The Fondeville Notebook (10)

In 1863 - a regrettable year for Betharram - on the 14th of Mary’s month, the anniversary day of the Ascension of Our Lord, at 3am, the Excellent Founder of the Congregation returned his soul to God. It was quite near his normal getting up time. Since 1853 when he suffered an attack of paralysis, he had been more or less an invalid, but after being ‘bled’, he used to recover his former health. Given his age and a suspected tumor, he could not undergo the customary therapy, since he was also a little stout when God called him home. The day before he had been in front of the Bishop on a pastoral visit to Mirepeix - and the Community of Igon that he had guided for more than 30 years, captured his blessing for the first and last time.

At the news of this unexpected death, the Community of Igon got up and about immediately. The Convent of Igon which had seen him the day before, had admired the ways of Providence and the two houses united their prayers for the dear and revered deceased.

They displayed his body in the common room which had been turned into a Chapel of Rest. Priests succeeded each other for prayer in the day, as was always done when a priest died. During the night, two brothers kept vigil and prayed, taking turns each hour. On the evening of the 15th (Friday), the Monsignor returned to Betharram around 7:30pm and after having prayed beside the venerated body, he went up to his quarters and after addressing words of consolation to the Community, he settled the time of the Confirmation and the funeral.

At around half past nine on the 16th May, after the Confirmation was over, Mr Boutoey – Vicar General – went to collect the body, accompanied by numerous clergy. Pau, Orthez, Sarrance and Oloron were represented in the Congregation. The surrounding parishes competed in showing devotion to join their pastors. They all wanted to show remorse to God and Mary for having deserved that this soul, who had done them so much good, should be taken away from them. They all wanted to pray for his soul and bear his suffering. Fathers Chirou, Carrérot and Fondeville led the funeral procession. Father Gaye, Archpriest of Pau, sang the Mass with a deacon and subdeacon. After the Gospel, the Bishop climbed the pulpit and paraphrased a verse from the Book of Wisdom: “The upright man …. was led by her along straight paths. She showed him the Kingdom of God and taught him the knowledge of holy things. She brought him success in his labours and gave him full return for all his labours.” Childhood, youth and old age, divine calling, faithfulness to vocation, his words, selflessness, priesthood, cooperation, the administration of the Daughters of the Cross and his founding of the Betharram Congregation - everything was detailed and entered naturally into the words of the text.

The works of Providence on this beautiful soul was visible in all its splendour - The Monsignor taking the poor child from Ibarre, guiding him from his family home to a modest household, where he was prepared for Holy Communion. Through this act, he was noticed by a revered parish priest as being no ordinary child. The Diocese received him as a pupil, pushed him towards the priesthood, sent him to Larressore, to Betharram, where the Blessed Virgin needed to use him to continue the work of Betharram.

The Monsignor finished his funeral prayer by claiming the help of the large congregation - their prayers for the venerated deceased - not doubting at all that this could be invoked beneficially.

At the end, His Excellency gave the absolution and Monsignor Boutoey led the mortal remains to the top of Calvary where they were buried next to the sanctuary in the Chapel of the Resurrection.

Simon Fondeville scj
(1805-1872)

(to be continued)