Mr. Allain Lebouthillier, our excellent Pilgrim of Saint Michael of Lower Neguac, New Brunswick, past away at the age of 81 on Saturday, November 27, 1999, the feast of the Miraculous Medal. Since 1961, all the Pilgrims of Saint Michael have been wearing this Miraculous Medal on their chest. Mr. Lebouthillier also wore the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and he died on a Saturday.
It is comforting to know the promises of Our Lady to those who devoutly wear her Scapular during their lives and, at the time of death, fulfilling the requisite conditions: "Whosoever dies clothed in this Scapular shall not suffer eternal fire." And they will be delivered from Purgatory the first Saturday after they die.
This is a great consolation for Mrs. Lebouthillier and her nine children. Mr. and Mrs. Lebouthillier came across Social Credit around 1956, when one of our Full-time Pilgrims, Rolland Tessier, came to their door during a tour in New Brunswick. They understood right away the importance of the Social Credit message, and despite their poverty with nine children to feed, they immediately subscribed to our "Vers Demain" Journal in French. The next day, Mr. Lebouthillier, accompanied Mr. Tessier from door to door. This proud Acadian continued his apostolate work in the "Michael" Movement until a few year ago, when he became too ill to go out. In the first years of his apostolate, he travelled by bike to visit families and have them subscribe to our journal, in order to bring them the hope of their liberation from poverty. One knows how widespread was poverty in New Brunswick at that time.
Since 1956, our journal has been the beacon that enlightened the home of Mr. and Mrs. Lebouthillier. These two devout apostles kept on their apostolate work in the towns and villages of their area, with humility, conviction, frankness, and firmness. They carried out the torch of Social Credit among their fellow Acadians... There was no corrupting television set in their home. They practiced Christian modesty in dress, and prayed the daily Rosary, which linked them to celestial realities. Mr. and Mrs. Lebouthillier kept an extraordinary evangelical spirit of poverty, contenting themselves with the bare necessities. They even often took on these necessities to give even more to our Work. They were generous people, always ready to serve.
These two brave Acadians consecrated to Mary were always present at our Congresses and "Sieges of Jericho", bringing to our Movement their self-dedication, charity, fervent prayers, and the richness of their holy lives.
"Ô Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee." (Prayer displayed on the Miraculous Medal of the Immaculate Conception.) Receive among the myriad of the elect this Pilgrim who served You so well on earth, with perfect detachment. "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 5:3.) This promise of Our Lord, which is so comforting for the poor, is also intended for our dear Allain Lebouthillier. This is our hope.
Subscribe