Those who have found themselves on Highway 400 travelling through West Gwillimbury on their way north of Toronto are likely familiar with Bradford’s Holland Marsh wetlands — an agricultural patch of roughly 7,200 acres, situated just 50 kilometres outside of downtown Toronto. 

There, the sights of open fields, crop maintenance and historic vegetable farming, much of which acts as the backbone of Bradford’s early and continued economic drive, have long been visible along that stretch of highway. Many, however, have never spotted the people who make it possible, nor the local parish that refuses to let them labour in fields unseen and without guidance. 

Many of the migrant workers throughout the Holland Marsh area have turned to Holy Martyrs of Japan’s St. Philip of Jesus (San Felipe de Jesús) Mission, a long-standing, well-regarded and now reinvigorated initiative that accompanies agricultural migrant workers, both physically and spiritually, from the surrounding areas.

Advertisement

Spiritual ministry to migrant agricultural workers in the Bradford/Holland Marsh area goes back to 1998 through a joint effort of Holy Martyrs of Japan and Newmarket’s St. Elizabeth Seton and St. John Chrysostom Parishes. But it has only strengthened with Fr. John Pak’s arrival at the Bradford church post-COVID, when Auxiliary Bishop John Boissonneau decided a renewed approach was needed. 

“ I still remember when I arrived on the last Wednesday of June in 2021, the following Monday, one of the first things Bishop Boissonneau told me was that we had to restart the migrant workers ministry, as it is something so important for our church and for this area,”  Pak told The Catholic Register. 

“That is when we started having Spanish Mass back each Sunday, something I was celebrating as I had learned Spanish when I was very little. Admittedly, I had to practise my reading, pronunciation and how to write homilies through language translations and such.”  

Two years after bringing the historic initiative back to life, Pak understood the need for a dedicated clergy member who was naturally Spanish-speaking. With that, Fr. Edwin Logrono arrived in February 2023, and by June 2024, with Boissonneau’s full support, the ministry was formally restructured and renamed the St. Philip of Jesus (San Felipe de Jesús) Mission — a welcome choice according to the two pastors. 

“ St. Philip of Jesus is one of the original 32 martyrs of Japan, and he's from Mexico,” Pak said. “I think it was just perfect that we now have a martyr of Japan, who is Mexican, as a patron saint for the mission for the migrant workers, most of whom are also from Mexico themselves.”  

Logrono added that, even while many of the Holland Marsh migrant workers now work on large corporate farms that do not recognize Sunday as a day of rest, attendance at the weekly Spanish Mass remains consistent, with upwards of 20 workers taking advantage of the offering. 

It’s more than a dedicated Sunday Mass, however. The St. Phillip of Jesus Mission has grown to offer different recreational and faith-based activities throughout the year for migrant workers. This year, celebrations for Mexican Independence Day, Day of the Dead, general fellowship and ever-popular soccer match gatherings have garnered high levels of attendance. 

It’s a ministry that has proven to be overarching in care through all aspects of each local migrant worker's lives, with strong pastoral presence and personal accompaniment being a primary focus of both priests leading the mission inside and outside of Holy Martyrs' walls. 

Advertisement

Logrono is said to often personally visit workers’ farms, meet them at places like Tim Hortons on Friday afternoons for a coffee, treat them to the occasional lunch and even celebrate birthdays with them, complete with gifts such as rosaries. His passion has even extended to more personal elements of the workers’ lives, as told by Pak. 

“All of these workers have issues at home, their workplaces, and some of them, unfortunately, get hurt during their working hours. At least four or five times, Fr. Logrono has rushed to the hospital to accompany these migrant workers and stayed with them in the hospital, even through a surgery in one case,” he said. 

The long, taxing and laborious body of work that Pak alludes to is not a dramatization. As of 2016, produce from the area known as the province's “Soup and Salad Bowl” fed 75 per cent of Ontario and 65 per cent of all of Canada through the 66 varieties of vegetables grown in the area, according to the Holland Marsh Growers' Association. 

“He has made a personal connection, providing that moral support as somebody who cares for them, and our migrant workers have  come to thank me many times for having a Spanish-speaking priest who cares about them and who is available for them.” 

The program is also supported by a core volunteer team of nine families from the parish, with additional help from CWL, Knights of Columbus and other parish groups when needed. 

Ivan Brito and his wife have been coordinators for the past two years, an experience that has grown into a special connection, he said. 

“ All the volunteers, as immigrants, we understood the importance of this, and so we are happy to serve. I see it as a win-win, because now we have a Spanish Mass for ourselves and for the migrant workers. We're happy to continue to do this, and hopefully we can keep going forever, God willing,” he said. 

The volunteer families met with both pastors on Nov. 25 to discuss plans for the mission’s final event of 2025, a vigil prayer, community meal and feast Mass for Our Lady of Guadalupe from Dec. 11 to 12. There, along with Boissonneau and Bradford Mayor James Leduc, the St. Philip of Jesus' team will close out another year of support toward some of the town’s most overlooked brothers and sisters. 

Pak also shared his hopes that the broader Holy Martyrs of Japan community is able to join in support of the ministry, a welcome sight he and Logrono have grown accustomed to seeing.  

“ Regardless of where we are from, what language we speak or what skin colour we have, we are one family and we belong to God and to the same Church. We have a lot of Portuguese, English, Canadian, Italian, African and Asian parishioners, all who really appreciate and look forward to celebrating with us again,” he said. 

Advertisement

“These cultural celebrations have become a source of unity for us in our parish, and I think it's beautiful that we are able to come together and unite as one.” 

While St. Philip of Jesus Mission is supported by the parish, those able and interested in supporting the ministry financially or through volunteer support are encouraged to contact Holy Martyrs directly.