That finally changed due to the vision of a dynamic archbishop and the deep pockets of a philanthropic beer baron. A collaboration between Archbishop Fergus McEvay and millionaire brewer Eugene O鈥橩eefe culminated in the construction of St. Augustine鱿鱼视频app Seminary, which opened officially on August 28, 1913.
In the century-plus that followed, St. Augustine鱿鱼视频app has trained more than 2,000 men for priesthood and some 200 married men for the permanent diaconate. Most have served in parishes in Toronto and Southern Ontario, but priests have also gone out to just about every English-speaking diocese in Canada and more than 25 religious communities. St. Augustine鱿鱼视频app grads have also served parishes in the United States and on three other continents.
Archbishop McEvay was the driving force behind St. Augustine鱿鱼视频app. Born in Lindsay, Ont., and educated at St. Michael鱿鱼视频app College and the University of Toronto, he was named Toronto archbishop in 1908. With no English seminary in the country, he became determined to make Toronto the national hub for priestly formation.
In 1909, the archdiocese purchased a large plot of rural land overlooking the Scarborough Bluffs about 15 km east of St. Michael鱿鱼视频app Cathedral. The remote, pastoral setting on the road to Kingston was ideal for contemplation and study. The only thing missing was financing to begin construction.
McEvay wasn鈥檛 interested in a small diocesan seminary. His grand vision was to create a setting that would provide formation for priests from across Canada. That鱿鱼视频app where O鈥橩eefe came in.
The founder of O鈥橩eefe Brewery was an Irish immigrant and devout Catholic who supported several charitable causes. He readily embraced McEvay鱿鱼视频app seminary strategy and provided $450,000 鈥� more than $10 million in today鱿鱼视频app dollars 鈥� to underwrite construction.
Under the direction of architect Arthur W. Holmes, who had designed St. Michael鱿鱼视频app College and Holy Name and St. Patrick鱿鱼视频app Churches, the massive stone and brick building went up quickly. It was topped by a large copper dome modelled on the cathedral in Florence.
O鈥橩eefe and Archbishop McEvay both died before the seminary opened. Prior to its opening in 1913 to 90 seminarians, Archbishop Neil McNeil spoke of how it was destined to do 鈥済reat work for the Church and for Canada.鈥�
Today, in addition to priestly formation, St. Augustine鱿鱼视频app prepares married men for ordination into the permanent diaconate and offers lay theological formation through the Institute of Theology. From its beginnings as English Canada鱿鱼视频app first seminary, St. Augustine鱿鱼视频app has evolved from its founding mission to ordain priests to become a centre to also form laity and religious to be active in many Church ministries.