Laval, Quebec, Canada–Canadian Catholic priest André LaChapelle, a member of the Foreign Mission Society, who served in Japan for 50 years, was found among fatalities of the Earthquake/Tsunami that Japan suffered Friday, March 11.

According to CTV News of Quebec (Canada) Father LaChapelle was 76 years old and apparently died of a heart attack during the  “intense movement from the earthquake”

The superior general of the FMS Father Guy Charbonneau, said that the priest was going to the Cathedral of Sendai, to his parish, because he wanted to be with his parishioners.

Father Charbonneau said that the other ten members of the FMS in Japan are safe and working with their parishioners.

Fr. LaChapelle was ordained during the 1950’s in FMS and in 1961 was sent to Japan in order to develop his pastoral ministry, where, actually, the Catholics are the minority, representing 1% of the population of 120 million

In the last 25 years, he also acted as lead counsel in a local prison.

One of two friends, Father Florent Vincent, commented that the Fr. LaChapelle went to Japan, “to help the people to be free, to encounter happiness.”

“I believe that he is in heaven and he can see us. He can help us from there, inspiring us to do good things for people, help them” he added.

Father LaChapelle had four brothers and one sister. His funeral will be celebrated at the FMS, this Friday, March 18th in Canada.

The Montreal (Canada) Gazette noted that the priest was only Canadian victim of this tragedy.

Source: Canção Nova News and ACIPrensa

Translated from Portuguese