Church ministers to increasing number of Brazilian immigrants

Published: 2006-10-17

TORONTO (CNS) -- Brazilian Gilmar Silva calls Toronto's St. Anthony Parish home, although he is thousands of miles from Brazil. "I came here because I heard there were Masses in Portuguese, but didn't know there was a Mass in Brazilian Portuguese, which was a good surprise," said Silva, who arrived in Canada in August. Silva is part of a young and growing community of Brazilians spread throughout the United States and Canada. Although Brazil is traditionally a country that received immigrants, an unprecedented number of its citizens have left over the last decade in search of a better life. To take care of the growing number of Brazilian Catholics in other countries, the Brazilian bishops' conference has created a commission for Brazilians abroad, part of the bishops' commission for the service of charity, justice and peace. The U.N. Population Fund estimated that between 3 million and 4 million Brazilians live outside Brazil; 70 percent of them are in the United States, Paraguay and Japan. In many countries, most are residing illegally.

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