Welcome, Mission, & History

For over 100 years this parish has been present in Cambridge serving Portuguese speaking people from the many lands where the language is spoken, as well as our English-speaking neighbors in the East Cambridge area. As a bilingual, multi-cultural parish we welcome all who cross our threshold. One can see people of many cultures, backgrounds and languages at our Sunday Eucharistic celebrations. 
While we continue to honor the traditions of the founders of this parish we look forward to celebrating and enhancing our traditions by bridging with our neighboring parishes while strengthening the mission of Evangelization with the greater Church of the Archdiocese of Boston and the World.

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The historical development of the Portuguese Parish of St. Anthony's in Cambridge, Massachusetts is inextricably intertwined with that of Portuguese immigration to the United States, Portuguese settlement in the Greater Boston area, and the social, cultural, and religious values of the Portuguese Roman Catholics. 
According to a professor of Brown Univer-sity, the translation of the carvings on Dighton Rock, found in Fall River, Massachusetts is proof that the Portuguese left their mark as early as the 16th century. There is also documentation in the Royal Charters in Lisbon that shows two brothers sailed from Portugal to North America in the 1500's. However, it is not known whether they arrived in New England. Based upon these findings, it is possible that the Portuguese inhabited this area when the Pilgrims arrived.
In the 17th and 18th century, the Portuguese Sephardic Jews, who were escaping religious persecution, settled in Maryland and Rhode Island. Whaling ships replenishing their crews in the Azores, brought Portuguese to New Bedford where they established their own colonies in 18th and 19th century. Later, other Portuguese settlements developed in Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, Gloucester and Boston.
The decline of the whaling industry at the end of the 19th century coincided with the rise of the industrial revolution. Immigrants migrated to industrialized cities such as the North End, East Boston, and East Cambridge to work in textile mills.
The majority of the Portuguese immigrants were Roman Catholic. A great many of them possessed a deep and fervent faith, a faith in which and by which they lived their lives.
However, when they arrived they felt great frustration when on Sundays they had no choice but to worship in an English speaking church. Although the mass was universally celebrated in Latin, homilies and a number of counseling services performed by the priests were not in their native language. Though the immigrants faced many obstacles and overcame struggles to adjust to life in their new world, still one hindrance that was slowly becoming intolerable was the lack of a Portuguese speaking church. If there was to be one safe port in their new found homeland, they hoped to find it in the church of their ancestors.

Father António Pimentel, a man of great vision and pastoral sensitivity, saw the need of a Portuguese parish in Cambridge. Members of the Portuguese community at St John the Baptist Church in Boston were becoming fewer and fewer and he proposed the sale of the church, a building on North Bennett Street, which is now a branch of the Boston Public Library. On April 3, 1902, with the authorization from the Most Rev. John J. Williams, Archbishop of Boston, a building at the corner of Portland (now Cardinal Medeiros Ave) and Hardwick Street in Cambridge was purchased from a Portuguese Fraternity. After the necessary alterations to turn the social club into a Catholic Church, the blessing of the new church of St. Anthony's in Cambridge took place on May 30, 1902. Father Pimentel, at his own request, was transferred from Boston to Cambridge where he assumed the post of pastor on the 30th of May, 1902.
Not only a strong force in unifying the Portuguese Christian community, he also organized much of the social events such as Annual Parish Picnics, Parish Reunions and Holy Ghost and Santo Cristo Feasts. Under his guidance, the Holy Name Society, Holy Rosary Sodality and Choir were formed. 

At the time of Father Pimentel's retirement in 1950, Father Manuel Cascais was transferred to St. Anthony's in Cambridge. He proceeded in the same direction initiated by the beloved founder of the parish. In 1954, he was appointed Pastor.
Due to the constant rapid growth of the community and to the idea that the old building was a temporary solution for the urgent needs of the people, the first steps were taken toward construction of a new church. There were activities such as dinners and raffles, all connected with the idea of raising funds for the new church. 

When Rev. Joel D. Oliveira became pastor on April 8, 1972, the need for a new church was more eminent than it had ever been. The number of Portuguese immigrants arriving and settling in the greater Boston area was reaching unprecedented heights and our church was being filled beyond capacity every Sunday. In addition, the building was found to be structurally unsafe and was consequently condemned by the City of Cambridge as well as the Archdiocese. Faced with the task of building a new church Father Oliveira and several parishioners formed the New Building Committee.
Almost immediately negotiations for the site of a new church were begun with the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority. The land at the corner of Cambridge Street and Portland Street (now Cardinal Medeiros) was purchased for the construction of the new church and parish complex. 
The Diamond Jubilee of the Parish in 1977 was a glorious occasion and the kick-off for fundraising for the new church building and complex. It helped create the atmosphere and general feeling of great excitement that led to the long journey still under way.
The enthusiasm for the construction of the new church continued to grow in such a way that it became the aspiration and the dream of the entire parish.
"When it is just a person to dream, the dream will be no more than an illusion. When it is the whole community, then the dream becomes a wonderful reality' (Bishop Helder Camara).
This is what happened to the Portuguese community in 1977. It was not just the parish organizations, it was the entire community who started dreaming with the new church. And the reality was coming to life.
As support for the new church grew, the New Building Committee, led by Mr. José Chaves, and Rev. Oliveira continued to work on developing the fund-raising and construction programs. On November 18, 1977, during the occasion of St. Anthony's 75th Anniversary Jubilee, Mr. Antonio P. De Castro was introduced to the parish as the architect for the project and Mr. John Tavares, a parishioner, was introduced as coordinator of the new church fund-raising campaign.

On May 8, 1978, Father António Medeiros was appointed Administrator of St. Anthony's Church. People began to see physical evidence of their many years of hard work. On October 13, 1978 the first cornerstone for the new church was blessed by Humberto Cardinal Medeiros. This historical event was celebrated with ceremonies that attracted more than 1,000 Portuguese Americans. This was the first step in the realization of a long awaited dream - the construction of St. Anthony's Church.
It is only fair to remember Cardinal Medeiros and the important and crucial role he played in the progress of the events. Humberto Medeiros came from an immigrant family. He himself was an immigrant from São Miguel, Azores, who arrived in America knowing not a word of English.
His Eminence, therefore, knew better than anybody else the faith and the courage of all Portuguese people. He also knew by his own experience what the church meant to the immigrant people in this country. So, he had no hesitation to give the “green light" for the construction of the new church and the parish center. For that and much more, the street where the church is located was re-named Cardinal Medeiros Avenue. 

On December 24, 1979 more than 1,000 people looked on as the bells (which came from St. Ambrosa's Church in Boston's
North End) rang for the first time in the new church. The emotions felt on that night could only be surpassed by those felt on June 18, 1980 - the day St. Anthony's New Church was inaugurated and our dream of 75 years finally realized.

After years of sacrifice and hard work of many parishioners, the goal was finally reached: the building of a new church, rectory and parish center. Many individuals and organizations contributed their time and money over the years to the realization of this dream. The money was raised from "malassadas" sales, country stores, raffles, flea markets, feasts and other activities, including Beano and the Parish Hall Club.
Thanks to the contributions of generations of Portuguese immigrants both past and present, we have made our mark in East Cambridge and in the Catholic Community. We hope that future generations will keep alive that dream.
Father José Ferreira was named Pastor in 1981 and oversaw the completion of this project. The entire project was finally completed December 14, 1986. Father Ferreira served as pastor until 1989, and Father Eusebio Silva was named Pastor.
Father Ferreira returned as Pastor in 1995 until his retirement in 2007. Father Ferreira served many generations of faithful parishioners of Saint Anthony’s in his many years here, and saw the parish grow and flourish over the years. In recognition of his time and dedication to Saint Anthony’s, our parish hall was dedicated to him in 2013, and named the Father José Ferreira Parish Hall. 
Father Walter Carreiro served as our Pastor from Father Ferreira’s retirement in 2007 until 2021. 
Currently, Father Michael Harrington serves as our pastor as well as the parishes of Saint Mary of the Annunciation, Saint Francis, and Sacred Heart of Jesus Parishes all in Cambridge. 
We thank and praise the Lord for each donation, each sacrifice, each act and word of love and faith on the journey and future of our beautiful parish community. In this spirit of unity and brotherly love, we will continue for the glory of God, for the promotion and well being of our great parish family. Many years later, Saint Anthony’s Church still stands as a symbol of the faith and dedication of it’s people.