Bangladeshi Community of Toronto Celebrates the 12th Annual Feast of St. Anthony of Padua

On Sunday, June 21, 2026, the Bangladeshi Catholic community of Toronto joyfully celebrated the Feast of St. Anthony of Padua for the 12th consecutive year under the banner of the St. Anthony Community of Bangladesh Ontario (SACBO). The highlight of the celebration was the Feast Mass, held at Our Lady of Fatima Shrine in Scarborough and attended by more than 600 members of the faithful. His Eminence Frank Cardinal Leo presided at the Mass, assisted by Fr. Thomas Xavier Gomes, Fr. Arthur Lee and Fr. Allan Glass. The liturgy began with a solemn entrance procession featuring altar servers, readers and young women participating in a traditional devotional offering dance, followed by the concelebrating priests and Cardinal Leo.

The Mass was celebrated bilingually in English and Bengali, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the community. The choir led the congregation in prayer through inspiring hymns in both languages in honor of St. Anthony. In his homily, Cardinal Leo spoke on the themes of faith, cultural identity, diversity and unity in Christ. He encouraged the faithful to deepen their relationship with God while celebrating the gifts that different cultures bring to the life of the Church. Following the Mass, Maryline Kalyani Rebeiro, Convener of SACBO, expressed gratitude to all who contributed to the celebration’s success. Greetings were also offered by Jacqueline Rozario, President of the Bangladesh Catholic Association of Ontario (BCAO), and Chayon Gomes, President of Will & Way Ontario Inc. The festivities continued with group photographs, veneration of the statue of St. Anthony, and the distribution of prayer cards, gurala (blessed cookies), and dinner packages for all participants. The Feast Mass was also livestreamed on Facebook, enabling community members and devotees worldwide to participate virtually.

SACBO traces its origins to 2014, when Anjoli Mendez, together with a group of fellow devotees who shared a longstanding devotion to St. Anthony in Bangladesh, established the community in Ontario. Since its founding, dedicated executive committee members and volunteers have worked tirelessly to organize the annual feast and foster spiritual growth within the Bangladeshi Catholic community, under the spiritual direction of Fr. Thomas Xavier Gomes of Montreal. Each year, SACBO organizes a nine-day Novena in preparation for the Feast Mass. The celebration is made possible by the generous support of devotees and benefactors. SACBO is very grateful to those generous supporters. Beyond the annual feast, SACBO hosts a monthly online Rosary and provides financial assistance to parish priests and religious sisters who support the education of underprivileged students in Bangladesh.

As it marks 12 years of faith and fellowship, SACBO remains committed to strengthening the spiritual life of the Bangladeshi Catholic community across the Greater Toronto Area and continuing its mission of prayer, service, and devotion to St. Anthony of Padua.

For more information, please visit: https://saintanthonycommunitybd.org/.