Monsignor John Mary Fraser, founder of the Scarboro Foreign Mission Society. ca. 1926.

Made possible through an endowment from Scarboro Missions, and named after the Society’s founder, the Fraser Centre’s activities will provide opportunities for faculty, students, academic and community partners, and the wider public to enter into deep dialogue about the impact of faith in society today.

Father Jack Lynch, Superior General of Scarboro Missions, was invited to speak at the opening and expressed the Society’s appreciation for this association with Regis. Fr. Lynch also read the Scarboro Missions Interfaith Statement. In attendance were more than 100 participants from religious orders, laity of different Christian traditions, and professors and students from University of Toronto campuses.

The evening’s Master of Ceremonies and first director of the Fraser Centre, Héctor Acero Ferrer, had been a member of the Scarboro Missions interfaith team while studying at Regis.

In addition to the Msgr. Fraser Centre, Scarboro Missions has also chosen to endow a chair in Interreligious Dialogue at Regis. Dr. Michael Stoeber, professor of Spirituality and Philosophy of Religion at Regis, is the first holder of the chair for a three-year term.  At the opening of the Fraser Centre, Dr. Stoeber presented the inaugural Scarboro Missions Lecture in Interreligious Dialogue, entitled “Lakota and Christian Interreligious Dialogue: Questions Surrounding the Life, Teachings, and Influence of Nick Black Elk.” Dr. Stoeber explored the complex interaction of Roman Catholicism and Aboriginal Spirituality in the work and legacy of Nick Black Elk, a Lakota healer, holy man and Catholic catechist (1863-1950). Participating in the lecture were respondents Jonathan Hamilton-Diabo and Dr. John Dadosky, and moderator Dr. Pamela Couture from Emmanuel College.

In a recent issue of Canadian Jesuits,Thomas Worcester, SJ, president of Regis College, said, “These new initiatives will promote scholarship and teaching on interreligious topics, and advance public discourse on religious pluralism and ecumenical, interreligious and intercultural dialogue.  In the coming years, Regis will seek funding for more endowed faculty positions, in areas such as Women and Ignatian Spirituality, Jesuits and Global Christianity, Ecology and Ethics, and Theology and the Arts. We are also keen to bring Jesuit scholars from around the world to Regis.  For example, from January to July 2019, Fr. James Hanvey, SJ, currently master at Campion Hall, Oxford, will be in residence at Regis while writing a book on theologies of creation.”

It’s hard to know what to say in this, my final editorial. There are mixed emotions—sadness at the ending of a 30-year vocation, a labour of love and blessing; and a feeling of anticipation of things to come. What does God have in store for any of us?

This November, Scarboro missioners will move out of their central house on Kingston Road, their home for the past 94 years, where they first arrived as seminarians, were formed and sent out to mission; the place where they returned to on furlough, where they worked and did mission in Canada, where they shared hospitality and friendship; the place with memories of fellow missioners long gone. 

The Spirit continues to lead as the Society enters a new phase in its journey of mission. Together with other religious congregations, Scarboro Missions is moving to Presentation Manor, a newly built residence in Scarborough. Collaboration, solidarity, and simplicity of lifestyle have been some of the hallmarks of Scarboro’s charism and will no doubt continue.

I am filled with gratitude for the learning I have received, for the many prophetic, Spirit-filled people that I have worked with and met while at Scarboro. I will carry them with me always. 

I hope this issue does justice to the past 100 years of Scarboro’s mission history. There is so much to the Scarboro story both overseas and here in Canada. Even at 140 pages, it feels as though we’ve just scratched the surface. Thankfully I did not do this work alone. At my side the entire time was my husband and former lay missioner Danny Gillis. A gifted writer and amateur historian, Danny also brought his love for Scarboro and wealth of knowledge of its mission and charism. Every article without a byline was written by him. 

We spent countless hours poring over archival documents with the help of Valerie Gauthier in Archives. We cannot thank Valerie enough for her efficiency and competency, for the historical documentation she compiled and shared, and the files and photos she provided. Montreal-born Valerie came to Toronto to obtain a Master of Information degree with a concentration in Archives and Records Management. Archivist Fr. Dave Warren was fortunate to welcome her to Scarboro Missions after her graduation in 2016. She is a treasure.

We were also greatly assisted by having access to digitized issues of the magazine going back to the inaugural issue in 1919 and available on the Scarboro Missions website. These provide an incredible 100-year history of mission.

There are so many people to thank. I’ll start with the brainstorming done by the larger Scarboro community at the 2016 and 2017 Study Days, and at the 2017 General Chapter. These ideas gained focus and momentum with the guidance of our Advisory Committee: Fr. Roger Brennan; Anne-Marie Jackson, director of the Jesuit Centre for Social Faith and Justice; and Joe Gunn, director of Citizens for Public Justice and author of Journeys to Justice—Reflections on Canadian Christian Activism. A wonderful group of gifted people. 

Many individual Scarboro missioners and alumni contributed to and reviewed articles on missions where they served. I cannot name them all for fear that I might forget someone. Fr. John Walsh reviewed the planning schema and early drafts. Lay missioner Carolyn Beukeboom kindly helped with the big job of proofreading. We called on many people and all responded generously, especially the writers, all of whom were Scarboro missioners, alumni or associates with love in their hearts for this community and grateful for their experience with Scarboro Missions.

We can only hope that we have honoured this missionary endeavour begun 100 years ago by the esteemed founder, Msgr. John Mary Fraser.∞

The slideshow comes in the following five parts:

Part 1: Beginnings and the China missions

Part 2: War and expansion beyond China

Part 3: Continued expansion, collaboration with laity, and a commitment to social justice issues

Part 4: Missions, celebrations, and a commitment to interfaith dialogue

Part 5: Mission closings, and the future of the Society and its legacy

Presentation Manor (street view), home of the Scarboro Foreign Mission Society.
61 Fairfax Cres., Scarborough, ON

With Scarboro Missions in a period of diminishment and downsizing, in November 2018 many of its priests moved into the newly built residence in Scarborough, Ontario, called Presentation Manor. The Society’s property on Kingston Road, their home and central house for the past 94 years, was sold to the Toronto Catholic District School Board. Several religious congregations of both women and men united to lend their support to the Presentation Manor project and are part of this new community. Collaboration and solidarity have been some of the hallmarks of Scarboro’s charism and will no doubt continue.

Presentation Manor (rear view)

At the end of December 2017 the JPIC Office was closed as part of Scarboro Missions’ process of transition.  You are invited to read about the history of the JPO/JPIC Office in the final issue of Scarboro Missions magazine, which was published in September 2018 and celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Scarboro Foreign Mission Society.

In February 2018 Karen Van Loon, coordinator of the JPIC Office since 1999, began work with Faith & the Common Good (FCG) coordinating their new program, Cultivating Care for Our Common Home for Catholic parishes or groups in Toronto who would like to explore and respond more deeply to Pope Francis’ call to care for our common home.  She may be contacted at kvanloon@faithcommongood.org.

Starting in 2018 Fr. Jack Lynch jlynch@scarboromissions.ca will be the contact person at Scarboro Missions for any JPIC related inquiries.

Cultivating Care for Our Common Home
A program for Catholic parishes and groups in Toronto

Beginning in February 2018, Faith & the Common Good will offer a new program Cultivating Care for Our Common Home for Catholic parishes and groups in Toronto who would like to explore and respond more deeply to Pope Francis’ call to care for our common home.  Karen Van Loon will join Faith & the Common Good in February to coordinate this program which will offer interactive presentations, workshops and collaboration to help lead faith into action for the common good of all creation.

“The gravity of the ecological crisis demands that we all look to the common good…”

Pope Francis, Laudato Si’ #201

Find out more here…

Beginning in February 2018, Faith & the Common Good will offer a new program Cultivating Care for Our Common Home for Catholic parishes and groups in Toronto who would like to explore and respond more deeply to Pope Francis’ call to care for our common home.  Karen Van Loon will join Faith & the Common Good next February to coordinate this program which will offer interactive presentations, workshops and collaboration to help lead faith into action for the common good of all creation.

“The gravity of the ecological crisis demands that we all look to the common good…”

Pope Francis, Laudato Si’ #201 

• Pope Francis’ Message for 2018 World Day of Peace:  Migrants and refugees—men and women in search of peace
• Pope Francis sends letter to COP23 climate conference
• Global Catholic Climate Movement:  Over 15,000 Scientists Give a ‘Second Notice’ to Humanity and Echo Pope Francis’ Call to Address Inequality
• Pontifical Academy of Sciences:  Declaration of the Workshop Health of People, Health of Planet and Our Responsibility—Climate Change, Air Pollution and Health
• KAIROS News:  Christmas message—“Solidarity seeks partnership and mutuality…giving and receiving.”