Midnight Mass

(Editor's note: Georgette Renaud and Daniel Projection of the open door on words present you for the month of December 2021, a tale from the region of Bas St-Laurent; "Mass of midnight", an extract from the book: "Tartigou ”, author Andrée Gendron, Histo-Graph editions, 2020).

Father Daniel was a proud, generous and sensitive man.He was also a giant of six feet and six-pouces and 250 pounds.Child, he was already larger and bigger than the others and his physique seemed to be destiny to live in the strength of his arms.No one would have thought that he would join orders and would be called upon to open missions in Gaspésie.But Father Daniel had a revelation of his very young faith.She had come to his uncle, Vilbon Gosselin, the Tartigou blacksmith.This uncle was a magician who knew how to transform the iron into tools, the forest into bags, the boiled jets, house boards, flour wheat, maple water in sugar, butter milk, butter, butter milk,Wood, iron and leather in cars and, with his accomplice and wife, the agitated and deleted children in young men of good hold.And it was for this last magic round that his mother had entrusted the young Daniel to his uncle Vilbon in his bonus youth.

With a flour mill and saw to operate, a land to be cleared, fields to sow, hay and wheat to harvest, cows to milk, paths to build and all other works that the land commands, Vilbon Gosselinhad busy days.But he found time to ensure the formation of his parish, Saint -Ulric.At Christmas 1868, he and the other Francs-Tenanciers [1] of Saint-Ulric had sent a request to the bishop of Rimouski, Mgr Jean Langevin, to make their mission a parish.All imbued with his recent title of bishop, Mgr Langevin had soon accepted their request, all new parish bringing benefits to the great apostolic family of French Canadians and of course, a strong recognition of Rome to the bishop of the diocese.This is how on February 17, 1869, Saint -Ulric became a parish in good and due form.Happy to get his parish, Vilbon Gosselin was appointed Marguillier with Antoine Lepage and Antoine St-Laurent.

It was on June 16, 1869, that young Daniel felt the wonder who led him to the priesthood.Very early in the morning, his uncle woke up the household:

Yes, it was today!We had talked about it so much ... The bell, a beautiful bell of 298 pounds.It was his aunt, Marcelline, who would be the godmother.This bell will bear the name of Marcelline in addition to Jeanne, Josephte and Georgiane.What an honor!Think about it, the name of his aunt was going to resonate on the whole parish every Sunday, at Angelus, baptisms, weddings, midnight mass ... The day before, we had seen Tartigou Mgr Langevin pass with his secretary inA car decorated with leather and gilding.It looked like the royal carriage.Daniel was certain, this day would be the most beautiful of his life.

Returned to the village, Daniel had seen Bishop Langevin heading to the chapel.He remembered everything.Cabbed from episcopal insignia, Mgr Langevin, with his secretary to his right, had joined the parish priest Lebel who was held at the entrance with the parish priest Dumas de l'Assomption, Father Saucier, missionary of Restigouche and the priest roll, from Matane.One by one, these priests had then kneel in front of the bishop and had fucked the ring in hand that he tended to them.What a moving moment!All the colonists of the parish had gathered in the small chapel with their best clothes.Village schoolchildren, which we had somehow placed in the jubby full to crack, opened their eyes big.Choir children, dressed in a red (white -ups, seemed in a state of grace.That he would have liked Daniel, to be with them near the bishop.

When Mgr Langevin advanced under the bell tower and had his uncle and aunt Marcelline approach, Daniel was completely invaded by divine grace.When the bishop pronounced a formula in Latin and launched the holy water from his bottle in the bell, Daniel knew that he was going to become a priest.

Almost ten years after this call from God, it was no longer Daniel, but Father Daniel who returned to the parish of Saint -Ulric to lend a hand to the parish priest, well occupied by the end of the constructionfrom the church.Father Daniel was feverish, he was going to stop in Tartigou and see his uncle again.He always knew it well busy, especially since he was appointed four years earlier trustee with Alexis Pelletier and Noël Desrosiers.This role gave them tasks to perform the bishop's decree for the construction of the church and to take the contributions of the owners of the parish.

Father Daniel arrived by the train in Métis where a horse car was waiting for him led by his cousin Joseph, the young, vigorous and brilliant son of his uncle Vilbon.All happy, Father Daniel went up as quickly as allowed him to wear a cassock and his imposing stature:

Father Daniel remained silent all the rest of the trip.He was thinking.What happened?Father Daniel had known that the superb saw of the White River had burned the year before the construction of the church.The colonists that were building in winter had found themselves without the money that it brought in them.Anyway, wood was no longer sold.The English of London, who bought all the Canadian wood previously, suffered the offices of the economic depression which extended throughout Europe.In the country, the colonists abandoned one after the other, land and houses, to go to work in the spinning of New England.In Gaspésie, misery was even greater than elsewhere.The train, which would have made it possible to trade with the United States, did not go there.However, we had so much hoped to see the intercolonial go through the coast, to the north and south, to Gaspé.He only stopped in Sainte-Flavie to go through the Matapédia valley and continue in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.Nothing for the beautiful parish of Saint -Ulric!We would have so much needed money for the construction of the church and the presbytery.There were only arms and courage left, the colonists did not miss it, but without money ...

Father Daniel still thought of the situation when he arrived in Tartigou.What a joy to see the river again, fascinates it, which provided such beautiful eels, the house of its uncle, the mill, the forge, the outbuildings ... What a beauty in this landscape where the sea so calm and a deep blue welcomed thelimpid river waters.How not to be happy in front of so much beauty?

Upon entering, Father Daniel was immediately struck by the appearance of his uncle.In his memory, his uncle was a giant, almost as large and strong as he himself.He was not this man sitting in his shuttering, weightless, whose blue eye formerly so lively seemed to be extinct.When he saw his nephew, with a semblance to smile, he declared all go without even a hello:

The uncle put 50 piastres to his nephew and tut herself.Father Daniel tried to tell him about something else, but all he could shoot is:

Father Daniel left the house and asked Joseph to lead him to the presbytery.He had to go see the parish priest to get more details on what his uncle had told him.Was it true or was it the sadness that made him see everything in black?Did the bishop really ask the parish priest to deprive the poor parishioners of Saint-Ulric from midnight?

Throughout the journey to the village, Father Daniel was not coming back to see abandoned farms: more cows in the fields, more hens near the chicken coops, more pigs near Soues.He only saw the hay yellowed who dried in the fields.In the Fiola garden, we could see alders push when before we cultivated big dodus well, which were going to give good soup throughout the winter.Father Daniel learned from his cousin that the Fiola had left for the United States for five years abandoning like many others their house, their garden and their fields cleared to the sweat of their front.

So much lost efforts.Perhaps they could sell this precious much later when prosperity returns?Because Father Daniel was convinced of this, the years of lean cows would be followed by years of green meadows, as he had read in the scriptures.

The parish priest welcomed Father Daniel with open arms.Seeing this calm and good man, Father Daniel felt reassured and knew that he could ask him what he wanted to know.But above all, he wanted to see the new church.The parish priest made him visit it.It was a beautiful stone church, 110 feet in length and 45 feet wide.The interior was sober, but well decorated.However, looking up to see the bell, the one named the name of his aunt, Father Daniel was born.

Back in the presbytery, Father Daniel questioned the parish priest flag.

The parish priest left to seek the letter and the LUV:

"To the faithful of Saint-Ulric,

We learned with great pleasure, our dear brothers, that you were able to attend the offices in the new and beautiful church that you have just built a few months ago.But such a work should not remain imperfect.The state where this building is still does not allow to celebrate conveniently the saints mysteries, especially over the week.Even on Sunday, the bell tower is not enough closed and letting the wind, rain and snow penetrate, your health, as well as that of the priest, is exposed to seriously suffer there.

In addition, it would be of any necessity that the new presbytery was made available to the priest so that his old residence can serve as sacristy this winter.

It is above all the strict duty of gentlemen to hold their hands on the execution of this work and we expressly order them to close the bell tower by December 8, failing which the parish will be deprived of any officesolemn, even for burials.

As for the presbytery and the sacristy, these two buildings will have to be ready for their new destination by Christmas, otherwise the parish will be deprived of midnight mass, and most likely we will give the priest to start saying againMass in the old chapel.

We would be very sorrow, our dear brothers, to be forced to resort to means of rigor to have their duty fulfilled to gentlemen to force you on your side, to pay your distribution terms.We know that there are many good Christians happy to help upon a home to our Lord Jesus Christ;But we also know that there are too many negligent or poorly disposed people to which we should remember that the payment of these contributions is due under penalty of refusal of sacraments, even in the article of death.

However, when it comes to religious buildings which must do the honor of your parish, no one should hesitate or whisper;On the contrary, all of them should contribute with joy and eagerness knowing that God rewards all the sacrifices that we impose for his house.

We therefore flattered that those who so far have fired from the back will be as zealous as their co-parers for this important work.

Will be this letter read to the first Sunday pre -Sunday after receipt and then recorded and kept in the archives.

Given to St-Germain de Rimouski in our episcopal residence, this November twenty-eight thousand eight hundred seventy-eight-eight.

Jean, evil.From St-G.from Rimouski "

Even read in a soft and reassuring voice, this letter had the effect of a stab in Father Daniel's chest.His uncle, who had worked so hard for this parish, leaving his health and his money there, could not recover if the bishop made his threats.He had to act.

Father Daniel informed the parish priest of his uncle's request,

Father Daniel knew this case well.It had started in 1875 when Mgr Langevin intervened in favor of the conservative candidate, a Catholic, against another liberal and Protestant candidate, who both broke the Bonaventure county.On a complaint of the liberal candidate, this case had been brought before the courts and the judgment rendered in December 1876 by judge Louis-Napoleon Casault, professor of law at Laval University, questioned Mgr Langevin for abuse of influence.In response to this judgment, Mgr Langevin had used his influence to have the judge of his chair in university dismiss, but in vain.The clergy and the judiciary did not support him in his approach.He especially wanted Ulric Tessier, now judge the Queen's bench and also a teacher at Laval University.If, before, Judge Tessier was one of the few citizens to be welcomed at the bishopric of Rimouski, he was no longer received by the bishop after supporting his colleague.

But why were the parishioners of Saint-Ulric victims of these quarrels?Father Daniel saw it as great injustice.

The parish priest stopped speaking.In his head, he saw his parishioners again, and especially his parishioners, who were happy to finally be able to celebrate the midnight mass together.He saw the children of the village school to which he had promised a beautiful midnight mass in the new church.He was convinced that the good Lord could not leave his flocks without midnight and he began to pray.

Even if he knew that his approach was probably going to be useless, Father Daniel prepared the next day to go to Rimouski.His uncle had entrusted her with a mission, he was going to fulfill her.Very early in the morning, he was driven by the bead to Métis to take the train to Rimouski.Arrived at the station, he saw a family he knew well who was waiting for the counter.There was the father, the mother and eight children, the oldest of whom was barely sixteen.Their clothes were worn to the rope and their beef leather shoes, as poor condition, were too thin to protect them from the cold of this early December.

Father Daniel thought of the money gave him his uncle.With 50 piastres, the family would have enough to take the train and accommodate themselves when arriving in the United States.He thought that the good Lord would understand and gave the money.He was going to find a way to return it to his uncle.

Mr. Leblanc took the money and said:

Father Daniel got into the train with the Leblanc family.He looked at one of the children he had not noticed before, a beautiful, chilly boy, with blue eyes, with beautiful blond and white clothes that looked new.This child made him think of the angels of the sky.

Made to Rimouski, Father Daniel moved without waiting for the bishopric to ask Mgr Langevin a hearing.He is told to come back the next day, because his secretary was not there and he alone could organize an interview.So he had to wait.He went to ask hospitality to the sisters of the Ursulines who welcomed him with kindness.The next day, he returned to the bishopric, but he was told to come back the next day, what he did.Knowing that time pressed, Father Daniel tells himself that he could not wait any longer one day and if the next day, he could not meet the bishop, he would have no choice but to return to Saint -Ulric.Fortunately, he was received the next day at the end of the afternoon.After the usual ritual, he was finally able to expose his request.

Father Daniel did not insist, he knew that whatever he could say, the bishop would remain on his position.He returned to the Ursuline ladies to spend the night there and took the train the next day to return to Métis and take a car to go to the presbytery of Saint -Ulric.He was received by the parish priest and informed that he could not obtain permission from the bishop.

Father Daniel had the car prepared and left for Tartigou.Way, he thought of his uncle.He had failed in his mission.How to tell him?He returned to him the money he had entrusted to him and that he no longer had.He said to himself that it was a lesser evil and that by spring, he could raise what it was necessary to return it to him.What really anxious was the midnight mass that would not be given if it did not succeed in finding a thousand piastres.An impossible mission!On these thoughts, he arrived at Alexis Pelletier.He was received by his wife Justine who tells her to join her husband at the stable.

Father Daniel told him everything: the mission entrusted to him by his uncle, Bishop Langevin's letter, his failure during his audience at the bishopric.

Father Daniel and Alexis Pelletier went up in their car and headed for the St -Laurent road to go to the second in Tartigou.First stop, at Antoine St - Laurent.

Back to the car, Father Daniel was not coming back.For a first visit, already ten piastres.With 225 families in the parish, it should make the account.However Antoine St-Laurent was a prosperous cultivator, he should not be too enthusiastic, the others could be without resources.But, from house to house, there seemed to have been a miracle.The parishioners all had money to give.Some had received money from the United States, others had picked up a good nest egg by selling their products and finally, some had received inheritance or other unexpected legacy.The settlers who had not done so, paid for their share and several added one, two, three and sometimes up to ten piastres.Not all were as generous, but they went there according to their capacity and their religious fervor, often under the attention of their pious wife.At the end of the day, Alexis Pelletier had collected more than a thousand piastres.He didn't believe him himself.He was convinced that the good Lord had mercy on the parishioners of Saint -Ulric and that he had not wanted to deprive them of midnight mass in the new church where, for the first time, there would be room foreverybody.

Back in the presbytery, Father Daniel hastened to warn the parish priest of this good news.The next day, at the start, he would leave for Métis with Alexis Pelletier, to take the train and go to Saint-Fabien.This is where the entrepreneur Fournier lived.

Father Daniel returned to the next day, happy to know that the entrepreneur was going to resume work as soon as possible.The day was cold and gray.End -November time with snow mud.Going down the car near the presbytery, he barely managed to see one foot in front of him.In this fog appeared a child who gave him a letter and disappeared quickly.Father Daniel thought he was distinguishing blond loops that protruded from the child's hat, but that's all he could see.As soon as he was in the presbytery, he opened the letter on which his name was written in capital letters.She was filled with tickets for a value of 50 piastres, but there was nothing else.He went to find the priest.

And the work resumed.The presbytery was completed in less than two weeks.The parish priest developed there and his former presbytery was moved and attached to the eastern facade of the church to serve as sacristy as asked for the bishop.In mid-December, no doubt remained, the parish priest could celebrate midnight mass in the new church.

The parish priest was very taken by the preparations for midnight mass.He had to see all the ceremonial of the three masses which constitute this great celebration, prepare the children for the living crèche and take care of the Song.We were going to sing Fidele Adeste, new, in this stable, the angels in our countryside, that, shepherds, let's assemble and above all, midnight, Christians.Just to choose the one who was going to sing this magnificent song, the parish priest had more than doing.He also had to ensure that the patron saints make children's costumes, have the crèche build, install the decorations and what else?He did not have enough a day of twenty -four hours to organize everything.He entrusted Father Daniel to administer baptisms and burials as well as confessions and current offices.As of December 24, he had baptized nine babies, nine new souls for the Lord.He had also celebrated the funeral service of Marthe Paquet, the wife of Henri Cimon.He felt great pain by blessing the burial of this woman, arrived with her husband on the territory of Saint-Ulric at the very beginning of the colony.

It was finally the big celebration.Everything was ready.The parish priest had been able to do well.The parishioners seemed so happy.His uncle Vilbon arrived among the first with his family.He had finally resumed colors and displayed a big smile.Father Daniel was all moved.And the songs, and the decorations, and the crèche!She was so beautiful, with all the characters in beautiful costumes to personify the Blessed Virgin, Joseph, the little Jesus, the shepherds and the Magi Kings.All that could not have happened if we had not picked up the money necessary to resume work.A real miracle, thought Father Daniel.

Suddenly, Father Daniel saw a new character sneak in the bottom of the crèche.A chubby child, with blond curls, dressed in white and wearing wings like an angel.Father Daniel turned to the parish priest.

Father Daniel turned.He seemed to him to see a shadow flee the crèche.The angel had disappeared.

[1].This appellation is inherited from feudal law where a tenure is a land conceded by the Lord to a tenant.The Franc-Tancier is the one who bought his land and who is not subject to feudal law.