ANDRÉ REGNIER
ANDRÉ REGNIER was born on November 10, 1960 and raised in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. He attended the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon where he wrestled at the national level with the varsity team while completing his Bachelors of Psychology. While at university he 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. Not finding any, he felt called to start something new.
Along with his wife Angèle, André founded Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO) in Saskatoon in 1988. For over 3 decades CCO has been affecting change in the lives of the students to whom it ministers, calling them to deeper conversion and a Christ-centred life.
In 2015, André and Angèle were awarded the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Medal for distinguished service to the Church. This is the highest medal that can be awarded to laity by the Pope.
André has led countless international missions, including ones to the Philippines, Poland, and Uganda. In Uganda he helped to establish on several campuses an ongoing CCO presence that still remains active today. In 2016, he and Angèle led a CCO team at World Youth Day (WYD) in Krakow. Working with the International Centre for Evangelization (ICE), the team shared 1 million copies of The Ultimate Relationship booklet in 10 different languages and evangelized people from all over the world who attended the WYD festivities.
Andre received his Masters in Theology from the Augustine Institute in 2022 and has written three books: Catholic Missionary Identity, Five Tenets to Renew the World, and most recently, Clear and Simple: How to Have Conversations that Lead to Conversion.
André is a motivating and engaging speaker who gives talks both nationally and internationally. He is especially sought-after to present on discipleship formation in dioceses and parishes alike. His desire is to draw people to a deeper conversion to the person of Jesus Christ, and to be a catalyst for them to embrace the Church’s evangelical mission.
André and Angèle live in Ottawa and have five children and four grandchildren.
ANGÈLE Regnier
ANGÈLE REGNIER was raised on a farm near Leask, Saskatchewan, Canada. She grew up in a practicing Lutheran family. She studied to become a teacher at the University of Saskatchewan. On campus, she was an active leader in interdenominational evangelical ministries such as InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and Campus Crusade for Christ.
In 1988 she met her husband André in the last year of her degree. A few months later, she was received into the Catholic Church before their marriage and the launching of CCO (only three days apart from each other). For over three decades, CCO has been effecting change in the lives of university students, calling them to convert to Jesus Christ and to live actively as missionary disciples
Besides being an author, Angèle is the original creator of CCO’s Faith Study Series. She is an inspiring and engaging speaker.
In 2018 Angèle led the team that famously brought the relic arm of St Francis Xavier across Canada. Angèle was interviewed broadly including media outlets as the Globe and Mail, the National Post, CTV, Global, CBC, and the BBC.
André and Angele co-authored Brick by Brick with their 5 children and 3 in-laws. It addresses how to raise children as missionary disciples. In 2019, the Regnier family was invited to speak on this topic at the Vatican.
André and Angèle were awarded the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Medal for distinguished service to the Church. This is the highest medal that can be awarded to laity by the Pope.
Angèle is passionate about Jesus, the Saints, the Great Commission, Ignatian spirituality, and her favourite colour, yellow.