St. Columba ParishThe Catholic faith is two thousand years old and practised by more than a billion people, but it is not complicated at its heart. God made the world and loves it. In Jesus Christ, God became one of us, died for us and rose from the dead. The Holy Spirit gathers us into the Church, feeds us with the sacraments and sends us out to love our neighbours. Everything else we teach and do grows from that. This section of the website is for anyone who wants to understand it better, whether you have been Catholic all your life or are looking in from outside for the first time.
What Catholics believe
Catholics believe in one God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We believe that Jesus of Nazareth is truly God and truly human, that he founded the Church on the apostles, and that he is really present in the Eucharist we celebrate at every Mass. We believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God, read and understood within the living tradition of the Church. We believe that every human being, from conception to natural death, carries the image of God and deserves dignity, and that we will be judged on how we treated the hungry, the stranger, the sick and the prisoner.
We also believe that faith is not a private possession. It is meant to be lived in a community, celebrated in the sacraments, and shared. That is why a parish exists.
“Faith is not a set of answers to memorize. It is a person to meet, a table to sit at, and a road to walk together.”
Rev. Daniel Moreau, homily for the 70th anniversary
Explore
Start wherever you are
Five doors into the same room. Pick the one that fits your question.
Becoming Catholic
OCIA is the unhurried path by which adults are baptized, received into the Church or confirmed. Tuesdays at 7:00 PM, September to Easter. No commitment to come and listen.
Beliefs & Teachings
The Creed, the seven sacraments, the Mass, Mary and the saints, and the Church's social teaching, with links to the Catechism and trusted resources.
Prayers
The Our Father, Hail Mary, Apostles' Creed and other prayers every Catholic knows, plus how to pray the Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
Pastoral Plan 2025–2028
The vision and five priorities that came out of a year of parish-wide consultation, with concrete goals and ways every parishioner can help.
Daily Readings
The Scripture readings for today's Mass, from Living with Christ, the Canadian missalette. Ten minutes with the readings is the simplest daily prayer there is.
Growing in faith as an adult
Many Catholics stopped learning about their faith at Confirmation. The parish offers several ways to pick it up again. Sr. Agnes leads a Bible study on Wednesday mornings after the 8:30 Mass and a six-week adult formation series each Lent and Advent. The Alpha course, an informal ten-week exploration of the basics over dinner, runs every autumn. Formation for Discipleship, the Archdiocese's program for adults, offers online courses through the year. See faith formation for dates.
Have a question about the faith?
There is no such thing as a foolish question. Email Sr. Agnes Ibeh at faith@stcolumbatoronto.ca or ext. 25, or speak with either priest after Mass. If your question is about coming back to the Church after time away, Fr. Moreau would be glad to meet you privately.