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28 April

Venerable Adolphe Chatillon, FÉC

Adolphe was born in Nicolet (Quebec) on October 31, 1871, from convinced Christian parents. His mother dies when he is nine years old. He is therefore sent to a boarding school, at Baie-du-Febvre and later to Yamachiche. When he is thirteen years old he enters the Juniorate of the Frères des Ecoles Chrétiennes (Brothers of Christian Schools – La Salle) and on July 26, 1887, he begins his novitiate under the name of Brother Theophanius-Leo.

He works for ten years as a teacher and then becomes director of a school in Montreal. His simplicity and affability win over all the hearts. After recovering from a serious illness, he becomes Director of Novices. This task is by no means very restful. He devotes himself to it for eleven years, from 1912 to 1923, but had already served as sub-director, from 1908 to 1912.

On December 8, 1923, the Superior General appoints him Visitor general of North America. He therefore visits, one after the other, all the communities in North America: Toronto, New York, Baltimore, Saint Louis, San Francisco, New Orleans and Santa Fe.

In November 1928, Brother Theophanius takes part in the General Chapter of his Order, as President of the Commission in charge of studying the observance of the Rule. He participates in the election of the new Superior General. Then he becomes ill and is bedridden, because of cancer of the intestines. He suffers greatly from exhaustion but doesn’t complain. He accepts suffering as part of life. He is taken to Paris for a serious operation which unfortunately does not produce the expected result. Therefore, at the beginning of March 1929, accompanied by a nurse, he returns to Canada, in “Mont-De-La-Salle.”

During all the time of his illness, he is a prayerful, smiling and courageous patient – an example for everyone. People come to his bedside as if on pilgrimage, so much so that his room becomes a sort of oratory, from which one emerged better. He dies peacefully on Sunday April 28th, 1929. In April 2011, he was declared venerable.

LINKS:
http://www.delasalle.qc.ca/
http://www.lasalle.org/en/