St. Mark's College

10/14/2026

St. Mark’s College is deeply grateful to the Sisters of St. Ann, whose generous gift of $500,000 will provide enduring support for student scholarships, the future Centre for Ministerial Formation, and the ongoing work of the College.

The Sisters’ partnership with St. Mark’s College and Corpus Christi College has long been a visionary and formative one. In 2016, the Sisters’ historic $3 million gift established the Marie Anne Blondin Chair in Theology. It is the largest endowment in the Colleges’ history and the largest gift ever received by a Catholic college in British Columbia.

Read the full article on our website: https://stmarkscollege.ca/news/a-legacy-of-faith-education-and-partnership/

10/07/2026

Do you know someone whose leadership, service, and contributions deserve to be recognized?

Nominations for St. Mark’s College Honorary Doctorates are now open.

We invite our community to nominate individuals whose achievements and commitment have made a meaningful impact in their field and community.

Learn more about Honorary Doctorates and submit your nomination through the link
https://stmarkscollege.ca/about-stmarks/

10/02/2026

What do St. Mark's faculty think of Pope Leo's first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas?

Listen to the What Matters Most Podcast featuring guests Dr. Fiona Li, Rev. Dr. Nick Meisl and Dr. Nick Olkovich, hosted by Dr. John Martens.

“This episode dedicated to Magnifica Humanitas features St. Mark’s theology faculty and our conversation focused a lot on the anthropology of the document, the role of education, about AI and with AI, the problem of deep fakes and how that impacts especially women and children, and how one builds a civilization of love, grounded in truth and humanity, in contrast to the forces that desire power, the technocratic paradigm, and increasing calls for warfare.”

-Dr. John Martens, podcast host

Listen to the podcast: How to Build a Civilization of Love: A Conversation on Magnifica Humanitas

Welcome to What Matters Most, episode 3 of our fifth season!

This is also the third episode on What Matters Most to discuss the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas and every conversation reveals nuances to the document and aspects of it we have not discussed previously.

John surveyed the encyclical on his own a few months ago, but next he brought in a couple of experts in moral theology and Christian ethics, Drs. Tisha Rajendra and Ruben Rosario Rodreiguez to discuss the encyclical on AI, migration, war, and whatever else came up for them in their readings. This third episode dedicated to Magnifica Humanitas features St. Mark's theology faculty and our conversation focused a lot on the anthropology of the document, the role of education, about AI and with AI, the problem of deep fakes and how that impacts especially women and children, and how one builds a civilization of love, grounded in truth and humanity, in contrast to the forces that desire power, the technocratic paradigm, and increasing calls for warfare.

Listen now: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/what-matters-most/id1650272494?i=1000792323672

09/30/2026

The Colleges will be closed on September 30th in observance of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. On this day, we pause to honour the children who never came home, the survivors, and their families and communities.

Over the past week our campus held Lunch and Learns with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, orange ribbon workshops and an Orange Shirt Day. You can continue to participate by wearing an orange shirt, learning and sharing the history of residential schools, attending local events, engaging with Indigenous voices, and committing to reconciliation in your everyday actions.

As a Catholic community who learns, lives and prays on this land, we are committed to moving forward together toward Truth and Reconciliation with Indigenous peoples in Canada. We are grateful for the guidance and support we have received from Knowledge Keepers and other Indigenous partners, who have generously shared their time, stories and traditions with us at various events and workshops.

09/25/2026

Join us as we launch the inaugural Dr. Vincent Paul Sweeney Lecture in Medical Ethics, honouring the life and legacy of Dr. Vincent Paul Sweeney. This annual lecture invites our community to explore pressing questions in medical bioethics.

St. Mark’s College, the Catholic Graduate School of Theology at UBC, is committed to bringing world renowned scholars to our community each year to foster dialogue that inspires compassion, justice, and a deeper understanding of human dignity.

We look forward to welcoming physicians, students, scholars, and all who care about ethical decision making in healthcare.

About Rev. Dr. Mark Miller, C.Ss.R.: Rev. Dr. Mark Miller joined the Ethics Services team at Providence Healthcare in September 2023 as the third Visiting Scholar in Ethics for St. Mark's College and Providence Health Care.

Ordained as a priest of the Redemptorist Order, he worked for 13 years with young people and preaching parish missions. Then, after receiving a doctorate in moral theology from the University of Notre Dame (1992), he spent 16 years as a clinical bioethicist at St. Paul’s Hospital in Saskatoon and for the Catholic Health Association of Saskatchewan. In 2008 he moved to Toronto as part of the leadership team of the Redemptorists and continued his work in Catholic healthcare ethics at the Centre for Clinical Ethics (St. Joseph’s Health, St. Michael’s Hospital, Providence Health). He has taught and provided workshops at Catholic Colleges, in adult formation programs, for Catholic teachers, and many health care practitioners. He is passionate about the Gospel call to the ministry of healing, to Catholic and faith-based health care, to palliative/hospice care, and to parish nursing.

Register: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/st-marks-college/events/sweeney-lecture/

09/19/2026

Congratulations to St. Mark’s alumnus, Deacon Tim Kostamo, and his daughter, Sophia, for raising $260,000 for the new operating rooms at Burnaby Hospital.

“Sailing in heavy winds off the coast of Vancouver Island, Team Kostamo realized their plans needed to change. Finishing the Race to Alaska was out of the question, but the trip was still worth it. They raised over $250,000 for the Burnaby Hospital Foundation, but more than that, Sophia Kostamo says she learned a lot about herself, her father, and trusting in God.

Due to poor wind conditions, Team Kostamo rowed their 19.5-foot sailing ship up the coast of Vancouver Island for nearly six days.”

Read news, stories, & coverage of the people and communities in the Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver.

09/19/2026

Join us for an inspiring evening with Stephen F. Auth, a Catholic evangelist, author, and businessman, who has often appeared on EWTN, as he explores how sacred art can deepen our understanding of the Eucharistic mystery!

In Visions of the Divine, Steve reconnects centuries-old masterpieces with the liturgy of the Mass, inviting us to encounter the Eucharist through the beauty of art. Journey through churches and museums across Europe and North America, and discover how these works continue to illuminate the heart of Catholic worship today.

Whether you're a lifelong Catholic, simply curious about the faith, or someone who appreciates art and history, this lecture offers a fresh perspective on the mystery and beauty of the Eucharist!

Registration: bit.ly/2026visions

09/12/2026

The life of St. Mark’s College alumnus, Deacon Zak Santiago, has inspired the development of a miniseries.

"That show, christened Deacon, is now in development at Front Street Pictures and will be introduced to potential partners at the Toronto International Film Festival Market in September.

The story will follow the life of Santiago “Santi” Luna, a former boxer and street criminal who finds redemption as a Catholic deacon."

Read news, stories, & coverage of the people and communities in the Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver.

09/11/2026

It was a joy to see students, parents, alumni, staff, faculty and community members at the annual Mass of the Holy Spirit. Mass was celebrated by the College’s Chancellor, Archbishop Richard Smith, along with Fr. Robert Allore, SJ, Pastor of St. Mark’s Parish and UBC Chaplain, and faculty members Fr. Mark Miller, CSsR, and Fr. Nicholas Meisl.

The Mass of the Holy Spirit follows the Jesuit tradition of opening the academic year with a liturgy and celebrates the Catholic communities at UBC, Corpus Christi College, St. Mark’s College, and St. Mark’s Parish.

of Vancouver

07/01/2026

Happy Canada Day from Marko, Corpus Christi College and St. Mark's College! We are closed Wednesday, July 1 and will reopen on Thursday, July 2. Wishing everyone a joyful Canada Day.