St. Anthony of Padua, a brilliant preacher and teacher grew up in Portugal and spent many years in preaching ministry in Italy and France. He was a humble Franciscan friar whose wise words still are relevant for us today.

St. John Paul II Parish in Lachine reminded us of this on the feast day of St. Anthony of Padua. The parish celebrates the day by gathering in the nave of the parish around the statue of St. Anthony and sharing bread.  Fr. Piotr Miodek, OFM, blessed the bread and then blessed all the faithful gathered with a sprinkling of Holy Water.  All were invited to come and take some bread to bring home or into the community to share with others. This symbolic gesture represents the sharing of the good news of the word of God with our families, friends and neighbours, followed by a renewed commitment for action to end oppression against the poor.   

"Actions speak louder than words; let your words teach and your actions speak" is what St. Anthony preached in the 13th century, words that still have relevance for us today.  

The parish of St. John Paul II takes this message to heart in many ways. With doors wide open and a profound hospitality lived out through the sharing of cultures between the English, French and Polish communities- all parishioners come together to assist the poor and vulnerable through a food bank (operated out of the parish basement), through assistance to immigrant families and through responsible action for the environment.   

As coordinator of the green committee at the archdiocese of Montreal, I was delighted to see the fruits of environmental responsible action in a parish that has a compost program for the rectory in place, resulting in pristine soil and gardens on the property, both inside and outside the church. The simple gestures of refusing plastics at parish events, was a hopeful sign to me that it is possible for a Roman Catholic parish to stand with the rest of the citizens of Lachine in an effort to beat plastic pollution!¹ 

As coordinator of the social action office for the archdiocese of Montreal, it was joy to visit this parish and share the bread with the faithful in memory and renewed commitment to hospitality, inclusion, community, environment and action.   

Kim Gottfried Piché 
Coordinator Social Action Office for the Archdiocese of Montreal 

¹  Lachine is one of the first four territories in Quebec to integrate a new national program for collectivenet zero carbon emissions set out by the Common front for an Energy Transition (Front Commun pour la Transition Énergétique).