Convocation is a time not only for celebrating memories and friendships, but also the academic and extracurricular achievements of the graduating class. Celebrate the accomplishments of this fall’s College Silver Medal and Fr. Madden Leadership Award winners with us as members of the Class of 2021 enter the St. Michael’s alumni family.
St. Michael’s College Silver Medal
College Silver Medals are awarded to all graduating students who have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.7. The recipients of College Silver Medals for Fall 2021 are:
Thomas Borrillo
Yiting (Claire) Fan
Kyle Girdhari
Ali Raza Hasan Ali
Anaiah Lebreton
Vera Nekrasovsky
Hao Guyen
Joanne Zejmo
The Fr. Robert Madden, CSB Leadership Awards
Father Robert Madden was a much admired professor, chaplain and rector at St Mike’s who served as the director of alumni affairs in his retirement. The Father Robert Madden Leadership Awards are presented to students who have made significant contributions to the University of St. Michael’s College community by demonstrating leadership, cooperation, and solidarity in student-run organizations or community endeavours.
The recipient of the Fr. Robert Madden, CSB Leadership Award for Fall 2021 is:
Christeen Salik
Celebrate Fall 2021 graduates with us during a virtual convocation ceremony for the Faculty of Arts & Science Thursday, Nov. 18 at 12 p.m.
Professor Gilles Routhier will be awarded the highest academic honour at the University of St. Michael’s College, the Doctor of Divinity honoris causa, at this year’s Faculty of Theology convocation, which takes place on Nov. 13, 2021.
The honorary degree stands in recognition of Dr. Routhier’s outstanding body of scholarly work, his continuing international leadership and impact in the field of theology, and his service to his institution and the academy.
Professeur titulaire and former Dean of the Faculty of Theology and Religious Sciences at Laval University, recently appointed Rector of the Seminary of Quebec, Member of the Royal Society of Canada, and priest of Archdiocese of Quebec, Fr. Routhier is a world-renowned scholar who has published extensively and shaped in profound ways the current field of theological study around the globe.
Professor Routhier’s body of scholarly work is both monumental and influential. The author and co-author of more than 40 books, and editor and co-editor of more than 35 others, he has published more than 160 peer-reviewed articles, and more than 180 book chapters. He has given more than 300 academic lectures—across North and South America, throughout Europe and in Africa and Asia—on topics ranging from pastoral and practical theology to ecumenism and ecclesiology. He has been awarded approximately $1M CAD in support of his research at Laval. Through his teaching, Fr. Routhier has shaped a generation of critically minded new scholars and had a measurable impact on our understanding of the history of Catholicism in Quebec, the reception and hermeneutics of Vatican II, ecclesiology, missiology, history of theology, Mariology, and practical and pastoral theology.
Professor Routhier is currently working on a research project with Faculty of Theology Professors Michel Attridge and Darren Dias entitled “One Canada, Two Catholicisms: Divergent Evolutions in the Catholic Church in Quebec and Ontario, 1965-1985,” funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
Much of Professor Routhier’s work was done while he has carried significant administrative responsibilities at Laval University. His appointment as Rector of the historic and influential Seminary of Quebec, founded in the 17th century, follows his many years of leadership in the Laval Faculty of Theology and Religious Sciences, as Dean from 2012-2020, and as Vice-Dean from 2008-2012 and 2001-2003. His curriculum vitae captures in detailhis remarkable service to Laval and beyond the University. Among those pages you will find contributions to the Archdiocese of Quebec, the Church in Quebec, service to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, and to the Vatican. Professor Routhier becomes the most recent in a lengthy list of honorary degree recipients, a list which includes such names as Bernard Lonergan, Catherine de Hueck Doherty, Gustavo Gutierrez and Romeo D’Allaire.
Celebrate this year’s graduates with us at the Faculty of Theology’s Fall Convocation 2021 page.
Fall Convocation for the St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology and the Graduate Diploma in Social Responsibility and Sustainability program will take place online on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021. To celebrate, we’re sharing the stories of some of this year’s graduates.
Master of Divinity graduate Samuel O’Ejeregbe was inspired to consider St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology after a priest friend spoke movingly about the quality of intellectual formation offered here.
“I visited Canada for the first time in 2015 to physically see the structures in place and I was utterly impressed,” Samuel recalls. “The professors were so helpful and not really keen on marks but ensuring that, as future Ministers, my classmates and I are a bridge for others, supporting and listening. That struck me!”
Samuel says the speical funding available for international students who are priests or studying for the priesthood is appreciated.
“I am always delighted to let my friends abroad who are keen about studying Theology that St. Michael’s has a good supportive system to support international students. I was moved by the support I received financially from the Faculty, funding that ensured a successful completion of my program particularly during the pandemic. God willing, I will be pursuing a vocation to the priesthood in the Catholic Church.”
St. Michael’s membership in the Toronto School of Theology, with TST’s members reflecting various Christian traditions, was another plus for Samuel, who says he benefitted from the ecumenical approach at TST.
“Love is the greatest. Other religions should not be treated like they are not God’s children because they not Christians.
“St. Michael’s College is welcoming and non-discriminatory, truly living the Gospel message that ‘All be One.’ In my spare time, I hope to assist the University in recruiting friends from the United Kingdom and Africa keen on studying Theology to consider the University of St. Michael’s College as first choice for Creative Theology. Many thanks.”
Celebrate this year’s graduates with us at the Faculty of Theology’s Fall Convocation 2021 page.
Fall Convocation for the St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology and the Graduate Diploma in Social Responsibility and Sustainability program will take place online on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021. To celebrate, we’re sharing the stories of some of this year’s graduates.
“I was drawn to study at the St. Mike’s Faculty of Theology out of a desire to learn more about my faith and my church,” says Andrew Selvam, a member of the Dufferin-Peel Catholic School Board (DPCDSB) cohort who will be awarded his Master of Religious Education degree on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021. “At the same time, it became evident that St. Mike’s had an awesome reputation in the field of Theology within the province and country. Having a faculty with a local satellite campus and a program drawn towards educators made it easier to complete my first few courses.”
While the pandemic altered delivery of classes, Andrew says “both the virtual and in-class experiences were enjoyable…. The lectures, readings and discussions were informative and made you want to delve deeper into aspects of faith and course content that you had never thought of before. Professors care about your experience and understanding of the material.”
While earning his degree while working working full-time was a significant time commitment, Andrew notes that program offerings at other colleges within the Toronto School of Theology expanded his choices, both in terms of scheduling and course options. And, he adds, “St. Mike’s also has an incredibly faculty of professors who are here to assist you.”
He singles out experiential learning as a particular benefit to his time at. St. Mike’s, noting the abilty to study ecotheology with the Sisters of St. Joseph at their retreat centre in Cobourg and the opportunity to enroll in A Journey Through History: The Jesuit Mission in Midland were particularly meaningful.
As he looks forward, Andrew says his experience at the Faculty will be a huge benefit as he begins his new ministry as a chaplaincy leader with at Iona Catholic Secondary School, adding that his studies were also relevant to his classroom work as a degree as a science and religion teacher.
“Catholic Social Teaching has made me more aware of the issues facing our world and pushed me further to a spirit of service not only in my local but global community as well,” he says.
“The friends and academic family you build at St. Mike’s will continue to be with you for many years to come,” Andrew says. “I was invited and encouraged by students in the Master’s program at St. Mike’s and hope that I can do the same.”
Celebrate this year’s graduates with us at the Faculty of Theology’s Fall Convocation 2021 page.