JANUARY 2026 UPDATES

The Irmandade continues to address the needs of the Portuguese community through various religious and cultural activities.

It has become a tradition to hold a Rosary prayer meeting on All Saints’/All Souls’ Day. Those who attend bring photos of their loved ones, and the group prays the Rosary in memory of the deceased. Afterwards, all present share coffee, cake, and memories.

The “Academia de Convívio”, a free program for members aged 55 and older, takes place once a month on Fridays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Many people attend regularly. This year, we had a few surprise guests—former members who happened to be in town during our Convívio—including the Melo family, who were very active at the Irmandade prior to their return to Portugal. Our simple, Portuguese-themed lunches are always appreciated by attendees. On one occasion, we were fortunate to enjoy homemade alheiras, which were especially meaningful not only for their flavor but also as a reminder of the late, long-standing active members, the Veiga family, Angelina and António, who once prepared them.

We also enjoyed several special sessions highlighted by Mr. Baldomiro Soares, a regular participant in our meetings. In March, Mr. Soares gave a presentation on the importance of “Water,” a fascinating talk that left the audience with much to reflect upon. In May, he presented a session on “Gratitude,” based on his family’s adventurous journey by fishing boat from Africa to Portugal during the 1970s. Another memorable occasion occurred when the Margaça family requested that Mr. Soares write a poem depicting the joy they experience when attending the Convívio. Mr. Soares and his wife, Cristina, fulfilled this request at the December 2025 Convívio, presenting two beautiful poems that captured the joy attendees feel when gathering at the Irmandade.

On a musical note, we are delighted to have our in-house musician, Quim Alves, at most sessions. He is a constant source of musical joy and keeps everyone smiling with his humorous anecdotes.

In the area of community outreach, we are now in our second year of partnership with the Portuguese Apostolate of the Resurrection of Our Lord Church and School. Each month, the Irmandade’s administration volunteers its time to prepare 125 nutritious meals for individuals experiencing homelessness. The Apostolate funds this initiative and delivers the meals to those in need throughout Philadelphia. We are very proud of this partnership, as we recognize the great need within our city.

Several businesses have been associate members of the Irmandade for the past three years, including Luso-American Financial Lodge 48 and the Portuguese American Professional and Business Association (PAPBA). As associate members, these organizations have the privilege of using our facilities for their meetings and have entrusted us with the catering of their official events. PAPBA has also sponsored the Academia de Convívio for approximately ten months. We appreciate the confidence of these organizations and are grateful to continue these valued partnerships.

Our cultural events have become wonderful opportunities to experience authentic Portuguese cuisine. Under the direction of Ana Paula Alves and her kitchen staff, all meals are thoughtfully planned, prepared with fresh ingredients, and cooked with great care in keeping with traditional recipes. Members know that when they attend our events, they will enjoy a truly authentic meal. Each dinner includes a dessert buffet generously donated by the administration and, at times, by guests as well.

This year, we celebrated the third anniversary of the opening of our new facility and, with sadness, said farewell to two valued administrators who returned to Portugal. The Ferreira family—Mário and Lurdes—have been an integral part of the Irmandade for decades, and we will deeply miss their dedication and kindness. Our members Elisabete and Fernando Custódio also relocated to Portugal. Fernando frequently shared his musical talents by playing and singing at our events.

We have much to be proud of this year, especially our administration. We remain deeply committed to the core values of the Irmandade and work as a team that respects and supports one another so we can serve the organization to the best of our ability. In doing so, we continue to benefit the Portuguese community. We are especially grateful to our long-standing members who, like us, recognize the value of this organization—a place where people come together to work and socialize with joy, kindness, and a special devotion to Our Lady of Fátima.

UPDATE JANUARY 2025

In September 2024, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Portuguese School. Although the school has been inactive for several years, it continues to be a source of pride for the Irmandade. In 1975, the first five students received their official fourth-grade diplomas directly from the Portuguese Ministry of Education. Since then, hundreds of Luso-Americans have received formal instruction in the Portuguese language through the Irmandade.

We celebrated this milestone with a reunion in September. There was food, drink, and Portuguese trivia, and many people were in attendance. We were honored by the presence of Professora Clara, along with a videotaped message from Professora Belmira, who now resides in Florida.

The Rancho, named Tamar Alto, which is the Irmandade’s folkloric dance group inspired by the traditions of Nazaré, Portugal, is another source of pride for the Irmandade. In October 2023, the Rancho celebrated its 50th anniversary. We held a reunion celebration where over 20 former dancers were present. We were privileged to have three of the original members in attendance, along with many others who danced in the Rancho at various times over the past 50 years. One of the last coaches of the Rancho, José Amado, and his family were also present. It was a wonderful celebration featuring folkloric dancing and several games involving traditional costumes.

The “Academia de Convívio” initiative continues this year. It is a free event for members over 55 years of age. Sessions are held once a month on Fridays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Members participate in various activities such as singing, physical movement, arts and crafts, and bingo. One of the participants’ favorite activities is simply talking with peers about old times and traditions while enjoying a simple Portuguese lunch.

We have had the pleasure of hosting several distinguished guest presenters who are also part of the Philadelphia Portuguese community. One art session was led by artist Mateus Costa, who demonstrated the art of portrait drawing. Another guest was the former Counselor of Portugal and published author, Mr. Baldomiro Soares, who introduced the art of writing through a presentation of his book, The Portuguese of Pennsylvania. Mr. Lemos, another author, also presented a trilogy of his books during one of the sessions. We hope to welcome these presenters back in the future.

The Academia de Convívio has grown and now has a base of over 20 members, with typically 12 to 16 people attending each session. We have received excellent feedback regarding this initiative. In the words of our participants: “This is the highlight of my month!”, “I have such fun here!”, and “I make sure not to schedule doctor’s appointments on meeting days.” The Irmandade administration is thrilled with the success of this initiative. It is part of our mission to reach out to our brothers and sisters with kindness and service while continuing our Portuguese traditions. At this time, we feel our community is in need of initiatives like this one to support our aging Portuguese population.

Recently, we embarked on another mission to help and serve our neighbors through a partnership with the Portuguese Apostolate of the Resurrection of Our Lord Church and School in Philadelphia. The Irmandade administration volunteers one day per month to cook 150 nutritious meals for the homeless. The Apostolate funds, collects, and distributes the meals.

Of course, we also remain busy with our traditional feasts such as Our Lady of Fátima, Carnival, and Santos Populares. At times, we prepare traditional takeout meals to help raise funds.

This is the first year in a long time that we ended December 2024 with a profit, albeit a small one. We attribute this success to the administration’s careful planning, consistent austerity measures, and many hours of volunteer work, along with their personal monetary and material donations.

Our membership base is also growing, and we are extremely grateful to our members. Many are very generous and frequently donate money. Most regularly attend our events and often bring new members with them. Many have also begun bringing desserts to events. We thank them, as this not only demonstrates their willingness to actively participate but also helps keep our costs down.

The Irmandade members are people of faith who hold a special devotion to Our Lady of Fátima. They cherish their culture and traditions and enjoy spending time together celebrating all things Portuguese.

UPDATES / MARCH 2024

The Irmandade is happy to report that the 2023 goals were met. We successfully re-opened the facilities on May 13, 2013. There were over 70 people in attendance. Since then we have continued our religious goals of prayer and service to our members and the Portuguese community at large. We have had several Rosary Meetings which were well attended. In addition, we started our “Academia de Convivencia” The Social Academy where we invited our most senior members to gather for a light lunch and an afternoon of socializing, reminiscing, games and singing.

Our cultural events included dinners, luncheons and children’s activities that combined Portuguese culinary traditions with Portuguese historical events.

We have retained many of our previous members and acquired many new members.

We improved our facilities by finishing the basement where there is an office, storage area, religious artifact room and a Rancho artifact room. We were gifted silverware, table linens and many decorative items.

We are grateful for our members who have supported our initiatives this first year of re-opening. We have had positive feedback and we’ve listened to suggestions for improvement.

The Irmandade is here to serve its members by continuing to add more activities that appeal to our members and that follow the teachings of Our Lady of Fatima.

GOALS / MARCH 2023

The Portuguese American Rosary Society of Our Lady of Fatima (aka Irmandade) has been in existence for decades. Over the past few years, as a result of demographic changes in the Portuguese community, the Irmandade has had to reassess its mission, its size, and its activities. The sale of the old headquarters and purchase of the new facility are the outcome of that reassessment. The new much-downsized facility has been in the process of renovation using the labor of volunteer members. 

The renovation is almost complete with the objective to formally open it to members later this year through a Grand Opening. Prior to that, we plan an Open House to the general public at a date to be determined. 

While we do this, we are also evaluating the nature and extent of activities we will be able to offer in the new facility as we carry out its mission as a religious association.