Young Professional Catholics of Toronto (YPCT) is hosting its biggest event to date this month, inviting working-class Catholics to the organization’s first official industry networking night.

The social circle with a unique Catholic emphasis is set to take place in downtown Toronto on Sept. 19. Inside Lennox Hall, members of the faith from across the Greater Toronto Area will be able to connect with fellow young professionals who share a combined love of Christ and a drive for a successful career. 

YPCT’s core team was founded in January when Francis Odum and Kateryna Shpir identified a need for opportunities to grow in their professions as well as their faith. Following a successful launch party at the end of May that saw over 200 gathered with a vested interest in expanding their professional networks with other Catholics, the two co-founders are looking to deliver on their promise of providing such a community. 

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“I wanted to create a platform and opportunity for young professionals to feel empowered in the workplace and let them know that it is possible to still be a faithful Catholic but also to be very ambitious,” said Odum, president of YPCT. “Now, we are providing the right opportunities in the form of events, mentorship and community to make that plan work practically.” 

“It was very important to me to bridge the gap between growing spiritually and professionally. I had viewed those two avenues as separate and yet if we look at the Catholic faith, that should be the underpinning of everything that we do,” said Shpir, vice president. 

Working day to day as a cyber-security researcher and a litigation consultant respectively, Odum and Shpir’s passion for supporting the spiritual journey of young Catholic professionals through the integration of religious values into their professional lives is far-reaching. This summer, the YPCT became incorporated as a not-for-profit, the first step towards becoming a registered charity and providing more programming for like-minded Catholics.  

As the three-hour event covers a wide range of professional fellowship and business socializing, the key pillar of belonging to the Catholic faith is not one lost on the organizers. For them, it goes back to the question of "How do you keep your Catholic identity at the forefront of your life?” 

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“For us, it is about fostering a community within that professional world that Catholics can rely on for everything. We want to share practical ways of incorporating Catholic values into people’s professional lives and having that intergenerational connection is essential for mentoring, shared wisdom and building a vibrant, faith-driven community,” Shpir said. 

“As we get things going and people continue to get excited about networking, then we are going to start introducing a lot more spiritual components to it whether it be Mass, retreats, reflections or adoration,” added Odum. 

Organizers are expecting the Industry Networking Night to draw more than 300. As the name suggests, the event is heavily focused on industry-specific networking opportunities, a targeting approach that will allow Catholics from different professional backgrounds to interact with others in the same field. 

“Building off the high interest we saw from our launch event, our goal is to give people what they want, which is a very targeted way to connect with one another,” Shpir said. “We will be trying to create opportunities where people from particular industries can get together and discuss things that are pertinent to those industries while also allowing an opportunity for people to meet across industries and different professions as well.” 

The event is open to everyone regardless of age or trade, a deliberate choice in the hope more seasoned professionals will be able to share their expertise with younger attendees who may be starting out in their careers. 

Odum explained that while attendees want to meet people similar to them, the chance to interact with senior professionals for things such as mentorship opportunities, future job possibilities, resources and advice is equally priceless. 

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The networking night also allows the chance to join the organization's WhatsApp group, a private group chat with an engaged community of Catholics sharing job postings, workplace tips and asking questions about the faith in general. Cardinal Thomas Collins will also be present during the event to provide valuable insight and inspiration to help attendees grow, professionally and spiritually.

Limited registration for the inaugural YPCT Industry Networking Night is available for $30 and can be completed at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/young-professional-catholics-of-toronto-industry-networking-night-tickets-991543612637?aff=erelexpmlt.