Monday, February 16, 2009

Tragic death of 3 SSPX Seminarians

I didn’t know that the next blog I’d be writing here is about tragedy. Sure, life has so many unexpected circumstances, but this one was terribly different. In fact, it was like a sword wounding my heart that would take time to heal its course.

Truly, I was shocked to hear the news from Fr. Dolotina that 3 seminarians met a tragic death as an avalanche glided over them. They were actually 4 but luckily, one survived. Their bodies were already found save for one.

It was the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and 7 young seminarians from Econe headed off for the Seminary’s usual afternoon activity. Their excursion was set on a snow-filled mountain and Misters Jean-Baptiste Despres, Raymond Guérin and Mickaël Sabak didn’t know that it would be the last place they’d be treading here on earth. All of them were French and perhaps this is why I was deeply affected. French people are the ones I considered as most pious of all nationals producing numerous beautiful saints. Among them was my favorite and patron saint, St. Joan of Arc. One could also think that His Grace Archbishop Lefebvre was also French.

I kept pondering about that incident and the more I researched for it on the net, the more I became grieved and dumbfounded. One could ask why such a thing befell the SSPX. Were they not worthy enough to appease God’s anger that He took 3 noble men out from them? It is life that was taken and absolutely, no amount of money nor any kind of thing that would surmount such a precious life. But considering very carefully, the Society is still on the right track, albeit imperfection may sometimes arise here or there. No. This is simply yet another smile from Divine Providence, as Bp. Fellay rightly puts it in one of his many conferences.

Who knows - Our Lord is sparing them from much tribulation that would arise or rather from a much fatal accident? I might say that those 3 were already prepared to enter eternity and it can serve as an anecdote to the remaining 4 to always consider death as just around the corner. Their death can also be a sacrifice for this impure world, purging away the sins of humanity that this planet would still be a footstool of God.

But far from hypothesizing anything, let us look for what Holy Mother Church teaches us. They have already entered eternity and we should all the more pray for their souls. It’s indeed a great loss and I sympathize with the Despres, Guerins, and Sabaks. Like I said on one traditional Catholic forum, my greatest consolation was that they died on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. Our Lady would surely intercede for their benevolent souls who had ardently wished to be an alter Christus someday.

Oh Blessed Lady of Lourdes, grant them eternal bliss with thee and thy Son. Do thou comfort as well their immediate families they’ve left on earth that they persevere still in the Catholic faith amidst stricken loss of their amiable sons and brothers’ lives! Amen.

Let me end here with the letter of the SSPX District Superior for France Fr. Cacqueray and a poem.

12 February 2009

Dear Faithful,
Dear Friends,

We have a deep sorrow to inform you of the accidental death, which occurred during a walk in the mountains yesterday 11 February, three members of the Fraternity of Saint Pius X, Messieurs the abbots Després Jean-Baptiste, Raymond Guérin and Mickaël Sabak All three third-year students in the seminar of Econ.

We recommend that your prayers the repose of their souls and their families so severely affected by this tragedy. A Requiem Mass will be celebrated in their intentions in each house district.

Ask Our Lady of Lourdes, the feast at which the accident occurred, soon to welcome in the glory of heaven our three young Levites to extend the heavenly family members of the fraternity. Ask him to console their families so deeply affected by such a test.

We also recommend to your prayers our fraternity itself sorely tested well in this circumstance.

As soon as we can, we'll give you information about the funeral of our three seminarians.

I request you to accept, dear faithful, dear friends, the expression of my priestly dedication in the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary,

Rev. Régis de Cacqueray


And the poem...

Priez pour moi

Le jour où je ne suis plus là
Je ne vais pas vous demander de ne pas les soins
mais il ya certaines choses que je ne veux pas
pour vous de faire quand je suis allé

Ne pas lancer une partie en mon nom
ne pleure pas trop longtemps car c'est en vain
ne souhaitent pas que je serais bientôt de retour se
il ya plus de vie que seul ce

Ne me laissez pas de cadeaux sur ma tombe
don't hate Celui qui m'a fait quitter
J'avais un commerce, pour chaque Ave rose
Je peux l'utiliser plus que ces

Ne dites pas que ma vie a pris fin
ne pas avoir honte de se déplacer le long de
mais si vous aimé moi ici, mes amis
oh, ne vous m'aider lorsque je suis allé?

Je ne prétends pas, il n'a jamais été
parce que je suis encore en vie quelque part
mais s'il vous plaît ne me pendre sur votre mur
si vous ne priez pour moi, à tous les

Donc, si vous vous occupez de moi mes amis
alors s'il vous plaît ne laissez pas votre prière fin
cause, même si je suis maintenant dans le ciel
quelqu'un d'autre pourrait les utiliser de toute façon

J'ai une lourde dette à payer
avez-vous de l'eau pour ma tombe?
et si vous ne pouvez pas visiter mes os
S'il vous plaît, priez pour moi à partir de votre foyer

Et si vous souhaitez me rendre visite sur la terre
souviens-toi de moi pour ce que ça vaut
parce que je mai de la souffrance jusqu'à ce que je paie
oui, s'il vous plaît ne me laissez pas seul de cette façon

Donc, ne vont pas dans la misère
Et ne pas déplorer ce qui n'a pas pu être
parce que dans heav'n j'espère que nous allons rencontrer
mais d'ici là, il suffit de prier pour moi.


English translation (It was actually written in English but I decided to put it in French first as a loving memory for those 3 French seminarians.)

Pray for Me

The day that I'm no longer there
I won't ask you not to care
but there some things I don't want
for you to do when I am gone

Don't throw a party in my name
don't cry too long cause it's in vain
don't wish that I would come right back
there's more to life than only that

Don't leave me gifts upon my grave
don't hate the One that made me leave
I'd trade one Ave for each rose
I can use that more than those

Don't say my life came to an end
don't be ashamed to move along
but if you loved me here, my friends
oh, won't you help me when I'm gone?

Don't pretend I was never there
because I'm still alive somewhere
but please don't hang me on your wall
if you won't pray for me at all

So if you care for me my friends
then please don't let your praying end
cause even if I'm in heaven now
someone else could use them anyhow

I've got a heavy debt to pay
have you any water for my grave?
and if you can't visit my bones
please pray for me right from your homes

And if you'd visit me on earth
remember me for what it's worth
cause I may be suffering till I pay
so, please don't leave me alone that way

So don't go on in misery
And don't lament what couldn't be
because in heav'n I hope we'll meet
but until then, just pray for me.


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