| Fr.
Donat Lamothe Remembers Pope John Paul II
Fr. Donat Lamothe (left) meets Pope John
Paul II for the first time in 1986. Fr. Wilfrid Dufault, A.A.
'29, former president and trustee of Assumption, can be seen
in the background. |
April,
2005—In 1986,
Fr. Donat Lamothe, professor of music and the College's archivist,
traveled to Rome with several other Assumptionists to accompany
the Chorale on their concert tour. Deeply affected by his experience,
he committed his feelings to paper. Read his thoughts below.
"March 5, 1986:
Yesterday evening before leaving for our concert
at SS Giovanni e Paolo, President Hagan informed me that André,
Luc, Wilfrid and myself had been invited to come celebrate the Holy
Father’s private mass. This was certainly something I had
not expected. (I had not even packed a black clerical shirt; Fr.
Andre lent me one of his.) Although I was early to bed, I did not
really sleep very well. When Fr. Andre knocked on the door, I was
already on the edge of my bed.
We called a taxi at 6:00 a.m. We were at the Vatican in less than
15 minutes. The taxi driver stopped at no red light! But Roman streets
are virtually empty at that early hour. We walked to the Bronze
Doors and waited for Luc and Wilfrid to arrive. It was cold but
clear, and we could see the crescent of the Easter Moon over the
obelisk in the center of St. Peter’s Square. When Luc and
Wilfrid arrived, we waited a few more minutes, then, at the suggestion
of a workman, knocked on the Bronze Door. A Swiss Guard inquired
from within, and after checking his list let us into the warm office,
on the right. A few minutes later, a large number of other priests
arrived (Superiors or rectors of Seminaries in England) and we were
escorted up a very majestic staircase, across the Cortile San Damaso
and by elevator to the floor where the private chapel is located.
In the large waiting room, decorated with modern religious art,
we vested in alb and stole and were then escorted through another
large meeting room to the chapel.
When we entered, the Holy Father was at prayer. We silently took
our places in this relatively small room. President Hagan and a
few other laymen were already in their seats in the rear of the
room. We Assumptionists were the last ones to file in and took places
on the left side behind the Pope’s priedieu. The Holy Father
proceeded to vest with the vestments laid on the altar. The Mass
was celebrated in English; the altar in the chapel is against a
red marble wall on which there is a large crucifix. Next to the
crucifix was a small icon of the Virgin of Czestokova. On the altar
was the tabernacle. The Office of Readings was done from the lectern
on the left. The Holy Father was facing the congregation for the
penitential rite and prayer, and then taking his place in the center
of the room to listen to the readings. From the offertory on, he
celebrated with his back to us. The secretaries acted as servants
– and distributed communion, following with the cup passed
from one to another of the concelebrants. As I was the last one,
I had to consume the remainders of both chalices.
As communion proceeded, the Holy Father took his place in his chair.
The assembly sang a communion hymn, “Let all Mortal Flesh
Keep Silence.” Finally, the Holy Father said the last prayer,
turned around and faced us for the final blessing – in Latin.
He removed the vestments and sat again for his thanksgiving prayer.
We, too, sat at our places for thanksgiving. After a while, the
secretary led us out of the chapel and back to the large meeting
room. The Holy Father came out shortly after with his secretary
and proceeded to greet each of us individually, beginning with the
English priests. He seemed to enjoy greeting us. He listened as
we were introduced by the secretary, and we each had a brief exchange
with him. He gave each of us a rosary. The official photographer
was at work quite discreetly all this time (if a photoflash could
ever be considered discreet!) The photographer had the chance to
take several shots as the conversation was in progress. I told the
Holy Father about the Chorale’s Concert Trip. He clearly understood
that we were from Worcester, MA and related the city to Boston.
Father Wilfrid assured him of our Assumptionist tradition of fidelity
to the Holy Father –and he nodded in appreciation as he moved
toward the door he had entered maybe 10 minutes earlier. As he left,
we all applauded. The secretaries gave us each a book in Italian
on the Pope’s (Journeys). We went back into the large waiting
room and prepared to leave."
Fr. Andre Dargis, Fr. Wilfrid
Dufault, Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, Assumption President
Joseph Hagan, and Fr. Luc Martel (March, 1986) |
Mass with the Holy Father |
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