In Service to the Community
Fr. Martin Pereira
God’s love offers an antidote to the loneliness that can be experienced in the twilight of life: “I will never forget you” is His promise to us all. He assures us that He has engraved our faces on the palms of His hands, and that His love is greater than a mother’s love for her child.
Fr. Martin Pereira is a reminder of this enduring and joyful promise that God walks with us at all stages of life through his weekly visit to a retirement residence in Mississauga, Ont. At 81, his service to the community and pastoral care for the residents includes what he calls the privilege of celebrating Mass, hearing confessions and spending time together in fellowship. “That’s the best part of priesthood, and I’m loving every minute of it.”
As a retired priest, he enjoys being part of a ministry serving the senior population, a chance to witness firsthand and assist in nurturing the seeds of faith in the weekly routine of residents.
“I imagine myself going through what they’re experiencing – and then I preach from there. What I tell them – especially those who are hurting – is that God gives us a total package. If we have accepted youth and middle age, then we must accept what comes in old age.” He is in a unique position to relate, having dealt with debilitating sciatica, followed by a heart attack and open-heart surgery in his late 60s – and surviving cancer surgery in 2021.
“After Mass, residents often thank me with such sincerity. Sometimes they hold my hand a little longer or tell me, ‘Father, thank you for coming.’ Those moments are priceless. They remind me that people are hungry not only for the Eucharist but also for companionship, encouragement and hope.”
Maria Buzdon, a blind senior, lives nearby the residence and visits for weekly Mass and fellowship. She wrote Fr. Pereira a thank-you letter in gratitude for his homilies that left her inspired and uplifted every week. The letter was read after Mass in celebration of his birthday last year.
“Thank you for keeping us connected to what matters most and for being a steady rock in our lives. Your kindness, strength and unwavering faith have brought so much joy and meaning to each of us. You’ve made us all feel closer to God and to one another.”
His pastoral care extends deeply to the housebound, explains Olga Durdos, who initiated the weekly Masses at the retirement residence in Mississauga. “He visits individuals who are physically unable to leave their homes – ensuring they are never forgotten and can receive the comfort of Confession and the spiritual nourishment of the Eucharist.”
Fr. Pereira retired in 2017 – and says that if it weren’t for The Shepherds’ Trust, he would have difficulty managing his day-to-day living expenses.
The Shepherds’ Trust provides retired priests who faithfully served parishioners in the Archdiocese of Toronto with financial support following their years of priestly ministry.
There are 109 priests in the Archdiocese of Toronto relying on support from The Shepherds’ Trust. Over the next decade, approximately 70 priests are expected to retire from active ministry after they turn 75.
Over the years, Fr. Pereira served as Pastor at St. Pius X Parish in Toronto, as well as Associate Pastor at St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Thornhill, St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Markham and Our Lady of the Airways Parish in Mississauga.
Born in Karachi, British India (present-day Pakistan), he entered the seminary at 16 years old. While his parents felt he was too young to make such a life-changing decision – encouraging him to wait until after university – both his parish priest and the local archbishop spoke with them, easing their concerns. He was ordained at 25 years old.
Raised in a cradle Catholic family, “if I didn’t come home for rosary, then there was no dinner,” he says. Fr. Pereira initially felt the call to priesthood in a dream. But it wasn’t a dramatic call for him, he explains. “It was more like a quiet persistent nudge that simply wouldn’t go away. God is often like that. He whispers far more than He shouts.”
Even in retirement, Fr. Pereira maintains a very active schedule. Aside from his regular visits to the retirement residence, as well as a second residence in Etobicoke when called on, he also serves as Spiritual Director for Westend Seniors. In addition, Fr. Pereira assists at Saviour of the World Chinese Parish and St. Josephine Bakhita Parish in Mississauga every weekend, and offers pastoral support at Our Lady of Sorrows in Etobicoke, St. Mary Star of the Sea and St. Francis of Assisi in Mississauga, St. Clement’s in Etobicoke, along with a handful of other parishes. “Retirement hasn’t slowed me down,” he says. “It has simply expanded my parish boundaries!”
He’s also on-call, when a family is in distress – regularly administering the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. “Sometimes they come and pick me up, sometimes they take me directly to the hospital,” he says. He also on-call to assist with school Masses through the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board.
Fr. Pereira also enjoys ministering to the Goan community, as his ancestry originates in Goa, India. He serves as Spiritual Director for the Goan Overseas Association of Toronto, as well as the Canorient Christian Association of Toronto, a community-based organization serving Christian immigrants from the Indian subcontinent, as well as its seniors branch.
“Beyond his liturgical celebrations, Fr. Pereira has been a vital source of comfort and encouragement to newly arrived immigrants navigating the challenges of settling in Canada,” says Juliet Lobo-Alfonso, president of the Canorient Seniors Club. “He generously offers pastoral care, practical advice and a welcoming presence to individuals and families in transition.”
Reflecting on one of his lasting contributions to the Archdiocese of Toronto over the years, Fr. Pereira oversaw the artistic renewal of the church interior at St. Pius X Parish, centred on the theme of the journey towards heaven, during his time as pastor. “Above the sanctuary is a magnificent depiction of entering heaven. Across the ceiling, there is a mural of multicultural angels representing the diversity of Toronto – with the Holy Spirit at the centre and on the back wall above the choir loft: a majestic Mural of St Michael the Archangel.”
Another design element of note: There is a red line extending from the altar through the entire Church, which symbolizes Christ’s blood embracing the entire community. Truly, community has always been at the heart of his vocation.
When he interviewed the artist, originally from Romania, and asked what had inspired her to paint angels – she paused before telling him that she wanted to paint them ever since she was a child.
“She told me that as a little girl she had drawn an angel in school. In Communist Romania, that simple drawing caused her teacher to report the family to the authorities – and the police came and arrested her father. It was a painful memory that stayed with her all her life. She said that when she was finally given the opportunity to paint those angels years later, it brought her an incredible sense of peace and healing.”
One of the most memorable – and nerve-wracking – experiences of his priesthood was ministering during the pandemic, he adds. Upon receiving a call to visit an ailing mother in the hospital with severe COVID, who had been told she only had days to live, Fr. Pereira suited up in protective gear and went to the hospital to pray with her.
“Not long ago, she surprised me by coming to Mass. Seeing her there – alive, smiling and praying – was one of those moments that quietly reminds you that miracles still happen.”
As Fr. Pereira continues to faithfully serve the community, ministry keeps him connected, active and grateful.
“I often say that retirement is from administration – not from priesthood,” he says. “A priest never really retires from being a priest. Our way of serving simply changes. Being with people gives me energy. Their faith strengthens my faith. Their gratitude fills my heart.
“After more than 55 years of priesthood, I've come to realize something very simple: as much as I hope I bless others, they bless me just as much. In many ways, they give me far more than I could ever give them.”
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