Catholic Praxis:

SYNERGY Toronto 2026

CONFERENCE

November 3 – 5, 2026

Chelsea Hotel • Toronto, ON

Many Catholic organizations currently operate in silos, even though they serve overlapping populations. This conference marks a first step toward breaking down those silos, encouraging dialogue, and identifying opportunities for joint action.

The goal is not to stretch already limited resources further. In our sectors where the focus is on care, dignity, and justice, trying to do more with less can compromise the very people we aim to support. Instead, we are embracing the idea of doing more together: building stronger relationships, fostering collaborative projects, and creating opportunities that amplify our impact without sacrificing quality or compassion.

This conference, as reflected in its current title, Synergy, is about unity, clarity, and transformation. It is a strategic effort to strengthen our collective voice and capacity to serve.

 

Early Bird Registration is Now Open!

Register Now

Our Sponsors

Platinum Sponsors
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Saint Elizabeth Foundation

The Saint Elizabeth Foundation acts as a catalyst for change in Canada’s strained healthcare system. Leveraging over a century of community service, the Foundation partners with donors and volunteers to bridge critical gaps in care for marginalized populations, Indigenous Peoples, and frail older adults, with a primary focus on community infrastructure and end-of-life care.

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Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto is a Roman Catholic congregation dedicated to social justice and "serving the dear neighbour." Since 1851, they have advocated for human rights and environmental care, with a current focus on Indigenous justice, anti-human trafficking, and clean water rights.

Emerald Sponsors
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The Congregation of Jesus | Loretto Sisters

The Congregation of Jesus | Loretto Sisters is a Roman Catholic women's religious congregation dedicated since 1847 to serving God by enriching the lives of God's people through works of education, spirituality, and justice.  In 2026 it has two sponsored ministries (Loretto Maryholme Spirituality Centre and Mary Ward Centre for Justice Advocacy), and many other individual ministries.

Gold Sponsors
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Catholic Children's Aid Foundation

The Catholic Children’s Aid Foundation (CCAF) raises funds to support children, youth, and families served by the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto. By bridging government funding gaps, they provide essential resources, including scholarships, emergency grants, and faith-based support, to protect children, strengthen families, and help young people realize their full potential.

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Ecclesiastical Insurance Office

Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc is a specialist commercial insurer dedicated to protecting organizations that enrich the lives of others, including educational institutions, charities, landmark and heritage properties, arts and cultural institutions, associations and member groups, leisure and recreation facilities, and faith-based communities. Through tailored insurance solutions and risk management expertise, Ecclesiastical helps organizations build resilience, safeguard their missions, and protect the people and places that matter most.

Silver Sponsors
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Catholic Health Association of Ontario

We are a provincial association of the Ontario Catholic hospitals, nursing homes, homes for the aged and community nursing services represented by 29 organizations on 35 sites.The Catholic health ministry is a partner in the broader health care system. It brings a distinctive approach to the provision of health care by offering all Ontario residents whatever their origin, religion, socio-economic status or culture, a faith-based approach to the provision of health care.

Media Sponsors

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Salt and Light Media

Founded in 2003 Salt and Light Media is a Canadian broadcaster and registered charity devoted to spreading the Light of Christ to the world through television, social media, podcasts, and other digital communication in English, French, Cantonese, and Mandarin. Its specialty television network, Salt + Light TV, is carried across Canada on most major cable and satellite television carriers. Salt + Light Plus, its Internet streaming service, is available on iOS, Android, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV devices or by visiting slmedia.org/slplus.

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The Catholic Register

Founded in 1893, The Catholic Register is Canada's trusted source for Catholic news, faith, and commentary. Serving readers across the country through its weekly print edition, e-edition, website, newsletter, and podcast, The Catholic Register delivers award- winning journalism that provides insightful coverage of local, national, and international events that matter to Canadians. Guided by Catholic social teaching, its content features inspiring stories of faith, thoughtful analysis and opinion, and engaging reporting that connects Catholics to the issues shaping their lives and communities. Combining a rich journalistic tradition with modern digital access, The Catholic Register helps readers stay informed, inspired, and connected to the Catholic Church in Canada and around the world. We are a proud media sponsor of the Catholic Praxis: Synergy Toronto 2026 Conference, supporting the event’s mission of fostering dialogue, collaboration, and faith-driven action in service of society.

Program Summary

  • Keynote Speakers
  • Networking Opportunities
  • Panel Discussions
  • World Cafe Sessions
  • Workshops

 

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Who will be there?

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Fr. Greg Boyle

Founder of Homeboy Industries
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Shirlee Sharkey

Past President & CEO of SE Health
Closing Mass Celebrant:
new cardinal frank leo (canada) poses during a courtesy visit following his appointment by the pope francis, during a consistory ceremony for the creation of 21 new cardinals on december 7, 2024 at st. peter's basilica at the vatican. photo: eric vandevil

His Eminence Frank Cardinal Leo

Frank Cardinal Leo is the Metropolitan Archbishop of Toronto and a member of the College of Cardinals, having been elevated by Pope Francis in December 2024. Born in Montreal, Quebec, in 1971, he was ordained a priest in 1996 and spent his early ministry in parish work before joining the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See, serving in Apostolic Nunciatures worldwide. Upon returning to Canada, he served as the General Secretary of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) and was later appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Montreal in 2022. He was installed as the Archbishop of Toronto in March 2023 under his episcopal motto, “Quodcumque Dixerit Facite” (“Do Whatever He Tells You”). In addition to his pastoral leadership, Cardinal Leo holds extensive academic and governance roles, serving as Chancellor for the University of St. Michael's College, St. Augustine's Seminary, and the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies. A multilingual prelate fluent in English, French, Italian, and Spanish, he is also the founder of the Canadian Mariological Society and serves on several global Vatican Dicasteries. His contributions to both the Church and Canadian society were formally recognized with the King Charles III Coronation Medal.

Registration & Accommodations

 To participate in Synergy Toronto 2026, attendees can register online and take advantage of early booking discounts.

Standard Registration: The cost for the full three-day conference is $600 plus tax.

Early Bird Discount: Register early to save $100 on the total cost.

Accommodations: Special group rates are available at the Chelsea Hotel (33 Gerrard St. W.) for conference attendees.

The Pricing for the conference does not include accommodations

Register for the Conference
hotel booking
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Invitation for Proposals

We invite practitioners, educators, researchers, community leaders, and innovators across both the Catholic and broader communities—including those in health, education, community services, as well as clergy and pastoral leaders—to share their insights, research, and lived experience at our upcoming conference on Catholic Social Teaching (CST) in Practice.

We welcome proposals that illustrate how CST values—human dignity, solidarity, subsidiarity, the common good, integral ecology, and preferential care for the vulnerable—can transform both systems and daily practice.

Presentation Categories:

  • Papers

  • Posters

  • Panels

  • Conversation Circles

Proposal submission deadline: Tuesday, June 30, 2026

 

Call for Proposals

Sponsorship Opportunities

Synergy Toronto 2026 offers a unique opportunity to connect with Catholic leaders across Canada and demonstrate your organization’s commitment to meaningful social impact.

Why Sponsor Synergy Toronto 2026?

  • Brand Visibility

  • Mission Alignment

  • Strategic Networking

  • Collaborative Impact

Sponsorship Levels:

  • Platinum Sponsors: $20,000

  • Emerald Sponsors: $10,000

  • Gold Sponsors: $5,000

  • Silver Sponsors: $2,500

  • Custom Impact Sponsorship: Inquire

 

Sponsorship application

Catholic Social Teaching

Catholic Social Teaching, or CST, offers the Church’s shared wisdom on how our faith takes flesh in the social, economic, and political realities of the world. Rooted in the inherent dignity of every person, CST invites us to see human flourishing not in isolation but in relationship.
As Pope Francis reminds us in Laudato Si’, “everything is connected,” a conviction that lies at the heart of what he describes as integral human development. Rather than offering ready-made solutions, CST provides guiding principles that help us discern faithful responses to the complex challenges of our contemporary world – principles that, in Francis’s words, speak not only to Christians but also to “all people seeking paths of justice, peace, and solidarity.
LAUDATO SI’

1. Dignity of the Human Person

Every person has inherent dignity because they are created in the image and likeness of God. This foundation requires a focus on "Integral Human Development," which promotes the well-being of every person in every dimension of life.

2. Common Good

We must organize society—economically, politically, and legally—to prioritize the good of the entire human family over commercial interests. Human dignity can only be fully realized and protected through our relationships with society-at-large.

3. Solidarity

This is a commitment to the community and a recognition that we are all interconnected and "in this together". It involves fighting the structural causes of poverty and inequality to prioritize the life of all over the goods of a few.

4. Preferential Option for the Poor

A society is morally tested by how it treats its most vulnerable members. We are called to prioritize the needs of the poor over the desires of the rich and ensure workers' rights take priority over the maximization of profits.

5. Stewardship of Creation

The Earth is sacred and must be protected and cherished for its intrinsic value. We are responsible for holding the environment in trust for future generations, cultivating it with responsible freedom.

6. Subsidiarity & the Role of Government

Functions of government should be performed at the lowest level possible, provided they can be handled adequately. The state's primary task is to promote human dignity and protect the rights and duties of all citizens.

7. Participation

Because human beings are social, everyone has the right and the duty to participate in the community and in decisions that affect their lives. No one should be excluded from contributing to the cultural, economic, or political life of their society.

8. Rights & Responsibilities

Every person has a right to the things required for human dignity, which are innately linked to the responsibility to ensure those same rights for others. A just society requires that people recognize their mutual duties to establish a fair civic order.

9. Economic Justice:

The economy must serve the people rather than people serving the economy. All persons have a right to dignified work and fair wages, and consumers have a moral responsibility to use their purchasing power for social good.

10. Peace

Peace is more than just the absence of war; it is a positive "enterprise of justice" and the fruit of charity. It represents being in a right relationship with God and with one another.

“From the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace”

Our Partners

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