INFO Lacombe - June 10 2011

Albert Lacombe, OMI
1827 – 1916
Volume 8, Number 20 June 10, 2011

REMEMBERING ST.
EUGENE
In this issue...

REMEMBERING ST. EUGENEI….....…..1

GILLES GAUTHIER OMI………….......…3

BRIAN JAYAWARDHANA OMI.……..…..6
ANNOUNCEMENT………………...……...8

NEXT ISSUE OF INFO LACOMBE WILL BE
JUNE 17, 2011.

Saint
Eugene
de
Mazenod
Loving Saviour, we thank you for
the life and intercession of Saint
Eugene de Mazenod. Accompanied
by his prayers we bring to you all
our personal intentions and those
Saskatoon Ofﬁce- Communications of our loved ones, especially the
TEL: 306 244 1556 sick and suffering. We ask also that
FAX: 306 242 8916 you will inspire many generous
CELL: 306 370 7581 persons to follow St. Eugene’s
HOME: 306 653 3113 ex 203 missionary example by dedicating
EMAIL: communications@omilacombe.ca their lives to being the Saviour’s
cooperators as he was. We ask all
this with loving confidence. Amen.

Volume 8, Number 20
June 10, 2011
175 MAIN STREET ● OTTAWA ON K1S 1C3 ● TEL: 613-230-2225 ● FAX: 613-230-2948 ● www.omilacombe.ca

RAIN STORM

Lighting strikes the sullen clouds
And rips the sky apart
Then bucketfuls of silver rain
Come gushing from its heart

It crashes on the roof-tops
And scatters forth in spray
It splashes on the window-panes
To wash the dirt away

It rushes through the countryside
And smothers every field
It swirls the trees and bushes
Forcing them to yield

I sit in humid darkness
Beside my window-pane
And watch in awe-struck wonder
The rush of raging rain

I know it brings us blessings
In its own furious way
I thank the Lord of thunder
For this torrential day.
Albert Ulrich OMI lead the celebration (May 20,
2011) to remember the death of St. Eugene. Brian Jayawardhana OMI. Edmonton. August 15,
1995

Thirty-five Oblates, Associates and friends group gathered in the hall downstairs
gathered at Queen’s House in Saskatoon, provided ‘background music.’
May 20, 2011, to remember and be impacted
by the death of our founder, St. Eugene (May
21, 1861). The homily took us back to the last hours of
our Founder whose mind was very clear
throughout his last hours. He knew that he
Albert Ulrich, OMI, opened the Eucharist had very little time left but gave to his
with the observation that this was not the best Oblates the guiding principle: “Within the
weekend to have such a celebration (it is the community, have charity, charity, charity and
first long weekend of the summer season) but outside the community have zeal for the
then St. Eugene did not choose this as an salvation of souls.”
appropriate day to have his last breath. The
gathered congregation chuckled and
continued as the African music from the

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Volume 8, Number 20
June 10, 2011

Fr. Albert continued: “We celebrate St.
Eugene and his gifts but this belongs to the
Church. Today we have many laity who want
to be associated with the Oblates.”

In OMI Lacombe, the unity that we already
share in our Province, has lead us to work
towards building more unity among the lay
associates throughout the six regions of our
country. Albert reminded us that this work
with the Associates is “always done with the
same spirit which is helping the poor.” In the
spirit of St. Eugene we are to “bring the
message of love to those who do not know
what love is.”

Fr. Albert framed the legacy of St. Eugene.
As we move into the future there will be a
continuity of the charism of St. Eugene. This
chairsm is “not for the glory of the Oblate
Congregation but for the glory of the
Charles de Campigneulles Saskatchewan Local Church.”
Community

The legacy of the death of St. Eugene is the GILLES GAUTHIER OMI
focus he has given to the Congregation that in
By Nestor Gregoire, OMI.
all circumstances it will be love for one
another that will hold us together. “His spirit Oblates ask the tough questions.
is meant to grow within us and that we see his
spirit comes from God himself.” Gilles will immediately remind you that
he has little memory before the age of
forty-four.
St. Eugene has given us the charism to see
real needs and strive to fulfill that need. We The call had gone forth throughout the
celebrate his death today “not only for St. Oblate Congregation for volunteers to
Eugene but God has worked through St. work with Mother Teresa in Bangladesh.
Eugene. When he only had forty-two Gilles was the first Oblate to arrive.
members he sent six Oblates to Montreal. There is deep within his spirit the desire
This took courage and a belief that this is
what God wanted.
“One year later he sent another six Oblates to
Ceylon (now Sri Lanka)”

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person from the streets of Calcultta was
brought into the home for the dying she
would instruct us to wash that person.
‘Wash him like you would wash Christ.’
Make sure that you bring all the respect
and affection that you can to the dying
person. Don’t speak about God to the
dying person, be God to them!’”

Mother Teresa was instrumental in
shaping his missionary life. “We were in
a feeding center that would help about
52,000 people in the area. She knew how
to operate such places by finding food
and medicines. Food was always a big
problem because there was drought in the
country. Everything was complicated
because clean water was very difficult to
find.

“She changed my attitude. In a county
where the average life span was only
thirty-three years and you could count the
bones on the bodies of young people, she
Gilles Gauthier OMI “To be a missionary is not showed me how they were always
limited.” smiling. I could not understand this
positive response on the part of these
to be a missionary that is not limited to suffering people. She told me, ‘It is
the traditional structures of Canada. He because we believe in the love of God
joined seven other Oblates worldwide to that we cannot put them down
work in Bangladesh. He framed his whatsoever. They are smiling because of
decision to volunteer: “I did not become a the good care that comes with love.”
missionary to be in the schools.”
Gilles remembers the strength of the
A week that proved to be life-shaping was tribal peoples with whom he worked.
a full week of retreat with Jean Vanier in These were a matriarchial society where
Calgary. Two other people that had the women were the leaders but also did
significant influence on Gilles’ life were almost all the work. There were no social
Mother Teresa and Abbe Pierre. government supports in place. The people
were very determined to help one another.
There is a moment of reflection in a very
animated and forceful conversation. The life-changing event was a motor bike
“Mother Teresa struck me. When a dying accident in Bangladesh when a bus came
and hit him at full speed. He was severely

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injured. Blood poured from all openings
on his body. He had a perforated lung. He
was unconscious for fifteen days. He
needed therapy for all his bones. Looking
at his recovery he adds with both hands
wide open, “I am living a second life.”

Recovery meant returning to Canada and
for the next seven years he struggled with
his memory. At therapy in Sherbrook,
Quebec, he learned to speak again. Today,
he writes out all his sermons so that he
does not lose his memory.

Missionary work on his return to Canada
drew him to skidrow in Edmonton. “My
office was the Steam Bat Hotel.” He adds
with a smile on his face. “They didn’t say
the rosary there!” Here he worked with conversation continued. “Jesus came for
alcoholics, prostitutes, the homeless and sinners. He came for the suffering, no
wandering people. They were all races matter what race they are. God has blest
and nationalities. “I was there for anyone these people.”
who was in trouble, somehow.”
When the time came to move into Sacred
He began to work with the First Nations Heart Parish Gilles objected that it would
peoples in the basement of the Sacred be too expensive and this would become a
Heart School. The focus was to only church only of religious services.
study the Scriptures, share their faith and
study the culture of the First Nations Gilles revealed his deep feelings and
peoples so “that you can be proud that compassion when he shared how he was
you are a native person.” There were also blest by a man named Fred four decades
opportunities to teach life skills to build ago. The man had wanted to stop drinking
self esteem and respect. This was so “you and “he came to see me every day.”
could become strong and love yourself.”
Summarizing his fifty-one years as an
Gilles always asked the strong questions. Oblate priest he states, “Of course I feel
“How can you baptize if you do not love good about this, in every way you can
yourselves?” His experiences from think.” Then expressing his gratitude, “I
Bangladesh shaped his approach to was lucky to have those three significant
working with First Nations Peoples. “We people in my life.” He took the man to an
want to make our churches too clean. AA Roudnup in the Battlefords. The
Those who are really suffering are not speaker could not make it so they asked
really welcome. We have to change that Fred and reluctantly, but truthfully, spoke
about ourselves.” With determination the from his heart. He told all the participants

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Volume 8, Number 20
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at the Roundup that “someone gave me a
light and this changed my life. Because of
that one person you are given a light and
you too can change your life.” At this
point in the story there are tears in
Gilles’ eyes.

Fred tried to repair the damage his
drinking had caused his family. He began
to build a house. In the meantime he had
a drunken charge to be worked out in the
Courts but the policeman of the day had
the wisdom to delay the proceedings until
Fred had the house built, and then he was
sent to jail! Gilles, with his strong
emotions, concluded the story. “I never
saw a man change so much in one day!”

He framed the entire experience of this
one man. “Because of God and Fred the Brian Jawawardhana OMI “I try to visit two
members in a more deliberate way each day.”
whole reserve was changed!”
At the end of these three years of teaching, he
This exhaustive interview concluded with
left for Canada in 1976. He began working
Gilles’ strong challenge. “The Church is
for Catholic Social Services (CFS) in
too clean. Would Christ throw them
Edmonton and has continued working for this
away? My vision is of the whole world
agency until today. Through the majority of
and all the peoples who are suffering in
his working career he served as a
it.”
psychologist with a specialty in the mentally
handicapped. He has also worked with
BRIAN JAYAWARDHANA troubled teenagers. The focus of these years
was in the field of counseling.
OMI
His specialization has been on the mentally
By Nestor Gregoire, OMI.
handicapped and issues of memory. He has
given talks at professional conferences in
Brian, born in Sri Lanka, 1938, came to
Dublin, Helsinki, Seattle and Regina. His
Canada through a different route. He entered
research has been published in the British
the Oblate novitiate in 1957, studied in Rome
Journal of Mental Disabilities.
for his theological studies and was ordained a
priest, August 16, 1964. He returned to his
His Oblate superiors have recognized that his
home country, engaged in ministry for eight
ministry at CFS is helping and reaching out to
years and then was asked to teach philosophy
the most abandoned. It is a work after the
for three years in the Philippines.
Founder’s heart. Fr. Zago, OMI, in a letter

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thanked him for his involvement: “It is great though he receives many words of praise he
to see you are involved.” can see that this community needs “someone
who can identify more with the culture.” The
Ministry also focused on the parish community meetings at Foyer Lacombe are
community. He did weekend ministry at the divided between the Francophone and the
Parish in St. Albert for eighteen years; served Anglophone group.
as pastor of the Native Pastoral Center in
Edmonton before it moved to Sacred Heart This provides many opportunities to have
Parish (1986-89). He also served the parish of others share in the meetings and leadership
St. Catherine’s in Lac la Biche, Alberta that is conducted in French. “This leadership
(1993-97), but continued working full time at is shared.”
CFS (Edmonton). This was followed by two
years of Sunday ministry at the Hungarian Brian recognizes the importance of his
Parish and another two at St. Charles. ministry and participation in the life of the
community. “Most of my time is being
He now works as chaplain to CFS on a present and listening to the men.” Taking the
sixteen hours per week basis. The Board felt little extra care, such as helping to arrange
it was very important to have at least one clothing and papers in the rooms, provides a
priest in an agency that has fifteen hundred natural opportunity for interaction. “The
employees. He very much wants to continue Community, the facilities, the staff and the
to help out in the parishes and with retreats. location are all very pleasant.”

Now that you have been appointed the Connection to his religious community has
Director of Foyer Lacombe how has your always been important. Through the years he
ministry changed? has been actively involved with Placid Place,
the Provincial House and the St. Albert
My ministry is “to support the residents, meet rectory. In his Oblate life he concludes that
their need and goals and advocate for them. I “what is emphasized is Oblate community
drive them to medical appointments and visit rather than the work.” The fingers of his both
them regularly in the hospital. I try to visit hands point down in emphatic agreement.
two members in a more deliberate way each The heavy level of care does cause some
day.” Foyer Lacombe has thirty four residents frustration. Brian commented: “I cannot do
of which seventeen have some degree of things by half measures. I have to meet with
physical and mental diminishment. “I am those who are needy. It is kind of over-
equipped to be here. I am a psychologist and whelming and comes with stress.”
now am reading seriously into geriatric
psychology.” Even though he may experience some
inadequacy he is often told that he is ‘doing a
This bilingual community presents several good job’ and receives good feedback from
challenges. Brian notes that he can work and the staff.
understand five language. He can clearly
make himself know in French, but is aware
that he is translating while he speaks. Even

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Volume 8, Number 20
June 10, 2011

ANNOUNCEMENT:

The Springhurst Residence, an Oblate
community of retired and active residents,
currently has a vacancy. We are open to
applications from Oblates seeking a full
service facility in a welcoming, quiet
environment to enjoy retirement, pursue long
term studies or other employment.

The Residence is centrally located in Ottawa in
a tranquil setting by the Rideau River near St
Paul’s University. Springhurst offers a spacious
private suite with ensuite bathroom. Monthly
rent includes all meals, housekeeping, laundry
facilities, access to chapel, shared reception
rooms and outdoor patio and garden space. A
level of assisted care is available as needed but
residents must meet established physical and
mental criteria for independent living.

For further information, contact Marlene
Leonard, Residence Administrator;
Telephone: 613 567 0371 Fax: 613 567 0967
Email: springhurstadministrator@oblates.ca

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INFO Lacombe - June 10 2011

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INFO Lacombe - June 10 2011