Now who's going to give me that morning wake-up call at about 7:50 a.m. each morning? I knew that Fr. Jim often rose early ... like about 5 a.m., and sometimes even earlier. I could picture him sitting by his telephone waiting impatiently for the clock to tick closer to 8 a.m. when he knew I'd be up and around. The odd time he would wait for the clock to advance beyond 8 a.m., but not often. When Fr. Jim had something on his mind, it was time to get down to business.
A few weeks prior to our visit to Holy Rosary Parish in Thorold, Ontario, Fr. Jim had been complaining about being out of breath if he climbed just a few stairs. He said he would see his family doctor just as soon as he could. But, Fr. Jim was not one to give his doctor any more business than was absolutely necessary. The "natural way" was his way of easing aches and pains. He would often call his sister, Joanne, a former nurse, and depend on her for natural remedies. Being educated in the art of medicine, she couldn't offer many natural cures but Fr. Jim still appreciated the advice she gave him. He would also look upwards for relief of aches and pains (though he was not often sick). He had told me how he was a good friend of Lilian Bernas, a seer whom he had a lot of faith in, and that she had cured him some years ago of an ailment.
Fr. Jim was extremely dedicated to the pro-life movement. He had served many years as the pro-life advocate for the Archdiocese of Ottawa. In 1996, Archbishop Gervais was pleased to recommend him for the position of founding National Director of Priests for Life Canada. It would provide Fr. Jim the opportunity to become very involved in pro-life work. The timing was perfect as Priests for Life Canada could not have found a more qualified leader.
On our trip to the Niagara Region, I asked Fr. Jim if he had had a recent physical. He thought that he might have. Yes, he had them regularly, at least every 10-20 years. I asked him if he had one of those machines to check blood pressure. He said, yes, I think I have one somewhere.
Fr. Jim loved the outdoors. During the summer months he would spend most weekdays at his cottage in Quebec. Deacon John Poirier (a member on the board of Priests for Life Canada) had his cottage nearby. It was great to have Fr. Jim come to his cottage and say Mass. I don't think Fr. Jim ever missed his daily Mass. Neither would he miss saying a "prayer for the road", even if he was only driving to the comer store. Go any further, and it was necessary to pray the entire Rosary, at least once.
Fr. Jim loved his food. Though he tried to eat "healthy foods" I saw most food of any kind pass his lips. On the way to Niagara we stopped at a Thai restaurant in Hamilton. He called it "thigh" food. "There's meat in this", said Fr. Jim. "No, sir", said the waiter. "You insisted on no meat" (it was Friday). "That's tofu". "O.K. then", said Fr. Jim, "it's delicious". He was right about the thigh food. As soon as summer comes and he's able to visit his cottage regularly, he said he would resume his vigorous exercising and reduce weight. He felt that it was lack of exercise that caused his shortness of breath. What an avid swimmer he was. At the cottage he would swim the lake between his cottage and John's.
The Eucharist was the love of Fr. Jim's life. He so loved the Eucharist that he initiated the Cor Jesu Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in his parish. "Perpetual means twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week", he would say. "O.K. but who's going to fill in the hours during storms, sickness, etc.", I had asked him. The answer was obvious. It was no accident that the chapel was located right in the basement of his parish home. He spent many hours there and loved it. The Eucharist was the centre of his life and his parish and pro-life ministry prospered because of it. He rarely missed an opportunity to promote Eucharistic Adoration. In his little parish of 200 he had little problem filling the scheduled hours. He had a way of encouraging his many parishioners, the CWL, and the Parish Council to participate. If you saw Fr. Jim coming, and you lived anywhere within driving distance of Cumberland, you knew he would comer you into taking part.
Contraception. Was it easy to talk to Fr. Jim about contraception? No it wasn't. When it comes to contraception there are no grey areas. The Church's position on contraception is clear and there is little need to discuss it. Just follow the teachings. Contraception is immoral and intrinsically evil, and that's that. Fr. Jim believed that contraception is likely the greatest evil in the world and that abortion stems from the contraceptive mentality. Very few of Fr. Jim's writings missed bringing home that point. He knew that over 80% of Catholics in Canada contracept and this would hurt him greatly. He lamented that more pro-life groups did not make this issue a priority. Get rid of the contraceptive mentality and we'll get rid of abortion was his approach.
We arrived at Holy Rosary Parish at about 8 p.m. on Friday, February 22nd. He was feeling fine. I left him there and went to stay with family in Fort Erie. My wife and I met Fr. Jim at the parish on Saturday at about 3:30 p.m. because we needed time to set up the pro-life display table at the back of the church before the 5:30 p.m. Mass. Fr. Jim insisted that his beautiful tapestry of Our Lady of Guadalupe was prominently displayed. We couldn't find anything to hang it on so he found a trifold emergency privacy screen to hang it on. If there was an emergency, and anyone needed it badly, we just might have to give it up.
Fr. Jim concelebrated Mass and gave his 20-minute prolife homily. This audience got away lucky - he actually cut it short. Fr. Jim wasn't one to stop before he said what he had to say. After Mass Fr. Moser, the parish pastor, invited us into his rectory for supper. The stew was great. Fr. Jim told him about the thigh food and about his seer friend, Lilian Bernas, who lived in the Niagara area. It was a great evenmg.
Fr. Jim has a sincere and dedicated devotion to the Angels and Saints ... not the modern Hollywood kind but the traditional Angels and Saints we read about in the Holy Book. St. Joseph was at the top of his list of saints. His devotion to St. Joseph showed in his commitment to an informal group called "The Friends of St. Joseph". Since 1993 this group have met on Parliament Hill in Ottawa and in their sunrise procession they honoured the Passion of Our Lord, The Divine Mercy, and St. Joseph whose powerful intercession, as Canada's Patron Saint, was sought to obtain God's blessings on Canada. This meant getting up really early for Fr. Jim as he was nearly always there to lead the 6:15 a.m. commencement prayers. The dedicated people who take part in these novenas will carry on this most important work.
On the ride to Thorold, we spoke about the future of Priests for Life Canada and his parish work. He was only 68 and not about to retire. "Retirement age in my diocese is 75", said Fr. Jim. Asked if he would retire at 75 and possibly then work full-time for Priests for Life Canada, Fr. Jim said, "No way". He loved his parish work and would continue to do both as long as he was able. I envied his looks as he always looked young for his age. I wished that I could duplicate his energy.
During his parish mission at Holy Rosary, Fr. Jim was scheduled to meet with a newly-formed parish Legion of Mary. This was to take place on the Monday. His love for Mary was without question. As Spiritual Director of The Senatus, the Governing Body of the Legion of Mary, Northern Ontario, he made sure that devotion to Our Lady was a priority. He insisted that members in his area take part in both the Cor Jesu Perpetual Adoration Chapel as well as devote time to helping as volunteers at Priests for Life Canada. Fr. Jim was good at delegating work. He was a priest and would meet the spiritual needs of the parish but parishioners would have to do the upkeep of the parish. He had no problem convincing parishioners to support the parish, both financially and maintenance wise. This little bilingual parish (the only bilingual parish in the Archdiocese of Ottawa) held its own. Fr. Jim hoped that the work the Legion of Mary and the Cor Jesu Perpetual Adoration Chapel would go on if he was ever moved. He had been in the parish for 16 years.
The first Sunday Mass at Holy Rosary in Thorold (there are four) is an early one. It starts at 7:45 a.m. I arrived at about 7:30 a.m. Fr. Jim came to me at the back of the Church and we spoke briefly before Mass. He was feeling OK but had not slept all night. The bed was too soft. He did, however, appreciate the shower in the rectory. He had said on his way to Thorold that he was looking forward to the shower because the one in his own home had little water pressure. Fr. Jim never complained about little things. He was too busy looking after the spiritual needs of the parish.
Fr. Jim didn't concelebrate the first Mass that morning but he presented his homily as vigorously as the night before. Even more so. These parishioners would get the full length of his homily. By the end of Mass people were gathering at the back of the Church waiting for the 9 a.m. Mass. Fr. Jim left the altar shortly after his homily and sat in the Sacristy where he had a conversation with Fr. Moser. Just at the final blessing I could see Fr. Moser rushing down the isle towards me (I was at the back of the Church). I thought he was rushing to be there to greet parishioners who were about to leave after Mass. Instead he came directly to me and said that something was wrong with Fr. Jim. We both rushed to the Sacristy and tried to attend to Fr. Jim. A nurse from the congregation also came and tried CPR. Firemen, police, and an ambulance crew also tried. It was too late. A massive stroke had already taken Fr. Jim to meet the Lord. The passage had been instant and peaceful.
If Fr. Jim had planned it, his time on earth would not have ended any differently. He was conducting a pro-life mission; he had just given a pro-life homily; he was at a parish named in honour of Our Lady; a priest was present; he received the final anointment; parishioners were praying the Holy Rosary for him; and he was in the presence of friends. The honour and glory was all Fr. Jim's.
Though his presence will be missed dearly, it was an honour for me to be with him when he died. Now who will I argue with? He was a great man of God and an outstanding pro-life leader. From Darlene Dalton (office secretary of Priests for Life Canada), and her family who became very close friends of Fr. Jim, myself, and all the board members of Priests for Life Canada, we say "Good-bye dear friend".
Michael Vande Wiel
Operations Manager
Priests for Life Canada