Celebrating an ‘incredible community partner’

Migrant farmworker community honours retiring Father Antonio Illas, welcomes Rev. Peter Ciallella

As Father Antonio Illas retires and returns with his wife Cela to Mexico, Rev. Peter Ciallella will be joining the Migrant Farmworker Project team. - Luke Edwards photo

By Luke Edwards

It was a bittersweet moment for Father Antonio Illas as he said goodbye to the community he helped build over the past six years.

Illas, who arrived here just before COVID-19 hit and spent the ensuing years building the Migrant Farmworkers Project in Beamsville, retired last month. While he joked it’s the fourth time he’s attempted retirement, this one is likely to stick, with he and his wife Cela returning to Mexico and Illas planning to spend some time in academia.

“It’s a day of mixed emotions. I love what I do and it’s an end of a chapter in my life,” he said.

The farmworkers project is primarily run out of St. Alban’s Church in Beamsville. Each Thursday in the basement of the church volunteers and supporters open the doors and welcome in the community for an evening of food, camaraderie and conversation. It’s also an opportunity for the migrant farmworkers not only to relax, but also access some of the services offered by the project and its partners.

Those services include the tiendita (thrift shop), pastoral care, the Quest Healthcare Clinic, and Bikes for Farmworkers project.

There’s also the Plaza Comunitaria, which provides online education support with the help of the Mexican Consulate General in Toronto. It runs at the nearby Fleming branch of the Lincoln Pelham Public Library.

“COVID was a challenge, but it became an opportunity,” Illas said. With the distancing rules in place, Illas had to go out and meet the workers in the fields and where they worked.

“That shift in paradigm really contributed to the hub and the vision.”

With that shift came the idea of providing all these services under the same roof.

The Thursday cafes offer a social connection for the workers. From there they can access the project’s other services, or simply sit down, relax and enjoy a meal and snacks. Wifi is also provided for those who want to connect with family back home, or work on their education through Plaza Comunitaria.

And it’s a community space, with Illas and other supporters encouraging anyone in the community to come and share a meal.

They also offer information sessions with groups like Bridges Niagara - Immigrant and Refugee Services, Occupational Health Clinics of Ontario Workers, or Positive Living that gives those organizations a chance to connect with the workers.

“I strongly believe in knowledge, because knowledge is power,” Illas said.

Similar services are offered in Fenwick as well.

Illas also pointed out they use a hospitality model instead of a charity model, with the goal of empowering the workers.

In the month leading up to Illas’ departure, the project welcomed his replacement, Rev. Peter Ciallella, who comes with several years of working in similar roles in a church parish setting since 2009 and also the last two years where he worked with The Neighbourhood Organization, under which the Migrant Farmworkers Project operates.

Ciallella acknowledged he has big shoes to fill.

“It’s one of the more complete programs that I’ve witnessed in my years of experience. And that’s a great tribute to this man (Illas) and his wife (Cela),” he said.

It’s been a little overwhelming learning the ropes, but at the same time Ciallella said he’s excited to take over and see how he can continue to evolve the project.

“I’ll continue exploring different ways we can better serve our migrant worker community. I’m very excited but also recognize that it is a challenge,” he said.

He also expressed his gratitude for what has been accomplished over the past six years.

“I’m very grateful to Father Antonio and Cela because I think they’ve built up quite a program,” he said.

That was a common theme among some of the brief speeches given at Illas’ retirement celebration.

Rev. Dan Tatarnic, the priest in charge at St. Alban’s, described the close relationship the church and the project have developed.

“He (Illas) is like a brother to me,” Tatarnic said.

“Today we see the fruits of a very rewarding effort.”

Nudrat Rahman, migrant services manager at Bridges Niagara, called Illas “an incredible community partner who has supported our events in all sorts of ways.”

Both Illas and Ciallella encouraged the greater Niagara community to support their migrant farmworker neighbours and think of them as just that: their neighbours.

“Appreciate, learn about migrant farmworkers. Migrant farmworkers are here, they are our neighbours,” Illas said.

“Not only are they our neighbours, they are essential workers.”

One way to do that is to join in on the first major community event of the year. Workers and members of the public are invited out to St. Alban’s on Thursday, May 15 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. There will be music, games, authentic Mexican food and more.

“We want people to feel welcome, whether they’re a migrant worker, resident, Spanish speaking, Canadian. Anybody is welcome,” Ciallella said.

And while he’s sad to be leaving Canada and the friends he’s made here, Illas said he’ll be bringing a bit of the maple leaf with him. He and Cela recently became Canadian citizens.

“Although we are departing, Canada now will be within me. I’m bringing Canada with me,” he said.

He said he’ll also miss the camaraderie that came with the Migrant Farmworkers Project, as well as the dedicated people who were involved.

“People willing to work and really make community, I’ll miss that,” he said.