About Us
CPC Purpose
CPC Exists to Cultivate Wonder
We nurture, inspire, and awaken students toward a place of flourishing and thriving. Like planting a seed, we work at the soil, helping give room and resources for growth and maturity. This means education in the classroom, building trusted relationship, and giving space to ask questions and wonder. This is where they grow.
Our end goal is not just head knowledge but the ability to discern, ask questions, be curious, and see the beauty and profoundness that is revealed through the lens of the Catholic Intellectual Tradition.
Our Approach - Five Ways
Engaging in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition
We seek to reveal, continue, and participate in the ongoing and historical conversation of our faith—the Catholic Intellectual Tradition. We wrestle the questions and ideas of our time and culture through this lens, inviting others into it with us. It demands more than just observation but a full, entering into with our hearts, minds, and souls. As we do this, our faith is inspired and made more alive in the present.
Dialoguing Toward Truth
The more we explore ideas different than ours, the more clear and sure we see ours. We purposely seek out truth, goodness, and beauty in a context of diversity. This is more than just ecumenical conversation but a posture of seeing Christ in the other first. This encounter happens by creating a physical and emotional space that breaks down walls and gives people a place to belong. We stay true to our beliefs finding common ground with others, then walking side by side toward truth.
Seeing Christ in the World
Seeking out the good, true, and beautiful in the time and culture we are in right now means not hiding from the world but looking for those things within it. We engage literature, music, art, and cultures, sifting through to find the beauty God has infused. We do not accept all the things of the world but allow what is from God to seep through.
Becoming Living Icons
In everything we do and everywhere we go, in and out of the classroom, we strive to live grace-filled lives. It’s not a one-time thing but a constant journey. As we continually seek holiness, choosing words, actions, and an attitude that models Christ, we become icons that help point our students, peers, and community towards the reality of Christ.
Being a Culture of Relationship
We seek others out and make them feel welcome the moment they step into our lives. It comes to life in the intimacy of our physical space but also the space between our people—the trust and relationship between students, staff, TWU community, and those in our local community. Together, all these things foster a place of physical, spiritual, intellectual and emotional belonging.
Our Mission
Catholic Pacific College's mission, in its unique ecumenical setting at TWU, is to educate students in the true, good, and beautiful culminating in the person of Jesus Christ as illumined in the living tradition of the Catholic Church.
OUR PARTNERSHIP
CPC at TWU
Formerly known as Redeemer Pacific College, Catholic Pacific College is an affiliate of Trinity Western University. Located in Langley, British Columbia, CPC is just a 45-minute drive from the mountains, the Pacific Ocean, and Downtown Vancouver.
Be part of a vibrant community that provides faithful Catholic formation while you earn your fully accredited degree at TWU, Canada’s leading global Christian liberal arts university.
A teaching affiliate at TWU, CPC offers the Catholic Formation Track (CFT), a Catholic option for the Trinity Western core curriculum. Read further for more details.
How do students take courses at Catholic Pacific College?
To take courses at the college, prospective students must first be admitted into TWU (apply to TWU here). Since all CPC students are TWU students, every course that is taken at CPC counts toward any one of the 45+ undergraduate majors offered by TWU. You can register for courses at CPC after you have been admitted into Trinity Western. CPC's courses are conveniently listed with all TWU courses and students simply select Catholic courses while they choose others for their respective programs. Make sure to ask for the CPC Admissions Counsellor to help with your CFT registration and your course registration.
How to take full advantage of CPC: Take the Catholic Formation Track
To take full advantage of Catholic Pacific College's academic presence at TWU consider taking the Catholic Formation Track (CFT) of the TWU Core Curriculum. TWU's liberal arts core curriculum is aimed at forming well-rounded individuals by providing a dynamic range of subjects from art & culture to humanities and sciences. Imagine, then, attending this amazing university plus being formed in and by the Catholic intellectual tradition. At CPC, you can be. The CFT is composed of 11 fundamental courses. Students take these courses throughout their undergraduate academic careers (typically 4 years). To register for the CFT, click the button below to book an appointment with our Admissions Counsellor.
*The remaining 4 courses are then chosen according to TWU's Core Curriculum Checklist
CPC Staff & Faculty
Meet our talented team members
CPC Chaplaincy
Celebration of the Eucharist
Mass is celebrated in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite (English) from Monday to Thursday from 11:00 to 11:30 am in the main classroom.
Mass on Sundays is available at local parishes: St. Nicholas', St. Joseph's, and Sts. Joachim and Ann's.
Sacrament of Reconciliation
Confession is available in the downstairs chapel 15 minutes before Mass from Monday to Friday, or by appointment.
CPC Chaplain - Fr. Lawrence Donnelly
Fr. Lawrence is the pastor of Sts. Joachim and Ann's parish in Aldergrove. He serves as the Chaplain for Catholic Pacific College and is pleased to provide the Sacraments and meet the various spiritual needs of students on campus.
Spiritual Direction
Spiritual direction is available from the Chaplain by appointment.
Mass on Campus
Catholic Pacific Student Association
The CPSA is the main source of activities for the student body at Catholic Pacific College. Each March the students hold an election to decide the leadership for the fall. If you would like to get involved in student life in any way, contact
Find out what's happening on campus through the links below.
Image: CPSA Executive Team - CPC Student Vice-President, Clare Bolan (left) and CPC Student President, Lucas Smith (right)
Office Manager
Sherri is our Office Manager but can often be found taking care of of the more practical aspects of running a college in a building that was once a farm house. She is our “go-to” person for most things outside of the academic realm. If you have a question, need a parking pass, want to know more about Student Life at CPC, Sherri is the person for you….she will even feed you on Wednesdays after Mass at our weekly social!
Sherri and her husband Neil are long time Langley residents where they have raised their five grown sons. At one time Sherri spent her time drafting patterns for the Vancouver fashion industry and was able to run her business mostly from home while the boys were little. Eventually she hung up her drafting tools and proudly was a stay at home mom for many years. Sherri started working at CPC in 2014 and has been here ever since.
If spending time with grandchildren was a hobby then she would call that her favourite hobby! Outside of that, you can find Sherri in the garden, on her bike, or spending time with friends.
Admissions Counsellor
John Doromal moved from Calgary, AB, and now lives in Langley with his wife, Ariel. John completed a double major in Social Justice and Catholic Studies, where he finished with Cum Laude distinction, and was nominated for valedictorian from St. Mary’s University. Prior to working at CPC, John was a youth minister for 12 years with Youth for Christ (YFC), a pontifical Catholic-Christian global movement, and co-laboured with the Church through Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO) at the University of Calgary as a faith study leader for four years. Outside work, you can find John playing basketball, watching the sunrise/sunset, or eating pizza.
Contact JohnBook an appointment with JohnCPC President
Scott Roy, MA
Acting President
In Fall 2022, Scott was asked to step in as Acting President for the college after having served as Director of Admissions, and then Director of Development and External Relations.
Scott lives in Chilliwack with his wife, Colleen (BC Catholic columnist), and six children. He has been with the college since 2017. Scott has earned an Associate of Arts degree in the Liberal Arts, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theology, and a Master of Arts degree in Systematic Theology from Christendom Graduate School. He graduated the program “Summa Cum Laude” and with distinction, and was awarded an Advanced Apostolic Diploma in Catechetics & Evangelization by authorization of the Holy See, presented in recognition of his competence in the field of catechesis and his personal commitment to teach Catholic doctrine in communion with the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. Previous to working at CPC, Scott was a campus missionary with Catholic Christian Outreach for 9 years, working on Simon Fraser University campus for four years and CCO’s Communications department for five years while he worked on his degrees. He converted to Catholicism from Protestantism in 1999, after he was studying to become a pastor at a Protestant Bible college.
CPC Governors & Regents
Governors are those currently serving on the Board of Governors, while Regents are those who made a significant contribution while previously serving on the board.
Governors
Mrs. MaryAnn Hessels - Chair
Fr. Deacon Andrew Bennett - Vice-Chair
Mr. Curtis Van Noort - Treasurer
Mr. Jim Vukets - Secretary
Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, Archbishop of Vancouver
Mr. J.M. Boyd
Mr. Thomas Crean
Mr. Scott Middleton
Mrs. Marion Nundal
Mr. Rhys Volkenant
Mr. Adam Van Noort
Regents
Mrs. Wilhelmina VanVliet
Mr. Michel Gloanec
Mrs. Neysa Finnie
Mr. Michael Garisto
Hon. Gerry St. Germain, PC
Dr. Andrew Minto
Mrs. Dorothy Van der Zalm
Ms. Sally Wong
Mr. Don Nundal (in memory of)
Mrs. Ann Marie Sweeney (in memory of)
Mr. Hugh Buckley (in memory of)
CPC Founders
Tom & Diane Hamel
A Message from the Founder
It’s difficult to overestimate the need for Catholic higher education that is faithful to the person, teaching, and church of Jesus Christ today. When our four children were young there was no such College or University in our area. My wife Diane and I, along with some other young Catholic parents, spoke to our Archbishop, the Most Reverend Adam Exner, about this need back in the 1980’s. He fully agreed with our concern, and in fact publicly warned Catholic parents that “there is no room for God” in the public system of higher education in our province...
CONTINUED BELOW
A few years later, we sold our family business, and I entered Trinity Western University (TWU) as a student with the intent of earning an education degree so I could teach in the Catholic school system. TWU’s integration of faith and reason in its academic and campus life was a breath of fresh air after I had tasted the campus atmosphere at some of the public Colleges and Universities I’d investigated earlier. The Trinity Western experience left me wondering “why can’t we Catholics establish a school like TWU?”
During my final year I put this question to Dr. Bob Burkinshaw, then TWU’s Dean of Humanities. To my surprise Bob suggested I approach the University’s administration with a plan to establish a Catholic College in association with TWU. It took 3 years of planning; of cementing partnerships with TWU and the Archdiocese of Vancouver; and several miracles, before all this cooperative effort culminated with the opening of Redeemer Pacific College at Trinity Western for the Fall 1999 term!
It was my privilege to be the College’s president from 1999-2011. During that time we saw students respond enthusiastically to our professors’ teaching; to the Sacraments offered by our campus Priests; and to—in the words of Archbishop Exner—the “atmosphere of faith” provided by our TWU brothers and sisters in Christ. My cherished memories of my time as president include reports of spontaneous dialogue between Protestant and Catholic students that fostered increased understanding, fulfilling Saint JPII’s exhortations to ecumenical dialogue and to cooperation in education as found in his 1995 Encyclical, Ut Unum Sint.
Diane and I continue to maintain contact with many of our graduates. Their lives are unquestionably having a positive impact!
Our graduates are equipped intellectually and spiritually to benefit their families and occupations throughout their lives. But it goes beyond even that. Knowledgeable, faithful Catholics play a positive role in our nations’ societies! The college isn’t liberal or conservative Catholic. Rather, it is fully Catholic, expounding the ageless wisdom of the Church in how to live our lives with our feet on the ground and our eyes on eternity. Our graduates are encouraged to engage fully with every aspect of life. Those equipped with an understanding of the true purpose and destiny of the human person are of inestimable value to the maintenance and ongoing renewal of civilization.
In short, Catholic Pacific College, with a founding purpose based firmly in our Redeemer, is a college where you can prepare for life’s joys and challenges in a milieu that fosters both faith and reason while helping you discover God’s purpose for your life!
To parents, grandparents, and all concerned Catholics, I say that CPC is worthy of your dreams for your sons, and daughters; your grandsons and granddaughters. And it is a college worth supporting if you are concerned with the future of your descendants and the world in which they will live.
The History of Catholic Pacific College
“Catholic Pacific College is a genuine Catholic college... At CPC, students experience an outstanding Catholic formation while preparing for a wide variety of careers.” ––Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB.
September 1999
Founding
Redeemer Pacific College is founded by Tom Hamel who becomes first President of RPC
January 2000
1st Class Begins
First classes for Redeemer Pacific begin in Spring 2000
September 2012
New President
Dr. Christine Jones becomes the second President of RPC
September 2015
College Rebrand
Redeemer Pacific College changes its name to Catholic Pacific College
September 2020
Catholic Formation Track
CPC launches new Catholic Formation Track of the Trinity Western University core curriculum.