Parish History 堂區歷史

加拿大多倫多天主教中華殉道聖人堂簡史

1987年7 日獲得多倫多總主教恩准在大多市東北區設立一所華人堂區。於同年10月4 日借用士嘉堡聖嬰小學 (Divine Infant Catholic School) 禮堂舉行第一臺感恩祭。主任司鐸是湯一煌神父，臨時會長是王士杰先生和丘愛華女士。至1988年4 月才選出首屆主席丘愛華女士，副會長胡錦標先生，秘書是王筱蕙女士。當時參與彌撒聖祭的教友只有二百多人。不久，設立傳教組，內有慕道班、主日學、兒童聖經分享小組；禮儀組有輔祭組、歌詠團、讀經組和送聖體員；服務組有圖書館、諮詢小組和康樂組；並相繼組織善會，有國語協進會、婦女會和青年會。而每主日都有主日茶座，婦女會會員在每臺彌撒後為教友們提供豐富的早餐。

鑑於教友逐漸增多，於1989年8 月成立建堂委員會，並商議多加一處彌撒場地舉行主日彌撒。同年10 月借用真福德蘭修女學校 (Blessed Mother Teresa Catholic Secondary School)，至1992年止。1992年2 月改借用瑪利奧中學 (Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School)，代替真福德蘭修女學校為主日彌撒中心。

1990年派代表謁見總主教，申訴理由要求撥地建堂。1991年7 月終獲得教區通過撥現址建堂。在建堂委員會馬津生主席 (Tony Ma)、各委員及秘書努力負責工程和堂區四位顧問及堂區議會會長通力合作下，於1992年舉行動土禮。翌年1 月開始興建。

在這期間曾多年舉辦百萬唱、賣物會 (Bazaar) 和粵劇 (Chinese opera) 義演等活動籌募經費，也籲請教友實物認捐聖堂一切設施。在教友踴躍熱烈支持下，終於1994年1月9 日在可容納約九百多座位的新堂舉行首次感恩聖祭，並開始每主日備有專線巴士接送教友。

1994年10月15 日新聖堂祝聖開幕典禮，由 Bishop Mikloshazy 主持。1997年10月3 日慶祝堂區成立十週年。1998年4月出版1987至1997十週年彩色畫刊。2007年出版1987至2007二十週年堂慶紀念畫刊。在這二十年期間，教友人數日漸增加，成為一充滿活力的堂區。

堂區的成立及建基的穩固，我們的創堂首任司鐸湯一煌神父功不可沒。他以樂觀和勤勞的態度帶領我們的堂區。2002年8 月, 在主教 Most Rev. Nicola De Angelis 手中，將主任司鐸的任務交給接任本堂司鐸梁達材神父。

在任的五年中，梁達材神父打理堂區事務，井然有序，靈修活動更使教友鞏固信仰的根基。他尤其對兒童和青少年的培育更加注重，兒童培育小組因而成立。關社組和維護生命小組的組成，可見他對社區的關注。

2007年，多倫多總教區正式將天主教中華殉道聖人堂的牧民工作委托給耀漢小兄弟會的神父管理。從2007年至今，在本堂主任司鐸鄧建衛神父的帶領下，堂區繼續茁壯成長，來自中國的教友也續漸增加。我們常用的口號是: 【聖堂是我家，不分你我他；共融主愛下，溫馨傳萬家】。

我們衷心感謝在天大父，如果沒有祂的降福和助佑，我們甚麼也不能作。在未來的歲月，將堂區的每一位神父修女、每一個家庭成員、每一件事工，全托付給我們的天主。

Brief History of The Chinese Martyrs Catholic Church

In July 1987, the Archbishop of Toronto approved the plan for a new parish to be built in the north-east of the Greater Toronto Area. On October 4th, 1987, the first Mass was held at the hall of the Divine Infant Catholic School in Scarborough, celebrated by Fr. Paul Tang, who was the Pastor at that time; the acting parish council chairman was Mr. Stephen Wang and Ms. Theresa Chiu. The first official parish council was not formed until April 1988 when Ms. Theresa Chiu was the chair, Mr. Raphael Wu was the vice-chair and Ms. Theresa Wang was the secretary. There were only about 200 parishioners at that time. Not long after that, the Faith Development Ministries (including RCIA/C, Sunday School, and Children Liturgy of the Word), and the Liturgical Ministries (including Altar Boy Society, Choirs, Ministry of Word, and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion), and the Parish Support Groups (including Library, Information Team, and Recreation Team) were formed. Later on, different parish groups including the Mandarin Group, Women's League, and Youth Group were formed as well. The Sunday Café was also in service by the courtesy of the Women's League, providing parishioners with breakfast after each Mass .

As the number of parishioners increased, space was running out at the school hosting the Sunday Mass. In August 1989, a Parish Building Committee was formed. Between October 1989 and 1992, the parish also borrowed Blessed Mother Teresa Catholic Secondary School as an alternate venue to celebrate Masses. In February 1992, Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School was used to replace Blessed Mother Teresa Catholic Secondary School to celebrate Sunday Masses.

In 1990, representatives from the parish met with the Archbishop to request for a piece of land to build a new church, and it was finally approved in July 1991. Thanks to the work of Mr. Tony Ma, chair of the Church Building Committee, all the committee members and secretary, the four consultants from the parish, and the parish council chair, the ground-breaking ceremony was held on November 10th, 1992, and the actual project began in January of the following year.

During all these years, various fund-raising events such as 'Singathon', Bazaar, and Chinese Opera shows were held. Thanks to the support of all the parishioners, the new church with a capacity of 900 was completed. The first Mass was celebrated on January 9th, 1994 in the newly built church. The shuttle bus also came into service to transport parishioners to the church.

The official church blessing ceremony hosted by the Most Reverend Bishop Mikloshazy was held on October 15, 1994, and the 10th anniversary was celebrated on October 3, 1997. The first decade album (1987 – 1997) was published in April, 1998. The 20th anniversary album (1987 – 2007) was published in 2007. During the last two decades, the number of parishioners kept on increasing, and a very energetic parish was formed.

The founding and the stabilizing of this parish must be attributed to Fr. Tang. He led the parish with an optimistic and hard-working attitude. On August 2002, Fr. Peter Leung became the replacement Pastor for the parish, blessed by then-bishop, Most Rev. Nicola De Angelis.

During Fr. Leung's five years term, all parish activities were in order, and the spiritual activities have strengthened the faith of all the parishioners. He paid special attention and emphasis on children and youth, highlighted by the foundation of the Children Formation Group. The Social Justice Group as well as the Pro-Life Committee was formed to take care about our neighbors and the community.

In 2007, the Archdiocese of Toronto officially entrusted the pastoral work of the Chinese Martyrs Catholic Church to the priests of the The Congregation of St. John the Baptist. From 2007 to the present, led by our current Pastor Rev. Andrew Jianwei Deng, the parish continues to grow and expand, with faithful from mainland China continues to increase. Our parish slogan is "Be you, Be me, Be part of it; Unity in CMCC".

Let us give our heart-felt thanks to our Lord. Without His blessing, there is nothing we can do. As we enter the 3rd decade, let us put everything in the hands of God.

*There are 20 Chinese Martyrs Saints relics placed in our church:

the relic of Bishop Gabriel Taurin Dufresse MEP is placed beneath the altar;
a reliquary behind the pews in the church contains 19 Chinese Martyr Saints relics.

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在我們聖堂内安放了二十位中華殉道聖人的聖觸：