Appointment of Director of Campus Ministry
May 11, 2021
Dr. David Malloy, King’s Principal, is pleased to update the King’s community that the deliberations for the new Director of Campus Ministry have successfully concluded. On the recommendation of the Selection Committee, Jim Panchaud has been appointed as the new Director. Panchaud’s appointment comes after a wide-ranging search.
Transition is never easy. We will bid farewell to Fr. Michael Béchard, our Chaplain and Director of Campus Ministry for the past 20 years. He will be leaving King’s on June 30, 2021 as he has been appointed by the Diocese of London as Pastor for the newly created family of parishes, St. George and St. John the Divine in London. The entire King’s community extends its gratitude to him for his service to our community. Christ the King University Parish will continue to operate in partnership with the Diocese of London.
“I am sure you share my excitement and optimism as we take the next steps in strengthening the role that Campus Ministry has with our campus and the community at large through the appointment of Jim Panchaud to Director,” says Dr. Malloy.
Panchaud’s appointment as Director of Campus Ministry became effective May 10, 2021. Dr. Malloy says that this timing will provide an opportunity for Panchaud and Fr. Béchard to coordinate the leadership transition over the coming weeks.
Panchaud comes to this role with extensive experience as a social worker, an ordained Deacon, a pastoral counsellor in the King’s Campus Ministry department, and as a Director of Diaconate Formation & Study at St. Peter’s Seminary. Panchaud is known as a versatile, innovative professional leader, counsellor, and consultant focused on the psychological, social, and spiritual well-being of individuals and organizations. He is committed to creating an atmosphere that promotes personal and community growth, formation, discernment and education for students and other community members.
“I’m so pleased to be able to lead such a talented team. After the challenges of the past year, we will need to focus on supporting and building the kinds of relationships at King’s where everyone can feel supported to learn and grow together,” says Panchaud. “Life is messy. And I think that the role of Campus Ministry is to walk with people in all that messiness. That’s how we find meaning – together. To be Catholic today involves thinking, reflecting and caring in a more expansive, inclusive way. That’s what we’re called to do here at King’s.”
Many of you will have worked with Panchaud as he has been an active member of the King’s community. Besides providing faith-based and non-faith-based counselling services to university students, staff and community members as part of the Campus Ministry Team, he has also coordinated the Veritas Lecture Series for Faith & Culture. Panchaud has participated in a variety of committees including Student Intervention, Religious Life, and Scholarship and Bursary. Jim is a board member of CARCT (Centre for Advanced Research in Catholic Thought) and he has participated in the Principal’s Advisory Group providing consultation on the institutional response to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as on the LGBTQ2S+ Advisory Group to the Principal.