Father Lafortune marks 50 years of priesthood-Youths urged to join priesthood |01 July 2013

Bishop Wiehe celebrating the mass. Standing next to him is Father Lafortune

To mark this auspicious occasion, a thanksgiving mass was celebrated at the St Andrew’s Church, Cascade.

Leading the mass was Catholic Bishop Denis Wiehe. Alongside the bishop at the altar were Father Lonnie Adrienne, Father Eric Léon, and Deacon Louis Agathine from the Catholic Church. Also present were Bishop James Wong and Bishop French Chang Him from the Anglican Church.

Among the congregation were Father Lafortune’s families and friends and other Roman Catholic believers from Cascade and other districts.
Father Lafortune has launched an appeal to the young people to follow in his path. 

“I have never been a musician or a guitarist but I have been inspired to compose and sing all these hymns,” he said, referring to the hymns that were sung during the mass.

As all the hymns are very popular and well known among believers, those present for the mass yesterday did not find it hard to join in the singing.

Referring to our previous article on Father Lafortune in which he revealed that he is well known for his lateness, Father Adrienne opened his testimony on Father Lafortune as such: “I bet that Father Lafortune will be late for his own funeral,” he quipped.

He gave a little history on Father Lafortune’s life, how he became a priest and what he has achieved in his 50 years of priesthood.

Bishop Chang Him thanked Bishop Wiehe and Father Lafortune for inviting him and Bishop Wong to take part in the celebrations with Father Lafortune.

He referred to Father Lafortune and himself as “recycled adolescents” even if they have both celebrated their 50 years of priesthood.
After the mass the invited guests joined Father Lafortune in a lunch at the Seafront restaurant.