The Two Last Weeks of
Brother Theophane’s Life on Earth
October 19 - November 2, 2003

Sunday Oct. 19

4:30PM - I came back from Home Depot in Milpitas, ordering the GE microwave and oven to replace the old broken one. Brother Bertrand was on the way back home to Saint Mary’s College. “Wow,” I shouted, “long time no see! How do you do?” He replied in u-turning his car back to LaSan Vietnam House, “A very important event. Come! We have to discuss...” A little amazed by his unusually serious appearance and voice, I entered the house. There were Brother Cosmas and Sister Julienne, apparently anxious and nervous of something really important. Brother Theophane appeared from the nearby room, with two walking-sticks. I saluted Brother Theophane, “Old Man, how are you?” He replied in a low tone, “I’ll stay here and I want to die among you!”

7:00PM - At table for dinner, Theophane looked at each of us eating our food and drinking, then said: “Looking at you eating, I envy your appetite... But my body denies everything. For more than a month, I couldn’t eat anything, even food that I used to like most...”

He asked me to telephone Thac, his so-called adopted son, in Pleasanton. No answer. Another one he wanted to contact, Mr. Toaøn. He told Toaøn that he’s very sick and lives now at La Salle Vietnam House, San Jose. “Inform other people where I am,” he continued, “And if they want to visit me, just come to La Salle Vietnam House or phone to this number 408-926-4665.”

I knew later that, that early Sunday morning, Brother Theophane had called on his so-called adopted son, Mr. Thac, in Pleasanton, to “immediately” drive him down to San Jose, at La Salle Vietnam House, but Thac was out of city. He then telephoned to San Jose, and Brother Cosmas picked up the phone. He requested to “stay overnight at La Salle Vietnam House,” and Brother Cosmas thought it’d be just for a party or rally with his former students as in the past.

Monday Oct. 20

9:00AM - Theophane refused to go to doctor, I requested that Sister Julienne invite doctor Oanh, a retired woman-doctor and a close friend of the La Salle Sisters, to examine him at his bed. After a few minutes of very careful medical examination, she urged me to bring him to hospital. “It’s very urgent!” she said, “just call emergency, because his situation is dramatically serious and urgent: there is a tumor, thus probably liver cancer in its last stages...” Doctor Oanh, with her skilled ways in such a circumstance, tried to convince Theophane to go to hospital - without, of course, directly mentioning his “probable liver cancer.” Before leaving, doctor Oanh suggested that I call to any doctor I have known for emergency case, and he would promptly introduce Theophane to the hospital. I called to Doctor Hien who has been quite generous in supporting and helping the Brothers’ social works in Vietnam. Unfortunately, she “got sick, serious flu since two weeks, and could not be in contact with any patient...” She urged me, however, to drive Theophane directly to the hospital emergency, reminding me of some necessary papers like Social Security card, Health Insurance card, etc...

9:00PM - I tried, again, to convince Theophane to go to hospital. He agreed, at last! But when I asked for his Social Security and Health Insurance cards, he asked me to drive him back to SMC to take these documents, because he, and only he, knew where to find these papers.

Tuesday Oct. 21

7:30AM - At SMC, while Theophane looked for his Social Security and Health Insurance cards, Brothers Martin, Augustus, Richard, Raphael... came to say “hello” without talking much because Theophane was seemingly too concentrated on searching for his papers. Brother Donald, Director of SMC Community, came and had a talk with Theophane. After a few minutes, he invited me for breakfast or coffee in the dinning-room. He looked a little embarrassed, even upset. “I never thought of forcing him to the Holy Family Community in Napa,” he said. “It would be for him a cruelty...” I reassured him, and said “I’m sorry, Donald, on his behalf... I’ll tell him about that. I’ll explain to him that every Brother, here in SMC and everywhere, loves him and wishes him peace and happiness...”

9:00AM - On the road back to San Jose, he held two pieces of papers SS and Health Insurance cards in his hands. He told me: “Valery, please do not bring me to hospital. I want to die at La Salle Vietnam House, among you and Vietnamese Brothers and Sisters, and my former students...” Getting embarrassed and moved by the weight of his words, I tried be calm and serene. I said, “Old Man! You forget your promises? Didn’t you say that you have to bury me, Phong, and Bertrand before you die?”
- “No, I didn’t forget!”
- “So, why do you talk and talk and talk about your death before it’s time?” [laugh]
He smiled, then laughed aloud. A few seconds later, he said, “I want to... But Mother Mary doesn’t want...”
- “How do you know that Mother Mary doesn’t want?”
- “She told me...”
- “Untrue! She told me to bring you to hospital, to make you relaxed and be cured, then to live at least ten more years!”
- “Humhumhum... maybe you’re right!”

He smiled, closed his eyes and kept silence. I couldn’t know or guess what he was thinking...

Mr. Toan called up Theophane at about noon. Before passing the phone to Theophane, I urged Toan to try to convince him to go to hospital. He did, and we all agreed to go to the emergency room of Alexan Brother’s Hospital by 8:00PM.

8:00PM Waiting for about half an hour, Theophane was called up for the initial medical examinations. Results : immediate transfer to “emergency room” for intensive care. The first nurse came to take notes on blood pressure and prepare the preliminary work for the heart test, etc... She looked at me, then looked at Theophane, seemingly recognizing us. Oh yes! She was graduated at SMC in 1999. She was a close friend of Minh Le, current Manager of the Computer Lab at SMC, and recalled recognizing me when I was Manager of ACF, and recalled Theophane for having taught her some Vietnamese words.

Then doctor after doctor - four of them, came to take care of Theophane. The last one sent him to the ultra-sound test while waiting for the test results of blood and urine and any kind of necessary specimens taken from his body. Meanwhile, 500cc of blood and serum were transfused into him since his blood index was about 6, the bottom line to survive is 6. After the ultra-sound test, the doctor called Toan and me apart and declared that “he must be hospitalized for at least a few days. Probably cancer of the stomach and liver.”

Wednesday Oct. 22

4:00AM - Theophane was transferred to Room 521A. Toan and I went back home and before leaving for our own house, we decided to go back the next day to Room 521A as early as 8:00AM. Tired, and sleepy of course, but everyone of us felt comforted and satisfied: Brother Theophane is now in a much safer and more stable condition.

8:00AM - I’ve informed Brothers Thomas Jones, Donald, Cosmas, Phong and the LaSalle Sisters about Room 521A with the phone number so that they could contact Theophane and come to visit him if they wish. When I did come, Toan was there before me. Theophane was still sleeping. He looked in a good condition.

Thursday Oct. 23 to Monday Oct. 27
Brothers and Sisters and Students and Friends came to visit Theophane, at any time of the day. Toan printed out and read several email messages of Theophane’s students from all over the USA, even from Australia and Europe... I brought and read to him several “best wishes” cards from some Brothers of the San Francisco District, and a wonderful email message from Brother Mark Murphy.

He really “enjoyed” life here, in this hospital! “The nurses are very nice,” he said. “This is a good hospital: there are ministers of the Eucharist, people who come to pray... There is even a Buddhist Monk who comes, comforts the patients, talks about life and death!...” [I met this monk, once, and after a brief self-introduction, he identified himself as a former student of the La Salle Brothers in Saigon, at LaSan Mossard, in 1972]

On Saturday morning, Brother James Joost stopped by to visit Theophane. On this occasion, James found out more about “what’s going on with his sickness”; the doctors were now sure of detecting and discovering a big tumor in his stomach. This tumor halted the transportation of foods and drinks of any kind from the stomach to nurture his body. The solution was to insert a tube through the tumor to open the communication from the stomach to other organs. Theophane refused. “Let me die naturally!” He recalled aloud the will he had written on the “Testaments” several years ago, at the time of Brother Mark’s Visitorship. “Bring me home!” he repeated many times. I reported everyday Theophane’s on-and-off condition to Brother Thomas, Auxiliary Visitor. We had been discussing where to bring him in case he wanted to “go home:”
- SMC, back to his community? Is it practical?
- Napa ? it’d be against his strong wish.
- La Salle Vietnam House? That was his real wish, and for me personally, I agreed. But what about the facilities/utilities for such a circumstance? And who would take care of him 24 hours a day?

Brothers Cosmas and Phong and I, we as a community, agreed with Brother Thomas to bring him back to Napa because “we have no option”, as Brother Thomas said. Brother Thomas was set to come down to San Jose on Tuesday to visit Theophane and to examine the situation. In the meanwhile, Toaøn’s wife, a social worker, suggested that we apply for Theophane’s Medicare and Medicaid. I completely agreed. It seems that Theophane had Medicare but not Medicaid yet. For the latter one, the Certificate of US Citizenship is required. I asked him: “Where did you put your Certificate of Citizenship?” He pointed at his head. I tried to tell him the importance of getting Medicaid. He just answered: “Bring me home, at SMC, and I’ll show you.” How can I drive him to SMC in this circumstance? I insisted many times without positive clues. Fortunately, his passport would work. He murmured: “In the pocket of my travel clothes.” [After his death, I went to SMC; and with the help of Sister Anh Loan and Brother Augustus, we searched every corner of his clothes without finding his passport. Brother Augustus called to Napa and Susanne faxed to me the copy of his expired passport, dated 1994! We had hoped it would work in getting the Medicaid!]

Toaøn and I, and many of the Brothers, Sisters, Students and Friends of his, tried to convince him that there won’t be any operation/surgery, and no chemotherapy... “I, Valery”, I told to him, “I promise to Old Man that there is NO surgery, NO chemo... and to bring you home IMMEDIATELY after inserting the tube helping nurturing your body... I promise.” He looked at me, held his head into his two hands, then murmured : “Do whatever you want!”

Three times he agreed to have the tube inserted, but when the nurses came with purpose to bring him to the adequate room to do such an insertion, he refused.

We thought about contacting the Hospice to take care of Theophane once we brought him home. Toan has set a meet with the representative of “Health Care Odyssey” on Tuesday, at noon. [I later understood why Theophane has been so afraid of chemo. He recalled to me, at least once, about the effect the chemo could make on the face of the patient: “total deformation of the face, and... it’s horrible!” he said, referring to the case of Brother Wilfred more than twenty years earlier.]

Tuesday Oct. 28

8:00AM - I came to Room 521A, hoping to see Theophane in good condition with the tube inserted as he agreed the previous night. He told me : “An, bring me home!”
- “OK! OK!... Take it easy, Old Man!”
- “I don’t want to stay here anymore... Why people force me to take medicine while my body refuses? I talk to my body, I listen to my body. Please don’t do anything against my body’s will. I...”
- “OK! OK!...”

Usually by this time, the nurse came with medicaments. But today, nothing on the table. I started worrying. What happened? Theophane insisted, “Valery, bring me home!”
- “OK! OK! But now, try to sleep and rest... I’m going home to drive Brother Thomas Jones here and you’ll talk to him. OK?”

11:00AM - Brother Thomas Jones came to visit Theophane. Theophane said to Brother Thomas Jones, “Please bring me home... Why do people force me to take medicine? Please let me die naturally.” He then covered his head with his two hands and kind of crying, yelling, complaining... “Let me die naturally!... Bring me home...” Brother Thomas tried to comfort him, proposed to recite a “Hail Mary” with him... The attitude of Thomas revealed to me a great heart, a “Vietnamese heart.” I personally was very moved, and Theophane, too, I’m sure.

A moment later, Theophane fell into sleep, calm, peaceful. Thomas said to me, “We must accept his strong will. We cannot force or do against his will... Let’s contact the doctors and/or nurses in charge.” While Thomas talked to the nurse, I met with Jerry of the Odyssey. I knew by this time that the doctors had “discharged” Theophane, and he had to leave the hospital today. The reason was that, I guess, after the third time Theophane refused to have the tube inserted, there was no more reason to stay in the hospital.

12:00 Noon - Brother Thomas, Toan and I met with Jerry to clarify the process for bringing Theophane home. We all agreed to have him temporarily in a nursing home nearby the hospital for two or three days so that we would have time to prepare LaSalle Vietnam House in terms of “hiring a man/woman to take care of him,” “special bed and utilities” which the Odyssey would provide, etc.

4:00PM - Theophane was transferred to the nursing home.
Brothers, Sisters and Students continued to come to the nursing home to visit him.

Wednesday Oct. 29 - Thursday Oct. 30

Toan and I tried hard to find a man/woman available and skilled on taking care of the “dying” at home.
On Thursday night, we, Brothers Cosmas, Phong and I and Toan interviewed a woman, and we all agreed to hire her for the service. I faxed to Brother Thomas the contract. We then decided to bring Theophane home at La Salle Vietnam House on Saturday, November 1.

Friday Oct. 31

7:45AM Toan stopped by to visit Theophane before going to work. He called to me, “Freøre, Keá is getting worse...”
- “How?”
- “He holds down the cover of the “Ensure” bottle with his finger and nervously pushed it on the table. I ask him: ‘What are you doing, Frere?’ He replies: ‘I shut down the water.’ I observe his face and I see that he is kind of very tense... and the other hand is something like crispy.”
- “I’ll be there right away.”
- “OK, thanks. I’d think we have to bring him home today, as soon as possible!”
- “OK! contact Odyssey to bring bed and utilities as soon as possible, too. I’ll contact the Manager of the Nursing Home and Odyssey for setting time, after evaluating the situation...”
8:00AM - I came to the nursing home. Toan had left. Theophane was on the portable water closet. “An, bring me home!” he said when he had seen me.
- “OK! OK! the room at LaSalle Vietnam House is almost ready... Don’t worry!”
- “I don’t need anything else, just the old bed like before... Please bring me home!”

The nurse came and helped him to get back to bed. “Toaøn is right!” I said to myself, “Theophane’s appearance was getting worse...” Once laid down on bed, he tried to reach the “Ensure” bottle cover at the table. I followed his actions without intervening. Just like Toan had described, this time not to “shut down water”, but he was kind of really tense and trembling, and said: “Ghost! Ghost!...” I shouted, “Where? where is it?” “Here,” he pushed harder on the cover. “Here it is... the ghost, the ghost...” I shouted, taking the crucifix on the rosary he has on his neck, “Oh! Oh!... ghost! get out! OK, it’s gone!!! No more ghost! It’s gone!” He looked at the cover, less tense and murmured, Yes! it’s gone! But it’ll be back!”
- “Don’t worry, we have here two crucifixes, and Mary our Blessed Mother.. It won’t dare come back!”

At this time, he was seemingly more relaxed. And at this moment, I decided to bring him home today, as soon as possible.

9:00AM The nurse sent by Odyssey came, brought him to the bath room and showered him. Meanwhile, I called to Odyssey and we agreed to bring him home at 4:00PM, since the bed and necessary utilities would be provided at 2:00PM.
After the shower, the nurse helped him to lie down in bed. He looked really depressed. Ho looked at me and said with an imploring tone, “An, please bring me home!” I promptly replied, “OK! at 4:00PM you’ll be home!” He looked at his watch and murmured after kind of counting hours: “... six hours, more!...”

A few days earlier, when I was with him, we used to talk and talk, about many things... But today, he just kept silence, and from time to time he held his head between his two hands. I watched him, standing nearby. Suddenly, he open his eyes and attempted to reach the “Ensure” bottle with his left hand while his right hand, nervously and tensely trembling, tended to cover his left hand. “The demon! demon!!!” he shouted.
I took two crucifixes from his rosaries on one hand, and the statue of Blessed Mary on the other hand, and pointed to the bottle, I shouted, “Get out! Get out, dirty demon! and don’t return!” He looked at the bottle, more relaxed. “This demon is very furious,” he said, “and cruel and malicious...”
- “Hold this statue of our Blessed Mother Mary! She is with us! Don’t worry! The demon will never return again!”

He held the statue in his two hands and a few seconds later he seemed to fall into a deep sleep... I went back home, waiting for the delivery of the bed and utilities from Odyssey.

4:00PM Sister Julienne and some students who have been at the nursing home since 1:00PM accompanied the ambulance bringing Theophane to La Salle Vietnam House. Some students gathered in front of our house, ready to “welcome Theophane home.” Two nurses carried Theophane to the room. Arriving at the front door, I said to Theophane: “Old Man, home sweet home!” He smiled, delighted, then repeated : “Yes! home sweet home!” His face reflected something like “Nunc Dimitis...”

Toaøn arrived a little bit later, I recalled to him the happiness and satisfaction of Theophane when he “entered” the house. Toan embraced me and I could see tears rolling down his cheek. Kind of “Mission Accomplished!” Brothers, Sisters, Students, Friends... surrounded Theophane’s bed. Talking. Smiling. Laughing... Everyone liked to share and congratulate the Old Man’s joy and happiness and satisfaction.

7:30PM “Freøre An, Old Man calls you.” I entered the room. He made a sign with his hand calling me nearer to him. He whispered to my ears, “Prepare!...”
- “Prepare what?”
- “Prepare to go!”
- “Everything’s ready.”
- “No, bring my robe and collar and rabbat.”

Brother Phong and Sisters helped me to hang his robe with collar and rabbat on the door, faced to him. With a satisfied and delighted voice, he said, “OK! Bye now!”
- “No no no, Old Man! Brothers, Sisters, Students, Friends... here, and around the world are with you, and you are among us... Never separated again!”

He closed his eyes. Very calm and peaceful. Breath very regular... He looked like relaxed in a deep sleep. A few minutes had passed. I thought it was time to leave him alone for his relaxing rest. Sisters and Brothers were still there around his bed. I went out. He called me back, “An!” I returned and went nearby him. He took my hands and said, “Thank you!” I felt my tears rolling down... “Don’t think anything,” I said. “Just relax and try to sleep!” He nodded and closed his eyes. I went to my room.

8:45PM “Freøre An, Old Man calls you again!” Sister Julienne said. Students and Friends had left. There were only Sisters and Brothers around his bed. I came in. He made a sign to have my ears nearer to his mouth, “An, he whispered to my ears. When I die, submit my body to my Blessed Mother Mary.” I inserted the statue of Mary into his hands, which he held devoutly for a while, then I said, “OK! OK! Our Blessed Mother is here.” He open his eyes, then continued, “Submit my body to Jesus.” I nodded, trying to concentrate listening to his sentences which were less and lesser clear. “Submit my body to the Institute.” I showed him the robe and collar and rabbat hung on the front door, faced to him, and said, “All your Brothers are here.” He looked around. Pointing to the Sisters, I continued, “The Sisters, too, are here, with you, and love you...” He slowly nodded his head, then said, “Tell to the Sisters to forgive me for everything wrong I’ve done to them.” Trying to stop my tears rolling down, I said, “OK! OK! everyone, Brothers and Sisters, love you...” He gradually closed his eyes in murmuring, “Finished!” He made sign like “leave me alone.” It seemed that he hid and overcame suffering by holding his head between his two hands. I remembered the instructions from the nurse from Odyssey who told me - right after Theophane came home, to give him medicine every time he showed signs of pain. And I did.

Just a few minutes after taking medicine, he looked much better, open eyes and looking around. Brother Phong started talking about any funny times in his life that he himself had recalled several days, months and even years ago... Phong mentioned about his language skills: Vietnamese, French, Spanish, Latin, Greek... He suddenly wide opened his eyes, smiling, even laughing, then said, “Hebrew, too!”
- “Oh yeah! Hebrew, the very language of Jesus and Mary.”

He nodded, delighted, satisfied, then closed his eyes and seemed to fall into a deep sleep. I suggested Sisters and Brothers to leave him alone. They left. He fell into a very deep sleep, snoring regularly although from time to time, he “stopped” snoring for a few seconds, even minutes, then started snoring again... I had no experience taking care of the dying, but I guessed he was under the effect of the medicine. I walked around, or nearby his bed, or on the living-room next to his bed-room all night long.

Saturday Nov. 1 - Feast of All Saints

After the morning prayer, Brothers Cosmas and Phong went to De La Salle Chapel for the Mass of All Saints. I stayed home, because in my judgment, Theophane has been in this situation of “coma” for a too long time - since last night until now, 6:00AM. He could be gone any time.

At about 7:00AM, a Theophane’s former student who everyday came to visit him since he had been hospitalized introduced the woman we hired for taking care of Theophane beginning today, November 1. But the woman could begin her job only on November 4, therefore Thuong came to do her job. We all agreed to leave Theophane alone, quiet and calm, and just watching over him, waiting for the nurse from Odyssey who was supposed to come this morning.

Some students and friends came by. Theophane was still in coma. Dacco, president of the Dalat University Alumni Association of Northern California, came with flowers; he couldn’t talk to Theophane. Before leaving, he left a note requesting me to read it to Theophane when possible. Even Ban, president of the DUAA of Southern California, to whom Brother Theophane many times referred all his writings/reflections since he was hospitalized, and who drove overnight from LA to visit him, just waited for the opportunity to talk to Theophane. Professor Long, one of Theophane’s colleagues at Dalat University, who just had returned from Paris and immediately paid him a visit after learning the news from the DUAA, couldn’t talk to him much, even though Theophane showed that he could recognize Professor Long.

11:00AM - The nurse came. I reported to her the progressing of Theophane’s condition. She told to me that “usually when the patient took medicine, he could sleep all day long, even two or three days. It’s normal.” When she went nearby the bed, he was still in “coma”, rather half awake half sleepy. She tried to measure his pulse rate, but he refused and nervously murmured something like “leave me alone!” Students gathered around him, he made sign of expulsion to them all. Even when Ban said, “Baân is here! Ban! Ban!...” No sign of recognition or acceptance. The nurse told me to give him a small dose of medicine, and suggested everyone leave.

I came nearby him and said, “Old Man, An here... I will give you something to wet your lips, OK?” He nodded. “Good!” I said, “Open your mouth!” He did. I poured onto his mouth a half of a dose of medicine. Moments later, he looked calmer and more relaxed. He opened his eyes. The nurse came and held his hand, detecting his pulse rate. He showed no reactions.

Students entered the room again, and the very first person to speak was Ban. He looked at Ban and expressed joy and satisfaction. I read to him the notes of Dacco. He seemed to pay attention to the reading, then closed his eyes, and I could see tears on his eyes. This is the first time I saw him crying, quietly. The nurse told to me that his breath is very regular. When I asked her “how long it will be?” She replied : “I cannot tell now. Maybe hours, maybe days... but not weeks.” Before leaving, she reminded me to give him medicine every time he showed nervousness or pain, half a dose or even 1/4 of a normal dose if within 1/2 an hour you notice something not normal like nervous reactions, or expulsion of any friends/relatives. She continued, “The process of dying is that the patient wants to be alone although he/she is afraid of being alone. Usually after taking medicine for 5 to 10 minutes, he will sleep again. When he sleeps, do not try to awaken him up, just leave him alone.”

3:00PM Brother Thomas Jones came. Theophane was still in half-coma. He didn’t recognize Thomas and as normal as possible, made a sign to as “leave me alone!” I applied 1/4 of a normal dose of medicine, and it worked! Thomas could have a talk with Theophane. Brother Thomas stayed with Theophane and his Students and Friends until 7:00PM.

10:30 PM Tieâu Sa had just come from Dallas. She held Theophane’s hands, kissed his face and murmured “Freøre, I’m here, Tieu Sa... Just last month you guided me around the campus of SMC... I’m from Dallas to see you, to wish your getting better... I love you... I want to take care of you...” Theophane seemed to recognize her voice. For the second time, I saw tears rolling down his cheek, although all his body was inert. I suggested students and friends to go home, and to leave Theophane alone. And I spent another all night around him.

Sunday Nov. 2

6:00AM Like last night, I walked around, observing any changes on Theophane’s condition. Everything seemed OK until 6:00AM: His breath was kind of shortened but still regular. I checked oxygen, normal at level 2.0. I hesitated to increase to 2.25. [When the nurses of Odyssey drove Theophane home, they set the rate of oxygen to 3.0; but the nurse in charge re-set to 2.0 and told me to maintain this level, just controlling the level of distilled water and adding it if necessary.]

I decided to call to Toan at about 9:00AM. Toan called to other students and friends who entered one after another. Tieu Sa who last night had come to see Theophane, tried to wake him up, but I suggested not doing so, and to avoid arousing emotions to him, I asked everyone to get out while waiting for the nurse who would come at about 10:00AM.

10:15AM Theophane was still in half-coma condition. The nurse asked me to give him 1/2 of the normal dose of medicine. This time, it seemed more difficult to have it passed through. I added a little more pure water and tried to moisten his lips with a wet tissue applied on them. Theophane seemed to recover mind. He opened his eyes but didn’t say a word. While students and friends surrounded his bed, the nurse and Le-Man and I discussed his condition in the living-room. Le-Man and I insisted many times on his real condition; the nurse said, “I cannot tell when he’ll be gone. Question of hours... Or one or two days...” Then she departed. Before leaving she said, “I’ll be back in the afternoon.” She just went out to her car, I heard something like “Freøre stopped breathing! Where’s the nurse?” I quickly yelled her back and accompanied her to the bed. A few seconds later, she declared, “He’s dead!” It was 10:45AM.

***

Brother Thomas, Auxiliary Visitor, Brother Donald, Director of SMC Community, and I had previously agreed to move Theophane’s body to the Funeral Home in Concord right away after his death, so that SMC community and students could honor him for the last time at the Mass of the Resurrection at SMC Chapel, because Theophane had been living at and belonging to SMC Community for nearly 30 years. We, the Brothers at LaSalle Vietnam House, had also previously put on the community schedule a mass at home at 6:00PM this first Sunday for the monthly recollection. I inquired of the nurse if we could keep Theophane’s body until late this evening. She replied, “You can keep the body as long as you want!” But, when I called to the Funeral Home, John - the manager/funeral director, suggested that “It would not be safe” and proposed “what about around 3:00PM? It would be better!” I agreed. I asked Brother Phong to try to contact any priest available for the mass at 1:00PM. In case of no priest being available, just a celebration of the Words and Prayers could be all right. Fortunately, Phong could invite two priests, Fr. Cuong of the Vietnamese Parish and Fr. Thuy, a Redemptorist CSSR from Saigon who had just come back from LA. [Fr. Thuy had been invited to say the mass at 6:00PM at our community.]

Brother Phong also tried to contact the LaSalle Sisters who, for their monthly recollection, had been away, nobody knew where, since early morning. Leaving messages after messages, but at the moment of the mass, there were still no Sisters present. Three Brothers John O’Neill, Martin Yribarren, and Michael Avila appeared, coming from Saint Mary’s College and joined the two priests and the Brothers of La Salle Vietnam Community and about 30 Students and Friends to offer Theophane’s soul to the Heavenly Father, and to:
. submit [his] body to the Blessed Mother Mary,
. submit [his] body to Jesus,
. submit [his] body to the [La Salle] Institute

3:00PM John, from OUIMET BROS Concord Funeral Chapel, came and moved Theophane’s body to Concord. While Theophane’s body was still at the front door, the La Salle Sisters appeared. It was just on time to join us for a farewell to our beloved Brother and Teacher.

Oh yes! Old Man, “Ce n’est qu’un au-revoir!