Paul est né le 10 février 1928 à Schoten, près d’Anvers, Belgique, dans une famille aisée et très chrétienne. Il fit ses études secondaires chez les Jésuites au collège Saint-Xavier à Borgerhout. Il y fut membre de la Chiro et servant de messe.

En septembre 1947, Paul entra chez les Pères Blancs à Boechout. Après le noviciat à Varsenare, il partit faire la théologie à Thibar en Tunisie, où il prononça son serment missionnaire le 26 juin 1953. Il fut ordonné prêtre à Carthage le 18 avril 1954 par Mgr Durrieu. Ses formateurs le décrivent ainsi : jeune homme aimable et sociable, sensible et généreux, animateur-né, très communicatif, voire assez bavard ; homme d’action, pratique et bon organisateur. Ils signalent également qu’il est vite fatigué, car il souffre de sinusite et d’asthme.

Nommé en Haute-Volta, Paul s’embarque à Marseille le 22 avril 1955. Le 12 mai, il arrive à destination à Temnaoré, dans le diocèse de Koudougou, où il sera vicaire et économe. Il se met à la langue avec application et bon résultat, note le Régional de l’époque. Deux ans plus tard, il est nommé à Koudougou, vicaire et économe à la cathédrale. Après son premier congé en Belgique, il est nommé à la paroisse de Yako, où il devient curé en 1965. En avril 1966, il part en congé, sans savoir s’il retournera encore en Afrique.

En 1966, Paul participe à la grande retraite à Rome. Au retour, la situation familiale l’oblige à rester au pays, car son père est gravement malade et son frère marié souffre d’une dépression nerveuse. À la même époque, la Province belge est désespérément à la recherche d’un ‘quêteur’ pour la région d’Anvers. Aussi le Père Plessers, Provincial, demande-t-il au Régional de la Région Est-Volta de lui ‘prêter’ Paul De Buck pour quelques années… Paul est nommé à la ‘Keizerstraat’. Quelques mois plus tard, le père Plessers écrit : “Très actif, dévoué, aime son travail ‘parce que c’est nécessaire pour la Province et pour l’Afrique’. Fait très bien et cherche de nouvelles adresses… Excellent !”

En 1970, Paul est chargé de chercher une deuxième maison dans la ville d’Anvers. Après avoir visité une quarantaine de maisons, son choix s’arrête sur une belle maison de l’avenue Cogels-Osy (Berchem). Le ‘petit reste’ de la maison de Boechout, vendue, et quelques confrères de la Keizerstraat s’y installeront. Paul s’occupe de tous les aménagements et équipements nécessaires. Il devient d’ailleurs le premier supérieur de la nouvelle communauté qu’il a fondée. Il abandonne de plus en plus son travail de ‘quêteur’.

En 1975, Paul devient membre de la “commission diocésaine de la pastorale et de l’animation missionnaires”. Il continue ses engagements pastoraux du weekend, accompagne un groupe de foyers, est aumônier pour des groupes de malades partant en vacances ou en pèlerinage à Lourdes. De septembre 1979 à juin 1980, il suit un cours de missiologie à Nimègue (Pays-Bas). Il avait besoin, écrit-il, de prendre un temps d’arrêt pour réfléchir à sa vocation sacerdotale. Il en revient revigoré et avec des idées plus claires sur son engagement pastoral. Entre-temps, il a été remplacé comme supérieur de la communauté de Berchem.

Début 1980, la Maison généralice aurait voulu qu’il devienne économe de l‘IPEA (Institut Pontifical d’Études Arabes, plus tard PISAI), mais Paul préfère l’apostolat direct. Il accepte de faire partie de l’équipe PB chargée de la paroisse du Sacré-Cœur, dont il deviendra rapidement le responsable.

En cette période, la paroisse du Sacré-Coeur est la seule pour laquelle la Province s’est contractuellement engagée. Les confrères cherchent à mettre des accents vraiment missionnaires. Paul devient un spécialiste des Oeuvres Pontificales Missionnaires au niveau paroissial. Ateliers, groupes de travail et mouvements de jeunes sont conscientisés et orientés vers les missions grâce à Paul et à ses confrères. Ceux-ci prêtent aussi une attention spéciale aux nombreux immigrés de la paroisse.

Quand, le premier septembre 2000, Paul doit officiellement partir à la retraite, il accepte le poste de volontaire pastoral à l’hôpital Sainte Monique à Deurne. Il s’installe dans un appartement offert par l’hôpital. Aussi bien les malades que les membres du personnel apprécient cet homme jovial, toujours souriant, à la blague facile, mais qui sait aussi être sérieux et parler de la mort et de Dieu toujours proches. Il continuera ce ministère jusqu’à l’approche de sa mort, quand il se sent à bout de forces.

Dimanche 6 avril 2014, Paul fêtait son jubilé de 60 ans de sacerdoce, entouré de sa famille, de confrères et d’amis. Les dons étaient destinés au Burkina Faso.

Le 15 juillet 2014, vers 8 heures du matin, Paul s’est éteint doucement à l’hôpital Sainte-Monique, en présence de celle qu’il appelait son ange gardien, Madame Hilde Verstrepen, sa collègue au service pastoral de l’hôpital. La liturgie d’adieu eut lieu le 22 juillet, en présence de nombre de ses anciens paroissiens et de nombreux confrères. Paul a préféré être enterré à Borsbeek, près de sa famille. Qu’il repose en paix.

Jef Vleugels

Frère Alphonse (Lionel) Daigneault

1923 - - 2014

Le Frère Alphonse Daigneault est né le 12 avril 1923 à Bromptonville, dans la Province de Québec, au Canada. L’événement marquant de son enfance a été la mort de sa mère, alors qu’il n’avait que 6 ans. Suite à ce décès, il fut placé à l’orphelinat Hôtel-Dieu de St-Hyacinthe comme élève. C’est là qu’il a fait quelques années d’études primaires. En 1987, Alphonse écrit : “À l’âge de 11 ans, on me plaça dans une ferme. Je me retrouvais à gagner ma nourriture en effectuant quelques travaux, tout comme les jeunes qui étaient dans la même situation que moi. Cinq ans plus tard, j’ai travaillé à la filature de coton de St-Hyacinthe, et, à 20 ans, je suis allé deux ans à l’école d’agriculture de Ste-Martine à Châteauguay.”

Après ces études, on le retrouve sur le marché du travail, assez longtemps comme jardinier chez les Sœurs de la Charité. On témoigne qu’il allait régulièrement chez les Dominicains de St-Hyacinthe pour une journée de retraite. En 1948, le Père Boulay, Dominicain, qui l’accompagnait régulièrement, et voyant en lui une vocation, l’oriente vers les Pères Blancs, en écrivant au Père Brunet, supérieur du postulat : “Je m’occupe d’Alphonse Daigneault depuis deux ou trois ans. C’est un très bon enfant, docile, pieux, honnête, sobre, droit, et de bonne famille. Les missions d’Afrique semblent l’intéresser beaucoup. Je suis sûr qu’il fera un excellent Frère, à condition qu’il soit aidé pour qu’il prenne plus d’initiative…”

Après avoir contacté les Missionnaires d’Afrique, et avec l’encouragement de son curé, Alphonse entre au postulat des Frères à St-Martin, près de Montréal, le 21 février 1949. Quelques mois plus tard, il commence son noviciat au même endroit. En tant que Frère Père Blanc, il choisit le nom de Lionel, comme le prénom de son Père. Il donne satisfaction à ses supérieurs qui l’admettent à son premier serment d’un an, qu’il prononce le 31 juillet 1951.

Par la suite, il continue sa formation surtout à St-Martin pour l’entretien de la ferme, le jardinage, la cuisine, et en aidant à la formation des aspirants. En 1953, il va à Franklin aux USA pour une année de formation. En 1955, il est au Lac Vert, la résidence d’été des scolastiques, pour réaliser différentes constructions.

L’année suivante, il est au Centre de perfectionnement des Frères de Lennoxville où il suit des cours de mécanique et de soudure.

Serment Missionnaire en 1952

Pendant ces années, il renouvelle régulièrement son serment missionnaire d’un an, trois ans, pour en arriver à prononcer son serment perpétuel le 24 juillet 1957 à notre maison Lavigerie de Lennoxville. Ses formateurs ont toujours été favorables à ses engagements, le considérant comme quelqu’un de généreux à tout point de vue, ayant un bon esprit et étant très dévoué, toujours désireux d’apprendre le plus possible.

À la fin de 1957, arrive enfin le grand jour pour le Frère Lionel : il part pour la Zambie où il est nommé. Il va d’abord au diocèse de Fort-Rosebery, aujourd’hui diocèse de Mansa, à la paroisse de Lubwe, pour s’occuper des constructions. Il travaille là presque trois ans et, par la suite, il va successivement dans les paroisses de Kabunda, Lufubu, Kashikishi, Fort-Rosebery. À ces endroits, il effectue différentes constructions ; il demeure à chaque endroit environ une année.

En 1964, arrive le temps de son premier congé. Cela tombe à point car il a besoin de repos après une période d’adaptation et des années de travail bien remplies. Pour annoncer son arrivée au Canada, Mgr Pailloux écrit au Provincial : “Je tiens à vous faire savoir que le bon Frère Lionel est un excellent missionnaire, régulier, dévoué, prêt à n’importe quelle tâche, charitable, humble, discret, pieux, tout à fait sérieux. Il est une de ces personnes humbles et ardentes qui ont su se faire à toutes les conditions.”

Après son congé et sa grande retraite en Italie, Alphonse retourne en Zambie à la paroisse de Lubwe qu’il connaît bien. Il va demeurer dans cette mission pendant plus de 20 ans, jusqu’à la fin de sa vie missionnaire en Afrique en 1986. Pendant cette longue période, il a pris régulièrement ses congés, parfois des congés de maladie, car ses forces diminuent et des troubles pulmonaires le handicapent souvent.

Lubwe se souviendra longtemps du Frère Lionel qui y a laissé sa marque. De nombreux témoignages soulignent qu’il était devenu un pilier de la mission dans ses responsabilités pour l’ entretien, les réparations, le jardin, la cuisine, etc. C’est après son départ qu’on a réalisé tout ce qu’il apportait.

Au Canada, Alphonse prend d’abord le temps de se faire soigner, puis il suit quelques cours à Montréal. Mais il prend très vite conscience qu’il ne peut pas retourner en Afrique. Alors, il est nommé à notre maison de retraite à Lennoxville. Selon ses possibilités et en tenant compte de ses limites, il aide à la maintenance, en accordant de l’importance au jardinage. Cela va durer 24 ans. Les dernières années, il devient de plus en plus handicapé. Au début de 2011, à sa grande déception, il est conduit à l’infirmerie des Pères Capucins de Montréal pour recevoir des soins appropriés à sa condition. C’est là qu’il est décédé le 24 octobre 2014.

Les funérailles ont été célébrées le 28 octobre dans la chapelle des Capucins, en présence de l’urne funéraire. Après la cérémonie, on a porté les cendres à Lennoxville pour les déposer en terre au cimetière St-Antoine de cet endroit, dans la partie réservée aux Missionnaires d’Afrique.

Le Père Pierre Gouin a donné l’homélie des funérailles. En voici quelques extraits : “Une vie passée à rendre service, pour suivre l’exemple de Jésus. Voilà ce que fut la vocation missionnaire d’Alphonse à Lubwe. Il mit ses talents, ses mains, son intelligence pratique à aider, et à aider tout le monde. Mais il avait un faible pour les pauvres. Outre les jardins, les constructions, les repas, les moteurs et le troupeau de vaches, dont il avait la charge à la mission, combien de vélos et de pioches n’a-t-il pas réparés ? Combien d’ouvriers n’a-t-il pas formés ? Pendant environ 24 ans, Alphonse s’est dévoué, avec beaucoup d’humilité, pour que la plus importante mission du diocèse (qui était aussi la plus fréquentée) fonctionne et accueille…

Aujourd’hui, il a entendu cette belle parole de Jésus: ‘Bon et fidèle serviteur, entre dans la joie de ton Seigneur’.”

Lauréat Belley

PROFILES

Father Emilio Galindo Aguilar

1927 - - 2014

Fr. Emilio Galindo Aguilar saw the light of day in 1927 at Cullar-Vega (Granada) in Spain. His parents were farmers. His childhood years were difficult times for Spain and he experienced dictatorships, the fall of the monarchy and the Civil War (1936-1939) during his primary school years.

In 1941, he entered the junior seminary of Granada and then went on to the major seminary. He finished his Philosophical studies in Cordoba in 1948. It was in Granada that he met the White Fathers. Frs. Carlos Mery (+1986) a Belgian and Nico Borst (+2004) a Dutchman, had come to open the first White Fathers’ house in Spain. They were running around all the Spanish seminaries looking for missionary vocations among the very many seminarians at the time.

Emilio entered the Novitiate of the White Fathers in Maison-Carrée (Algeria) in September 1948. He studied Theology in Thibar (Tunisia). He took his Missionary Oath on the 27th June 1952. After a short holiday with his family, he continued his studies in Carthage and was ordained priest on Easter Sunday, the 5th April 1953.

He was sent to Rome straightaway to study Philosophy at the Gregorian University and graduated as a Doctor in Philosophy in 1956 with a thesis on Avicenna. Emilio continued his studies at IBLA (Institut de Belles-lettres Arabes) in Tunisia studying Arabic and Islam. In 1958, he became its Director.
Fr. Galindo had a fluid writing style. During his stay in Tunis, he wrote, in collaboration with a very young Fr. Paco Donayre, his best-known work “Juventud Rebelde” (Young Rebel Thoughts to succeed in your Life, Actualidad African, Logrono 1965) which was translated in many languages including Arabic, French, Italian, and Swahili.

In the meantime, missionary vocations for the White Fathers were growing in Spain. The Delegation (Spain was not yet a Province) opened a Philosophy Seminary in Logrono for the many students knocking at our door. In 1962, Emilio joined the first team of staff members. He became the Rector in 1963 and remained there until 1966 when he was asked to go to Seville to found a new community charged with promoting the missions and missionary vocations for all of Andalusia.

Emilio left for Madrid in 1969 and founded the “Darek-Nyumba” Centre that was to become his lifework. “Darek-Nyumba” means “the house” or “your house” in Arabic and Swahili. It was founded as a charitable organisation with the main aim of promoting Islam-Christian dialogue with a commitment and openness to everything concerning the Muslim world. The Sufi mystics of Islam always fascinated Fr. Emilio and he always tried to present the true face of Islam. He was willing to collaborate with anyone who had the same aim of facilitating mutual knowledge between believers.

One of the most important works of the Darek-Nyumba Centre was teaching. Emilio gave Spanish courses to students coming especially from Arabic and Muslim countries so that they could apply to Spanish Universities. He also initiated Spaniards who were going to work in Arabic countries into the study of Arabic. They belonged mainly to big international companies or were members of the Diplomatic corps. Emilio was the Director and the heart and soul of the Centre until 2012. At that time, he decided to close the centre because of his age and limitations of health. He donated the two to three thousand volumes of the highly specialised library to Fundación Sur also directed by the White Fathers.

Fr. Emilio Galindo was always a man of action and full of dynamism for his work. He was Visiting Professor of PISAI in Rome and the Jesuit run Pontifical University of Comillas in Madrid (1993 to 2004). In collaboration with the Islam-Christian Association, he was the inspiration and director of two renowned International Congresses held in Cordoba. He was also the author of many books such as “La Experiencia de Dios en el Islam” (1985), “La Experiencia del Fuego”, (Itinerario de los Sufíes hacia Dios) (1994) and “Enciclopedia del Islam” (2004).

Emilio was also the editor of Cahiers ENCUENTRO. This periodical was aimed at keeping readers, interested in these matters, informed of the latest events, activities and initiatives regarding the Muslim world. The aim was to encourage the encounter between the two religious traditions, Christian and Muslim, through dialogue.

However, age was catching up and Fr. Galindo had to bow to the evidence. In fact, for the last two years of his life, Emilio’s health deteriorated and he began to lose his faculties.

In the middle of June 2014, seeing that his strength was declining, he asked to get closer to his family. After a stay in hospital in Madrid, he was transferred to a retirement home of “Perpétuo Socorro” in Santa Fe that was close to his native village of Cullar-Vega where two sisters and other members of his family still lived. He died there, on his birthday, the 17th August 2014 at the age of 87 years. He wanted to celebrate the feast with his parents in heaven. One of his last words were, “I am at peace”

On the 18th August 2014, almost all the village of Cullar-Vega turned out for the funeral. The Church was full to overflowing with Emilio’s relatives, friends and acquaintances as well as seven confreres and as many diocesan priests. The Eucharist was celebrated as a joyful thanksgiving for his life. All were invited to thank God for his long life, a lifetime of commitment to the service of the brothers entrusted to him and to the immense work that he achieved.

The most Sufi Christian and the most Christian Sufi, Ibn Arabí, your favourite teacher, will welcome you in the Paradise of the Father of all who seek God... Emilio, rest in the peace of the Lord Jesus!
Your confrere and friend,

Antonio Molina

Father Luigi Vittorio Plebani

1940 - - 2014

Father Luigi Vittorio Plebani died on the morning of the 25th August 2014. For nearly a year, he had been a resident in the Fondazione Piccinelli, a nursing home for the terminally ill, in Scanzorosciate near Bergamo. The confreres who visited him recently had remarked that he was peaceful and talking calmly. In fact, we thought that he was a bit better than a few months previously. However, on the morning of the 25th August, when the nurses came to his room to help him get up, they found him unresponsive, probably because of a sudden stroke. They called an ambulance to bring him to the nearest hospital in Bergamo but he died shortly after he arrived.

Fr. Luigi Vittorio was born in Mornico al Serio, in the Province of Bergamo on the 26th October 1940. He was the eldest of nine children. His father, Andrea, was a farmer and his saintly mother Maria Teresa kept house. Coming as he did from a farming background, Luigi kept his simple character, a strong will, and a certain shyness. He entered the Junior Seminary of Bergamo in September 1952 and moved on to study Philosophy in the Senior Seminary (1962-63). He enjoyed average intelligence but coupled with his spirit of discipline and perseverance, he passed all his exams without too many problems.

Luigi Vittorio joined the Society of the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers) in 1963. He did his novitiate in Gap and then went to Vals-près-le Puy for Theology (1964-1969) He took his Missionary Oath there on the 27th June 1968 and was ordained deacon on the 29th June 1968. On the 28th June 1969, he was ordained to the priesthood in Bergamo.

Luigi was very shy and was ill at ease particularly when it came to standing in public or before his superiors. However, he reacted well with courage and good will not to say with some cheerfulness. He was aware of his limits and he needed courage and a spirit of sacrifice in order to achieve the objectives entrusted to him whether it in the intellectual sphere or in practicalities of everyday life. Disciplined and having a deep spirituality, he overcame many difficult moments during his training.

In July 1969, Luigi left for Zaire now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was appointed to Essebi Parish in the Diocese of Mahagi. He began studying the language and became curate in the same parish. He stayed there until 1974. He returned to Italy to do missionary promotion work. He started at Cirié (November 1974 to February 1975) and then to Treviglio (February 1975 to January 1977).

In 1977, Fr. Plebani returned to Mahagi Diocese and worked there until April 1993. He worked in the parishes of Laybo (1977-1982), Ariwara (1982-1988). Aba (1988-1993). In September 1990, he followed the Session/Retreat in Jerusalem.

Luigi Vittorio’s temperament was one of directness, balanced outlook and a certain interior delicacy despite his sometimes-rough temperament. It was all based on a deep spiritual life which characterised his 22 missionary years in Africa. He enjoyed good relationships in community and knew how to be discrete when necessary and he generally found acceptance among the confreres.

After a sabbatical year, Luigi was appointed to Italy for good in June 1995 to do missionary promotion work. He began in Verona but because of health problems, he transferred to Treviglio. He did some ministry in the surrounding parishes and helped various parish groups. He did this with courage and perseverance as long as his illness permitted. In the latter years of his life his vocation would be to carry the cross of suffering for the good of Africa and in particularly for the Diocese of Mahagi where his heart still lived.

In all his time in Treviglio, even when he could not get around by himself, he always took part in the community exercises and he kept a keen interest in the work of the confreres. When he was in the nursing home of Scanzorosciate, he liked to have news of the confreres and whenever the occasion presented itself, he liked to spend some time in the community. In his spiritual testament, written sometime before his death, he expressed his gratitude to the Lord, “The Lord is great, because he knows how to wait for the moment when each person will come to the point of loving him with all his heart and God helps him to surrender into his arms.”

Luigi’s funeral took place in the parish church of his native village of Mornico al Serio. The Church was full of people, other priests, and a delegation of confreres from Treviglio, former students from the seminary and many friends. The Parish Priest, Don Pinuccio, emphasised the missionary vocation of Fr. Luigi in his homily and the urgency for young people to follow the same path so that the Church can continue to be faithful to her vocation.

Fr. Luigi rests in the cemetery of Mornico al Serio in the chapel reserved for the priests of the village and former Parish Priests.

Good-bye Luigi, rest in peace in the House of the Father where Jesus has prepared a place for us.

Vittorio Bonfanti

Father François Laflamme

1927 - - 2014

Fr. François Laflamme was born on the 25th August 1927 in the Parish of St-Jean l’Évangéliste de Thurso in the Province of Québec, Canada. Soon afterwards, his parents moved to Ottawa where he did his primary school studies. François secondary schooling took place in the Junior Seminary of Ottawa.
From 1948 to 1950, François studied Philosophy at the White Fathers’ seminary in Alexandria Bay in the USA. His Parish Priest had recommended him to the White Fathers with these words written in 1948: “I know François since he was eight years of age. His conduct has always been exemplary. His piety is remarkable, and he receives the sacraments frequently. He has a very good character and he has always given good example for his family and to those who know him.”

François began his novitiate in St-Martin, near Montreal, in August 1950. He soon revealed his talent as an organiser in material matters and a capacity to be of service to others. After the novitiate, he went to Thibar in Tunisia for three years of Theology. He took his Missionary Oath there on the 27th June 1954. He moved to Monteviot, Scotland, for his fourth year of Theology where he was ordained on the 26th May 1955.

Staff members considered François quite intelligent with a clear orientation for the practical side of things. He was not given to speculation but had practical talents for organisation and an aptitude for relationships.

At the beginning of September 1955, François began his studies in Education in London. He stayed there for two years and it was at the end of 1957 that he arrived in Uganda. He was appointed to the Diocese of Rubaga. He began by studying the language and worked as curate in Entebbe for two years. He spent one year in Kisubi before receiving an appointment as teacher in the Teachers Training College of Busubizi in January 1961. Shortly afterwards he was made the Principal of the College. He stayed there for five years before another appointment, again as teacher, to the Junior Seminary of Nswanjere.

François left his teaching career in January 1967 to become Parish Priest of Bukalammuli in the Archdiocese of Kampala. He remained there for 15 years. During this time, he put all his organisational talents into pastoral work and his concern for development. He carried out a number of projects in association with various organisations.

Civil War broke out in Uganda at the beginning of 1982 and fighting broke out near the mission of Bukalammuli. The people took refuge in the mission. François and his team had to look after thousands of people. However, a number of months later, everybody was forced to evacuate the mission which was then plundered. François was worn out and discouraged. He returned to Canada. It was a definitive return and he found it difficult to accept.

At the end of 1983, François accepted an appointment as Superior of St-Boniface (near Winnipeg) in Manitoba. He was also a member of the Provincial Council. In April 1986, he became Provincial Treasurer. He carried out this work zealously. He participated regularly at the Financial Council in Rome. Towards the end of 1990, he was tired and he was advised to take a sabbatical year in our house of Bon Air in Québec while following a number of renewal courses. The following year, he began a two-year course in Pastoral Work at the University of Ottawa while residing in our community there. At the end of the course, he went to Jerusalem for the Session/Retreat.

After a long period of consultation, François accepted an appointment as Parish Priest in the Parish of St. Claude in Ottawa. This meant living outside of community. He remained there for 11 years. He established deep ties with the parishioners and encouraged their collaboration in the running of the Parish. However, by 2004, the work had become too heavy for him and his health began to suffer. He returned to the community of the Ottawa procure giving a helping hand as well as he could. However, over the next few years, his health problems increased and he became more and more frail.

The Missionaries of Africa decided to sell the Ottawa house in 2014. François asked to go to a nursing home, Manoir l’Heritage, in order to receive appropriate care. He died there suddenly on the 24th September 2014. The funeral rites were celebrated on the 30th September in the Church of Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes in Ottawa followed by burial in the parish cemetery.

During the Mass, a letter from Archbishop Prendergast of Ottawa was read out. Among the things he said, “Here as in other places, Fr. Laflamme had always wanted to serve. Those who knew him, tell us that he was a missionary and a generous and helpful priest, good, caring for others especially for the poor and vulnerable...”

A parishioner from St. Claude testified in the name of the others, “His presence among us made us better people. He was an organiser. He convinced us that it was up to us to manage the Parish because Parish Priests are only birds of passage. He trusted us and he gave us confidence in ourselves.”

Fr. Pierre Landry, a confrere who knew him well and was close to him, wrote after his death, “François was an optimist. He had a sharp sense of humour, was at home in his surroundings and sure of himself. He would have made an excellent lawyer as he said himself ‘I am always ready to agree with anybody as long as they agree with me’. He was generous, handy with his hands, clever and did not accept defeat. After the evacuation and destruction of his parish in Uganda, he felt crushed and he found this difficult to accept. He controlled his sorrow and deception but it went deep. Recovering from this traumatic experience was going to take a long time...”

Lauréat Belley

Father Paul De Buck

1928 - - 2014

Paul was born on the 10th February 1928 at Schoten, near Antwerp in Belgium. He came from a well off and very Christian family. He attended the Jesuit College of Saint-Xavier at Borgerhout. He was an altar server and a member of Chiro, a Christian youth organisation.

Paul entered the White Fathers at Boechout in September 1947. After his novitiate in Varsenare, he left for his theological studies in Thibar, Tunisia. He took his Missionary Oath there on the 26th June 1953. Bishop Durrieu (+1965) ordained him priest on the 18th April 1954 in Carthage. Those in charge of his formation described him as sociable and friendly, generous and sensitive, a born leader, good at communicating indeed a bit talkative. He was a man of action, practical and a good organiser. They also pointed out that he tired easily as he suffered from asthma and sinusitis.

Paul was appointed to Upper Volta (Burkina Faso) and left Marseilles on the 22nd April 1955. On the 12th May, he arrived at his destination in Temnaoré in the Diocese of Koudougou where he became curate and bursar. He got down to learning the local language and the Regional of the time noted that he did so seriously and with very good results. Two years later, he was appointed to the Cathedral Parish of Koudougou again as curate and bursar. After his first home leave in Belgium, Paul returned to the Parish of Yako where he became Parish Priest in 1965. He left on his home leave in April 1966 not knowing that he would never return to Africa.

Paul did his Long Retreat in Rome in 1966 but on returning home, he found a grave family situation: his father was seriously ill and his married brother was suffering a nervous breakdown. Paul was obliged to remain at home. At the same time, the Belgian Provincial was desperately looking for a fundraiser in the Antwerp region. He asked the Regional of Upper Volta to “lend” him Paul de Buck for a couple of years. Paul was appointed to Keizerstraat in Antwerp. A few months later, Fr. Plessers (+1993) wrote that Paul was very active, devoted, and likes the work because it was necessary for the Province and for Africa. “He does very well and is looking for new addresses... Excellent.”

In 1970, Paul was asked to look for a second house in Antwerp. He looked at some forty houses, and decided on a beautiful house on the avenue Cogels-Osy in Berchem. Those who were still at Boechout, which had been sold and some confreres from Keizerstraat moved in. Paul looked after all the fitting out and bought the necessary equipment. He became the first superior of the new community. He began to devote less and less time to his work as a fundraiser.

In 1975, Paul became a member of the Diocesan Pastoral Commission for missionary promotion. He continued to be involved in pastoral work at weekends, chaplain to a group of residential homes and accompanied groups of sick people on holidays or on pilgrimages to Lourdes. From September 1979 to June 1980, he followed a missiology course in

Nijmegen (Netherlands). He wrote that he needed to take time out to reflect on his priestly vocation. He returned reinvigorated and with clearer ideas on his pastoral commitments. In the meantime, he was replaced as superior in the community of Berchem. At the beginning of 1980, the General Council wanted him to come to Rome as bursar of IPEA (Institut Pontifical d’Études Arabes, later known as PISAI). However, Paul preferred a more direct apostolate. He accepted to join the White Fathers’ team in charge of the Parish of the Sacred Heart where he very quickly became superior.

At this time, the Parish was the only one where the Province had a contract. The confreres tried to put a missionary outlook in their work. Paul became a specialist in the Pontifical Mission Societies at parish level. Workshops, working parties, and youth movements were all made aware and oriented towards the missionary dimension of the Church thanks to Paul and his confreres. They also paid special attention to the many immigrants in the parish.

On the 1st September 2000, Paul ought to have officially retired. He accepted a post as a voluntary pastoral worker in the Hospital Sainte Monique in Deurne. The hospital offered him a flat and he took up residence there. The sick as well as members of staff appreciated this jovial and smiling man, who was always ready with a joke but who also knew how to be serious and could speak of death and of a God who was always near. He continued this ministry until a little time before his death, when he felt completely worn out.

On Sunday 6th April 2014, Paul celebrated his jubilee of 60 years of priesthood, surrounded by his family, confreres and friends.

On the 15th July, at around 8 o’clock in the morning, Paul died quietly in the Hospital Sainte-Monique in the presence of his “Guardian Angel” Mrs Hilde Verstrepen, his colleague in the pastoral service of the hospital. The farewell liturgy took place on the 22nd July in the presence of a number of former parishioners and of many confreres. Paul asked to be buried in Borsbeek, near to his family. May he rest in peace.

Jef Vleugels

 

Brother Alphonse (Lionel) Daigneault

1923 - - 2014

Alphonse was born on the 12th April 1923 at Bromptonville, Québec Province, Canada. The death of his mother when he was only six years old deeply marked his childhood. Following her death, he was placed in the orphanage attached to the Hotel-Dieu of St-Hyacinth. He did a number of years of primary schooling there. In 1987, Alphonse wrote: “At the age of 11, I was put on a farm. I had to earn my keep by doing some work just like other children in the same situation as myself. Five years later, I was working in the cotton mill of St-Hyacinth. When I was 20, I spent two years in the Agricultural School in Ste-Martine in Chateauguay.”

Following his studies, he found himself on the labour market. He worked for a number of years as a gardener at the Sisters of Charity. They noticed that he went regularly to the Dominicans of St-Hyacinth for day retreats. In 1948, Fr. Boulay, O.P who regularly gave him spiritual advice discerned a vocation in him. He guided him towards the White Fathers. He wrote to Fr. Charles Brunet, Superior of the Postulancy for Brothers: “I have been dealing with Alphonse Daigneault for about two or three years. He is a good child, obedient, honest, pious, sober, straight and from a good family. The African missions seem to interest him a lot. I am sure that he will make an excellent brother on the condition that he is helped to take more initiatives.”

Alphonse contacted the Missionaries of Africa and with the encouragement of his Parish Priest, he entered the Brothers Postulancy of St-Martin, near Montreal on the 21st February 1949. A few months later, he began his novitiate in the same place. As a White Father Brother, he chose the name of Lionel, which was the baptismal name of his father. His Superiors were pleased with him and he took his first Missionary Oath of one year on the 31st July 1951.

Thereafter, he continued his training mainly at St. Martin helping on the farm, gardening, cooking and helping with the formation of the aspirants. In 1953, he went to Franklin in the USA for a year’s training. In 1955, he went to Lac Vert, which was the summer residence of the theology students in order to carry out some construction work. The following year he went to the Brothers TrainingCentre in Lennoxville where he followed courses in mechanics and welding.

Missionary Oath in 1952.

During these years, he regularly renewed his missionary oath for one year, three years before finally taking his perpetual Missionary Oath on the 24th July 1957 at Lavigerie House in Lennoxville. Those in charge of his training considered him as somebody with a great spirit of generosity. He had a good character and was very devoted being always willing to learn as much as possible.

Finally towards the end of 1957 came the big day for Bro. Lionel, he was appointed to Zambia. He first went to the Diocese of Fort-Rosebery, nowadays the Diocese of Mansa, to the Parish of Lubwe where he got involved in construction work. He stayed there for nearly three years and then followed a number of appointments in quick succession to the parishes of Kabunda, Lufubu, Kashikishi and Fort-Rosebery. He was mainly involved in building work and he only stayed about a year in each mission.

Alphonse took his first home leave in 1964. It came just at the right moment, because he needed a good rest after many years of adaptation and hard work. Bishop René-Georges Pailloux wrote to the Canadian Provincial telling him about Alphonse in these words: “I am very keen to let you know that the good Bro. Lionel is an excellent missionary, regular, devoted, ready to anything that is asked of him, charitable, humble, discrete, pious, and serious. He is one of those humble and fervent people who can manage in all conditions.”

After his home leave and the long retreat in Italy, Alphonse returned to Lubwe Parish in Zambia. He stayed in this mission for the more than twenty years until the end of his missionary life in Africa in 1986. He returned home regularly for home leave sometime for medical reasons because his health was diminishing and pulmonary problems were frequently handicapping him.

Lubwe will remember Bro. Lionel for a long time for he left his mark there. Many testimonies emphasize that he was the pillar of the mission because of all the work he did regarding maintenance, repairs, gardening, cooking etc. It was only after he left that one realised how much he had contributed.

On his return to Canada, Aphonse took some time out to receive treatment. He then followed some courses in Montreal. He quickly realised that he could not return to Africa. He was appointed to our retirement home in Lennoxville. He helped in the maintenance especially in the garden as best as he could taking into account his limits. He did this for 24 years. However, in the last few years, he became more and more handicapped and at the beginning of 2011 to his huge disappointment, he was admitted to the nursing home of the Capuchin Fathers in Montreal in order to receive appropriate care. He died there on the 24th October 2014.

Alphonse’s funeral took place on the 28th October in the chapel of the Capuchins in the presence of his funerary urn. After the ceremony, his ashes were brought to Lennoxville to be placed in the plot of the Missionaries of Africa in the cemetery of St. Antoine.

Fr. Pierre Gouin gave the homily at the funeral. Among other things, he said: “A life spent in giving service, following the example of Jesus. This was the missionary vocation of Alphonse in Lubwe. He gave his talents, his hands, and his practical intelligence to help, to help everybody.

His one weakness was for the poor. Beside the gardens, the building, the meals, the engines and herd of cows that were all his responsibility at the mission, how many bikes and pickaxes did he repair? How many workers did he train? For about 24 years, Alphonse devoted himself humbly to the smooth running of the most important mission of the diocese (which was also well patronised, well stocked, and most welcoming). Today, he has heard the beautiful words of Jesus: Good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of your Lord.”

Lauréat Belley