THE OLD ROMAN CATHOLIC MISSION SOUTH EAST UK

(Photo courtesy of Sun Media Corp.)

OTTAWA - When Fr. Gerard Lafrenière was nine or 10 years old he told his mother he wanted to be a priest.

He maintained that dream even after he married Gisèle Viau at the age of 30, became the father of an  adopted son, Georges, and embarked on a career in the insurance business.

On March 26, Lafrenière’s dream was finally realized when, at the age of 80, he was to be ordained in St. Joseph’s parish in Orleans, where he has served as a permanent deacon for 30 years.

“I had this on my mind my whole life,” he said. “(God) came and got me by the neck and said, ‘It’s your time.’ ”

He received the call from God, but the push came from his wife. She died in 2007 but, while terminally ill, she said to him several times: “Why don’t you become a priest?”

He replied it didn’t make sense because he was well past a priests’ normal retirement age of 75. But a year after his wife’s death, priests he knew began pressuring him to contact the archbishop. “No way! I’m too old,” he told them.

He continued to serve  as a permanent deacon in his parish, assisting at Mass, doing marriages and baptisms, first Holy Communion preparation and visiting the sick. Then one day the associate pastor of the parish was moved, leaving rector Msgr. Peter Schonenbach alone.

Schonenbach told Lafrenière it would be a great help if he would join the priesthood. So Lafrenière sent a letter to Archbishop Terrence Prendergast, S.J. He didn’t expect to receive a reply.

Prendergast admitted he was surprised, but said “you have to take each case as it comes.”

“The people of God can always use another priest,” he said.

But Lafrenière had to put his training on hold when he experienced some health problems while at the junior seminary in Ottawa. He was told he was too hard on himself in his studies. Now he is like a man reborn.

One of the archbishop’s staff thought Lafrenière was a monsignor when he came to visit. “He looks like that,” he said. “He’s got a great sense of himself; he’s a very happy person.”

After consultations with clergy and permanent deacons, Prendergast decided to go ahead.

“Anyone who knew him, all unconditionally said ‘yes,’” he said. “Other people who didn’t know him said it doesn’t make sense to ordain someone who is 80.”

Prendergast noted that many thought Pope Benedict XVI, who was nearly 80 when elected Pope, was too old and frail for the job. “He seems to be thriving,” he said. “The Lord is full of surprises.

“Why are we putting up barriers, artificial ones?” he asked. “Some of the older priests working with him said he was already in effect functioning like a priest. His knowledge of canon law was excellent, and his files for marriage preparation were meticulous.”

Prendergast thinks Lafrenière’s insurance experience makes him detail oriented.

St. Joseph’s reserved 50 places for Lafrenière’s relatives from his side and his deceased wife’s families.

“I’m so happy for him,” said his son Georges, now 45. “I have no words to express all that happiness.”

He said his father will make an excellent priest because “he has the years of listening,” he said. “When people are talking, he’s all ears, he has the ears of the heart, that’s how I would describe my father,” he said.

Lafrenière said he has felt God’s presence his whole life.  “He made me make a great detour in my life,” he said.  “I let Him conduct my life. Otherwise, if you are sort of backing off, you won’t go very far.”