are making the transition from an adolescent approach to faith to a more mature adult faith.
“The university experience is a human experience. I want to create a space where people can name their needs,” she explains. “The experience of encounter is important in my life, and I want to create a space that is inclusive rather than exclusive.”
Castelino envisions many ways to make this happen, ranging from working with MDiv students who are engaged in field placements to broaden the scope of Campus Ministry and earn the practical experience they need for their degrees, to arranging a lecture series based on a dialogue between disciplines, in keeping with St. Michael’s commitment to innovative interdisciplinary academic programming.
Fr. Morgan Rice, CSB, pastor of St. Basil’s Parish and a member of the search committee that selected Castelino, notes that “St. Mike’s has been blessed with contributions from members of various religious communities throughout its long history. Having recently made first vows with La Xavière Missionnaire du Christ Jésus’ Sonal will bring her particular experience of community life and prayer as well as her community’s charism into her ministry at St. Mike’s. I look forward to seeing how the community life of students, faculty, and staff will be enriched as a result.”
Campus Ministry programming at St. Michael’s is funded, in part, by endowments established by the Basilian Fathers of the University of St. Michael’s College and the McGovern family, and by generous donations from alumni and friends.
The University of St. Michael’s College is mourning the loss of Sr. Johanna D’Agostino, IBVM, who served the community in numerous ways over her long career.
Many will remember Sr. Johanna from her days as part of the Campus Ministry team, where she worked from 1985-1990. Before joining the ministry team she also served as Dean of Women at Loretto College, so she was a familiar face on campus.
From 2006 to 2012 she served as the representative of the university’s founding women’s orders on the Collegium, St. Michael’s governing body. A Master of Religious Education graduate from the university’s Faculty of Theology, she also acted as a field placement supervisor for the Faculty’s Master of Divinity program.
“Johanna was a wonderful support and inventive member of the team,” recalls Fr. James McConica, CSB, who was St. Michael’s president when Sr. Johanna was in campus ministry. “It was she who made a success of the Parents’ Day project I launched when I realized how many of our first-year intake were the first members of their families to attend university. But her contribution ranged far beyond that, into most areas of student activities and social life.”
An article dated Oct. 16, 1986 in The Mike, St. Michael’s student newspaper, announced that Sr. Johanna was moving from a part-time position to a full-time one, forming a new chaplaincy team with Fr. John Gaughan, CSB. The article noted that the campus ministry team was to provide the St. Michael’s community with both religious and supportive programs, including a daily mass at 11:15 in the student chapel, a Sunday folk mass, evening and weekend retreats, private counselling and other supports. Sr. Johanna was also responsible for introducing what the article called “a relatively new programme,” the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), designed for adults seeking to enter the Catholic Church.
Sr. Johanna’s career in education was impressive. She served as a teacher and a principal, and wrote textbooks on teaching at the elementary level. She worked as a primary education consultant, and taught in the Teacher Education program at Brock University. She was elected her order’s Vicar General in 1999.
She left St. Michael’s to take up a position at Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Toronto, offering workshops to parishes on pastoral skills. She rounded out her career as the Pastoral Assistant at Blessed Sacrament Parish in North Toronto.
A busy volunteer, Sr. Johanna lent a hand at the Canadian Red Cross, Development and Peace, and with her order’s justice and peace work.
A private funeral will be held at Presentation Manor on Friday. A memorial mass will be held at a later date.
The St. Michael’s community extends its sympathy to the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the loss of Sr. Johanna.