Honouring the Workers in the Vineyard

When you imagine people working for the Catholic Church, your first thought is likely of the 827 diocesan and religious priests in our region, or the hundreds of nuns, friars and brothers who have dedicated themselves to the Church. While those are the people wh​​o have taken vows and given their entire lives to the mission and ministry of the Church, thousands more have also dedicated themselves to the Church through their careers.

In some ways, the Archdiocese of Toronto functions a lot like a school board, a large charity or a regional government might. Its workforce reflects that reality. Supporting the ministry of the ordained and consecrated men and women in our churches, there are the administrative assistants and maintenance people you see in your parish. There are property managers, accountants, fundraisers, graphic designers, trainers, group leaders and teachers – helping to maintain the physical and financial (temporal) aspects of our churches, while nurturing the health and growth of our family of faith in spiritual terms. In all, there are approximately 1,000 employees of the Archdiocese of Toronto. To read about some of the hardworking people of the Archdiocese of Toronto, click here.

On May 4, 2015 the Archdiocese of Toronto held the annual Employee Recognition Celebration honouring employees with 10, 20, and 25 years of service to the Archdiocese. The event took place at the beautiful Chapel of Saint Joseph in the Holy Cross Catholic Funeral Home, with mass celebrated by Cardinal Thomas Collins, Bishop Boissonneau and Bishop Kirkpatrick, as well as several priests in attendance.

To commemorate this special occasion each employee received a gold plated recognition pin and personalized certificate presented by Cardinal Collins and James Milway, Chancellor of Temporal Affairs. A fellowship reception followed in the elegant facilities on the premises.

In these days of serial contracts, tenuous employment and multiple career shifts, it is significant that many of the people honoured at this annual event have committed more than 20 years of their working life to the Church. We are grateful for their contributions and their dedication to keeping the Archdiocese functioning and growing, temporally and spiritually.