Tou, Thomas
Father Thomas Tou was the first Chinese Catholic priest working in Montreal, Quebec. Born near Beijing, China in 1921, he was ordained in China before spending eight years in Rome studying Canon Law. While in Rome, the Archbishop of Montreal invited him to come and work in Canada. Father Tou recalls that when he arrived in Montreal in 1957, Chinese women were still scarce among the population. Over his long career, Father Tou has helped many Chinese newcomers navigate family life in Canada, regardless of their affiliation with the church. For example, in the late 1950s, he received special permission to perform marriages for non-Catholic Chinese couples. This allowance helped couples comply with the immigration regulation that admitted fiancées into Canada, provided the marriage occurred within a short period of time. During the operation of the Chinese Adjustment Program (1962-1973), he also helped many Chinese Montrealers correct their immigration status. This program granted amnesty to Chinese immigrants who had entered Canada with false documents. Although Father Tou retired in 1998, he continued to serve the community at the Holy Spirit Montreal Chinese Catholic Mission at the time of the interview.
‘So then they gave the Chinese, you can say, a favour, to make a readjustment program. So many Chinese went to immigration to adjust their status. And unfortunately they cannot speak the language. So I gave them service for free.’
Father Tou explains how he gave free help to Chinese newcomers with immigration issues. He describes the challenge of having to translate a number of different Chinese languages in order to help the Chinese community. He notes that as a young man, he often turned to the Sisters of Our Lady of Angels, who were involved with the parish, to facilitate his interactions with women, and to start the process of conversion for new parishioners.
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