Vivian Jacquin Ordination as Deacon October 2012
Letter from Percy celebrating the occasion
My dearest best friend for over 50 years, Vivian,
As you can imagine, it is with utmost sadness that I am not present “in person” for what would be one of the greatest, if not the greatest day of your life. However this sadness is mitigated by the fact that you know both of us have been born with a very special gift: we can always feel each other’s presence however far apart we are. So you would feel what I feel – we are next to each other.
I can therefore unreservedly express the great pride I feel for you right now. That after all the obstacles and adversity that have been thrown at you, you have achieved your ultimate goal and dream. In fact, I do not think you would have enjoyed your journey as much, if there were no challenges thrown at you. As you thrive on them. It is to be said though that the events of your younger life have prepared you well to confront obstacles and adversity and even to welcome them.
I am so proud and grateful to have been able to share so many of these life defining passages and adventures with you. One of them is the two of us being amongst the poorest attending the most elite school back in Mauritius – one mostly attended by the richest and most powerful families in the land. After initially feeling out of place we strived on to finally earn the respect and acceptance of our schoolmates, our teachers and even of the frightening, yet compassionate “Recteur” Father Graham. Then together climbing the most dangerous mountain in Mauritius: the Rempart…a series of steep, near-vertical cliffs, with only a rope, more as a psychological safety net, shared between the three of us. I said the three of us as there was a third musketeer sharing our adventures: Joyce, who you and I call “l’homme a la tete carre”. Vivian, you know that I can spend the whole night talking about the so many other life defining moments. I won’t.
But I have to tell about “that” moment which everlastingly shaped your life…
One night back in Mauritius, the three musketeers and two other crazy guys decided to climb the Peter Both, not as dangerous as the Rempart, but still a challenging one. We had climbed it a few times during the day, but no one had done it at night. It was pretty much in our psyche to always try “push the envelope and the boundaries”. It was perfect weather when we made that decision. But when we reached the bottom of the neck (col) of the mountain; a monstrous thunderstorm abruptly started and we wisely decided to stay put and camped at the base of the neck. But the lightning and thunder started to come closer and closer. Louder and louder. The neck was vertical and so was fitted with metallic “crampons” to assist in climbing it, but all that metal was of course attracting the thunder which was forever falling nearer to where we were. It would have been the most frightening moment of our lives. Any nearer, and it would have been the end.
This was the moment that you, Vivian, without warning, suddenly put yourself on your knees and clasped your hands and with a clear, soft but yet strong voice uttered those words I will never forget: “My god, we know that we are all sinners here, that we do not go to mass every Sunday and do all the things all good Christians should do – but please save us”. And unbelievingly, the thunder stopped right there and then!!!!
That was the moment that started to kindle that profound, but at the time dormant, faith in God that you had within you and which has kept burning ever since. It had to be a very strong faith for I strongly believe that a miracle happened on that day.
******
Vivian it took many years after you immigrated to Australia and were still pursuing what was a brilliant career in finance that you suddenly decided to activate the spark that you felt on that night. You then recognised that you had within you that intense desire to go serve and love humanity…which by your own definition is serving and loving God himself. So you left Australia to become a priest as the means to fulfil that desire. That was when the first series of obstacles and frustrations came into your path. So much so that in the end you decided let it go, that is the priesthood, even though you were very nearly there.
But even then you could not let go of your passion to serve and love humanity. You gave your services to a place of retreat where you helped and counselled people who had deep seated issues such as drug and trauma but who also needed more than anything else someone to listen and care for them. God had given that ability to you to be that someone.
At some stage you also went as a missionary to one of the poorest countries in the world, Haiti, to live amongst the poor and brutalised people over there. I still have a picture of you, with a very long beard and hair that you sent me from over there. The other day, in Australia, they showed a documentary on Haiti. It seemed nothing much has changed. People still are poor and still live in fear. But it made me understand even more how powerful, but how difficult it was what you were doing over there. The documentary showed that it did break and is still breaking many people who went there to try and help. Did it break you? But of course not…we only have to look at your still cheeky smile to know.
During all that time you still pursued your studies in theology. Even in this endeavour you were still constantly confronted by obstacles, adversity and prejudices. Here again you kept striving until you finally won your doctorate. It was also during these years of studies and mission that you discovered that you had yet another gift: teaching. You are now in great demand for lectures and conferences where your profound knowledge of Theology, Philosophy, Archaeology …. and humanity are having an impact.
*****
There was another significant moment of your life which I have to cover. You became very sick whilst still in France and you were saved by a beautiful angel.
Gabrielle, I shall remain ever grateful to you for not only saving my best friend’s life but for all the care, support, counselling, understanding, faith, patience and above all love that you have tirelessly and continuously shown to him. Vivian you would be the first to admit it that to become the great man that you are today; you had to have a great woman behind you.
However the fact that you became happily married did not deter you from pursuing your dream to become a priest. But the only way was to become a “diacre”.* So for the last few years, you have been doing for all intents and purposes all the missions of a priest: giving your compassion, love, comfort and your infinite wisdom.
Now I come to one of the most emotional moments of my life. That was the time when I was at your place about two years ago and you invited my wife Marie-Anne and I to attend a mass at the church of the Psychiatric hospital where you are the “aumonier”. As soon as you arrived at the church you left us with Gabrielle and some of your charming patients and disappeared at the back of the church. Then when we were getting seated, you suddenly reappeared to start the mass in your robe. It was a complete surprise for me for you had told me that another priest would be doing the mass. It soon became apparent though, that through your words and actions, that you were reaching deep into your parishioners souls giving them the comfort that they required and reinforcing their faith and their hope.
For me on that day, you were already a priest or “diacre” or whatever a priest or “diacre” should be. I was so so proud of you on that day. Like I said to you then; this was the highlight of my tour in Europe.
So today is the realisation and confirmation of what you have already been for so many years. Your sense of achievement today would be infinite; but I know this will not stop your on-going mission of loving caring for humanity.
All my immediate family (wife, children and grandchildren), my in-laws: Emily, Jaime lee and Brad, my mother in law Iris, my god-daughter Cathy, Marie, Marylyn, the mob in Brisbane and other family and friend that I have told of your great day are all so proud of you and wish you all the very best as well as sending all their love.
So my dearest friend, cheers with a glass of scotch in my hands, as you can see me by your side.
Percy
*Deacon
[John Ransley/Kundan flew from Australia to attend the Ordination service at Vivian’s invitation]