Background & Participating Entities

On February 24, 2006 Brother Michael Maher, CFC, Director of Canadian Religious Administrative Services (CRASI Inc.), brought together a small group representative of Canadian Religious institutes to Toronto, Ontario. The group explored ways to assist diminishing Religious institutes in the management of their finances, investments, properties, ministries, as well as leadership of their congregations and care of their members. The idea of an “umbrella” corporation emerged. 

The meeting resulted in the commitment of leaders from ten congregations from across Canada, representing men and women, east and west, English and French, education and health care, to work to help bring those in need. For several months a small committee worked on developing statutes, by-laws, and on obtaining the support of the respective Bishops in order to petition CICLSAL and the Canadian government. 

While the Federal government quickly approved the new CRS corporation (then named Canadian Catholic Congregational Management), however the approval from CICLSAL required a three-year complex process. This was due in large part by the fact that Canadian Religious Stewardship was the first Public Juridic Person its kind in the world!

The Canadian Religious Administrative Services Inc. (CRASI) Board of Directors served as the Board of CRS. On September 27, 2012 the CRS Board was established. CRASI also provided important seed money for CRS as well as a loan, that CRS plans to honor in the next few years.

CRS now has ten participating entities. They include:

Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul, Kingston, Ontario

Missionnaires Oblats de Marie immaculée, Montréal, Québec

Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, Longueuil, Québec

Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada, London, Ontario

Capuchin Order of Friars Minor, Province of Mary, Mother of the Good Shepherd, Toronto,  Ontario

St John of God Brothers, Hamilton, Ontario

Sisters of Charity (Grey Nuns), Montreal, Québec

Missionaries Oblats de St Boniface, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Ursulines of St Angela’s Convent, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Order of St Benedict, Muenster, Saskatchewan