Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Toronto is looking ahead with a bold vision for the future of local social justice, with collaborative efforts towards tackling food security, refugee support and homelessness at the forefront. 

A June 10 "Pilgrims of Hope" gathering saw more than 100 community leaders, volunteers and various faith communities join with Catholic Charities at the University of St. Michael’s College’s Brennan Hall to map out a future where charitable, systematic change backed by Gospel-driven hope addresses the city’s most pressing needs. 

Using a “loaves and fishes” mindset of sharing resources and ideas collectively to meet needs, as Thomas refers to it, Catholic Charities is looking at  a practical way to work with other mission-aligned organizations to strengthen the foundation of Catholic social work, whether in leadership or advocacy.

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The pre-conference opened with a plenary session that surpassed expectations with its turnout and energy.  

“ I think for me, that was the big highlight, was just seeing the energy and excitement of all of these many religious communities, congregational leaders and representatives from all over gather together,” said Dr. Agnes Thomas, Catholic Charities' executive director. 

“It is a privilege for Catholic Charities to look at how we can convene or facilitate these future goals. I am not envisioning this as us taking the lead, but more so the future being a collective approach in tackling these issues that everybody's facing, whether it be homelessness, mental health and well-being or food insecurities.”   

Through community assessments, Catholic Charities identified 10 unique priority areas, with food security, refugees and homelessness as the three core focuses for the immediate future. Food security goes beyond just addressing hunger, Thomas said, tackling root causes such as poverty, and supporting migrants and refugees amid rising housing and food insecurity challenges in Toronto, as well as homelessness and housing by responding to the ongoing crisis of housing insecurity tied to poverty and social isolation.

Discussions also revolved around addressing overall mental health and well-being, improved volunteerism and community engagement, support for seniors, faith-based leadership and sustainability and continued advocacy and education to promote social justice and systemic change across the gamut of challenges Catholic Charities' many member agencies face. 

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For Thomas, the organization’s future goals are not only in line with the ongoing discussion of synodality within the global Church, but are a reflection of Catholic Charities' desire to create a more united, synergistic approach, all backed by the Catholic mission and social teachings.

“ It’s about creating a sense of belonging and really redefining our shared values, which are in the Catholic social teachings. I think sometimes people forget we have teachings in the Church that are guiding our way,” she said. “ It doesn't matter if we are a small team or a big team, in this day and time, there is never going to be enough money for us to put forward for all of those needs. What we do have is enough of us who can think and work together, and it is in that partnership and collaboration that we serve.” 

The group is already planning ahead with the hopes of hosting a three-day conference in the fall of 2026 to bring practical recommendations for action on the back of this first gathering.

While the data hasn’t been analyzed yet, Thomas said it is loud and clear that people wanted to see further connection with the youth, other non-Catholic faith traditions and those with lived experience as contributors next year.

Thomas hinted at three tables being established for the 2026 conference, as well as establishing a Catholic community services network where people can meet and collaborate. Catholic Charities also underscored the importance of further working with health-care and education groups, expanding on technology applications of charity and bringing people who are interested from across the many dioceses in Canada, citing their desire for a more diverse and experienced network.

Catholic Charities’ latest meeting has thrust the organization into what looks to be a transformative chapter toward securing its goals for years to come through collaboration and a renewed sense of unity with various agencies. 

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“We opened this pre-conference with the  Prayer for Prophets, which asks, ‘Where are the prophets of our times, who are they and who are the prophets among us? ' — I think it is the time and place for us to be the prophets,” Thomas said.

“ The collective wisdom of these communities and organizations coming together equates to thousands of years of experience, and we have so much to learn, share and get better at. The time is now to do that,” Thomas said.