Convocation 2025: Student Address by Deacon Zak Santiago

Student Convocation Address on May 10, 2025

Most Reverend J. Michael Miller, Chancellor; President Turcotte; Members of the Board, Honorary Doctorate Recipient Peter Bull, wonderful faculty, staff, distinguished guests, friends, family, and fellow Graduates:

My name is Zak Santiago. It is an honour to speak to you all, representing the 2025 graduating class of Corpus Christi-St. Mark’s College at UBC, 2025.

We find ourselves in a unique era. In this Jubilee year, while in memory of the beloved 266th Pontiff, the Church this week joyfully embraces Pope Leo XIV as her Holy Father. As Canadians, we have decided upon a newly-elected government. Locally, after 17 years of surety in direction from the wise hands of Most Reverend J. Michael Miller, the Archdiocese is in preparation for its next, welcomed leader. We are poised for a new Chief of Police, new city policies, new construction developments. We are seeing the implementation of initiatives in social, economic and municipal programming, for the flourishing of Indigenous and immigrant communities. In Parochial review, we have a record number of new Catholics; encouragement in baptisms and confirmations. We are living a rejuvenated season of life after the Paschal winter; a new Spring.

And, most importantly, for all of us gathered today, we have a new class of empowered graduates. This is truly a special day, in a truly significant time. What all of these features hold in common is that they are awash in hope.

My fellow graduates, while we acknowledge our achievements, my hopeful appeal to you all, is that you not see today’s celebration as simply the ‘finish line’ of an academic marathon, but as a milestone during an ongoing pilgrimage of learning, perhaps earning – and necessarily giving and doing.

So, what are you going to do next?

Catholic education isn’t about credential-amassing for career opportunities, it’s about equipping yourself for professional ministry. Whatever career we may find ourselves in, the Colleges have gracefully given us the capacity to be truly meaningful in our professional lives; to approach any vocation through a “life-lens” of service, grounded in the Gospel.

We inherit from the Colleges the sharp tools to pursue a profession – but (not only Catholics, all of us) every aspect of our lives must be underscored by mission.

In the course of my life, my father, a person of community service, extolled the virtues of a great boxer, a great social leader, Muhammed Ali, who said: “Service to others s the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.” This is our duty. All of us.

St. John Paul II said ‘Faith and Reason are like two wings of the human spirit by which it soars to the truth.’ If theology is ‘Faith seeking understanding’, so, with our graduation, we are doubly privileged. With the education we have received, we hold a bird in both hands, with the bush being that which burns beside us: flaming tongues of compelling commission.

I am inspired by every graduate here. True inspiration entails the breath of love. This is the breath which fills the sails of the Jubilee boat on which the Church embarks. It is in the Synodal spirit that we may sail seas together; representing our Class, representing our school, our community, our country – our Faith.

The other week, Divine Mercy Sunday, we revisited the honest Thomas, who, like us, didn’t have the opportunity to see – but came to believe. Augustine said Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.

I boxed most of my life. I’m ‘pretty handy’ with my hands. My mother didn’t have the opportunity to see many of my fights – but she believed in me.

When I applied to this school, I didn’t know how to type – maybe not so handy with my hands… Dean Robitaille took a chance on me – she believed in me. I scrabbled together a theology degree, then a post graduate diploma, and today, a pastoral studies degree.

Throughout this, my journey has seen me to other humble milestones: formation in Holy Orders, Ordination; becoming a Parish Deacon; a Pastoral Caregiver at VGH, and, most recently, as the newest Catholic Chaplain with CSC (Correctional Service Canada).  Hope and belief – with support from many. Thank you.

I close with this.

Pope Francis said that education is not about “knowing things” or “taking lessons”, but about being able to use three languages: Those of the head, the heart, and the hands.

Learning: so that, 1) we can think about what we feel and do; 2) can feel what we think and do, and lastly, (importantly) we can do what we feel and think. This is unity within a person.

My dear graduating Class, we have learned. We now look to do. My challenge to you, then, is to always move – to do – from here (the heart), as your next exciting chapter begins. That which starts… right now.

Photos by Joseph Alonsabe.