A Man of Vision           Father Michael J. Smith, Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Directors is a visionary. He took his idea of building a home for the elderly within the Polish community to the Oblate Fathers in 1972 at their annual retreat. It was then that he was entrusted with the task of developing that dream and in 1979 it became a reality when Copernicus Lodge opened its doors.

Father Smith had the extraordinary ability to envision, plan, and implement. He has been the "man of vision" behind various projects. Some of those projects began in 1948 when he began building St. Casimir's Church on Roncesvalles Ave. to fulfill the needs of the Polish community in Toronto. It was completed in 1954. At the same time, Father Smith established a credit union that became St. Stanislaus - St. Casimir's Polish Parishes Credit Union. It is the largest Parish Credit Union in the world. After 91 years, of which 64 years were as a Roman Catholic Priest, Fr. Michael Smith passed away peacefully at Copernicus Lodge in Toronto on October 26, 2002. He will be known as a man who not only served the Oblates and the Polish Community but also his country.