Advisories & News
Press Release
Quincentennial Thanksgiving Mass Celebrated by Toronto Archbishop Thomas Cardinal Collins at St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica
2021-09-14
PR-2021-51
8 September 2021, Toronto, Ontario – The Filipino Canadian Community in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) attended, together with the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto led by Consul General Orontes V. Castro, the Thanksgiving Mass held on 27 August 2021 at 2:00 pm. to commemorate the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. The Holy Mass was organized by the Consulate General and was celebrated by His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Collins, Archbishop of the City of Toronto at the St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica.
His Eminence Cardinal Collins mentioned during the Mass that the great celebration of the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines is an occasion to give thanks to God for the rich graces and blessings bestowed not only in the Philippines but also upon the Archdiocese and all over the world, through the example of Christian faith and devotion that comes from the great gift of faith.
Officials from the two (2) largest Catholic District Boards, Toronto and Dufferin-Peel were also in attendance. Both the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) and the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District Board (DPCDSB) issued Proclamations approving the celebration of the Quincentennial Jubilee of Christianity in the Philippines on 23 October 2020 and 24 March 2021, respectively, in all schools under their jurisdiction. Two (2) Filipino Canadian elected and currently seated Trustees in both Boards, Vice Chair and Trustee Luz del Rosario of the DPCDSB and Trustee Garry Tanuan of the TCDSB, worked very hard for the passage of the Proclamations approving the celebration of the Quincentennial Jubilee of Christianity in the Philippines, as well as to the success of Sentro Rizal Toronto and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts’ (NCCA) Padayon Art Competition, which was very well welcomed and participated in by Filipino Canadian and mainstream Canadian students of both Boards.
After the Thanksgiving Mass, Consul General Orontes V. Castro thanked His Eminence for celebrating the symbolic mass at the historic cathedral. Consul General Castro presented His Eminence the Cardinal with a Quincentennial Award plaque for his exemplary leadership and inspiration and invaluable and full support to the Filipino Community and the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto. Consul General Castro also thanked the Filipino Canadians, as well as the mainstream Canadian communities for their support and for attending the Thanksgiving Mass.
Consul General Castro handed out Quincentennial Award plaques and certificates to the leaders of the Filipino Canadian community organizations and media, as well as officials from the TCDSB and DPCDSB awardees who were present during the event. The Quincentennial Awardees were previously announced on 12 June 2021 during the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto’s Virtual Programme commemorating the 123rd Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence, the Filipino Heritage Month and the Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines.
The event was a testament to the Consulate General’s mission of unifying the Filipino Canadian Community under its jurisdiction, as well as in maintaining link and goodwill with the two Catholic District School Boards in charge of the education of a large number of students with Filipino descent. TCDSB and DPCDSB have 91,000 and 81,000 secondary and elementary students, respectively. – END
