Luc était né le 25 avril 1924 au Croisic, dans le diocèse de Nantes, France, au sein d’une famille de dix enfants, très dévouée aux Pères Blancs : les PP. Laroche et Cussac avaient là un dépôt de livres et brochures que M. Denis s’employait à diffuser en ville. Dès 7-8 ans, au contact des deux Pères, naquit chez Luc la vocation missionnaire alors que son aîné Jean avait été un temps à Kerlois. La famille s’étant déplacée dans le Sud du pays, un autre fils, Yves, fut prêtre diocésain dans le diocèse de Toulouse, et doyen de la Faculté des Lettres de l’Institut Catholique.

Luc lui-même suivit d’abord les cours au Collège-Petit Séminaire Malaret, dans le diocèse de Toulouse, puis entra à Saint-Laurent-d’Olt, en 4e, avec le P. Pfenninger comme professeur et le P. Demassiet comme supérieur. Il fit la 1ère avec le P. Bonte en 1941 et partit alors pour Thibar où il fit les études de philosophie jusqu’en 1943, date où il fut mobilisé à Constantine et envoyé en Angleterre à la 2e DB en formation. Il débarqua en Normandie en juin 1944, et, après un engagement à Écouché, il participa à la chevauchée vers Paris, puis vers l’Alsace et l’Allemagne jusqu’à Dachau, une campagne entrecoupée de combats sporadiques. Logeant, au terme de l’expédition, chez une dame allemande, celle-ci alla voir le camp de concentration, et en revint malade à mourir : elle ignorait l’horreur vécue en ce camp pourtant proche de son village.

De retour en France, fin 1945, sa vocation se confirmant, Luc gagna le noviciat où le P. Blin venait de remplacer le P. Betz. En 1946, il retrouva Thibar pour le cycle de théologie ; brillant élève, il donna aussi, dans la fonction de chef infirmier, toute satisfaction. Pour la dernière année d’études, il passa à Carthage où il fut ordonné prêtre le 1er février 1950. Après avoir acquis une licence de philosophie à l’Université Grégorienne de Rome, il fut nommé au séminaire de Kerlois où il enseigna durant 4 ans.

Nommé, en 1958, à Koumi où se formaient alors les futurs évêques du Burkina, il y combina, avec le Père Paul Zoungrana, futur cardinal-archevêque de Ouagadougou, enseignement et apostolat dans trois succursales : Loroforsso, Kokorowé et Koumi ; quelques lettres circulaires décrivent à ses parents et amis un grand effort de scolarisation, car partout, pensant à l’avenir de leurs enfants, les populations demandaient des écoles : ces circulaires, datées et surtout chiffrées, incitaient forcément aux dons pour la construction des bâtiments nécessaires aux enfants et à leurs enseignants. Luc resta à Koumi jusqu’à la reprise du séminaire par les Sulpiciens.

Durant ces années, responsable de la bibliothèque avec un diacre, l’abbé Pierre Kanouté, il dit l’avoir débarrassée, par brouettes, de livres jugés peu utiles, héritage des Pères. Pour combler les vides, un appel à la Maison-Mère permit des commandes d’ouvrages de patristique, d’exégèse, de philosophie et de théologie, et l’obtention d’abonnements gratuits à certaines revues. La bibliothèque atteignit ainsi une renommée dans toute l’Afrique de l’Ouest par-delà les frontières du Burkina.

Mais la nature généreuse de Luc, le double travail d’enseignement et de pastorale et un zèle immodéré eurent vite raison de sa santé et, d’octobre 1961 à la mi-1963, il dut, pour surmenage, interrompre son séjour et se reposer à Mours, puis à Lyon où il participa à l’animation missionnaire. Son désir eut été de mettre à profit ce long congé imprévu pour faire des études sociales, mais le médecin s’y opposa, jugeant plus raisonnable une vie au grand air. Bien remis, il put reprendre sa double activité à Koumi.

Le 21 octobre 1966, on le situe à Bonnelles, de nouveau au repos : miné par la bilharziose et les amibes, il avait perdu beaucoup de poids. Quand il alla mieux, on le sollicita pour un Catéchuménat des Travailleurs Africains. Il s’installa à la rue Friant, à Paris, où il resta deux ans. C’est alors que s’ouvrit pour lui une période de pastorale hors communauté, en contact avec le Provincial de France : de 1970 à 1976, il se dépensa à Saint-Ouen, dans le diocèse de Saint-Denis, à la paroisse et au service des migrants. Mais, un déséquilibré l’ayant menacé de mort, on jugea bon qu’il s’éloignât et il entreprit, du 28 octobre 1976 au 28 janvier 1977, un long voyage de recyclage dans l’Afrique de l’Ouest, parcourant le Sénégal, le Mali, la Haute-Volta et le Bénin.

À son retour, dès 1978, il fut nommé vicaire économe de la paroisse Saint-Pierre des Chartreux, à Toulouse, où il se donna à fond surtout auprès des personnes isolées ou en difficulté. Il garda cette charge quand il fut nommé, en 1980, supérieur à Toulouse-Valade. Mais son apostolat paroissial le rendait souvent trop absent de la vie de la communauté ; aussi, suite à des calomnies peut-être, et malgré l’intervention de son frère Yves et de centaines de paroissiens, il fut déchargé de sa paroisse et nommé, en 1989, à Lyon où il se sentit un peu ‘exilé’. Ses lettres disent son désir constant de revenir dans le Midi-Pyrénées ; il posait des jalons dans ce but du côté de Montauban. Il semble que cela ne se fit pas.

Après un intérim à mi-temps à la paroisse de Saint-Cyr au Mont d’Or, la déléguée à la Pastorale de la Santé de Lyon lui confia l’aumônerie d’un hôpital de Sainte-Foy, un apostolat qu’il aimait. Le 1er septembre 1997, il rejoignit la communauté de Billère, où le Seigneur l’a rappelé à Lui le 12 janvier 2015.

Dans un court curriculum vitæ, il écrit : “Ma vie missionnaire fut une vie d’union à Dieu, à Jésus, missionnaire du Père, en contact avec les gens, les confrères... Tous les trois ans, j’ai parcouru tous les livres de la Bible comme lecture spirituelle. Ma préférence va à saint Luc qui donne beaucoup de détails sur la vie de Jésus, très humain, tout en étant divin, et aux Proverbes, pour mieux connaître les proverbes et les coutumes d’Afrique... Répandre la Parole de Dieu, œuvre missionnaire, c’est s’imprégner de la Bible”. Ses obsèques furent célébrées dans la chapelle de Billère.

Armand Duval

Frère Winfried Wetzel

1937 - - 2015

Winfried Wetzel est né le 4 juillet 1937 à Leutkirch, Allemagne. Son père était enseignant à l’école primaire et a été transféré à Hirrlingen, en 1938. Grâce aux prières de sa mère, il a laissé monter en lui le désir d’une vie consacrée à Dieu. Pendant la guerre, son père fut envoyé sur le front de Russie. À cause d’une engelure, il a dû être amputé d’une jambe en 1945.

Après avoir fréquenté l’école primaire, Winfried a appris le métier de meunier. Son oncle avait un moulin, mais pas de fils. Il voulait faire de Winfried son héritier. Cependant, le souhait de Winfried était d’aller en mission en Afrique. Il a d’abord pris contact avec les bénédictins missionnaires de Peramiho. Mais, après avoir parlé avec le P. Ernst Haag, maître de novices des Frères, il a opté pour les Pères Blancs.
“Aujourd’hui, quand vous écoutez sa Voix, ne fermez pas votre cœur.” (Ps 95) Winfried disait que c’était à travers ces paroles du psalmiste que Dieu l’avait appelé à la vocation missionnaire.

Le 10 janvier 1955, Winfried entrait au postulat chez les Pères Blancs à Langenfeld. Le 4 août 1957, il faisait son premier serment missionnaire. Il a passé deux ans au Luxembourg et deux ans à Londres pour ses formations ultérieures.

Le 28 octobre 1961, il s’envolait vers la Tanzanie. Il a appris la langue officielle du pays, le kiswahili. Il a été occupé pendant deux ans avec la construction d’un complexe global d’un noviciat pour une congrégation autochtone de Frères. Le cardinal Rugambwa a nommé Winfried assistant de l’économe diocésain à Bukoba. Il a pu démontrer toutes ses capacités d’organisateur avec l’approvisionnement des postes de mission et avec l’expédition et l’acheminement des marchandises au port du Lac Victoria. Même la population envoyait son courrier par la procure. Il rendait volontiers ce service, car c’était pour lui une occasion de rencontrer beaucoup de gens.

Après sept ans, il prenait la direction de la menuiserie du Frère Albert Denkhoff avec les ateliers de formation à Kashozi. C’était une grosse entreprise avec 12 professionnels et 12 apprentis. La formation était d’une durée de 4 ans et terminait avec l’examen professionnel d’État. C’était un défi énorme pour Winfried, qu’il a accompli consciencieusement pendant cinq ans “avec l’aide de St. Joseph, le charpentier”. Il a formé beaucoup de bons menuisiers.

Après son second congé, Frère Wetzel fut nommé directeur de l’administration de la Procure des Pères Blancs à Dar-es-Salam. Frère Winfried a été vite reconnu pour son travail correct parmi les travailleurs et les agents du port où il allait presque tous les jours pour chercher des marchandises. C’est lui qui faisait dédouaner les colis pour 17 diocèses et qui les acheminait dans le pays. Chaque année, Winfried recevait, selon ses indications personnelles, plus de 100 containers. Il assurait le transport de ces marchandises soit par le chemin de fer, soit par camions. Des entreprises de transport venaient chercher chez lui des marchandises destinées pour l’Ouganda, le Burundi, la RD Congo, la Zambie et le Malawi.

Beaucoup d’amis le soutenaient par leurs dons pour les pauvres, les orphelins et les malades, surtout les orphelins du sida. Un confrère écrit : “À Dar-es-Salam, il était l’apôtre des pauvres de la ville qui “bloquaient” souvent l’accès à la maison Atiman et attendaient son aide. Winfried avait un cœur pour les nécessiteux. Il ne pensait pas à lui-même, mais toujours aux autres et les aidait autant qu’il le pouvait. Je suis sûr qu’il y a un grand nombre de personnes qui prient pour lui et le recommandent à notre Seigneur.”

Le travail de Winfried à Dar-es-Salam a été interrompu seulement par sa participation à la session de formation continue de Jérusalem et par sa participation au Chapitre général de 1992 à Rome.
À partir de 1999, même les dons étaient soumis aux taxes douanières. Winfried a alors dû abandonner le travail qui l’avait tant comblé.

Cela a pris trois ans au Frère Winfried Wetzel pour s’habituer au climat chaud, avec jusqu’à 95% d’humidité dans l’air. Mais le souabe tenace et travailleur n’a jamais négligé son travail pour autant. Il a toujours rempli avec fiabilité les tâches qu’on lui confiait. Ses collaborateurs connaissaient bien sa parole d’encouragement : “Kazi ya Mungu”, c’est le travail de Dieu. Cette devise lui donnait aussi la force de s’engager inlassablement au service des personnes et de l’Église en Afrique.

Après son congé en Allemagne en 2000, on lui a demandé de prendre en charge l’économat de la maison centrale des Pères Blancs à Cologne. Il a gardé cette responsabilité jusqu’en 2011, s’efforçant toujours de servir les confrères, les hôtes et les visiteurs avec sa manière modeste et généreuse. Pourtant, il a toujours gardé un rapport étroit avec la Tanzanie. Sans se lasser, il entretenait un grand cercle de bienfaiteurs et s’efforçait de soutenir le Home pour enfants orphelins malades du sida à Morogoro.

Winfried était un homme pieux et humble. On le trouvait souvent à la chapelle quand ses multiples occupations le permettaient. Le 10 septembre 2011, Frère Winfried changea de domicile, de Cologne à Haigerloch, pour collaborer aux soins des confrères âgés et malades. C’était admirable de le voir s’occuper des malades atteints de démence avec une énorme capacité de compréhension et de dévouement. Avec le changement à Haigerloch, son souhait a été comblé de passer les dernières années de sa vie dans son milieu d’origine et à proximité de sa famille.

Trois jours avant sa mort, il avait encore visité les confrères à Cologne et participé à un cours de formation continue pour les soins des malades atteints de démence. Nous avons appris la nouvelle que le Seigneur avait rappelé à lui son fidèle collaborateur, le Frère Winfried Wetzel, le 28 février 2015 à Haigerloch alors qu’il travaillait au jardin.

Günther Zahn

PROFILES

Father Lionel Dion

1930 - - 2015

Lionel was born on the 24th October 1930 in the Parish of St-Fidèle de Limoilou, Quebec. He was the sixth in a family of 12 children. Thanks to his father who was an excellent carpenter and cabinetmaker, he acquired a remarkable dexterity for manual work, which he often used to advantage in his missionary life.

At primary school, Lionel heard a White Father speak about Africa and this captivated him. The young Lionel took his decision; he would become a Missionary of Africa. He confided his dream to the curate of his parish who advised him to follow his secondary school studies in the Lévis College of Québec. During his studies, Lionel got involved in the Scout movement and he learnt to be of service to others.

Lionel entered the novitiate of St-Martin (Laval) on the 15th August 1952. It was soon noted that he had a sound judgement, socially at ease and the personality of a leader. He knew how to communicate his enthusiasm. The novice master said, “He will be a good propagandist in the schools.” This last appreciation was prophetic as Lionel exercised his talent as vocation promoter and preacher for a many years before many thousands of students.

The following year, Lionel volunteered to study theology in Europe. He left for the Scholasticate in ‘s-Heerenberg in the Netherlands. He was at home in this international community and showed increasing interest in the African mission. He took his Missionary Oath on the 24th July 1956. After ordination to the diaconate, he went to Monteviot House, Jedburg in Scotland for the final year of theology. He was ordained there on the 16th May 1957.

Lionel left for Africa on the 1st September 1957. He was appointed to Our Lady of the Equator Parish in the Diocese of Kampala, Uganda. As there was no Language centre, he had to manage by himself to learn Luganda. It was a painful experience for him and he never really mastered the language, which caused him a certain amount of frustration. However, he did have happy memories of his early years in Africa. He liked to visit the parishioners and call on primary schools in rural areas. He was also made Scout Commissioner and was responsible for twenty scout troops including one Muslim and two Protestant troops. In 1959, he was appointed teacher in the junior seminary of Kisubi. Over the following three years, he managed to acquire a number of extra jobs: Chaplain, teacher, scout leader, and overseer for the building works in the Diocese. He began to suffer from ill health and suffered from malaria, pneumonia and insomnia. He had to spend a month in hospital. Finally, he returned to Canada on the 9th October 1962.

After some weeks of convalescence, Lionel was appointed to missionary and vocational promotion work. Based in our house of St. Hubert in Montreal, he covered nine dioceses in Quebec and Ontario, visiting schools and colleges on a regular basis. On September 1968, he returned to Uganda.

This second departure was more difficult for him. He had always felt that his first stay in Africa had ended in failure even though he had to go home for medical reasons. In addition, he now had to learn a new language, Lutoro, because he was appointed to the Parish of Wekomire in the Diocese of Fort Portal. A year later, he was in the Cathedral of Fort Portal where along with other priests, he was responsible for preparing the visit of Pope Paul VI to Uganda. On this exceptional occasion, he organised an impressive exhibition on the situation of Christianity in Africa. However, when the Pope arrived, he was in hospital, struck down once again by malaria. On the advice of doctors, he returned to Canada in December 1969.

After some months of rest, the Canadian Provincial gave Lionel permission to do some parish work. He was curate in three parishes in the dioceses of St-Jean-Longueuil and St.Hyacinthe. Lionel thought of this stage of his life as a period of interior purification and of reflection. Were his stays in Africa a failure? Is he really a missionary in Canada? What is the Lord asking of him now? Little by little, he became aware of his own particular charism: to make Africa known and loved in Canada.

In 1976, Lionel was in charge of missionary promotion work in the secondary schools, colleges and universities. He illustrated his presentations with the help of African sculptures especially Makonde art, because he said, “they tell of the daily life of African children and adults.” This was a demanding ministry, which he did until 1998 and during which he talked to more than 100,000 students. He opened the minds of young people to other cultures and encouraged a missionary spirit in many of them. Lionel recognised that in the actual context of Quebec, the harvest was not great in terms of the number of vocations. However, he persevered without worrying too much about concrete results, putting all that in the hands of the Lord who would sow his seed according to his good pleasure.

In 1998, Lionel was very happy to go to Jerusalem for a well merited time of reflection and renewal. On his return to Quebec, while continuing to be the Provincial Chaplain to the St. Vincent de Paul, he was put in charge of missionary preaching in Montreal and in many surrounding dioceses. It was a challenging mission, which he carried out with faith and enthusiasm. In one of his annual reports on his apostolate, he wrote, “For me, preaching is the primary ministry of my missionary vocation. It is an honour and a privilege to proclaim the Good News of God’s plan of love in Africa and in Quebec.”

In 2014, Lionel began to feel the first symptoms of the sickness that would take him away. He had to go to our house in Sherbrooke for treatment and rest. He lost weight rapidly and suffered from general fatigue. He was transferred to Fleurimont Hospital and died there on the 1st February 2015. The funeral Mass took place in the Chapel of the Missionaries of Africa in Sherbrooke on the 7th February in the presence of his mortal remains. After cremation, his ashes were placed in the family plot in the cemetery of Mont-Marie de Lévis.

All his life, Lionel was passionate about proclaiming the Word of God, which he communicated so well in his preaching and missionary promotion work. May the Lord reward his untiring apostle.

Michel Carbonneau

Father Louis Vielfaure

1928 - - 2015

Louis was born on the 11th November 1928 at La Broquerie, Manitoba Province, Canada. There were nine children in the family. He did his secondary school studies in the College of St. Boniface where he was highly regarded as having a dignified and lively character. On the 1st August 1949, he entered the novitiate of St-Martin near Montreal. Again, it was noted that had a fine intelligence and a strong will. He was practical in manual work and worked hard at his studies although there was a tendency to judge things too quickly and superficially. He showed himself to be charitable and at ease with everybody and eager to learn. One could certainly rely on this future missionary.

Louis left for the Scholasticate of Eastview in September 1950. During his four years of studying Theology, he was at home in the larger community and appreciated by all his confreres. There is no doubt that he was not happy dealing with speculative matters but he worked hard at his studies. He liked manual work and did everything that was asked of him in this regard. Louis had a sense of duty and spirit of prayer and a genuine liking for apostolic work. One of his professors mentioned that he was an excellent confrere and living with him was easy. He took his Missionary Oath on the 26th June 1953 and ordination to the priesthood followed on the 2nd February 1954.

Now Fr. Louis saw his life oriented towards teaching. He was sent to St. Andrew’s University in Scotland for four years to study Physics and Chemistry. He finally left for Africa in March 1957. He was appointed to Kasaba in the Diocese of Fort Roseberry (now Mansa) in Zambia. He stayed there for one year, learning the local language. He then went to teach in the junior seminary of Lubushi in 1959. He occupied successively the post of teacher, spiritual director, local bursar, and finally rector in a period that stretched until 1978. He did get the chance for some pastoral work as he was appointed to St. Patrick’s Parish, Mufulira and a short stay in Lwitikila between 1970 and 1974 He returned to Lubushi in 1974.

At the beginning of 1979, he went for home leave in Canada followed by the session/retreat in Jerusalem in May of that year. He returned to Zambia and became Vice- Rector and Rector of Lubushi whiles all the time continuing to teach Science. As he wrote to his parents and friends, “Since the end of the 50s, all the African countries are preparing for independence. In Zambia, the junior seminaries want to improve the quality of education so that the students who graduate and who are able may be competent to follow studies at University level. In the seminary, we not only have the duty to train good priests but also a lay Christian elite who would work for the good of the country.”

Louis was very conscious of having taken part in this effort of education. His many years in Lubushi were very beneficial for the junior seminary. He re-established discipline that had been absent among the students and created a genuine team spirit among the teachers.

On his departure, Louis handed over his 20 years of work into the hands of those he had trained. “The missionary should know the time to go and install himself elsewhere, if he wishes to bear fruit.” In June 1983, he became treasurer of the Mbala (now Mpika) Diocese. The Bishop gave him a heavy task. He had to supervise the organisation and maintenance of all Diocesan materials and he was spiritual guide to a number of religious communities of sisters.

In 1991, the Canadian Province tried to get a hold of Louis, to fulfil the job of superior in Winnipeg and missionary promotion work in the west of Canada. He replied to the Provincial by pointing out that “in view of his age (63 years), leave me four more years in Africa, then I will return to Canada for good and I will help you. If I come back now, I will be too old in a few years to return to Zambia after my home service.”

After his holiday in Manitoba, Louis returned to Mpika and continued his work as Diocesan Treasurer. A year later, he accepted the post of chaplain to a very big girl’s secondary school in Lwitikila. He rendered this service for the next five years. He returned to Canada for good in 1998.

By the 1st September of the same year, Louis was officially Superior of the White Father community in Winnipeg. It was a job that was to occupy him until the end of his life. Over and above his responsibilities, (spiritual and material) in the house, he visited the families of the confreres from Western Canada and kept in touch with the benefactors. With the help of other members of the community, Louis organised mission appeals in the Western Provinces of Canada.

At the beginning of 2015, Louis’ health deteriorated rapidly. He suffered from a serious virus, which spread, quickly to all his body. The doctors could do nothing and could only offer palliative care. In his state of great weakness, Louis refused any extraordinary efforts to keep him alive.

Louis died on the 14th February 2015 in St. Boniface, Manitoba. On the 21st February, our confrere, Bishop Albert Thévenot, Bishop of Prince Albert, SK, presided at the funeral service, which was held in the Church of Saint-Joachim in his native village of La Broquerie. After cremation, his ashes were buried in the Vielfaure plot in the parish cemetery.

A few days later, Archbishop George Mpundu, Archbishop of Lusaka, wrote to the Provincial of Zambia expressing his sincerest condolences. Archbishop Mpundu knew Fr. Louis very well. Louis was his science teacher in the junior seminary of Lubushi.

Fr. Louis Vielfaure left a memory of a zealous missionary with an unshakeable faith in the love of God. He was a tactful confrere full of good will towards all. May the Lord grant him eternal happiness.

Michel Carbonneau

Father Pierre Gruiec

1925 - - 2015

Pierre was born on the 4th July 1925 at Ploudal­mézeau in the Diocese of Quimper, France. His father was a marble mason. There were four children in the family, two boys, and two girls. One of his sisters became a nun and his brother joined the Benedictines. The remaining sister married and had three children.

Pierre did his secondary schooling in the Institution Saint-François de Lesneven. He studied philosophy in Béruges, Department of Vienne and joined the White Fathers when he went to
Altkirch for his first year of Theology. In September 1946, he began his Spiritual Year in Maison-Carée before continuing his theological studies in Thibar. He was intellectually brilliant but he was already suffering from fragile health. He took his Missionary Oath on the 29th June 1949 in Thibar and was ordained priest in Carthage on the 1st February 1950.

Pierre liked to recall that during the retreat before his ordination, Fr. Henri Menet (+1950) was buried in BouKris. He was one of the founding fathers of the Upper Volta mission, in Koupéla, where he himself, would work for many years.

Pierre studied for two years in Rome and obtained a doctorate in Theology. He was appointed as Professor to the Senior Seminary of Koumi in Upper Volta (Burkina Faso). Coincidently, he was Master of Ceremonies at the ordination of Bishop Yougbaré, the first Bishop of the new Diocese of Koupéla on the 8th July 1956. The following August, Pierre was appointed curate in Zabré in the land of the Bissa. In June 1957, he became Diocesan Director of Education residing in Pouytenga. He did this job for 15 months.

In August 1959, when he was on the point of returning to Upper Volta, he was recalled to Carthage, Tunisia as Professor in our Theology House. He remained there until it moved to Vals, près Le Puy in 1963. However, it seems that he was disappointed as he did not get the expected results from his teaching.
In October 1964, Pierre went to the language centre of Guilongou to study Mooré. He was appointed curate in Goungen, Diocese of Koupéla, in March 1964. This was followed by an appointment as curate in Zorgo in the same diocese in 1968. After an operation for kidney stones in April 1972, he did a sabbatical year at the Institut Supérieur de Sciences des Religions while staying at rue Friant in Paris. As far as one can judge, as his handwriting was practically illegible, he did not approve of some courses at all!

Once he had finished this year, Pierre returned to Upper Volta in June 1973. He was curate and then Parish Priest of Zabré. However, from 1979 to 1981 he had to return to France for medical treatment, for sclerosis of the renal arteries. On his return to Upper Volta in September 1981, he co-founded the Parish of Bittou in the Diocese of Koupéla with Fr. Louis Mauvais (+2010). In 1983, he returned as curate to Zabre. He had to return annually to France for medical checks.

Pierre did the Session/Retreat in Jerusalem in September 1989 and after another medical leave in 1990, he was able to return to his diocese becoming curate at Zorgo in the land of the Mossi in 1991. He returned to France for some renewal courses in April 1992 but had to cut it short as he was appointed Parish Priest of Dori in the Diocese of Fada N’Gourma later in the year. He was chaplain to the Christians (mostly civil servants) who were living in the land of the Peulhs. The climate was harsh. He continued to return to France annually and in 1994, much to his chagrin that he did not hide, he learnt that plans were afoot to send two Foulfouldé (language of the Peulhs) speaking fathers to Dori. When he returned to Paris for his annual medical check in 1995, he decided to continue his interrupted sabbatical year with as he said “the consent if not the approval of the Regional.” He studied more or less, as he liked but mainly Bible and catechetics.

In fact, it was a definitive good-bye to Burkina Faso as the mission at Zabre had been handed over to the diocesan clergy. He did not really want to return to the land of the Mossi, no doubt because of the language. He had hoped to be offered some pastoral work in a French speaking urban area but no offers were made. One has to say that Pierre lacked flexibility and his letters could be very harsh. He was not the easiest person to put up with. On 1st July 1996, he was officially appointed to Maisons-Alfort in France. He took part in the Seniors Session in Rome in April 1997 before returning to Mours.

Pierre was put in charge of the French Provincial Library. It was up to him to catalogue the books in the different houses, to get rid of books with no interest and to sell the doubles. He was also charged with sending lists to Africa and then to send the books that were ordered. His predecessor, Fr. Roger Merceron had sent six lists with 1,000 titles and three tons of books. It was a huge task as it meant he had to travel a lot and he was suffering more and more with his kidney problems. In the end, he joined the Retirement House in Billère in July 2004 and died there on the 13th January 2015 in his 90th year.

Despite everything, he continued to read, reflecting on the sense of mission today. He also reflected on the place of the retired missionaries in the home taking into account the development of the African Churches and the lack of vocations in France. However, his illness made him pessimistic and he did not think of himself anymore as an apostle in Billère but just plain retired. He could never express his reflections calmly and he judged peoples and events in a doctrinaire way. He was stubborn, fixed in his ideas, somewhat petty in his conclusions, he did not back down.

In his last months, he had to undergo tiring sessions of dialysis. If he wanted to enter into the house of the Father, he still asked Pauline Jaricot, the founder of the Propagation of the Faith to work the miracle she needed to further the cause for her beatification. No doubt, the servant of God was waiting to welcome Pierre who had suffered so much for the mission.

Armand Duval

Father Luc Denis

1924 - - 2015

Luc was born on the 25th April 1924 at Croisic in the Diocese of Nantes. There were 10 children in the family that were very good friends of the White Fathers. Frs. Laroche (+1979) and Cussac (+1965) left books and leaflets with Luc’s father and he distributed them in the town. From when he was about seven or eight years old, Luc knew these two fathers and his missionary vocation was born. In fact, his older brother Jean spent some time in Kerlois. After the family moved to the south of France, another brother, Yves, joined the diocesan clergy in Toulouse and became Dean of the Arts Faculty of the Institut Catholique of Toulouse.

Luc began his secondary school studies in the junior seminary of Toulouse Diocese but entered the White Fathers’ junior seminary of Saint-Laurent-d’Olt in the third form. He left for Thibar in 1941 for his philosophical studies. In 1943, he was called up for military service in Constantine, Algeria. He was sent to England for training. He took part in the Normandy landings in June 1944. After a battle at Écouché, he was part of the cavalcade racing for Paris. He was part of the campaigns in Alsace and Germany, which ended at Dachau. He saw only sporadic fighting in the campaign. He was billeted with a German lady who became fatally ill when she learnt that she was living so close to this concentration camp and did not know what was happening there.

Luc returned to France at the end of 1945 convinced of his vocation. He entered the Spiritual Year under the care of Fr. Jean-Baptiste Blin (+1977) who had just taken over from the famous Fr. Paul Betz (+1955). In 1946, he returned to Thibar for theological studies. He was considered a brilliant student and he also gave satisfaction in carrying out his duties in charge of the infirmary. He took his Missionary Oath on the 29th June 1949. He did his final year of Theology in Carthage where he was ordained on the 1st February 1950. He was sent to Rome to study Philosophy and having obtained his Licentiate from the Gregorian University, he was sent to teach in Kerlois. He taught there for four years.

Paul was appointed to Koumi, Upper Volta (Burkina Faso) in 1956. He taught many of the future Bishops of Burkina Faso. With Fr. Paul Zoungrana, the future Cardinal-Archbishop of Ouaga­dougou, he did some teaching and pastoral work in three outstations of Loroforsso, Kokorwé and Koumi. From circular letters he wrote to his parents and friends, he described the great desire of parents to obtain education for their children because they were all thinking about the future of the younger generation. The people were demanding schools and his letters, all numbered and dated, contained appeals for gifts for their construction.

Luc remained at Koumi until it was taken over by the Sulpician Fathers. During these years, he was also the librarian and, with Fr. Pierre Kanouté, they put many books, judged useless, into a wheelbarrow and dumped them. To fill the gaps, he appealed to the Mother House, got permission to order books covering patristic theology, exegesis, philosophy and theology, and even got some free subscriptions to a number of magazines.

The library became famous throughout West Africa well beyond the borders of Burkina Faso.
Luc’s generosity meant that not only was he teaching fulltime but also that he was heavily involved in pastoral work. He had to return to France for reasons of ill health and overwork from the middle of October 1961 to the middle of 1963. He rested in Mours and later moved to Lyon for some missionary promotion work. He would have liked to do some studies in social science but the doctor was against it and recommended lots of fresh air. When he returned to full form, he returned to Koumi in October 1963 and continued working as before.

In October 1966, Luc was once more in France, at Bonnelles recovering from bilharzias and amoeba. He had lost a lot of weight. When he felt a bit better, he asked for pastoral work with African workers and moved to rue Friant in Paris in 1968. Two years later, he moved out of community and went to the Parish of Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire in the Diocese of St. Denis. He worked also with African migrants in the Parish of Saint-Ouen. He kept in contact with the French provincial. However, threats to his life meant that it was judged opportune to leave the parish on a temporary basis and he undertook a long journey of discovery to West Africa passing through Senegal, Mali, Upper Volta and Benin.

Luc returned to France in 1978 and as the situation in St. Denis had not changed, he was appointed to the Archdiocese of Toulouse to be curate-bursar of the Parish of Saint-Pierre des Chartreux. He worked hard on behalf of the people who were vulnerable and isolated. He stayed there until he was appointed as Superior of our house in Toulouse-Valade. However, his pastoral work meant long absences from the community. False allegations were made against him and despite the intervention of his brother, Yves and hundreds of parishioners, he was dismissed from his Parish.

He was appointed to Lyon in 1989 where he felt he was in exile. His letters reveal his deep desire to return to the Midi-Pyrénées and he put out feelers to return to Montauban but nothing came of it. After working part time in the Parish of Saint- Cyr in the Mont d’Or area, the Pastoral Health services of the Lyon Archdiocese appointed him as chaplain to the Hospital of Sainte-Foy. He liked this apostolate a lot. On the 1st September 1997, he joined the community of Billère and he died there on the 12th January 2015.

He wrote a short CV of his life: “My missionary life was a life of union with God, with Jesus, who was the Father’s missionary, in contact with people and confreres. Every three years, I read all the books of the Bible for spiritual reading. My favourite was St. Luc who gave so many details of Jesus’ life, very human while being at the same time divine. I also liked the Book of Proverbs to understand better the proverbs and customs of Africa. To spread the Word of God, missionary work, is to be impregnated by the Bible.” His funeral was celebrated in the Chapel of our house in Billère.

Armand Duval

 

Brother Winfried Wetzel

1937 - - 2015

Bro. Winfried Wetzel was born on the 4th July 1937 in Leutkirch, Germany. His father was a primary school teacher. He was transferred to Hirrlingen in 1938. He served in the Russian front in World War II and had his leg amputated because of frostbite in 1945. Thanks to the prayers of his mother, Winfried’s desire to serve a life consecrated to God grew.

After primary school, Winfried learnt the trade of a miller. His uncle owned a flour mill but had no son. He wanted to make Winfried his heir. However, Winfried’s wish was to go to the missions in Africa. His initial contact was with the Benedictine missionaries in Peramiho. However, he opted for the White Fathers after speaking with Fr. Ernst Haag (+1992) the Novice Master of the Brothers.
“Oh, that today you would hear his voice: Do not harden your hearts...” (Ps 95). Winfried said that it was through these words of the Psalmist that God had called him to his missionary vocation.

He entered the brothers’ postulancy of the White Fathers in Langenfeld on the 10th January 1955. He took his first Missionary Oath there on the 4th August 1957. He spent two years in Marienthal, Luxembourg followed by two years in Totteridge, London for ongoing training. On the 28th October 1961, he left for Tanzania. He learnt Kiswahili, which was the official language of the country. For two years, he was involved in the construction of a large compound housing the novitiate of a local congregation of Brothers in Bukoba Diocese.

In January 1965, Cardinal Rugambwa appointed him as Assistant Bursar of Bukoba Diocese. He showed great talent as an organiser for supplying the mission posts and sending and receiving goods through the port of Bukoba. Even the local people sent their mail through the bursar’s office. He liked giving this service and it was an opportunity for meeting many people.

In 1969, he was appointed to Kashozi as the director of the joinery workshop of Bro. Albert Denkhoff (+1968) who had died the previous September. It was a big enterprise with 12 professional woodworkers and 12 apprentices. The course lasted four years and finished with a state exam to qualify as a tradesman. It was a big challenge for Winfried and he worked conscientiously at it for five years with the help as he said of St. Joseph the carpenter. He trained many good carpenters.

After his second home leave, Bro. Wetzel was appointed as the bursar in charge of the procure of the White Fathers in Dar-es-Salaam in 1974. He did the long retreat in Villa Cavaletti, Rome the same year. He was quickly recognised for his competence among the workers and the clearing agents in the port. He went there practically every day to clear the goods of 17 dioceses through customs and send them on to their destination by rail or road. According to himself, he cleared more than 100 containers every year. Transport companies came to the Atiman House compound to transport merchandise for Uganda, Burundi, DR. Congo, Zambia and Malawi.

Winfried’s many friends supported him in his work for the poor and the sick especially those orphaned by AIDS. A confrere wrote, “In Dar-es-Salaam, he was the apostle of the poor of the city. They often blocked access to Atiman House while waiting for some help from him. Winfried had a ready heart to help those needing help. He did not think about himself, but was always thinking of others and he helped them as much as he could. I am certain that a big number of them will pray for him and recommend him to the Lord.”

This work of Bro. Winfried in Dar-es-Salaam was only interrupted when he went for the Session/Retreat in Jerusalem in 1987 and his participation the General Chapter of 1992. He was made a Regional Councillor in 1983.

From 1999 onwards, Aid relief could no longer be imported tax-free. This meant Winfried had to give up the work that had occupied him so much of his life.

It took Winfried three years to get used to the hot climate of Dar with its 95% humidity at times. However, his single-minded nature and work ethic meant that he never neglected his work. He was always reliable no matter what work he was given. He used to say it was “kazi ya Mungu” or God’s work. This motto gave him the strength to commit himself to the people and Church in Africa.

After his home leave in Germany in 2000, he was asked to take charge of the Bursar’s office of our house in Cologne. He remained in this job until 2011. With his humble and generous manner, he was always at the service of the confreres and the visitors. Nevertheless, he kept close contact with Tanzania. He maintained a large circle of benefactors and made a big effort to support a home for children who were AIDS orphans in Morogoro.

Winfried was a pious and humble man. When his many tasks permitted, one often found him in the Chapel. In September 2011, he changed houses and went to Haigerloch to help with the care of the sick and elderly confreres. It was striking to see how well he looked after those afflicted by dementia showing them enormous understanding and devotion. This change to Haigerloch also meant that his wish to pass the last years of his life close to his family and his home region of Swabia was fulfilled.

Three days before he died, Winfried had visited the confreres in Cologne and taken part in a training session for the care of dementia patients. We learnt the news that the Lord had called his faithful collaborator home on the 28th September 2015 while he was working in the garden in Haigerloch.

Günther Zahn