From left to right: Bros Walter Zwierchowski, Charles Desjarlais and Ernest Pâquet, then all three at the Walsh University Community until 2020.
“We share this extraordinary message from Bro Ernest Pâquet, who made Bethany Nursing Home, in Canton, Ohio, USA, his home, his new Community and his place of Mission,” said Bro Mario Houle, Provincial of Canada-USA and Mexico. “ His text is full of life, faith and hope in during the time of Easter… and notice what an extraordinary pen he has kept!”
Dear All,
Ever since the pandemic lockdown began, I have missed going to Church on weekends and receiving my Lord in Holy Communion. Indeed, I was confined to my room with my good roommate. But for worship, we watched the elaborate Sunday Masses on EWTN (Mother Angelica’s World-wide TV Satellite Broadcast), and for Weekdays the simpler Masses of Saint Hilary Parish (a dozen miles away), live-streamed onto my laptop. Each source had the Priest lead us in a prayer for “Spiritual Communion” at the end of Mass.
Needless to say, that prayer did not begin to allay my hunger for Holy Communion. Imagine my surprise when yesterday a Staff member brought to my room Holy Communion: Christ our Savior Himself embraced us with His love by that Sacrament! After all those months!
Bro Ernest, during his numerous contacts on the campus of Walsh University, USA. Archive photo
We too shall rise again to share in His freely offered gift of Fullness of Life. So, dear relatives and friends, let us celebrate and give thanks for Easter! And thank God for the receding threat of the dread virus.
And, with Christ as our teacher and leader, let us help all the most needy around us (and beyond) with grateful and generous love.
I wish you all the tremendous joy offered graciously by God, the God of Life!
With the progress here in Bethany Home, thanks to the vaccine, this Godly visit will be brought to the Catholics among us in our rooms every week. Alleluia! We may soon also resume our monthly Masses, with similar service for Protestant residents/staff, Pastors from nearby Churches coming to us.
Tomorrow we celebrate the greatest miracle of human history, when God had the last word raising his Son from death, to die no more, and to guarantee that. Easter celebrates Resurrection. Faith in that is a gift, worth asking for.
I wish you all the tremendous joy offered graciously by God, the God of Life! And thanks to all, for your love, your prayers for me, and thanks for many Beautiful Cards, which, I regret, but I cannot reciprocate.
Br. Ernest
