More than fifty years after the close of the Second Vatican Council, Pope Francis is leading a renewal of the Church that is deeply embedded within the Catholic Intellectual tradition, which emphasizes that learning means discovering and growing in the truth. It builds on his formation in the Argentinian “Theology of the People”, which understands “the honest and sincere love of God practiced by people at the local level might inform the theological understanding and religious behaviour of the global church.” Released shortly after his election, Francis’ first Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium (2013) represents his blueprint for this renewal. It calls for the creation of a “culture of encounter”, and for the Church to become “a place of mercy freely given, where everyone can feel welcome, loved, forgiven and encouraged to live the good life of the Gospel.” 

Established with founding donations from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver, Peter Bull, Angus Reid, and Andy Szocs in 2019, St. Mark’s College at UBC launched the Centre for Christian Engagement to  

• build a culture of encounter and dialogue for Christians and the Catholic Church locally and globally 

• bridge and create engagement between the Academy with the wider society and those interested in faith 

• create relevant resources to encourage faith journeys 

• provide forums via public lectures, retreats, panel discussions, podcasts, debates, conferences, and online material to address the issues and challenges that have led to disengagement and to build and encourage Christian engagement in culture 

• encourage “prophetic voices of the age” to bring the message of Jesus to the Church and the world 

• highlight the unique and important experiences, voices, and narratives of those who have been marginalized in the Church or the world which includes women, those who are disabled, First Nations/Indigenous peoples, migrants, refugees, and those living in poverty 

• Speak to the degradation of the environmental and spiritual environment to which Pope Francis spoke in his 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’ 

• provide safe learning spaces for ecumenical and interfaith dialogue