Please note that the Bellvue is not a nut-free facility. We ask that you advise us of any dietary accommodations you may have when you purchase your ticket.

Antipasto Table

5:30-6:45pm

• Assorted Charcuterie with Cold Cuts & Cheeses
• Caprese Salad (Bocconcini & Tomato)
• Warm Olives
• Grilled Vegetables
• Roasted Red Peppers
• Shrimp Cocktail
• Artisan Breads

Dinner

7:00pm

• Warm Artisan Bread Variety
• Mascarpone Butter
• Tuscan Pepper and Olive Tapenade

Prelude

• Casarecce Pasta in Tomato Sauce Garnished with Fresh Basil

Entrée

• Twin 4oz Seared Chicken Supreme and 4oz Salmon in Maple Glaze
• Vegan-Vegetarian Option: Gluten Free Pasta with Tomato Sauce and a Stuffed Bell Pepper with Quinoa & Vegetables in place of the Chicken and Salmon.

Accompaniment: Green Beans, Julienned Red & Yellow Bell Pepper tied with a Carrot, Roasted Mini Yukon Gold Potatoes
Mixed Green Salad: Romaine, Radicchio, Arugala with Cherry Tomatoes in Balsamic Gelee & Olive Oil

Dessert

• Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory with Fresh Berries
• Vegan-Vegetarian and Lactose-Free Option: Bowl of Fresh Berries

Drinks

• Red & White Wine on each table
• Plus One Alcoholic Drink Ticket per Person
• Signature Martyrs’ Shrine Drink
• Unlimited Sparkling and Flat Water, Juices, and Soft Drinks
• Tea, Coffee, and Espresso
• Deluxe Cash Bar

Easiest way to arrive at the event venue:

• To get to the event venue, the easiest way is to drive or take an Uber/Lyft to Bellvue Manor. Parking is free at the Bellvue Manor.
• The nearest TTC station is Vaughan Metropolitan Station. From there you can:
  • Walk to Bellvue Manor (10-15min).
  • Walk to the Smart Centres Bus Terminal, board the YRT 020 Teston - Northbound bus, stop at Jane Street/Macintosh Boulevard and walk towards the venue.
  • Take a free executive shuttle service from the subway station to Bellvue Manor for Gala guests.

Shuttle details coming soon...

Born in Montreal in 1971 to Italian immigrant parents Francesco Leo and †Rosa Valente, Archbishop Leo attended Eugenio Pacelli Elementary School, John F. Kennedy High School and CEGEP Vanier. He then entered the Grand Séminaire de Montréal in 1990 and was ordained a priest for service to the Archdiocese of Montreal on 14 December 1996. He served in different parish assignments in Montréal (assistant pastor at Our Lady of Consolata, parochial administrator of Saint-Joseph-de-RDP, and pastor of Saint-Raymond-de-Peñafort) until 2006 when he accepted the invitation to enroll in the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome and subsequently enter the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See (2006-2012), serving in different Apostolic Nunciatures across the globe. On 9 January 2012, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Chaplain of His Holiness, bestowing the title of Monsignor.

Upon his return to Canada, he joined the formation team of the Grand Séminaire de Montréal, teaching theology and philosophy while providing spiritual direction, formation and accompaniment to the candidates for the priesthood. In the fall of 2015 he was appointed General Secretary of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), a mandate which came to an end in the fall of 2021. As of February 1st 2022, Archbishop Leo was named Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia of the Archdiocese of Montreal.

In addition to his extensive graduate studies in Canon Law (Pontifical Lateran University), Diplomacy and International Law, Archishop Leo holds a Doctorate in Systematic Theology (University of Dayton ⁄ IMRI) with a specialization in Mariology, a Licentiate in Philosophy (Pontifical Lateran University), a Diploma in Classical Studies (Université de Montréal) and a Graduate Certificate in Spiritual Direction (Aquinas Institute of Theology). He worked as a Judge for the Canadian Appeal Tribunal and has taught theology, spirituality and philosophy at Montreal, Canberra (Australia), Dayton (USA) and Ottawa, among other places. He speaks English, French, Italian and Spanish. Archbishop Leo is President and founding member of the Canadian Mariological Society, Knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem as well as a member of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Domenic (Third Order Dominican).

Archbishop Leo was appointed by the Holy Father Titular Bishop of Tamada and Auxiliary Bishop of Montreal on July 16, 2022, and was ordained to the Episcopacy on September 12, 2022. Archbishop Leo was named as the Archbishop of Toronto on Saturday, February 11, 2023 by Pope Francis. He was installed as Archbishop on Saturday, March 25, 2023.

St. Michael’s Choir School provides sacred music of the highest calibre to St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica and the Archdiocese of Toronto, and maintains a high standard of music performance through concerts and touring. Its musical goal is to serve God, the Universal Church, the Archdiocese and the community with commitment and joy through sacred music.

The choral program at St. Michael’s Choir School is designed to foster a lifelong interest in music. Many graduates go on to serve the musical life of their own parishes, while some pursue professional careers in music. The course of study includes daily classroom instruction in music rudiments, singing and weekly individual lessons in piano.

Service to the cathedral remains the focus for all choral activities. Three of the school’s choirs sing weekly at St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica, as well as providing music for weddings and funeral liturgies and Cathedral events and services. At the same time, St. Michael’s Choir School has a long tradition of sharing its music with others by giving concerts in various communities, at churches and music festivals, and undertaking annual tours in Canada and abroad.

Visit their website: www.smcs.on.ca

We are happy to announce that we will be holding both an online silent auction as well as a live auction at the Gala.

We thank the generous donors who have provided these prizes.

Live Auction

We are offering three exciting experiences as a part of our Live Auction:

For the Music Lover…
Two tickets to the most coveted concert of the year… Taylor Swift's Eras Tour! Your VIP experience will include two tickets to a luxury suite experience at the Rogers Centre. Watch Taylor Swift in the comfort of a luxury suite, including food and drinks. This will be an unforgettable evening!

For the Sports Enthusiast…
Fourteen tickets to a see the Blue Jays play against the LA Angels on Sunday, August 25th, 2024 at the Rogers Center in Toronto. You and your friends, clients, or family will be hosted by our Shrine Director, Fr. John O’Brien at a luxury suite overlooking the field, including food and drinks (non-alcoholic). A cash bar will be available if you would like to purchase alcohol.

For the Toronto Food & Entertainment Connoisseur…
We offer you a memorable experience on the town! Leave your car at home as you and your guest will be picked up by a driver and taken to an unforgettable culinary experience at the 360 Restaurant inside the CN Tower. Don’t forget to take in the spectacular views from the observation level and don’t miss your opportunity to walk across their glass floor! After your fine dining experience, you will be invited to join Fr. John O’Brien at a luxury suite to see a Blue Jays game at the Rogers Center in Toronto. You will have early access to the field during warm-up/batting practice. After the game, unwind at an iconic downtown Toronto hotel for the night. In a once in a lifetime experience, enjoy a Lake Ontario cruise in a Metro Toronto Harbour Police boat. You and your guest will take in the Toronto skyline from a completely different vantage point. Dates to be determined based on your availability as well as weather conditions.

Silent Auction (Online)

Our Silent Auction will go live on May 29th online, two weeks prior to the Gala. The auction will conclude at 8:00pm on June 12th, 2024.

Throughout the course of the Gala, you will be able to bid on items using your cell phone. Our exciting auction items will be updated on a regular basis on this website as donations are made. If you or your company would like to donate a new item, service, or experience, please contact communications@martyrs-shrine.com.

Preview of silent auction items coming soon...

Additional Prizes:

A person at each table will win an exciting door prize!

We are also gifting the person who buys the most tickets to the gala with two tickets to the Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre, Toronto in a luxury suite, including food and drinks. So please spread the word about our gala to your friends, associates, and family members!!!

Our 2024 Spring Gala is the official kick-off that will support the capital projects associated with the Martyrs’ Shrine Centennial, celebrated in 2026. We are looking to raise funds to protect the Shrine and pave the way for the next hundred years.

If you are interested in sponsoring a component of our Gala event, please see our Sponsorship Package.

How do I get a ticket?

You can register and purchase a ticket by visiting our Event Registration Page. You will be asked to enter your contact information, seating preferences, and food allergies, if applicable.

Is there a dress code for the event?

Attire for the event is formal. Black tie is optional.

Is there a seating capacity?

Our tables will accommodate 10 people. If you are registering tickets for multiple people, we will automatically infer that you desire to sit together. We will do our best to keep groups together as much as possible, unless you communicate otherwise.

I am looking to purchase multiple tickets, but don't know yet who they will be given to:

If you are looking to purchase multiple tickets, and you do not have the full list of attendee names available, please include the purchaser's name or "TBD" in the name field of each attendee at the time of registration.

I cannot attend. How do I make a donation instead?

Instead of purchasing a ticket on the Event Registration Page, you will be prompted to enter an amount as a general donation towards the campaign. As with ticket purchases, you will need to be registered on the system.

Can I change my registration information?

Yes, you can change any of your contact or food allergy details at any point. Contact us at communications@martyrs-shrine.com.

Please note that due to event commitments we must make with the venue, May 29th, 2024 is the deadline for all change requests.

What do I do if I want a ticket refund?

We understand that circumstances change. If you need to refund your ticket(s), please contact us at communications@martyrs-shrine.com.

Please note that due to event commitments we must make with the venue, May 29th, 2024 is the deadline for all refunds.

When does the Early Bird Ticket pricing close?

The Early Bird offer of $200/ticket ends on April 30, 2024, at 3:30 PM EST. At that point, prices will increase to $250/ticket.

Please note that the venue does have a capacity, so tickets will be prioritized on a first-come first-served basis. Sponsors will be granted special seating closer to the podium.

Who should I contact if I have further questions?

For questions about the event, auction items, sponsorship or donations, please contact communications@martyrs-shrine.com.

Will I receive a tax receipt for this event

This event is partly eligible for charitable tax receipts. Tax receipts are processed by the Martyrs' Shrine team in January of each year for the previous year.

The taxable percentage will not be available until all Gala costs have been calculated.

Are there places to stay in the area?

NOVOTEL TORONTO VAUGHAN
200 Bass Pro Mills Drive, Vaughan, ON L4K 0B9, Canada  |  905-660-0212
This is where you can consider staying after the reception. It is a 5-minute drive from Bellvue Manor.

SPRINGHILL SUITES BY MARRIOTT TORONTO VAUGHAN
612 Applewood Crescent, Vaughan, ON L4K 4B4, Canada  |  905-760-9960
This is another place to consider lodging in after the reception. It is a 5-minute drive from Bellvue Manor.

Event Poster

To download the event poster, Click Here.