A L K Switzer, March 4, 1964
Father Joseph-Marie Couture, s.j. The Final Part
Some Observations by Those Who Knew Him
It is an interesting side-light that one of the motives that
attracted him to the Jesuit Order was that he loved company and felt that in an
Order he would have more companionship than as a secular priest – and then he
spent the greater part of his life in as lonely a situation as one could
possibly imagine.
The local people who knew him well, Roman Catholic, or
Protestant, French , Indian or English, without exception testify to the fine
character of this man. He was patient,
dedicated, loveable, and strong both physically and spiritually.
Father Rolland stated in a recent article that Father
Couture loved God more than nationality.
This is confirmed by all who knew him, that he didn’t debase the Church
by using it as a vehicle for other ends than preaching of the Gospel. As Father Rolland said, to the English he was
English, to the Ojibway he was an
Ojibway, and to the French, French. When
he was travelling or visiting with
Indian families whose food dishes were different to those of the white man he
insisted on eating whatever they had for themselves whether it was rabbit stew,
bannock, boiled fish, dumplings and salt pork, beaver tail, moose nose – he wanted
to be as they were.
He was fond of hunting and fishing, and particularly enjoyed
an evening of good fellowship with his friends over a game of “500” with good
natured conversation.
Although in Longlac he got many of his meals with the family
of Nicol Finlayson and later that of Emil Finlayson, he himself was an
excellent cook, and would entertain his friends periodically with a delicious
bean feed made by bringing the presoaked beans to a boil for just a few minutes
and then carefully placing the full pot with a tight cover in a well insulated
box where the beans cooked slowly for 8 or 9 hours.
He was a good singer and made records of hymns, masses, etc.
and distributed these to the Indians so they could be aided in their devotions
during his absence.
On a hunting or fishing trip he was always one of the gang
and could be counted on to do his full share of all the chores. Those who were privileged to accompany him on
these trips eagerly looked forward to the occasion.
He regularly conducted prayers when out on such a trip but
nevertheless was able to divorce teaching and devotion from pleasure so that
neither suffered.
He had a happy manner with everyone, he didn’t order people
to do things but would suggest. For
instance if someone had borrowed a tool or bit of equipment without his
knowledge, he would quietly say “I think there is something missing here, I wonder
what could have happened to it?” and it would reappear.
He had a fine team of MacKenzie River Huskies, about 125
pounds each – of which he was very proud.
Their names were: Prince (lead), Tiger, Higger and Wolf – wheel dog next
to the toboggan.
Once Father Couture spoke to a Protestant parent in Longlac
and said “ Are you aware that your children are sitting in on my catechism
classes?” The parent said “ No, but if
you can put up with them it is all right by me.”
His cabin was crudely constructed with one room – later a
lean-to shed was added – and was cold and drafty. Mice were plentiful and Father Couture who
kept a “22” rifle behind his chair just for this purpose would reach for it
when he saw a mouse and shoot it. Once
when he saw two eyes peering in a crack from the shed and heard a meowing, he
reached for the rifle and fired, then went to see the results. He had shot a
cat and behind it were two aluminium plates which were never quite the same
thereafter.
The cabin was such that even when there was a good fire
burning , if there was a wind blowing you had to stay down wind of the stove to
remain comfortable. Frozen meat would
remain frozen in the winter time if left next to the wall.
Here is a remark from one of his Indian parishioners. “Father Couture was one of the priests that
worked and gave his whole heart and life for the Indians. He worked hard to teach them catechism,
prayers and singing, both in Latin and in Indian.”
“He used to visit the Indians along the Railroad and in the
trap-line camps, travelling on snow shoes, sleeping on the ground in the
wigwams and often had not proper food to eat on these visits to the Indian
camps.”
“Father Couture had made many open hearts to the Indians
where-ever he had been. He is remembered by many Indians of the Norther Ontario
and when news spread telling of his death in 1949, many Indians living both on
the north shore of Lake Superior as well as the far northern part of Ontario,
and at home here in Longlac, were all in tears.”
An English Protestant told me that at his funeral it was
remarkable how Indians came from hundreds of miles away to pay their respects –
a demonstration of the love which they felt for him and also of the
effectiveness of the “Moccasin Telegraph” about which he loved to tell.
He was a great man and even as he sleeps here in this
church, the example that he set of unselfish devotion to Christ and his fellow
men can be an inspiration and guide to those who follow him.
“If we sit down at set of sun
And count the things that we have done,
And counting, find
One self-denying act, one word
That eased the heart of him who heard
One glance most kind,
That fell like sunshine where it went
Then we may count the day well spent.”
NE-ENDAMISHKANG
End of this series of Posts.
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