Rauni Salminen (MTS, 2008)

Rauni Salminen graduated from Tyndale in 1994 with a Bachelor of Religious Education and in 2008 with a Master of Theological Studies. She is an ordained minister with a background in social work and cross-cultural missions.

A founding member of the Philip Aziz Centre, Rev. Salminen presently serves as its Executive Director. The Philip Aziz Centre is a community-based hospice program that provides practical, emotional and spiritual support to persons living with AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening illnesses, in the comfort of their own home. Much of her hospice work involves research, community networking and consultation, program development, recruitment and training of staff and volunteers, pastoral and spiritual care, AIDS and hospice education among the faith community, and most recently, establishing a residential pediatric hospice in Toronto.

Rev. Salminen believes that the greatest expression of our love for God is unconditionally loving our neighbour. “We may differ in culture, ethnicity, values, beliefs, faith, giftings, social/economic status, gender, education and geography, but we are similar in our universal desire to be loved, accepted, belong and know our lives have significance, purpose and value. To be loved and to share love is at the core of our humanity and the yearning of every heart.”