Catholic Christian Outreach™ (CCO™) is a university student movement dedicated to evangelization. We challenge young adults to live in the fullness of the Catholic faith with a strong emphasis on becoming leaders in the renewal of the world.

They desired to find those wandering, bring them to Jesus, help them grow in a relationship with God and the Catholic church, and teach them how to reach others. Their vision was much more than starting a local “campus club”; they had a concern to raise leaders for the Church’s worldwide evangelizing mission.

The three pillars of CCO’s strategy:

Proclaim

Proclaim: a clear and simple presentation of the gift of salvation Jesus offers and an invitation to a relationship with God.

Equip

Equip: growing in one’s relationship with Jesus. Small group faith studies and intentional accompaniment are the foundation of our approach.

Commission

Commission: learning how to share one’s faith with others. Participants are given easy-to-learn tools and methods to reach out to others which transforms their own spiritual lives.

CCO’s
Method:
Intentional
Accompaniment

Intentional accompaniment keeps CCO’s evangelization and discipleship relevant to each individual. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, CCO missionaries come alongside a person to lead them to Jesus. Once a new disciple begins living out a personal relationship with Jesus, our accompaniment shifts to an apprenticeship in the Christian life and mission.

on university campuses

Why University Students?

The future leaders of society and the Church are being formed on our university campuses today. These young people are making decisions that shape the course of their lives. Two-thirds of practicing Catholics will lose their faith once they attend university, let alone those who lack faith. CCO wants to bring Jesus to this strategic demographic by raising young people who can witness to their peers. We desire that CCO alumni will be lifelong disciples and mission-ready parishioners. 

Involvement

CCO reaches out on campus and invites students to join small groups. Retreats, leadership opportunities, and mission experiences accelerate growth in holiness and mission. 

Find a campus with a CCO team near you.

Want to get involved with CCO

CCO Connect

CCO isn’t on your campus?
Interested in CCO coaching on your campus or for your chaplaincy?

In Parishes

CCO has expanded our influence through parish coaching. Since 2018, parish and diocesan directors of evangelization have been turning to CCO to orient their strategy for parish mission work. We equip leaders to make missionary disciples, build multiplying movements and create missionary culture, all through our method of Intentional Accompaniment.

How It Started

In 1988, two young university grads, André and Angèle Regnier felt an urgency to do something about the crisis of faith on the university campus.

Our Founders

While at university, André Regnier was in search of Christian fellowship. Although he met many wonderful, zealous and authentic young people from Evangelical churches and campus clubs, he wished that those same opportunities to grow in faith were available in a Catholic context.

Meanwhile Angèle who had a Protestant background was searching for Christian fellowship on campus as well. She grew in her faith life and evangelization skills through involvement in various campus ministries.

While the Lord was planting the seeds of his call to evangelization in André’s heart, he met Angèle at a Protestant conference. Together with André’s parish priest Fr. Clair Watrin, they came up with a strategy for a robust evangelizing campus ministry model that aimed to equip mission-ready leaders. Within a few months their journeys intertwined. Angèle became Catholic, they got married and they launched CCO at the University of Saskatchewan in fall of 1988. In fact, the first CCO faith study to a student on campus at the University of Saskatchewan while they were on their honeymoon. Ever since, our desire to build up leaders for the renewal of the world in Jesus has caught fire on campuses across Canada, with students taking up the torch to lead studies and accompany people.

Our Missionaries

30+ years later, CCO has grown to be a movement of over 100 full-time missionaries across Canada.

CCO Missionaries exist to proclaim Jesus for the renewal of the world. We are faithful, joy-filled and dedicated to our mission. We do this necessary work full-time and rely on the Lord’s providence for our salaries and ministry expenses. We need your prayer and financial partnership.

Board of Directors

Fr. Raymond de Souza

Chair of the Board

Pastor of Holy Cross Parish, Kemptville // Editor, Convivium Magazine // Columnist, National Post
Kemptville, ON
Board member since 2016

I served for many years as Chaplain at Queen’s University in Kingston, and CCO transformed the chaplaincy there. Serving on the Board grants me regular contact with missionaries, who never fail to inspire me with their sacrificial commitment to preach the Gospel on campus. There are vibrant communities of faith on so many campuses, thanks in large part to the vision and work of CCO. That’s very good news about the future of the Good News in Canada.

SUSAN GONCZ

Founder and Principal, Journeys Worth Taking // Ignatian-trained Spiritual Director // Business Transformation Specialist
Toronto, ON
Board member since 2021

I serve on the Board of CCO because I believe in their mission and people. Their vision and leadership are shaping the face of Catholic evangelism in the 21st century. In our post-Christian society with fewer students aware of the message and mission of Jesus Christ, CCO’s mission is important because they are bringing the church to the front-lines and changing lives. CCO missionaries are the itinerant preachers of our times! They inspire me and I am both excited and humbled to be part of this growing, dynamic, and life-giving movement.

BISHOP MARK HAGEMOEN

Bishop of the Diocese of Saskatoon
Saskatoon, SK
Board member since 2022

Since I was a young priest working in Youth Ministry in the Archdiocese of Vancouver, I have experienced over many years the dedication of CCO missionaries and their effectiveness at proclaiming Christ and the Gospel. Now that I am a bishop, I welcome the opportunity to support the ongoing growth and development of CCO in the dioceses across Canada. Their outreach and witness is needed more than ever.

Our young adults who attend our various university and college campuses are facing increasing forms of secularization that leaves many young people in a condition of existential crisis as they are often frustrated in their search for God, His call to live holy and ‘excellent’ lives, and the Gospel message of salvation. CCO is one of the best organizations that I know that is dedicated and effective at carrying out this fundamental mission to young adults in our university and college environments.

MICHAEL MACKINNON

Director, Digital & Information Technology for Suncor Energy
Calgary, AB
Board member since 2018

I’ve personally witnessed CCO to be an incredibly effective instrument in drawing many of my friends and family members closer to Christ. As a young Catholic man attending Dalhousie University, CCO provided an amazing group of friends, an opportunity to grow in my faith, and the challenge to become a leader on campus and within the church.

As universities continually become a difficult place for the Catholic faith to flourish, CCO becomes more and more vital in supporting young Catholics on campus. CCO impacts the future fathers, mothers, business leaders and government officials in Canada and I feel very privileged to be a small part of this organization as a member of the Board.

TODD MARR

Legal Counsel to the Calgary Catholic School District
Calgary, AB
Board member since 2022

Some university students take the initiative to seek out opportunities to foster their faith. Many others do not, simply because they do not know where to start. CCO missionaries find those students and invite them to encounter Christ, strengthen their faith, and share their faith with others. CCO plays a unique and critical role in the Church today. It is a privilege to serve as a member of the Board and to support CCO’s mission to proclaim the Gospel and form missionary disciples who will renew the world.

Andrew Montes

Manager, Subsurface Engineering at Cenovus Energy
St John’s, NL
Board member since 2022

I have personally witnessed the large impact the culture and methods of CCO have had on students, parishioners and the Catholic Church across Canada. I know serving on this Board will allow me to be a small builder in the hands of the great leaders and staff of this successful movement. I would find great joy in seeing the fruits of this movement continue to benefit my community, my parish, my family and my country with the Gospel message for many more years to come

CCO is the arms and feet of the Catholic mission among university students across this country. Serving these students and building future faithful leaders, CCO has an enormous opportunity to equip the renewal of the Catholic Church in Canada. Building Christ-centered individuals, families, communities of faith and future leaders in all areas of society will undoubtedly continue to build the Kingdom of God and the civilization of love.

 

John Stevens

Manager, Office of Pastoral Life & New Evangelization, Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth
Halifax, NS
Board member since 2017

I have always been drawn to the mission and passion for evangelization that CCO has. I believe serving on the board allows an opportunity to answer this longstanding call and contribute to the mission of Catholic Christian Outreach in a meaningful way.

I think the mission of CCO is important because challenging students to the fullness of faith in order to be leaders in the renewal of the world is more important now than it has ever been. The institutions and cultural supports that once buoyed Catholicism in Canada have largely eroded and the whole church needs to learn again how to propose the Gospel clearly and simply. The church, and the world, also needs leaders ready to step in and approach things from a perspective of evangelization and not self-preservation. CCO students can be those leaders.

 

Miriam Wright

President, Our Lady of Divine Fire Mission // Director, Encounter School of Ministry (Kingston Campus) // Certified Spiritual Director
Kingston, ON
Board member since 2021

CCO didn’t exist when I was in university. If it had, I think my search for God and the discovery of my identity in Christ would have been more direct, equipping me sooner to fully embrace God’s plans for me. In recent years, I’ve encountered young men and women who are Spirit-filled evangelizers helping to set the world on fire for Christ. Through CCO they encountered Christ in a life changing way and are now embracing their call to holiness and mission. More than ever, we need such zeal and dedication to renew the Church and society. It’s a privilege to contribute to CCO in any way I can, because it is clearly the Lord who is building this house (cf. Ps 127:1).

Domenic Inneo

President, Jads Inc. IT Project Management Consulting // Founder, DialoguePrayer.com // International Coaching Federation Certified
Grimsby, ON
Board member since 2023

I served as a parish youth director for 15 years. Through that time, I’ve witnessed youth with vibrant faith have their Christian walk derailed at post-secondary institutions (especially where CCO was not present). CCO has proven they are anointed and equipped to stem that tide. There is a vital need for a ministry like CCO to be on campuses across Canada. I am humbled, blessed and privileged to be able to help this organization and its fearless missionaries in whatever way possible.

Marisa Ruggier-Andrews

Director of Human Resources
Archdiocese of Vancouver
Vancouver, BC
Board member since 2023

We are called to share our unique gifts and talents in a tangible way, for the benefit of the mission. I am excited and humbled to be a part of Catholic Christian Outreach’s Board of Directors. I love CCO’s mission. Young adults more than ever before, need truth and there are so few places they can find it. An organization like CCO that is committed to bringing young adults to know and have an intimate encounter with Jesus is of paramount importance.

Annual Report

Great Expectations is CCO’s the annual magazine containing our annual report. The desire of this publication is to bring hope that young people and the Church are being spiritually awakened and filled with zeal for evangelization. Great expectations is also one of CCO’s founding tenets which expresses hope and confidence in what God will do through us, with us and in us. “Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine.” (Ephesians 3:20)