Great Concordian: Joyce Napier, Ambassador of Canada to the Holy See

Joyce Napier, BA 81, dedicated more than four decades to covering events that defined Canada and the world.

As a multilingual journalist and foreign correspondent, she reported from both newsrooms and front lines, capturing political upheaval, humanitarian crises and moments of profound transformation. Today, she brings that same depth of experience to her role as the Ambassador of Canada to the Holy See.

Napier’s appointment in 2024 followed her departure from CTV News, where she had served as parliamentary bureau chief. After taking time to reflect, the call to serve in a new way came swiftly.

“It was such an honour. Such a great opportunity. Not the kind of opportunity you turn down,” Napier says.

The post brought the Order of Canada recipient full circle. Born in Montreal to Egyptian immigrants, Napier was raised in Rome, where she attended school and became fluent in Italian — a foundation that makes her current role all the more resonant.

“I grew up here, went to school here, speak the language, and read and write Italian fluently,” she says. “It’s not a world that was foreign to me.”

Throughout her journalism career, Napier held senior roles at CBC, Radio-Canada, La Presse, The Globe and Mail, The Canadian Press and CTV. She served as Middle East correspondent for Radio-Canada and later as its Washington bureau chief.

In 2016, she was appointed parliamentary bureau chief for CTV National Television News. Over the course of her career, her reporting took her to Guantánamo Bay, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the papal transition at the Vatican, the devastating 2010 Chilean earthquake and the election of Barack Obama as president of the United States in 2008.

Now, as Canada’s representative to the Holy See, she moves in a different but equally complex arena — one where diplomacy is shaped less by legislation than by values and long-standing networks.

“A lot of people ask why we have an embassy to the Holy See,” Napier remarks. “The Vatican may not pass laws or sign trade deals, but it is present in places where Canada often is not — running schools, hospitals, shelters and orphanages. The Vatican has reach and influence, and shares information. That matters.”

The Great Concordian’s first year as ambassador has been a whirlwind of meetings and ceremonial duties, marked by both solemn transitions and moments of unexpected significance. “It’s never boring,” she says of the experience.

One such moment was presenting her credentials to Pope Francis, an experience she recalls with deep respect in light of his recent passing.

“It’s not something you expect when you start out,” Napier adds. “But there’s something about the role — you find yourself in these situations that are beyond what you imagined.”

With the election of Pope Leo XIV, she continues her diplomatic mission amid a historic period of change for the Holy See.

When you reflect on your time as a Concordia student, what stands out?

Joyce Napier: Concordia was the door into Canada. I always wanted to be a writer — a journalist — since I was a teenager. And that dream felt kind of unattainable. But Concordia gave me the tools.

It was the early days of the Department of Journalism. I remember the L-shaped classrooms in those old houses downtown, with the slanted floors. Lindsay Crysler was our program director — he was a real journalist, he swore a lot and we loved that.

He and [department co-founder] Enn Raudsepp taught us how to report, how to write, how to think. As a first-generation Canadian — my parents emigrated from the Middle East — I didn’t come from an established family. No connections, no shortcuts. But despite that, I could become a journalist because Concordia opened a world to me that I thought was out of reach.

What are some of the factors that have enabled your success?

JN: One of the key turning points was during my second year at Concordia. I approached Lindsay Crysler and told him that I couldn’t afford to get bad grades. I was a double major in journalism and French literature, and writing and reporting were incredibly challenging for me. I would pour over my assignments and rack my brain for hours just to write six paragraphs. Meanwhile, my classmates seemed to do it effortlessly, which made me question if journalism was really for me.

I told Lindsay, ‘Maybe I should look elsewhere for a profession where I’ll succeed.’ He responded with something I’ll never forget: ‘For all you know, they’ve reached their level, and you haven’t reached yours. If you’re allergic to hard work, then goodbye. But if you’re willing to fight it out, you might reach the level you aspire to.’

He didn’t let me give up, and his advice stuck with me. Years later, after freelancing for the Toronto Star and working as a stringer for The Globe and Mail, I was offered a job at Canadian Press in Montreal. Then I applied for a job at La Presse, and I got it. Soon after that I was asked to return to Concordia to teach second-year writing and reporting.

That was a significant moment for me. I had always wanted to write — to be a journalist who tells the stories of our time. Concordia gave me the foundation and freedom to pursue that.

What advice do you have for students who may want to follow in your footsteps?

JN: They need to adapt to rapid changes in the media landscape, though they may not fully realize how much has shifted.

Looking back, we had the best of everything — a time when media outlets had money, and we could travel and work on interesting assignments. We had the luxury of taking time to write longer pieces, and there were more opportunities in traditional media.

Today, students are competing against blogs, social media and a wide range of digital platforms. When we worked in the field, we competed with other traditional outlets. Now, it’s a broader and more fragmented landscape. Many people don’t even pick up newspapers anymore. However, major media outlets are still vital, even if they’re different from the past. I tell students, ‘Don’t look back. Keep fighting the good fight.’

How does it feel to be a Great Concordian?

JN: It’s a great honour and very humbling. There are so many graduates from Concordia, so being selected among the 50 is something I’m deeply grateful for.

It would mean a lot to my parents as well. They were proud when I first became a journalist. They made tremendous sacrifices leaving their lives behind to come to Canada, hoping to give their children more opportunities. Our success is a testament to those sacrifices.