In the last year, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has established the first three Portuguese-speaking congregations in Canada — the Centennial Branch in Calgary, Alberta; the Halifax Second Branch in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia; and the Ossington Branch in Toronto, Ontario.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a vibrant, growing faith community of more than 17 million members in 190 countries. Latter-day Saints represent diverse cultures, speak more than 120 languages, and come from unique personal backgrounds.
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The Centennial Branch in Calgary, Alberta
Church member Glauber Marques had a simple desire — to attend worship services in his native language. Marques, his wife, Ana Karla, and their three children moved from Brazil to Canada in 2017. They have spent the last two years in Calgary.
“We have seen a huge number of people moving to Calgary, with a lot of them asking for any church where meetings could be held in Portuguese,” said Marques, who is vice president of the Brazilian Community Association of Alberta. He felt the Brazilian community could benefit from Church programs and a Portuguese congregation, so he emailed the seven Calgary stake presidents explaining his reasoning.
Kent Stringham, first counsellor in the new Centennial Branch presidency, learned Portuguese when he served a mission in Portugal. Stringham recalls, “Our stake did not have a language [congregation], and there happened to be several Brazilian families at this end of the city.”
Marques’ message had an impact on the Calgary stake presidents. “As a result,” said Stringham, “our stake president, Brad Stevens, decided to begin a [Portuguese] group, and I was asked to organize it. Our first meeting … was attended by about 150 people.”
As the weeks continued, Stringham said several families committed to participating in the branch, and attendance hovered around 60 to 70 people. Eventually, they received authorization to form a Portuguese-speaking branch.
On December 31, 2023, the Centennial Branch — Canada’s first Portuguese-speaking branch — was established. Stringham said, “André de Castro Deus was called as our branch president, with me as first counsellor and Tiago Miota Gonçalves as second counsellor. We have maintained our attendance and had a few more families join us since.”
“It has been a blessing being able to preach the gospel, share messages, fulfil callings and sing hymns in Portuguese,” said Raquel Bueno, the branch’s first Relief Society president. “It brings the feeling of familiarity. … People are very happy to be able to express themselves in their own language.”
The Halifax Second Branch in Halifax, Nova Scotia
“The Halifax Second Branch is a miracle,” said Branch President Gilberto de Azevedo Portella. “Our Brazilian Church members were waiting for a long time for this branch.”
Mauro Da Costa and his family arrived in Canada from Brazil in 2017. He said, “From the moment we settled here, we dedicated ourselves to working diligently and immersing ourselves in our new community.”
Da Costa was eventually called as the bishop of the Halifax Ward. He said, “Serving the Lord has been an incredible blessing. … It has allowed me to grow spiritually and connect deeply with fellow members. The opportunity to serve in this capacity has been a significant and enriching part of our journey in Canada.”
Da Costa added, “Since our arrival in Canada, we have witnessed the Portuguese-speaking community grow rapidly.” Many people approached him and his family, inquiring whether there was a church where they could worship in Portuguese. This growing need highlighted the importance of providing spiritual support and resources for Portuguese speakers.
“Although we live in a country where we speak English, we’ve always thought of the importance to learn about the gospel and worship in our native language,” said Da Costa. “The branch has been a blessing not only for those who are looking to learn more about the Church but also for our members. It is a blessing to share our testimonies and give a talk in a language we feel more comfortable [with].”
>Relief Society President Andrea Simione has been living in Halifax for five years and feels blessed for this important episode in her life because she never thought of having Portuguese classes and meetings in Canada.
The Halifax Second Branch of the Dartmouth Nova Scotia Stake was established on April 14, 2024, with Branch President Gilberto Portella and counsellors Eddie Correia and Moroni Torres. Portella said, “In my opinion, it is just the beginning. The Lord loves Nova Scotia, and He is preparing the land to receive His people. Can you imagine many people in the Church [in Canada] worshipping God in their own language?”
The Ossington Branch in Toronto, Ontario
“The Ossington Branch is a blessing to all those who wish to worship our Saviour in Portuguese,” said President Erick Casado of the Toronto Ontario Stake. “This is the first Portuguese unit of the Church in Ontario. In the branch, we have immigrants from Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique and many other parts of the world.”
The Ossington Branch was established on April 21, 2024, and is the third Portuguese congregation in Canada. Jose Roberto Cavalcanti de Freitas is its first branch president, with counsellors Matheus Radtke Soller and Larry Favian Gomez Villamil.
“I know our Heavenly Father loves the faithful Portuguese-speaking Saints in our area,” said President Casado. “This is an answer to their prayers, selfless dedication and Christlike lives.”