Une des dernières lettres de Noël que Georg a envoyée depuis le Malawi s’inspirait des paroles de l’ange : “Écoutez, je vous apporte une grande joie, qui est à partager avec le monde entier”. Toute sa vie missionnaire fut consacrée à la réalisation de cette promesse divine.

Georg est né à Kaltenbaum près de Regensburg le 9 août 1930. Il a deux frères et quatre sœurs. Ses parents possèdent une petite ferme. Georg découvre très tôt sa vocation. Il suit les études secondaires à Regensburg, dans une école proche du petit séminaire diocésain. En 1950, il termine ses études à Regensburg en obtenant son baccalauréat. Peu après, il écrit à la Société : “J’ai décidé, déjà depuis quelques années, de devenir Missionnaire d’Afrique. C’est pourquoi je demande à être accepté dans votre Congrégation.” C’est le début de sa vie avec les Pères Blancs, qui lui étaient plutôt inconnus en ce temps-là. Il apprend cependant à découvrir sa congrégation missionnaire et il l’aime de plus en plus. Ses formateurs sont impressionnés par la détermination qu’il apporte dans la réalisation de sa vocation. Georg fait sa philosophie à Trèves et son noviciat et scolasticat à s’Heerenberg. Il y prononce son serment missionnaire le 24 juillet 1956. Il fait sa dernière année de théologie à Monteviot en Écosse et il est ordonné prêtre à Galashiels, en Écosse le 16 mai 1957.

Ses nombreux talents ne sont pas tous découverts pendant la période de formation. Ses formateurs n’avaient jamais mentionné qu’il était doué pour l’enseignement. Cependant, après son ordination, il a servi dans sa Bavière natale comme enseignant, la Société devant faire face à une demande au petit séminaire de Zaitzkofen. Bien que Georg n’y ait enseigné qu’une année, l’éducation deviendra sa destinée pendant longtemps.

Le 12 novembre 1958, Georg quitte l’Allemagne pour le Malawi où il y travaillera pendant 54 ans. Il sera nommé alternativement en paroisse et dans l’enseignement. Au début, il travaille seulement une année dans la paroisse de Mua, avant d’être envoyé pour enseigner au petit séminaire de Kasina. Il retourne comme curé de la paroisse de Mua trois ans plus tard. Après quatre ans en paroisse, on le demande de nouveau comme enseignant, d’abord à Kasina puis à Mtendere. En 1969, il devient à nouveau curé de Mua ; cette fois, il y restera neuf ans. Il enseigne ensuite pendant huit autres années à Kasina et Mtendere. De 1991 à 1996, il est curé à Tsangano puis il travaille dans la paroisse de Nsipe jusqu’à son retour définitif en Allemagne en 2012.

Partout où il a été envoyé, Georg a accompli un grand travail. Il fut populaire auprès de ses étudiants comme de ses paroissiens. Il aimait son apostolat et les gens malgré les difficultés rencontrées. Jeune missionnaire, Georg a écrit de Mua : “Nous avons souvent à traverser des rivières sur lesquelles il n’y a pas de ponts. Ce n’est pas possible à moto ; c’est pourquoi j’utilise le vélo. Les gens sont bons et communicatifs. La vie ici est magnifique et intéressante.” L’enthousiasme pour la vie missionnaire au Malawi ne l’a jamais quitté, même quand il devait rapporter que tout n’allait pas bien au séminaire ou que son véhicule avait disparu après le passage de voleurs à la mission.

Ses efforts pastoraux étaient fondés sur une solide vie de prière. Georg n’engageait pas de discussions au sujet de la théologie moderne, ni non plus, beaucoup, au sujet des nouvelles méthodes de pastorale ou de formation permanente. Il fut très reconnaissant quand le Provincial du Malawi refusa de le laisser aller en Allemagne pour l’animation missionnaire. Cela aurait été, en effet, difficile de lui trouver un remplaçant comme curé, enseignant ou conseiller diocésain. Son évêque pouvait toujours compter sur lui quand il avait besoin de quelqu’un pour une tâche difficile, comme être le supérieur compréhensif d’un prêtre ayant des problèmes.

En juillet 2012, Georg retourne en Allemagne pour raison d’âge et il reste dans notre communauté de Munich. Il est aimable, modeste, même un peu timide. Il ne tient pas compte du conseil de ses confrères d’aller faire un contrôle médical complet. Il est toujours disponible pour célébrer une messe jusqu’au moment où, victime d’une crise cardiaque, il est hospitalisé.

La veille de son décès, il reçoit la visite des Sœurs chez lesquelles il célèbre habituellement la messe. Avec une pointe d’humour, il leur demande pardon de ne pas pouvoir continuer son service. Le jour suivant, le 12 juin 2013, vient le moment de la fin de son service missionnaire et sacerdotal dans le monde. Le Seigneur, qui lui avait donné cette vocation missionnaire, l’a appelé à entrer dans sa demeure éternelle.
Georg est décédé à Munich, dans l’Hôpital du Tiers Ordre. Il a été enterré dans le cimetière-ouest de Munich le 20 juin 2013.

Rolf Wigger

Père Rémy Puiroux

1925 - - 2013

Rémy naquit à Brétignolles sur Mer, en Vendée, France, le 1er octobre 1925. Assez vite ses parents vinrent s’établir aux “Sables d’Olonne” où Rémy a grandi. Il fit ses études secondaires au petit séminaire de Chavagnes en Paillers d’où il gagna, baccalauréat en poche, le grand séminaire de son diocèse, Luçon.
Au cours de la première année de philosophie, Rémy entreprend les démarches pour devenir “Père Blanc”. Ceci avec l’approbation entière de son directeur, le chanoine Hauret, bien connu des milieux bibliques. Il sait que son départ pour une congrégation missionnaire demandera un gros sacrifice à ses parents qui avaient perdu, depuis peu, un frère de Rémy, séminariste lui aussi. Mais Rémy s’emploiera, avec l’aide de deux oncles prêtres diocésains, à aider ses parents à accepter cette orientation missionnaire.

Aussi retrouve-t-on Rémy à Kerlois à l’automne 1945, en deuxième année de philosophie, muni des recommandations les plus chaudes de ses éducateurs de Luçon. Tout au cours de sa formation, il donna entière satisfaction à ses formateurs : noviciat à Maison-Carrée, scolasticat à Thibar et à Carthage, (dans un pays qu’il a beaucoup aimé, la Tunisie). Ayant prononcé son Serment missionnaire le 30 janvier 1950, il sera ordonné prêtre le 28 juin 1950. Peu à peu, une certaine timidité notée les premières années laisse place à une personnalité réservée et prudente. On remarque son coté agréable en communauté, et un attrait l’orientant davantage vers le matériel que vers la spéculation. Avec délicatesse et tact, il remplit à plusieurs reprises la fonction d’infirmier.

Le diocèse de Nouna (Haute Volta devenue Burkina Faso ) sera son terrain d’action apostolique de 1951 à 1975 : après s’être initié à la lange “bwa”, on trouve Rémy dans les postes de Togo, San, Ouakara, Boni, Nouna, Dedougou et Bamborokuy. Partout il fera preuve de dynamisme au plan apostolique, d’ingéniosité pour les constructions. La multiplicité des dialectes l’a amené à se perfectionner dans la langue lors de chaque changement de poste. Il l’a fait avec entrain et générosité. Il est souvent curé, estimé des confrères ; il sait donner les directives nécessaires, sans s’imposer, travaillant vraiment en commun. Rapidement, on le trouve parmi les membres du Conseil de l’évêque comme dans celui du Régional. La maladie ne l’a pas épargné, ce qui lui a valu l’un ou l’autre retour en France pour raisons médicales.

En 1974, il est élu délégué au Chapitre général de la Société. En 1975, il est nommé Régional pour la partie Ouest de la Haute Volta et il le restera jusqu’en 1982. Il lui faudra travailler avec de nouveaux évêques, africains désormais, et entreprendre la transmission de certains postes entre les mains du clergé autochtone. Il le fit avec doigté, sachant programmer, avec la patience et la fermeté requises. Si bien qu’à la fin de son mandat de Régional, où il montra ses qualités d’organisateur, et où on apprécia son sens de la relation, il fut nommé en France comme responsable à Paris de la maison de la « Rue Friant », maison importante par le nombre de ses habitants, résidents ou de passage, comme par les responsabilités qui incombent au Supérieur. Rémy fit face aux cas les plus difficiles sans se départir de sa bonne humeur et de son calme… Aussi est-ce tout naturellement qu’il sera nommé adjoint du Provincial de France, fonction qu’il assura de 1987 à 1993, à la satisfaction de tous.

Avec joie il repartira au Burkina où, après un court séjour à Boni, il sera chargé, entre autres choses, de l’accueil à la maison provinciale de Ouagadougou. Ceci jusqu’en 2000, où il revient en France pour “l’accueil” de la rue Friant. Ce sera ensuite la maison de repos de Billère où, tant qu’il le pourra, il remplira les fonctions de directeur adjoint. Mais la maladie le guettait, amenant une diminution progressive de ses facultés, tant intellectuelles que relationnelles. Il nous a quitté le 22 janvier 2013.

Rémy est décédé à l’âge de 87 ans. Ses obsèques ont été célébrées à Billère le 25 janvier 2013.
Rémy nous laisse le souvenir d’un confrère avec qui il était agréable de vivre et de travailler. Disponible, aimant le contact, simple, discret aussi bien dans sa manière concrète d’être charitable que dans sa vie de prière.

Sa disponibilité transparaît comme leitmotiv dans la correspondance qu’il entretient avec les Supérieurs qui lui parlent d’une nomination : “Je pourrais donner beaucoup de raisons contre ta proposition de nomination, mais pour les mêmes raisons que donnerait tout Père Blanc moyen. Je ne sais trop ce que je pourrais faire là-bas, mais c’est toi qui juges et en prends la responsabilité… Je n’ai pas encore refusé une nomination. Je ne vais pas commencer maintenant, à 45 ans, à 55 ans. Réfléchis, si ta décision est maintenue, ma réponse sera positive, et j’essaierai de faire “mon petit possible”.

Sa simplicité est soulignée par le P. Jean Longin, Régional de l’Est-Volta : “Je garde un bon souvenir de nos rencontres où l’on pouvait partager nos soucis en toute simplicité. Les différents points de vue étaient abordés dans le calme et discutés dans la même atmosphère. Il repérait bien les problèmes. Il les traitait avec attention, amitié et chaleur humaine. Mais ce qui l’emporte dans sa vie... c’est sa simplicité”.
Beaucoup de ceux qui l’ont connu ont apprécié la discrétion qui était sienne ; on pouvait lui faire confiance, lui faire part de difficultés, de soucis, tant au plan apostolique que personnel. Discrétion qui était aussi sienne dans sa manière d’aider : qu’il s’agisse d’une transfusion sanguine à faire en urgence, ou simplement de l’aide matérielle apportée à un confrère, d’un remplacement qu’il fallait opérer à l’improviste : ce n’est que, au hasard d’une conversation, qu’on l’apprend plus tard : chez lui, pas de fla-fla, pas de mise en avant...

Merci Rémy de tout ce que tu as été pour nous comme confrère ; de tout ce que tu as réalisé aussi bien dans l’apostolat que pour le bien de la Société. Merci d’avoir été pour tous quelqu’un qui aimait la vie communautaire et faisait tout pour que ceux qui t’entouraient soient heureux.

Un Père de Bry-sur-Marne

Père Celestino Yeregui

1939 - - 2013

Notre cher Celestino est né à Betelu (Navarra), Espagne, le 5 mars 1939. Alors qu’il a 13 ans, il fait son entrée au séminaire de Pampelune. Après le premier cycle du grand séminaire et à l’âge de 21 ans, il est admis au noviciat des Missionnaires d’Afrique à Gap (Hautes Alpes). Ensuite, il est envoyé à Heverlee (Belgique) pour faire sa théologie (1961-1965). Il prononce son Serment missionnaire le 28 juin 1964 et il est ordonné prêtre un an plus tard, le 27 juin 1965, à Logroño (Espagne).

Il part au Congo le 20 décembre de la même année. Dès le début de son séjour, Celestino devra faire face à des situations pénibles et difficiles : la “guerre des Simbas” avait mis le pays en morceaux et avait produit des milliers de morts, surtout dans l’est du pays. Parmi les victimes, on dénombre beaucoup de missionnaires.

Pendant de longues années, il a été un vaillant apôtre et missionnaire dans le diocèse de Kasongo, région très isolée, et plus particulièrement dans la paroisse de Lilongou. Cette situation ne l’empêchait pas de parcourir de longues distances pour rendre visite aux gens dans les succursales. En bon samaritain, il était toujours plein d’attention envers ceux qui avaient recours à lui, toujours dans la simplicité et avec une bonne dose de tendresse. Ces vertus faisaient partie de son caractère ouvert et sensible.

À partir de 1994, alors que la guerre se déclarait au Rwanda, la situation devint dramatique. Il se déchaîna une véritable avalanche de réfugiés et déplacés qui se mettaient à l’abri dans le Congo voisin. Dans cette ambiance de peur, d’angoisse et d’insécurité pour l’ensemble de la population, brille d’un grand éclat le témoignage apostolique de Celestino. Il montre sa solidarité avec ces gens souffrant, délaissés ; il prend la défense des gens sans défense, les console, leur donne de l’espoir. Il fait tout pour sauver la vie des autres au péril de la sienne. Un beau témoignage de service à l’Évangile, dans la patience et l’humilité.

À 72 ans, épuisé, il revient définitivement en Espagne. Il ne s’en plaint pas. Il est nommé à la communauté de Barañain (Pampelune). Un peu à contre cœur, il accepte de devenir l’économe de la communauté. Il s’efforcera de bien exercer cette fonction, à la satisfaction de tous.

Tous ses confrères ont bien apprécié sa simplicité, sa disponibilité, sa jovialité. Toujours prêt à donner de son temps, il était un homme adroit et éminemment pratique, généreux et plein d’attention envers ceux qui avaient besoin d’une aide quelconque. Pour nous, ses confrères, Celestino demeurera le confrère discret que Dieu a mis sur notre route. Beaucoup d’amis et de confrères se sont intéressés à son état de santé et, par téléphone, se sont mis en contact avec lui, même depuis le Congo, son pays d’adoption. Ils voulaient lui montrer leur soutien.

Hospitalisé, quand ses douleurs devenaient presque insupportables à cause du cancer, il ne se plaindra guère. Il endurera la souffance, parfois jusqu’à l’épuisement, à tel point que le personnel de santé en sera émerveillé et très étonné de voir la manière dont ce missionnaire a pu supporter patiemment sa maladie jusqu’à la mort. Un vrai témoignage qui n’est pas à la portée de tout le monde.

Pendant les deux longs mois qu’il a séjourné à l’hôpital de Pampelune, il a eu à ses côtés, jour et nuit, des confrères et des membres de sa famille toujours pleins d’attentions, s’efforçant de le soutenir avec délicatesse. Il en a été reconnaissant, nous accueillant toujours avec le sourire. Il a même reçu la visite de notre archevêque qui a l’habitude d’aller visiter ses prêtres quand ils sont hospitalisés.

Celestino nous a quittés le 11 mai 2013 vers 15 heures. Il a rejoint discrètement la maison du Père, à la veille de la fête de l’Ascension… Qu’il repose en paix !

Sa communauté de Barañain

PROFILES

Father André Sapède

1922 - - 2013

Our confrere first saw the light of day on the 14th November 1922 at Salindres, in the Gard, France. He was the 3rd and last child of Fernand Sapède and Jeanne Lise Gibert. His older brother, Georges was an engineer by profession but also a noted local historian. His other brother, Henri joined the Assumptionists and was a missionary in Madagascar.

André did his secondary schooling in the Enclos St. François de Montpellier. He entered the seminary and he told how his first purchase of the Bible nearly ruined him financially as it cost 71 (old) francs! Later on he would discover the works of Fr. Lagrange of the École Biblique of Jerusalem and he would adopt his critical method for reading the Bible. However, it was the time of war and André spent one year in a youth camp followed by two years of forced labour in Germany.

He was in Montpelier (seminary) again from 1945 to 1946, after which he joined the ‘White Fathers’. He did his novitiate in Maison Carée, Algeria, followed by Theological studies in Thibar, Tunisia, where he took his missionary oath on the 28th September 1948 followed by priestly ordination on the 1st February 1949.

He was predestined to be a teacher, so he spent three years in Paris studying for a B.A in Literature. In 1952, he was sent to the Junior Seminary in Bonnelles where he spent five years teaching future White Father candidates.

In October 1957, André arrived in Upper Volta (Burkina Faso). He was appointed to the Junior Seminary of Pabre not far from Ouagadougou. During his first home leave he did the Long Retreat in Villa Cavaletti near Rome. In 1968, he was appointed as Superior of the Inter-Diocesan Seminary at Kossoghen. This regrouped all the junior seminarians studying in the final years of secondary education coming from the eastern part of West Volta.

Teaching was André’s great mission. He taught the young of all ages for 35 years. He was concerned not only to give them a good education in secular subjects but to educate them in the best sense of the word. He was very competent and knew his subjects well. Many of the young people had great confidence in him and chose him as their Spiritual Director and were very grateful to him. Last year, one of his past students of Pabre, now the Coadjutor Archbishop of Ouagadougou, came to visit him in Tassy in order to greet his ‘director’ and ‘father’.

As the Director of Kossoghen, André fully accepted his responsibility to create a sense of unity among the students who came from the four corners of Burkina comprising many different linguistic and ethnic differences. He helped them recognise that their differences were a richness from which their country and their Church could profit.

In 1973, André had to return to France for health reasons. When he got better he did some recycling at the Institut Supérieur de Théologie des Religions in Paris. He returned to Ouagadougou in 1975. He was elected Regional Councillor and Bursar. In 1978, he returned to his beloved Pabre where he was to remain for another 13 years. He had to return to France in 1991 for medical treatment. He spent one year in Mours before returning to Ouagadougou in 1995. He was to pass the last five years of his African mission in the Guest House correcting numerous texts of students who were following a Bible course by correspondence.

In 1999, André returned to France for treatment for shingles. He was appointed to Tassy. His retirement was to be studious one. He learnt Hebrew in order to read and understand the Old Testament in the original texts. André had no ordinary faith and he was always seeking to harmonise the fundamentals of the Faith with the demands of Reason. He described the Bible as: “a dialogue between the Wisdom of God and the Rationality of Man.” He read the Old Testament in Hebrew and the New Testament in Greek as he wished to drink from the original well of the Word of God. He could get angry every time that he felt a translation did not conform 100% to the original meaning of the sacred text.

However André knew how to discover God in nature. Very often at Tassy, as long as he was mobile, he would, in the morning, climb up behind the Grotto of Our Lady and spend some long moments admiring nature, the trees, the flowers, the countryside and he praised God sometimes in silence and sometimes by singing.

As long as he was able, he gave private lessons on the Bible. However, it was deafness that obliged him to end this apostolate. Like Cardinal Lavigerie, André often thought of death. For more than three years he refused to shave because he was convinced of his imminent demise. He refused to vote in 2012 and last December, he refused to have a TV set with headphones adapted to his deafness.

In February 2012, he fell in the living room and broke his thighbone. It was inoperable and he was forced to use a wheelchair. He was to spend the rest of his life in total abandonment to God and he never complained.

On Sunday night the 16th June 2013, around 10.00, the night nurse found him quite ill. She asked him as to why he had not called her and he replied: “What for, I am going to die soon. I am not afraid, I am ready” They were his last words. The nurse, a bit anxious, checked on him hourly and he seemed to be sleeping peacefully but he died between midnight and one o’clock on Monday 17th June 2013. André left us as he had lived: in silence and peace.

When he heard of his death, Bishop Léopold Ouédraogo sent an email (to him): “Dear Fr. Sapède, farewell and thank you in the name of thousands of seminarians who, since 1957, benefitted from your talents as a teacher and pastor. Thank you for the very many faithful who became acquainted with the Word of God and, so with God himself, because of your fascinating Bible courses.

For us, you were a cultured and spiritual man, a priest thirsty for the God who is full of love and mercy and whom you wanted to make known and loved to those around you. May the God of Love – your share of his inheritance - welcome you close to Him and give you joy in abundance.”

Charles Sarti

Father Frédéric Majorel

1930 - - 2012

Frédéric was born in Mende, France on the 18th November 1930 and he was baptised five days later. Frédé, as he was called, was the eldest boy in a family of six boys. It was in his family that from a very young age he was made aware of the poor and the humble. His fellow students at Saint Laurent d’Olt were very much aware of his eccentricities and already at this time he was speaking Esperanto. He complained many times that the Republic was depriving him of his native language. Maybe this was the origin of his ‘addiction’ for languages. By the time he left Carthage, he spoke English, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Hebrew, Arabic and the local Tunisian dialect.

His White Father training began in Saint Laurent d’Olt and Bonnelles where he obtained his Baccalaureat. He studied in Kerlois from 1951 to 1953. He did his novitiate in Maison-Carrée, followed by Theological studies in Thibar and Carthage. He took his Missionary Oath on the 17th May 1958. He was ordained priest on the 1st February 1959 in Mende.

While doing his military service in France in 1956, he had a serious accident. While on manoeuvres his vehicle ran over some rockets and was blown up. He was to suffer from tinnitus for the rest of his life. He suffered from head injuries, a perforated left eardrum and his right eardrum was badly scarred. This resulted in a constant buzzing noise in his head. He also suffered from chronic stomach problems and from 1999 onwards, he always took some medicine before his meals. However his professors in Carthage noted that he seemed to hear sufficiently well. His doctor did not see any problem in his being ordained and Fr. Paul Maurel wrote: “His virtue, his conduct in community, his facility for contact, his deep piety and his open devotion to our Lady speak in his favour”.

Frédé was appointed to Faladyé in the Apostolic Prefecture of Gao. He arrived there in November 1959 and began to study Bambara. Later on, he would publish a small booklet entitled: “A little Bambara without too much pain” Copies could still be bought in bookshops in Bamako in 2010. In May 1960, he arrived in Mopti. This first year on mission was difficult because of health problems but treatment in the spa of Lamalou-les-Bains in France in 1961 helped him a lot.

At Mopti, his Parish Priest was Fr. Lebrou and together they launched the school of Minta about 150 kms from Mopti near the border with Burkina Faso. They set up a catechist’s school there with a special programme. From this little school, which received no Government help, came Bishop Jean-Baptiste Tiama, (made Bishop of Sikasso in 1999) and Fr. Jean Bello who were both ordained priests on the 14th July 1984. Frédé remained at Mopti until February 1968. He transferred to Diré for two years in order to study Songhai and Peulh. He often visited the poorest, the prostitutes, the beggars, the handicapped, the lame and the blind. He had extraordinary generosity and never kept anything for himself. One day, he came home without his shoes: some poor person needed them.

Because of his accident, Frédé regularly returned to the spa of Lamalou-les-Bains for treatment. On his return things went well for four or five months before the painful migraines returned. He returned to Mopti in June 1970 as curate he was then appointed Parish Priest from January 1974 to October 1975. He was appointed to Dogon country as curate in Pel until his departure for the Bible Session and Long Retreat in autumn 1976. We find him in Marseilles in August 1977 where he was looking after African migrants especially those from Senegal. He learnt Wolof. He made a trip to Senegal and from January 1985, he was curate in the parish of Richard-Toll, then its Parish Priest, and then curate at Louga in the Diocese of Saint-Louis of Senegal.

When he left Marseilles, Frédé had received a little word from the Bishop of Saint-Louis of Senegal: “Thank you in the name of the Province for your missionary witness for the last five years among the immigrant workers in the Marseilles area.” In July, he got permission from the Provincial Superior to spend a month in Jerusalem to study Hebrew!

In September 1990, Frédé was offered a new Parish, Dahra in the Diocese of St.Louis but it would mean living alone. This was not to his liking and the time had come for him to rejoin a White Father community. The Provincial Council did not want to send him back to Mopti, so it was proposed that he go to Niono.

He stayed there for two years before going to Kolongo where he stayed for four years. However, his bad health continued and the Sister Nurses could not do anything more for him. He decided on a definitive return to France. He was 67 years old. On his arrival in Bamako, the Provincial took him to the Farako clinic. He prepared himself for his last journey to Paris.

The doctors in Paris did not find anything particularly wrong with Frédé so he went to his home area of Langogne to rest. Once he was back on his feet, he wanted to return to Kolongo. However his Provincial leaders wanted him to remain in France and did everything to find him a suitable post. In the end he stayed in Langogne. It was there, in his home region, that he was to be a missionary for more than ten years.

However the hospital stays became more frequent. The last two years of his life were spent in hospital as the Parkinson’s disease got worse. One of his brothers came every day to the hospital to help him say Mass.

He had prepared a note for his funeral: “Speak of the mercy of God and of His Goodness and his infinite love. I think that my biggest regret in all my life as a priest was not to speak more of the infinite love of God for everyone. Do not forget to mention Our Lady; it goes without saying that there will be at least one hymn to our Lady during the Funeral Mass”. He died on the 18th October 2012.

We were 17 priests and two Bishops, those of Mende and Ziguinchor, at his funeral Mass in Langogne. His family warmly expressed their deep gratitude to the White Fathers for all they did for Frédé. After a final prayer in Mende Cathedral, he was buried in the family vault in Mende on Saturday 20th October 2012.

Michel Robin

Brother Alois Westermann

1930 - - 2013

Towards the end of his missionary life Alois wrote from Uganda: “I am grateful to God, that He enabled me to do something useful for Him. I can truly say that I would not like to have missed all these years in His service.”

Brother Alois Westermann was born on 30th June 1930 in Rheda in the Diocese of Paderborn, Germany. He had six brothers and four sisters; his parents were farmers. His parents moved to Silesia where they started a farm. Alois did his primary school in Silesia and also began his apprenticeship as a tailor. At the end of the war, the family moved back to Western Germany. Alois completed his training as a tailor in Gütersloh. He then worked in his profession for four years.

In 1952, he began his postulancy with the White Fathers in Frankfurt. He did his novitiate in Langenfeld. After taking his first missionary oath, on 22nd August 1954, he went to the brothers’ scholasticate in Marienthal/ Luxemburg. His formators noted: “He executes all his duties in a precise way; he is a competent tailor and quick to grasp other trades. His work emanates from a genuine spirituality.”
After completing his missionary training, Alois served firstly in the German Province. From 1957 until 1959 he worked in Langenfeld, Amberg and Hörstel. He made the ganduras and burnuses of innumerable German novices and confreres, but he was good in other skills as well.

Alois left Germany for Uganda on the 25th October 1959. He was to spend his whole missionary life there. His first appointment was Bursar of Katigondo National Seminary. It was in Katigondo that he took his perpetual Oath on 8th September 1960. Alois soon became indispensable in Katigondo. He was to stay there for 25 years. In 1971, he wrote in one of his letters: “This year we have more than 200 seminarians and there may be more in the coming years. We will have to construct a new building with 50 rooms. We also need to extend the farm in order to fill all the hungry mouths. Next month I hope to have 100 cows.” One of the confreres who stayed with him at Katigondo was Mark de Wulf, who wrote the following appreciation:

“Alois was a tailor by profession. The other skills he had were the result of his years at Marienthal, but mainly the outcome of his natural gifts and his efforts to develop all his talents. He was truly a self-made man. He was very competent at building, mechanics, woodwork, farming, electronics, and bookkeeping. Literally he was a man of all trades and master of them all. The Rectors who had the privilege of working with him could truly concentrate on the formation of the seminarians. For the whole material side of the seminary, they could fully and absolutely rely on Brother Westermann. Although he was a man of few words, he never shied away from discussions with his fellow staff members who were Doctors or Masters in all kind of disciplines! He kept their feet firmly on the ground...

... His great joy and his main relaxation were at the lakeside of Nabugabo, some 25 km away from the Seminary. That was his Kingdom and the source of fish and other foodstuffs. He was a skilled fisherman and a real terror for Nile Perches and other monsters. But he never forgot his original trade. In the evening hours, after his regular work, he would relax by sowing curtains and bed sheets!”

After his long stay in Katigondo, Alois spent two years in the Diocese of Soroti, where the White Fathers had started a new missionary venture. However he was soon needed in Kampala. His confreres remembered the warm hospitality he had always offered them in Katigondo. Hence he was appointed guest master of the Provincial house. He was also in charge of the maintenance of the buildings. He spent the last 20 years of his life in Uganda there.

Alois had to endure the trials of dictatorship and civil war: sometimes he was even threatened personally, or he had to accept the confiscation of his car by soldiers. His calm and balanced character and his genuine spirituality enabled Alois to face all the difficulties he experienced in Uganda. He kept a sound mind and a warm heart.

Alois returned to Germany at the end of 2006. Until his death he was the local bursar of our community in Hörstel. Although old age had slowed him down, he was still active and in good health. On the evening of a busy day, when Alois was normally working in the garden and mowing the lawns, he suddenly got a stroke.

He was taken to the hospital in Rheine, but the doctors were not able to save his life. A few days later, on 13th June 2013, he died in hospital. Alois was buried in the cemetery of Hörstel on Tuesday, the 18th June 2013.

Rolf Wigger

Father Georg Messer

1930 - - 2013

In one of the last letters Georg wrote for Christmas from Malawi the heading was: “Listen, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole world.” His whole missionary life was dedicated to the realization of this divine promise.

Georg Messer was born in Kaltenbaum near Regensburg on 9th August 1930. He had two brothers and four sisters. His parents owned a small farm. Early in life Georg felt he had a vocation. He did his secondary school studies in Regensburg. He lived in the Diocesan Junior Seminary while attending classes in the nearby secondary school. In 1950, he passed his “Abitur” exam and soon afterwards he wrote to the White Fathers asking: “For some years now I have decided to become a missionary. For this reason I ask to be accepted into the Congregation of the White Fathers.”

This was the beginning of his life with the White Fathers whom he did not know all that well. However he increasingly got to know and love his missionary congregation. His formators were impressed by the determination he showed in realizing his vocation. Georg did his philosophy in Trier and his novitiate and scholasticate in s’Heerenberg. He took his Missionary Oath there on 24th July 1956. He did the last year of his theological studies in Monteviot, Scotland. He was ordained priest in Galashiels, Scotland on 16th May 1957.

Not all talents are discovered during the time of training. In all their evaluations of Georg, his formators never mentioned that he was a gifted teacher. However, after his ordination he had to serve as a teacher in his Bavarian homeland. The White Fathers had to fill a gap in the Junior Seminary of Zaitzkofen. Although Georg taught in Zaitzkofen for only one year, he was destined to serve as an educator for many more years.

On 12th November 1958, Georg left for Malawi, and he was to work as a missionary there for 54 years. By turns he would be appointed for parish work and again for teaching. In the beginning he worked for just one year in the parish of Mua, before he was sent as a teacher to the junior seminary of Kasina. After three years he returned to Mua as parish priest. After four years in the parish, he was needed again as a teacher, first in Kasina and later in Mtendere. In 1969 he became, once more, the parish priest of Mua; this time he was to stay for nine years. After that, he taught for another eight years in Kasina and Mtendere. From 1991 until 1996 he was the Parish Priest of Tsangano. Finally he worked in the parish of Nsipe until his return to Germany in 2012.

Wherever Georg went, he did a great job. He was popular with his students as well as with his parishioners. Georg himself loved his apostolate and his people in spite of the hardships he had to face. As a young missionary he wrote from Mua: “Often we have to cross rivers where there is no bridge. It cannot be done with a motorcycle; that is why I use a bicycle. The people are kind and talkative. Life here is wonderful and interesting.”

Georg never lost his enthusiasm for missionary life in Malawi, even when he had to report that all was not well in the seminary or that his car had been stolen by thieves who had raided the mission station. His pastoral efforts were based on a solid life of prayer. Georg did not get involved in discussions about modern theology, nor did he think much of new pastoral methods or ongoing formation. He was very grateful when the Provincial of Malawi refused to let him go to Germany for missionary promotion work. Indeed it would have been hard to find a replacement for Georg as parish priest, teacher or diocesan counsellor. His bishop could always rely on Georg when he needed someone for a difficult task like being a fatherly superior for a priest who had problems.

In July 2012, Georg returned to Germany because of his advanced age. He stayed in our community in Munich. He was kind, modest and even a bit shy. He ignored the advice of his confreres to go for a thorough medical check-up. He was engaged in supplying Masses until a heart attack sent him to hospital.

The day before his death he received the visit of sisters in whose convent he used to say Mass. With a touch of humour he asked for forgiveness, because he could not continue to serve them. The following day, 12th June 2013, the time had come to end his missionary and priestly service in this world. On that day God, who had given him his missionary vocation, called him to enter into his eternal home. Georg died in the ‘Third Order Hospital’ in Munich. He was buried on the 20th June 2013 in the West-Cemetery of Munich.

Rolf Wigger

 

Father Rémy Puiroux

1925 - - 2013

Remy was born in Brétignolles sur Mer, Vendée, France, on the 1st October 1925. His parents, Remy and Bernadette, moved to Sables d’Olonne soon afterwards and Remy grew up there. He did his secondary school studies in the Junior Seminary of Chavagnes en Paillers and after getting his Baccalaureate, he entered the Diocesan Senior Seminary of Luçon.

During his first year of Philosophy, Remy made plans to join the “White Fathers”. This was done with the full agreement of his director, Canon Hauret, who was later to become a renowned Biblical scholar. Remy knew that such a move to a missionary congregation would demand a big sacrifice on the part of his parents because another brother of Remy, also a seminarian, had died a short time previously. However, Remy with the help of two uncles, both Diocesan priests, managed to persuade them to agree to his missionary orientation.

So it was in the autumn of 1945 that we find Remy in Kerlois in second year Philosophy armed with the highest accolades from his teachers in Luçon. All during the years of training; novitiate at Maison-Carrée, scolasticat at Thibar and Carthage (in a country he liked very much, Tunisia) Remy gave complete satisfaction to his formators. He took his Missionary Oath on the 30th January 1950. He was ordained priest on the 28th June 1950. It was noted that he tended to be shy in the early years but little by little this gave away to a prudent and discreet personality. One noted that he was agreeable in community and that he was not inclined to speculation preferring to remain on the practical level. On many occasions he fulfilled the role of infirmarian with tact and discretion.

Remy was appointed to the Diocese of Nouna in Upper Volta (Burkina Faso) and it was to be his field of the apostolate from 1951 to 1975. After being initiated into the “Bwa” language, he worked in different missions: Togo, San, Ouakara, Boni, Nouna, Dedougou and Bamborokuy. He was full of energy in the apostolate and showed ingenuity in construction work. On each change of post, he took it upon himself to learn the language and dialect of each area. He did it with energy and generosity. He was often Parish priest well respected by confreres. He knew how to give orders without imposing himself or compromising the element of team work. He quickly found himself a member of the Bishop’s Council as well as being a member of the Regional Council. He did not enjoy the best of health and he had to return to France on a number of occasions for treatment.

In 1974, Remy was elected as Delegate to the General Chapter of the Society. In 1975, he was appointed as Regional for the western part of Upper Volta and he remained in that position until 1982. He had to work with new Bishops, mostly African, and he undertook the transfer of some missions to local clergy. He did this with diplomacy, planning the process with patience and firmness. At the end of his mandate as Regional where his organisational qualities and his ability to relate were appreciated, he was appointed as Superior to rue Friant in Paris. This was an important house because of the number and nature of his inhabitants; residents or people passing through and a lot of work fell on the Superior. Remy had to deal with many difficult cases without ever losing his good humour or composure. This led to his appointment as Assistant Provincial of France, a job he carried out from 1987 to 1993 to everyone’s satisfaction.

He was very happy to return to Burkina Faso and after a short stay in Boni, he was put in charge of the reception desk in the Provincial House of Ouagadougou. He was to remain there until the year 2000. He returned to France, once more to rue Friant, as receptionist. He then went to Billère where he carried out the function, as much as he could, of assistant to the Director. However, illness was never far away and he began to lose his faculties as much intellectual as relational. He died in Billère on the 22nd January 2013.
Remy left us a memory of a confrere who was easy to work and live with. He was affable, good at relationships, open, discreet in his charitable works and in his prayer life.

His availability for any appointment was a recurring characteristic in his letters to his superiors dealing with appointments: He wrote: “I can give you many reasons against your proposed appointment but for the same reasons that any good White Father… I do not know what I could do over there but it is up to yourselves to judge and take that responsibility… I have never refused any appointment… I am not going to begin now at 45 years or 55 years. Think about it, if you stick to your decision, my reply will be positive and I will try to do the best I can”

His openness was underlined by Fr. Jean Longin, Regional of East Volta who wrote: “I have happy memories of our meetings and we could share our problems candidly. Different points of view were tackled calmly and discussed in the same way. He could pinpoint problems and he treated them considerately in a friendly and kindly manner. However what marked his life was his simplicity.

Many of those who knew him greatly appreciated his discretion: one could trust him, share problems and anxieties with him, be they concerns regarding personnel or pastoral work. He helped people discreetly: whether it was a question of an urgent blood transfusion or just material help for a confrere or an unexpected replacement that needed to be carried out quickly. It was only later, perhaps during the course of a conversation, that one heard what he had done. There was no ostentation, no putting himself forward.

Thank you, Remy, for everything that you were for us as a confrere, for everything that you achieved for the good of the apostolate and for the good of the Society. Thank you for your love of community life and all that you did to make everybody around you happy.

A member of the community from Bry-sur-Marne

 

Father Celestino Yeregui

1939 - - 2013

Our dear Celestino was born in Betelu, Navarre, Spain, on the 5th March 1939. When he was 13 years old, he entered the Junior Seminary of Pamplona. After finishing the first phase of the Senior Seminary, he asked to join the White Fathers. He was 21 years of age. He was accepted for the novitiate in Gap, France after which he was sent to Heverlee, Belgium for his Theological studies (1961 to 1965). He took his Missionary Oath on the 28th June 1964 and he was ordained priest on the 27th June 1965 at Longrono, Spain.

Celestino was appointed to the Congo and he left for there on the 20th December 1965. Right from the beginning, he encountered situations that were hard and distressing. The Simba war had shattered the country and many thousands were killed especially in the East of the country among them many missionaries both men and women.

Celestino was for many years the valiant missionary apostle in the Diocese of Kasongo, especially in Lilongou, a very isolated region. This did not prevent him from covering long distances to visit people in the outstations. He was the Good Samaritan and looked after people in all their needs. He was particularly attentive to those who came to him for help. He always had the same simplicity accompanied by an abundant amount of compassion. These virtues were very much part of his open and sensitive character.

In 1994, war broke out in the adjoining Republic of Rwanda. The situation in the parish became catastrophic with an avalanche of refugees and displaced people seeking shelter in the neighbouring Congo. In this climate of fear, insecurity and suffering for everybody, the apostolic witness of our confrere, Celestino, was a bright light. He showed his solidarity with the suffering and abandoned people; he defended those who were defenceless. He consoled them and gave them hope. He did all he could to save the lives of people even at the risk of his own life. A beautiful testimony of Gospel service carried out with patience and humility.

Celestino returned to Spain for good at the age of 72. He was completely worn out. He did not complain. He was appointed to the Baranain community. He reluctantly accepted the post of community bursar and he did his best to carry out this job to the satisfaction of all the confreres. All the confreres appreciated him because of his simplicity, his availability, his readiness to give time to people and his cheerfulness. He was skilful and very practical and ready to give what little money he had to anyone who needed it. For us, his confreres, Celestino was always the tactful confrere that God sometimes puts on our journey. Many confreres and friends were interested in his health and often contacted him by telephone, even from the Congo, his adopted country. They were anxious to show him their support.

Celestino contracted a painful cancer and was admitted to hospital when the pain became almost unbearable. He hardly complained and bore it until the point of exhaustion to the extent that the hospital staff were astonished and amazed to see the way in which he was able to put up with his illness until his death. This was a true witness that is not within the reach of everybody. Celestino left us on the 11th May 2013 at about three o’clock in the afternoon. He discretely entered the House of the Father on the eve of the Ascension. May he rest in Peace!

His community in Barañain (Pamplona)