Death of Brother Alexis Pâquet

Brother Alexis Pâquet died in the infirmary of Château-Richer, Canada, on 11 January 2013 at the age of 94 and in the 76th year of religious life. Born in Val Brillant in 1918, he was the youngest of a family of thirteen children. Coming from down river he naturally entered the Juniorate of Lévis, and after first profession, was appointed teacher at Montmorency for a year, then at Mont-Rolland for two years.  In 1942, he was appointed to the juniorate of Iberville where he began a long career in the houses of formation : teacher, supervisor, the teacher and Director of the Scholasticate-Normal School of Iberville. In 1965, he became deputy Provincial and two years later Provincial to 1973. At the end of his term, he took over direction of the  Collège Laval up to the General Chapter of 1976, when he was elected General Councillor for nine years. This was a period when there were many Canadian Brothers in the  service of the Institute in Rome. On his return to his homeland, he placed himself at the service of the Province as secretary to the Provincial, then as the one in charge of the community called « the old brothers » and Director of the infirmary of Iberville. On the creation of the Notre-Dame Fraternity in 1982 (the year of the  fusion of the Provinces), he entered on a well earned period of retirement, but was always ready to render services, provide animation and even become involved in the Cursillo Movement.

An intelligent man of many talents, in addition to the numerous community services he was called on to provide as teacher, superior, Provincial, General Councillor, secretary, he made himself well known by his numerous writings, full of humour, subtlety and « practical psychology ». He was also a skillfull musical composer, director of choirs, bands, and wind instruments, and a talented organist… He leaves the memory of a warm, open man, with a fluent and poetic manner of speech, but especially one full of love for his Brothers and his community. A faithful disciple of Champagnat, he was one of those who knew how to go in haste in Mary’s way.