Friday, June 7, 2013

Requiem in aeternam dona ei, Domine.

This morning around 2:00 a.m. Fr. Michael Jacques, SSE went to his eternal home.  He died during surgery after a heart attack on Thursday.  He was 64 years old.  Fr. Mike began his path as an Edmundite serving as the director of the Mobile chapter of Catholic Charities.  His work there provided much groundwork and influence for his future works and ministries.  Most recently, he was the pastor of St. Peter Claver in New Orleans for the past 29 years.  His work there was monumental to say the least.  When he first arrived the parish had low attendance and was in poor shape.  As of last year there were 2,400 families registered at the parish with an operating budget of $3 million dollars based almost solely on giving from the parishioners.  90% of his parishioners were below the poverty line.  Every Sunday all three masses were packed and the people jubilantly sang along with the well-known gospel choir.  He oversaw the building of a new school after Katrina and jump started two community development corporations.  These would buy up houses that had long been abandoned since the hurricane in 2008, fix them up, and sell them to low income families for a low price.  This transformed the neighborhoods surrounding St. Peter Claver.  Last year he took Fr. Marcel and I around showing us many of the houses that had been renovated.  It was stunning.  Fr. Mike was also superior of the Southern House, which included the Edmundites in Alabama, New Orleans, and Florida.  He was highly respected in his home diocese and known for being a champion for social justice and the poor.  Fr. Mike was also on the general council of the Society of St. Edmund (our governing body) and was a member of the board of trustees at St. Michael's College.

I will never forget the first time I ever interacted with him.  It was my sophomore year of college at St. Michael's.  He gave this heck of a homily where he was shouting, "YOU GOT TEETH TO BRUSH? YOU BRUSH THEM!  YOU GOT A PAPER TO WRITE? YOU WRITE IT! YOU GOT PRAYERS TO SAY? YOU GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES AND PRAY YOUR HEART OUT!" And he concluded with a loud "CAN I GET AN AMEN?"  Of course we New Englanders were all out of our comfort zone at this point and we all kind of muttered a pathetic "Amen."  "NOW COME ON, CAN I GET AN AMEN?"  "Amen!" we said a little louder and a little confused.  "REALLY NOW, LET'S HEAR AN AMEN THAT SAYS, 'I HEAR YOU, FATHER!'"  "AMEN!" we shouted out from the pews.  "That's more like it!"  He had a very distinct way of preaching to say the least.

I know our community is quite shocked by how abruptly this all happened, and everyone could really use your prayers.  He will be missed dearly by many.

Fr. Michael Jacques, SSE at the parish school.

Rest in peace, buddy.  Big time.

http://new.nola.gov/mayor/press-releases/2013/20130607-statement-from-mayor-landrieu-on-the-pass/
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