St. Martin
St. Martin of Tours was born around 316 at Sabaria, a Roman city in what is now Hungary. He was attracted to Christianity at a young age. As a soldier in the Roman army, Martin was sent to Amiens in Gaul, which became the scene of the celebrated legend of the cloak.
At the gates of Amiens, one very cold day, Martin met a shivering and half-naked beggar. Filled with compassion, he divided his coat into two parts and gave one to the poor man. The part he kept became a famous relic, preserved in oral legend under the name “St. Martin’s cloak.”
Martin was baptized and spent many years studying and preaching the Gospel. He became bishop of the church of Tours in 372. Many local legends about Martin’s journeys survive in France, and he considered one of its greatest saints.
Reaching Out
The stories of Christ reaching out to the poor and the marginalized are some of the most deeply moving ones we know. They inspired our patron St. Martin and continue to inspire us to work to bring relief to those who are suffering or ignored in our surrounding community.
“If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,’ and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.” (James 2:15-17)
This work is led by our Outreach Committee who are committed to reaching out to the vulnerable, marginalized or disadvantaged. We have done this both directly and by providing support and resources to community organizations.
And through our advocacy ministry, we attempt to address the underlying issues that perpetuate the inequalities in our society.
Over the years, our committee, representing the whole parish, has supported a number of agencies and initiatives:
- AURA – Refugee Sponsorship
- The Redwood Shelter
- Romero House
- Clean Water Projects
- Bloor West Food Bank
- Feed It Forward
- PARC
- Toronto Urban Native Ministry
- Creative Inclusion (Ukrainian families)
FaithWorks
Our Outreach Committee also facilitates our parish’s response to FaithWorks, the outreach arm of the whole diocese. Money donated to Faithworks goes to the 16 partner agencies that provide support both locally and around the world to refugees, prisoners, the homeless, the underemployed and families fleeing abuse.
15% of the money that St. Martin`s parishioners donate to FaithWorks stays with our Outreach Committee for work in our own community.
We also invite parishioners to participate in our effort to raise funds for FaithWorks each spring at our Faithworks Walkathon. This annual walk usually takes place in the late spring on Toronto Island. We welcome participation by walking or pledging or both.
Hosting Our Neighbours
St. Martin’s is active in the community in other ways – by hosting our neighbours and friends with events at no charge throughout the year managed by our Missional Team and supported by our parishioners – to which all are invited.
“It requires an outward focus, rather than inward. It calls us out of the building into the neighbourhood, and invites us to serve as Christ’s hands and feet, and heart and mind” Fr. Andrew Macdonald
Some events include:
- Blessing of Bicycles in late spring
- Neighbourhood Fun Fair in early summer
- Blessing of Pets in early fall
- Caroling in the Garden just before Christmas
- Weekly Pickleball on Thursdays from 1:00-3:00, 6:30-8:00 and 8:00-9:30.
The Team also manages the Blessing Box – an installation in the Lychgate on Glenlake Avenue which addresses various needs within our community by supplying non-perishable foods, personal and household supplies – and in cold weather – hats, mitts, gloves, warm socks, sweaters and hoodies. This unit also maintains a little library with books for children and adults. “Take what you need, leave what you can, but above all BE BLESSED”
This installation is supported by parishioners of St. Martin’s and our friends in the local community. It is accessible to all to put in or take out – as dictated by their need.