In Toronto, Canada’s largest city, a growing community of young Catholic professionals is quietly reshaping what it means to live by faith in the modern world.
Young Professional Catholics of Toronto (YPCT), which has become an official association of the Archdiocese of Toronto, brings together ambitious individuals for career and personal growth, while rooted in shared Catholic values.
Through networking events, service initiatives and faith-centered gatherings, the group not only provides social connections – it provides purpose and belonging as it redefines how Catholic identity can flourish among the next generation of leaders.
Founded in 2024 by Katrina Safir and Francis Odum, YPCT also currently serves as president of the group, YPCT attracts men and women ages 18 to 39 who meet monthly at various parishes and event locations across the city.
Kathleen Muggeridge, who serves as vice-president of the group, spoke to EWTN News about the group’s purpose and the challenges facing young Catholics in Toronto today. She described Toronto as a “spiritually desolate place”.
“Medical assistance in dying (MAID) is being legalized across the country – there is a lot of disappointment,” he said. “One of the main reasons it’s legitimate is loneliness. And this loneliness doesn’t just exist in the senior population, it exists in the young adult population as well. There’s a lot of isolation.”
Against this backdrop, the YPCT aims to serve not only as a resource for young professional Catholics but also as a community where members can “grow in their faith together.”
Non-Catholics are also welcome to join the group and hope they will be “inspired to start practicing their faith,” Muggeridge said.
About 200 people attend each YPCT event, and for the first time the group plans to host a professional networking conference in the fall for about 500 attendees.
In addition to its monthly events, YPCT hopes to launch a mentorship program where professional Catholics who are established in their careers will serve as mentors and guides to young individuals interested in the same field of work.
The group also plans to expand to other cities in Canada. Muggeridge explained that to do this they are building a large team in Toronto that includes a social media team, a stakeholder relations team, a finance team, a board of directors and a spiritual director.
“We’re hoping to create a structured team format and then once we meet people who are interested in starting YPC in other provinces, we’ll be able to share that format with them,” he said.
Muggeridge highlighted the many challenges facing Catholics in Canada at this time. In addition to legalizing assisted suicide, these include legalizing abortion during all nine months of pregnancy and bubble zone laws preventing advocacy outside abortion clinics.
With this in mind, Muggeridge said he hoped the YPCT would “inspire these people to be passionate about some of the issues that are related to the spiritual destruction (in the country).”
“So in addition to spiritual nourishment and community and networking, being involved in these social issues is definitely something that’s very important to us,” he said.
He also explained the difficulties many youth face in finding employment.
“It’s hard to build a career on your own, especially if you’re new or don’t have a lot of resources,” Muggeridge explains. “Even if you went to school for something, and you’re certified in a specific area, it’s hard to get a job in Canada these days. And so the networking that we’re able to provide to young Catholics, I think is very valuable and especially as we launch our mentorship program, I think it will provide even more value for people.”
Muggeridge said the group’s main goal is “just to be a medium where people can come closer to Jesus Christ through the spiritual nourishment and community that we provide because we want to live in unity with Christ and our brothers and sisters.”
“Our No. 2 goal is just to be a place where people can grow and develop in their fields,” he said. “Work is something that is good and it is beautiful, and we are meant to work and we are meant to sanctify our work. So, we hope to inspire our members to do the same.”
