The Tenth Anniversary of
Holy Family School

By Jean-Claude Dupuis

The students before the majestic Saint Lawrence River

On June 22^nd, 2000, Holy Family School celebrated with great solemnity its tenth anniversary, with the presence of His Excellency Bishop Bernard Tissier de Mallerais. There was certainly reason to celebrate, considering all the difficulties which the school has had to overcome. The project, launched upon by Father Jacques Emily in 1989, could have seemed unachievable. To establish in Quebec a Catholic school without governmental assistence, when older institutions like the College of the Ursulines and the Minor Seminary of Quebec were obliged to partially close down for lack of finances, could one consider it? And yet, the "vessel" stays afloat, thanks to the care of Divine Providence. We still wonder at how the school could have functioned with so little resources. How could the directors manage for ten years to pay the teachers, to heat the building, to feed the students, to resist the administrative red tape of the secularized government? They (the directors) themselves ignore it. The power of prayer is the only explanation. It is quite obvious that the Holy Family protects their school.

On the eve of the solemnity, Bishop Tissier de Mallerais gave an excellent conference on the problem of the liturgical reform. He explained how the modernist subversion has unnaturalized the Catholic Mass by making of it a neo-Protestant ceremony centered on the cult of man. He then invited the audience, which was partly composed of students, to continue Archbishop Lefebvre’s combat for Catholic Tradition.

School students act Moliere’s play: Les fourberies de Scapin

The following day, after the Solemn High Mass and the parish dinner, the primary students presented diverse songs, and the boys performed, almost entirely, the famous play of Moliere, "Les fourberies de Scapin" (The Deceitfulness of Scapin). Thanks to Mr. Marc Chapleau for having so well developed the artistic talents of our dear studsents. The presence of our former director, Father Dominic Rousseau, who had come from France for the occasion, was particularly appreciated, for he recalled to us the heroic beginnings of the school.

About a month earlier, on May 24^th, we had remembered the tenth anniversary of our director, Father Yves le Roux, with the marked presence of his parents, who visited Quebec for the first time. We also thanked Father Jacques Emily for his sixteen years of fruitful apostolate in Canada. We pray that his work will be just as fruitful in England.

Holy Family School could not have survived without the generosity of our benefactors, who are always in our prayers, and the dedication of our teachers. Thanks to the older ones who brought the experience of the "Normal School" from the time when true teachers were formed. Thanks to the yonger ones who had the courage to fight the current of modern pedalogical follies, after having themselves been victims of the "Parent" relations. Thanks to Sister Marie Bernard for exerting all her efforts to educate our older girls and for traversing the bureaucratic maze of Quebec’s Department of Education. Thanks to the brothers who make sure that the school remains standing. Thanks to the workers who take care of the dormitories, the kitchen, the cleaning and the adminsitrative services. Thanks to the benefactors who assist us, for the love of God.

And above all, thanks to the priests who, for ten years, have provided for the spiritual formation of our children. Let us not forget that the primary objective of our school, without neglecting to teach the skills and the knowledge needed for a diploma or a job is, first and foremost, to teach them to serve God well, and by this means to obtain Life Everlasting. 

 

Left to right: Fr. Rusak, Br. Matthew, Fr. le Roux, Fr. Emily, Fr. Berez, Fr. Rousseau, Fr. de l'Estourbeillon

The new altar of the church chapel