By Charlie Senack
After serving the congregation at Parkdale United Church for the last 25 years, Rev. Anthony Bailey has put on his robe for the final time.
During his two and a half decades at the pulpit, Bailey was a trailblazer in Kitchissippi and beyond. He raised money for charity, denounced racism, and wasn’t afraid to take on causes close to his heart. But being a community man meant time away from family, and the reverend said it felt like time to move on.
“I’ve thought about this moment for some time and I can’t decide how exactly it will go. It has been a profound privilege to offer ministry in this congregation [and] to experience the excellence, joy and the welcome of the people of Parkdale and this community,” Bailey said at his final mass on Sept. 29.
“It is difficult to encapsulate what this life of ministry has been. I want to particularly single out my family because they are the ones who not only supported me but have to deal with a lot of my absences, being called out in the middle of the night to the hospital, being away,” Bailey added. ”I remember when our children were young, [my wife] Wendy would have to care for them by herself at times.”
Before serving at the Hintonburg ministry, Bailey was in Jamaica for six years with the United Church of Canada’s Division of World Outreach. Before that, he held a brief stint in Kenya, East Africa.
His presence at Parkdale will be felt for years to come. He launched a yearly service in honour of Martin Luther King Jr., helped Ottawa Police with their anti-racism training, gave talks in schools, and always knew what to say when there were struggles in the world.
Shortly into his tenure at the church, Bailey canvassed the community to see what further support was needed and started the In From the Cold program, which hands out over 150 four-course meals to people in need once a week during the winter.
“One of the things we wanted to do from the very beginning is acknowledge the dignity of those who would be coming, those who are experiencing poverty and so forth, with quality food,” Bailey told KT in 2022.
In July 2016, Bailey was part of the healing circle supporting the family of Abdirahman Abdi. The 37-year-old was killed outside of his Hilda Street apartment during a confrontation with Ottawa Police. That same year, the Parkdale congregation was one of many in the city to be targeted by a hateful spree of spray paint attacks. A 17-year-old — who admitted in court he did it in the name of white supremacy — was arrested and charged.
At the time, Bailey was also open about his own radicalized profiling.
“I’m followed in stores when I’m looking for something, I have been racially profiled by police, and I’ve experienced all kinds of things that have demonstrated to me that racism is still alive and well,” he told KT in 2022, adding that white privilege is something many take for granted, hiding us from many realities.
Gospel singers led Bailey’s final two hour-long mass and an audio recording played from when he began his time at the church. The sermon’s focus that day: how to live out one’s faith.
In a final act of thanks, the congregation designated Bailey as Minister Emeritus at the church.
“Throughout your years of service, you have helped all of us. You have supported us. You have laughed with us. You have cried with us. You have sung with us,” congregation member Eleanor Creasey told Bailey during his final sermon. “You have encouraged us to think beyond ourselves [and] about the possibilities that we can live in this world by following the example you choose.”
An emotional Bailey’s final message was short and sweet, trying to steer the attention away from himself.
“I have no words. I thank each and everyone one of you for your support and for your prayers, for your wisdom, for your challenges, and for your disagreeing,” he said. “All of that is significant if you are going to be faithful as a community.”
