About Us

As a faculty of theology in a Catholic university founded by the Basilian Fathers, we are committed to theological teaching and research that is interdisciplinary, ecumenical, and sensitive to multi-faith and multicultural contexts.

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Dean's Welcome

Greetings to all new and returning students!

This year is a historic year for our colleges – and all of you are part of this wonderful and exciting history. This past July, Regis College and St. Michael’s College formally federated to create a single centre of excellence in theological studies in Canada. Some of the changes may not be as apparent yet, as we’ve just begun the process of closer collaboration. However, one such visible change is that this is the first time a joint dean of the new federation can send his warmest and most heartfelt greetings to all new and returning students, faculty and staff of both Regis and St. Michael’s.

For now, some existing structures will remain in place, such as college registration and program advising, although the faculty, library and staff have already begun imagining ways in which we can work collegially. And, as we start the new academic year, we can also do that with our students. In some ways, it’s providential that we embark on such a process at the same time that Pope Francis has called on the church to engage in its own synodal processes. I hope that we can all find inspiration from this to help us on our own paths in unifying our two colleges. So, as the synod’s motto says, “Let’s walk together … in the Holy Spirit.”

The recent pandemic has certainly affected our lives these last two years, but we hope that soon we’ll be able to share in each other’s good company in teaching and learning, in the classroom on the university campus, and to build a great community in student life and in our common worship.

The University of Toronto and the colleges of the Toronto School of Theology have consistently ranked high in university rankings, all due to excellent faculty, librarians and staff – and our students! I do hope you take full advantage of these riches as you engage in your studies and find a place in our community. I look forward to welcoming everyone back onto the campus and pray that the Spirit of our Lord gives you courage and passion to find God in all things.

With blessings for your studies,

Jaroslav Skira, PhD

Dean, Regis-St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology
Associate Professor of Historical Theology

Mission

We seek to form students for service in Church and society through faithful and rigorous scholarship grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition.

Identity

We are a Faculty of Theology engaged in the exploration and proclamation of the mystery of God in contemporary culture.

We are a Faculty of Theology engaged in the exploration and proclamation of the mystery of God in contemporary culture.

Like the University of St. Michael’s College, our identity is explicitly Christian and Roman Catholic, rooted in the heritage of the Congregation of St. Basil and expanded through cooperation with the Sisters of St. Joseph and the Sisters of Loretto.

We commit ourselves to the faithful and creative interpretation and articulation of the biblical, liturgical, theological, ethical, pastoral, historical, and cultural dimensions of our Catholic faith for the sake of the Church in the world of today.

We reflect our Catholic identity in our faculty, our programs, and our commitment to the formation of our students for service in the Church and society.

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Values

The Faculty of Theology reflects the diversity of the Church and Canadian society.

Faithful to the Second Vatican Council, we are nourished by approaches emerging from our globalized context, including ecumenical, liberationist, feminist, ecological, and interreligious concerns. In the spirit of our Basilian heritage, we are guided by the principles of goodness, discipline, and knowledge.

Our commitment to diversity in terms of gender, ethnicity, race, and culture is reflected in our students, staff, and faculty.

We strive to create a community of hospitality, equality, collegiality, and justice for all that fosters the intellectual, moral and spiritual development of its members. Our communal life hinges upon the habits of study and worship.

The Faculty of Theology reflects the diversity of the Church and Canadian society.

The future of the Faculty is shaped by our discernment of the evolving character and needs of the Church. Like any faculty in higher education, we need constantly to reflect on who we are, and what forms and preserves our identity.

We share the common commitment of USMC to be Canada’s leading English-speaking Catholic university. To realize this general mission, however, means we must articulate a specific mission that reflects our Catholic heritage and identity, and one that provides a rationale for each professor, staff member and student to pursue their work.

History

Since 1955, the Faculty of Theology at the University of St. Michael’s College has been preparing men and women, lay and religious, to serve the Church and the world. Our reputation for forming students through faithful and rigorous scholarship grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition is internationally recognized.

Accredited by the Association of Theological Schools, the Faculty of Theology is committed to a theological enterprise that is interdisciplinary, ecumenical and attuned to multi-faith and multicultural contexts.

As the graduate division of the University of St. Michael’s College, a Roman Catholic university established by the Congregation of St. Basil and federated with the University of Toronto, we offer both basic and advanced graduate degrees.

A long tradition of excellence in both teaching and research ensures that St. Michael’s remains a leader in theological education.

Our students have access to a wealth of programs and services, from the resources of one of the largest research libraries in North America to an active Student Life Committee dedicated to creating a welcoming, supportive and intellectually stimulating community.

A long tradition of excellence in both teaching and research ensures that St. Michael’s remains a leader in theological education.

A founding member of the Toronto School of Theology, we are located in the heart of downtown Toronto, one of the most vibrant and diverse cities in the world. Both here in Toronto and around the world, you will find our graduates engaged in ministry, chaplaincy, teaching, research and countless forms of service to society, offering daily testament to our mission to be a centre for faithful and creative theology, today and tomorrow.

Accreditation

The University of St. Michael’s College Faculty of Theology is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools.