FUNERAL OF MARC MICHAUD, P.M.É.
(1944-2019)

Father Marc Michaud, priest of the Foreign Mission Society passed away at "La Cité de la Santé" in Laval on October 28, 2019, at the age of 75 years and 6 months. Born in Cacouna on March 31, 1944, he was the son of Adélard Michaud and Aline Lebel. He did his secondary studies at the Rimouski and Bathurst NB Seminaries, then his theological studies at the Pont-Viau, Laval, Foreign Mission Seminary and the University of Montréal. Ordained priest on May 7, 1972, he left for Argentina on June 30th of the same year where he worked as a missionary until 1982. He was also a missionary in Peru (1983-93), Cuba (2002-10 ) where he was responsible for the group (2004-10) and Honduras (2011-17).

In Canada, he worked in Missionary Animation (1993-2002). At the time of his death, he was resident at the Central House. He leaves in mourning, besides his fellow missionaries, his brothers and sisters: Jacques M. (Françoise Chouinard), Louise (widow of André Piton), André (Sylvie Pineault), Hélène (Robert Nadeau), as well as his nephews, his nieces and many other relatives and friends. 

A vigil of prayer took place at the Central House of the Society of Foreign Missions, on Friday November 8th, 2019.His funeral was celebrated in the same place on Saturday November 9th at 2 pm, followed by the burial. In his memory, donations to the Foreign Missions Society would be greatly appreciated.

Homily by Clément Bolduc, p.m.é.
Laval, Saturday, November 9, 2019

 
Homily by Clément Bolduc, p.m.é.
Laval, Saturday, November 9, 2019
 
Rm (8,28-31)
Jn (14,1-3)
 
Cardboard boxes
 
About 15 days before his departure, Marc held on certain responsibilities, and that, to contribute also to the smooth running of our house. In concrete terms, and in spite of a visibly poor health, Marc kept on day after day to pile up used cardboard boxes that would be sent for recycling. Like me, you will say that such a task was not so glamorous, if ever there was one. A most modest, self effacing, discreet task, in the image of our confrere Marc.
 
In spite of his sufferings due to his sickness, Marc willingly accepted to preside a Eucharistic celebration, either here in the house, or at our neighbors, the M.I.C. Sisters. It is very clear that Marc went to the very end of his strength, and all that without any complaining. Don’t we have here a testimony ?
 
It appears to me that the tasks that Marc willingly accomplished during all his life were really authentic missionary commitments. It is mostly in humble tasks that he lived his missionary vocation. First of all, I would say, close to his own family, and then close to his confreres, and during many years, in the four countries where he was able to give the best of himself.
 
A revealed face
 
During his years of life on earth, Marc was able, in his own way, to reproduce the «image of Jesus», that is : be the reflection of the face of Jesus, a reality that Paul speaks of with so much conviction. «All our being is a reflection of Jesus» said, after Paul, the missionary of the Sahara desert, Charles de Foucault. Yes, Marc was able to reveal to us, in his own way, some traits of the face of Jesus, some colours of the Gospel. What are those traits?  Here are a few : Marc was able to develop his welcoming capacity, like Jesus. Then his listening ability, his faithfulness to duty, his practice of forgiving like Jesus, and also many more traits that you may know more than I do. In Marc’s daily life, it is the face of Jesus that was discretely revealed to those who approached him.
 
In the House of the Father
 
As friends of Jesus, and that is what all of us are, we observe that the same Jesus promises to unite us all, one day, in the House of his Father». Those are the words of the Gospel of John, words that are so reassuring. What does John say when he reports the same words of Jesus? « I will take you to myself».
 
That teaching tells us also about a large paternal house where Jesus is waiting for us. That same teaching may seem rather eccentric, in the eyes of the one who does not believe. Once, during a gathering of friends, I was listening to one of them who was saying: the Gospel, that’s a fairy tale for children, a story for naive people. Do you have the impression that Marc could also be one of those naive persons? Me, not really…
 
That’s it: our Marc has now crossed over the threshold of the large House of the Father ; he lives with Jesus and shares «a life style» in plenitude, not him alone, but in the company of a multitude of brothers and sisters, our brothers and sisters whom we remember. 
 
After so many years lived by Marc with confidence in God, and the greyness of faith, we could compare the death of Marc to a break in the morning fog, a fog that finally tears apart, to give him full access into the definitive home in heaven. And then, let us be reassured; up there, the task of folding cardboard boxes does not exist. Today, during our Eucharist, it is God himself who invites himself among us. It is God who comes to join us on the way. He is the Bread on way, the way that brings us all together towards our future home.    

En souvenir de mon oncle Marc
Témoignage de Renée Michaud (nièce)

  
Fils de terrien, Marc est le deuxième d’une famille de cinq enfants. De son père, Adélard, agriculteur florissant et politicien notoire, il hérite de sa détermination et de son habilité d’esprit. Marc tire sa soif d’apprendre, sa sensibilité et son amour de la musique d’Aline, sa maman, dont les talents de musicienne résonnent bien au-delà de la maison familiale de Cacouna.
 
Très jeune il se destine à une carrière de prêtrise en répétant souvent à son grand frère Jacques que plus tard, il serait lui aussi un «Bésuite» comme son oncle Réal qu’il apprécie particulièrement. Cependant, il ne fléchira pas à son désir d’aller outre-mer aider les moins bien nantis. Il choisit donc de poursuivre sa vocation au sein des Pères des Missions-Étrangères.
 
Que de bonheur pour nous de le retrouver à chaque retour de mission. Jamais il n’oubliait de nous rapporter un petit souvenir typique de son pays d’adoption. Nous étions plein d’admiration et nous avions soif d’apprendre sur les mœurs de vie des Argentins, des Péruviens, des Cubains et des Honduriens. Autant de peuples qu’il a tous chéri. Les témoignages que nous recevons de gens qu’il a côtoyés et aidés nous montrent aussi à quel point lui aussi a été bien aimé. Les gens le décrivent comme un prêtre engagé, aimant et à l’écoute. Que d’amitiés développées et de services rendus… Il aimait ce qu’il faisait, il aimait sa vie. Il n’imposait pas, il éduquait. Il prêchait par l’exemple. Au cours de ses multiples missions, il a particulièrement aimé transférer son savoir et sa foi aux plus jeunes qui se sont destinés tout comme lui, à la prêtrise.
 
Lorsqu’on se rappelle Marc, nous reviennent vite en mémoire ses expressions bien à lui et son rire taquin. On le revoit nous sourire à pleines dents. À Hélène, il dirait sûrement : « Comment ça va la toune ». À Françoise : « Merci encore ma chère pour ton aide avec toutes ces messes recueillies. Tu me tiens bien occupé » ! Combien de fois ne l’avons-nous pas entendu nous dire : « Vient icitte ma noire » mais surtout de l’entendre dire « C’est ’ti pas capable » surtout après les histoires abracadabrantes de notre cher Bob…
 
Lors de ses séjours dans la maison familiale où venait le rejoindre le reste de la famille dont sa chère Louise, il prenait vite le commandement de la cuisine. Parmi ses talents culinaires, André et Sylvie redemanderaient certainement encore de leur cuisiner son jambon à l’ananas… Il tenait aussi ses talents culinaires d’Aline. Et lorsqu’Aline se mettait au piano, c’est à Jacques qu’il demandait d’entamer la première chanson…
 
Marc a joué un rôle important dans la vie de plusieurs personnes dont tous les membres de sa famille, incluant tous ses neveux et nièces. Même à des milliers de kilomètres de distance, nous savions que nous étions importants pour lui et que nous pouvions compter sur lui. Mais il a particulièrement affectionné son neveu Marco et sa nièce Chantale. Marc et Marco avaient développé une complicité hors du commun. Marc a aimé d’un amour inconditionnel ce petit tannant même devenu grand. Nous avons pu ressentir la grande douleur de Marc lors du décès de Marco et de son attachement profond envers lui. Je me sens privilégiée d’avoir pu vivre ces moments difficiles avec lui et de bénéficier de sa grande sagesse durant cette épreuve. Aujourd’hui, Marco lui prépare certainement le plus grand des partys et nous sommes assurés qu’ils se sont enfin retrouvés pour l’éternité…
 
Merci Marc d’avoir tant donné et de nous avoir si bien aimés.