Miles For Hope Fundraiser

CONTACT INFO :

SAINT ANTHONY'S CATHOLIC CHURCH
400 Cardinal Medeiros Avenue.
Cambridge, MA 02141.
UNITED STATES.
Phone : (001) (617) 547-5593.
Fax : (001) (617) 547-1505.
E-mail : stanthony.camb@verizon.net .
Website : www.stanthony-cambridge.com .
GOOGLE MAP.

DESCRIPTION :

History and Adjustments to the New World :

The founding father of the Saint Anthony's Parish, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Reverend António Pimentel, his successor Reverend Manuel Cascais, and all the other priests who served it have been very present in all celebrations of the Parish Centennial, along this year of 2002. Besides the priests who had the chance to minister in this great community, the Parish feels the pleasure and moral obligation to recognize and remember the good people who formed this community along consecutive generations.

The Portuguese people were always a nation of emigrants throughout the centuries. Forced by the limitations of the territory and its resources, the Portuguese started their epic adventure of discoveries with all their heart and soul.

More recently, during the end of the nineteenth century until the present time, America became one of favorite countries for the Portuguese emigrants.

The Church and the Parish of Saint Anthony was established on the 30th of May, 1902 for the Portuguese speaking people. At the time, they were coming from Mainland Portugal, Azores and Madeira islands.

The Church Mission :

The beginnings of the parish were very modest. The jobs were quite rare and the salaries rather low. The life of the emigrant people here in America or in any part of the world was very hard, to live in dignity and face the future in a positive and trustful way.

Life was hard for everyone. Without any insurance and social support of any kind, the immigrant lived totally dependant on luck. Naturally, their faith in God was much greater, and they would say complete faith and trust in God as the only resource always available in order to feel relief and trust in the future.

More than nowadays, the church was the real center for the whole life of the immigrant people. The only place where they could speak freely and be understood. The sacred place where they could express their concerns and frustrations, receive comfort, meet friends, and close relatives.

The church was the best place where they would remember the home town and feel the warmth of a true friendship. They receive the support and courage that faith and the community celebration of the Word, and the Eucharist can inspire in the hearts and souls of all believing people.

The church played, then, the most important role in the life of the entire community and its families. The times were really difficult and became even more complicated in the twenties an thirties, just before the Second World War. So critic and dramatic for lack of work and essential means for survival that a lot of immigrant people went back to Portugal and their own native countries.

Those were the dark years of depression, hunger and shortage of everything that spread all over America and in the entire world.

The church of Saint Anthony stood up. Always open and ready to welcome and encourage her children in the sure hope of better times. And those better times came towards the end of the Second World War in 1945, after a long journey of hardship and desolation that seemed would never come to an end.

The Church was, then, a source of light and living water, springing hope and spiritual energy into the hearts of the immigrant people, already tired of so much suffering and waiting.

The Second World War ended up August 8th 1945. From then on, America became the most powerful country on earth, in all fields, politically, economically, scientifically and militarily. And this situation of progress, well-being and unparalleled prosperity, with ups and downs, has continued till the present. America has been the country of plenty, wide horizons and almost unlimited opportunity.

The Portuguese community also has a good participation in the progress of this country. Lots of Portuguese people gave their lives for the ideals of freedom, democracy and human rights that this great country always stands for. Many Portuguese people, nowadays, continue to contribute with their work and talents, in all fields of human activity for the constant progress of this wonderful nation.

The Second Vatican Council : New Culture and New Mentality :

The church, in the present time, also has a very important word to say and a great mission to accomplish. In the spiritual and religious field, culture, social justice, working conditions, family, education, in all fields of human activity, defense of life and search for peace.

The encyclicals of the Holy Father, addressed to all Christianity throughout the years, are great witness of the Church’s constant concern for the social and moral well being of all humankind. The encyclical “Rerurn Novarum” of Pope Leo XIII (1891), “Quadragesimo Anno” (1931), of Pius XI and Pacem in Terris (1963) of John XXIII, and “Populorum Progressio” (1967) of Paul VI are wonderful documents of wisdom, and knowledge and perfect fulfillment of the prophetic mission of the Church nowadays.

The Second Vatican Council (1959-1965) was the great move and a breath of “fresh air” into the history of the Church. The liturgical renewal, the documents about the church (Lumen Gentium) and many others are of vital importance in Parish's time and for the future of the Church and humankind.

Since the foundation of the Parish, one hundred years ago, so many things have changed in the Catholic Church. But it was since the Second Vatican Council that those changes took shape and became more real and meaningful in the life of the lay people and the church community.

For instance the Liturgy, if someone had attended mass in 1902 and could come to church now would feel strange, not recognizing, neither the place, not the rituals of the mass. It would be obvious the priest facing the congregation, language, Portuguese, English and not Latin anymore, the participation of the people in the readings, in the songs, the ministers of the Eucharist giving communion, all this creates a new atmosphere of openness, dialogue, sharing and full participation in the Eucharist and liturgical celebrations.

The church is no more a monolithic and unchanging institution. On the contrary, the church is changing and it will continue to be more and more open to dialogue and adjusting to the current times and to the winds of history. Humans are not supposed to be afraid of changing, especially when those are inspired by God and by the renewing power of the Holy Spirit. In fact, humans are encouraged to welcome those changes with humility and real trust as a gift, given by God to the priests and lay people alike, who, altogether, are the church.

Current Times and Centennial Celebrations :

This year, 2002 was a very special one, the Centennial Year. With the support and cooperation of the whole Parish, the architect António de Castro, and a big donation in memory of António Couto, the building Committee did the important liturgical renewal of the Church. A new and fine organ installed, in memory of the above António Couto. A beautiful statue of Saint Anthony was erected outside the Church, in remembrance of all immigrant people and the celebrations of the Centennial went on all year round.

These commemorations started in March with some very important conferences presented by Reverend José Lima, President of the Regional Center of the Portuguese Catholic University in Braga about the history and liturgical changes in the Catholic Church as well as the evolution of culture and mentality in Europe and Western world.

The Homecoming Evening promoted and organized by Américo Francisco, Joseph Borges and Manuel Rogers took place and brought together in the Parish Hall a good number of old parishioners in a very pleasant evening, full of good friends and good memories.

The feasts of the Parish had a very special meaning because of the Centennial. Senhor Santo Cristo festivities were presided by His Excellency Dom António Marto, Auxiliary Bishop of Braga, who preached a great sermon and left a wonderful impression among the Parish. Saint Anthony’s feast was also very special and Father Carlos Viana, a young Jesuit priest, gave also a very good sermon in honor of the Patron Saint.

May 30th, the official date of the Parish foundation was celebrated Sunday, June 2nd with “Corpus Christ” procession, followed by a solemn mass of Thanksgiving with the participation of quite a few priests, among them the previous pastor, Reverend Joel Oliveira who presided the liturgy and Father José Silva Ferreira, the present pastor who gave the homily and expressed his gratitude and recognition for so happy and meaningful occasion.

During the summer months and as part of the Centennial celebrations, the Youth group participated in the World Youth Day, in Toronto, Canada, presided by His Holiness Pope John Paul II.

At the same time, a Pilgrimage was organized to the country and places where most of the first parishioners came from São Miguel Island, Azores, Mainland Portugal and Madeira Island. Among others, they visited their Sanctuary of Senhor Santo Cristo in Ponta Delgada, Saint Anthony in Lisbon, Our Lady of Fatima and Our Lady of the Mount in Monte, Funchal, Madeira.

Saturday, September 7th, was the Cultural Evening with the wonderful participation of the Cape Verdean and Brazilian communities. It was a delightful evening with fado songs from Portugal, morna songs from Cape Verde, and capoeira dances from Brazil as well as some delicious food.

October 5th was another high moment with the presence of His Eminence Bernard Law, who presided the solemn mass of Thanksgiving celebrated by a great number of Portuguese and American priests.

Four Seminarians served at the altar : James Achadinha, Jonathan Gaspar, Kevin Bourque, and Russell Gosselin. The banquet took place in the Hall completely full, with old parishioners and young ones.

November 16th was the Concert by the Harmony Choir and Saint Anthony’s Band. This Choir has over fifty members, Portugueses, Americans, Brazilians, and Cape Verdeans from Cambridge, Peabody, and other places of Massachusetts, and conducted by the great musician Luís Travassos and Saint Anthony’s Philharmonic Band conducted by the young and talented Maestro John Feitor Jr.

The closing of the Centennial was on New Year’s Eve in the Parish Hall, ending in this way an entire year of commemorations, Church renewal, appreciation, gratitude, deep, and serious "saudade" from the good olden times remembered again and again, and relived in the same faith and same spirit of the Parish family that kept the community united and strong along these One Hundred Years.

Reverend José Silva Ferreira said "As pastor of this Christian community, i feel happy and deeply grateful to God and to the good people of Saint Anthony on this joyous occasion, and for the third time in my thirty years in America. And i am also grateful for celebrating together the history, the life and the journey of faith of our Parish community."

ABOUT THE EVENT :

MILES FOR HOPE FUNDRAISER.

This is a Dinner & Show event. To attend Jorge Ferreira’s concert, you must to reserve your table !
All funds raised of this event will be donated to Miles For Hope foundation, in the hope of finding a cure for Brain Tumors. Come support this great cause, in memory of António Manuel Moniz.
There will be raffles too.

Start Time : 6:30 PM.
Ticket Price (Dinner & Show included) : $50 per person.
Reservations : (001) (617) 909-2667 / rmonizp@comcast.net / (001) (978) 944-5835 / (001) (781) 408-1563 / (001) (401) 648-1193 / johnbolarinho@yahoo.com .

All Ages - Full Bar Available.

Inside the Saint Anthony's Catholic Church, Jorge Ferreira will perform at Saint Anthony's Parish Hall.

LINEUP :

Doors open at 6:30 PM. Dinner will be served at 7:00 PM as a Family Style Dinner.

At 7:00 PM : The First Part.
- Portuguese-American musician Luís Cabral.

At 8:00 PM :
- Portuguese-American singer Enio.

At 9:00 PM :
- Portuguese-American singer Tony Borges.

At 10:00 PM : The Second Part.
- JORGE FERREIRA's CONCERT !!!