Yesterday, the Lord called home the dean of our priests, Mgr Roger Larivière, several weeks short of his 97th birthday. Born at Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts (QC) on April 15, 1913, Roger Larivière was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Alexandre Vachon close to seventy years ago on June 7, 1941. His ministry was primarily in diocesan administration, where he served as diocesan treasurer for many years.
Still, this did not keep him from pastoral activities, including the foundation of parishes (Our Lady of Divine Love, Pendleton and Resurrection of Our Lord, Ottawa) and regular pastoral services in distant locales: he could regale his listeners with accounts of skiing to Sunday ministry at St. Declan's at Brightside.
Endowed with a keen intellect and a detailed memory, our conversations in the dining-room of my residence often brought to light little known facts about (and opinions on) diocesan history. His appetite was robust until a couple of months ago when a series of physical afflictions led to his hospitalization and decline.
May the Lord, whom he served with devotion, grant him a merciful judgment and lead him to the refreshing waters of eternal life. Funeral details foresee visitation at Kelly's on Somerset on Sunday from 2-4 and 7-9, and the Mass of the Resurrection on Monday afternoon, March 29 at 2PM in Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica.
Requiescat in pace
Of Keen memory...
ReplyDeleteDearly remembered Mgr Lariviere ....
Rest In Peace
I remember him most in the early 90's almost 20 years ago celebrating the Latin Mass...and assuring stewardship of St Clement parish at Fr Belanger's funerals
paul lauzon
He is my great uncle and unfortunately i never got to know him very well. I saw him a few days befire his departure and I will never forget that moment. May he rest in peace and finally rejoyce with his parents and brothers and sisters.
ReplyDeleteI got to know Msgr Larivière in the last three years, and went to visit him from time to time. I enjoyed all our conversations. He was such a wealth of faith, optimism, good humour, knowledge and wisdom! I was very sad to hear of his passing today at mass. We had been trying to find a time for another visit earlier in the month, and things had gotten very busy with work and a young family, so I had not yet had a chance to come and see him. I have a short recording of an interview I did with him two years ago, and I had wanted to record more so that others could have a chance to hear his incredible story and be strengthened by his faith and cheered by his great sense of humour. I have no doubt he is with our Lord now.
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