ABOUT US

A LONG AND A DISTINGUISHED RECORD OF SERVICE TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY

Catholic Family Services of Toronto was established in 1922.

We are a non-profit organisation, and are fully accredited by Family Service Ontario, Family Service Canada and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Toronto. Our staff is professionally trained, skilled and knowledgeable.

We are dedicated to excellence, personalised care, and to helping people develop their potential as fully as possible. We provide extensive preventative (wellness) as well as treatment (counselling) services. Our commitment is to promote and strengthen healthy families, marriages, and individuals.

OUR SERVICES:
In counselling, we help individuals, couples, and families to untangle the problems and feelings of difficult situations. Our service emphasis is on assisting our clients in their efforts to move towards a more positive and fulfilling future.

The goal of the wellness programme is to help people make healthy life choices and positive changes in their lives as they move through life’s many transitions. The programmes thus aim to foster competence and self-responsibility in individuals, couples and families.

OUR MISSION
"Within the context of Catholic beliefs, values and teaching, and affirming the cultural, racial and special differences of families and individuals, Catholic Family Services of Toronto is committed to providing innovative, relevant and the highest quality family services to the entire community."

OUR VISION
"Inspired by the COMPASSION OF JESUS and the SOCIAL TEACHING of the Catholic Church, Catholic Family Services of Toronto will stand apart as a recognised and respected leader in family and individual health, life and well being through delivery of innovative and quality services, effective communication, advocating for social justice, building of community partnerships and pursuit of organisational and professional excellence."

OUR VALUES
"We affirm and profess:
Respect for human life; respect for personal differences and dignity of all; equality of all persons; solidarity with all peoples; rights of all to fully participate in society; preferential option for the poor and the vulnerable; promotion and protection of the common good, and respect for the stewardship of creation."

Catholic Family Services of Toronto Board of Directors 2008-2009

Honourary President - His Grace Archbishop Thomas Collins

President - Stephen Mills
Vice-President - Ken Yip-Chuck
Treasurer - Bart Calderone
Corporate Secretary - Lucia Furgiuele

Mary Benincasa
Rosabelle Boateng
Patrick Dwyer
Pauline Flanagan
Percy Flores
Barbara Ford
Norbert Hartmann
Mary Kennedy
Mary Jo Mahon
Rennie Mohamed
John B. Nelligan
Virginia West
John Wilhelm

THE AGENCY CELEBRATES 80 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY:
LESSONS LEARNED OVER 80 YEARS

On April 11, 2002, Catholic Family Services of Toronto celebrated 80 years of serving individuals, couples and families in Toronto. The occasion brought together a large number of the agency's board and staff from the present and the past. To mark the occasion, the agency received greetings from Pope John Paul II, Prime Minister Jean Chretien, Premier Michael Harris, Mayor Mel Lastman, and Aloysius Cardinal Ambrozic. Others to felicitate the agency included, ShareLife, Catholic Charities Of the Archdiocese of Toronto, Family Service Canada, Family Service Ontario, and the Ministry of Community and Social Services.

In eighty years of service to families in Toronto, Catholic Family Services of Toronto has found six fundamental characteristics that enable families to endure the stresses of life. We believe all six are rooted in love. They are dependent on: protecting human dignity; fostering growth and fulfillment; and promoting each person's capacity to grow and participate in society.

Belonging
Belonging is central. Families are able to provide a protective and nurturing environment for the individual members - in easy times as well as in hard times. Families have the ability to accept us no matter what is happening in life. The family can enable the safe place, the place where we can be ourselves with all of our personal quirks and ways. Catholic teaching proclaims that we are our brothers' and sisters' keepers, wherever we are. We learn this in our families, and through this sense of belonging, recognize and extend this bond to the whole human family.

Respect
Respect for each person is essential. From the moment of our birth, we are worthy as human beings, created in God's image - both to receive and to give respect and acceptance. When respect for individual gifts and differences is present, family members develop a strong sense of self worth and self esteem. When we are respected, accepted, and loved we flourish. When we give these human needs to others we bring forth the Kingdom of God.

Adaptability
Adaptability enables life. Families are living and vibrant entities. Over the years we have witnessed dramatic changes in family systems and family structures. Enduring families are able to maintain the commitment to family life while adapting themselves to changing norms, roles, and family constellations. Families that demonstrate adaptability are able to promote and foster human growth and help their members to reach full potential.

Resilience
Resilience is the healthy response to crises and situational demands. Worse times are inevitable in the course of a family's history and story. Life catastrophes, as well as the destruction of individual expectations, can seriously wound family balance, harmony and peace. It is sometimes a wonder that families are able to recover from life's profound struggles and sorrows. We have observed that this ability is found in authentic caring, forgiveness, and compassionate help of one another. The capacity for resilience is increased when members celebrate the joys of life, support each other during the normal times and join together in times of brokenness.

Sacrifice
Sacrifice is rooted in our Catholic faith and traditions. We believe it is a mainstay of family life. It is evidenced where the members sacrifice their individual wants and desires to help a member in need. Parents often work long hours to insure their children's education. Children sacrifice cherished wishes for certain material benefits to help another sibling. Caregiving to elderly members often requires sacrifice from all family members. The gift of sacrifice occurs when we give way to the differing needs of one another - in love.