PERE ANTONIO LACELLE

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PERE ANTONIO LACELLE, o.m.i. 1913 - 2000 Soudainement a la Casa Bonita a Saint-Boniface est decede le Pere Antonio Lacelle, o.m.i. le 29 avril 2000 a lage de 86 ans. En plus de sa famille religieuse, les Oblats de Marie Immaculee, il laisse dans le deuil sa belle-soeur Madame Clara Lacelle ainsi que plusieurs neveux et nieces. Le Pere Lacelle est ne le 6 novembre 1913 a Lac Pelletier, SK, fils de Joseph Lacelle et Codelia St-Jacques. Ses etudes secondaires au Juniorat de la Saint-Famille a Saint-Boniface terminees, il est entre chez les Oblats de Marie Immaculee. Il fit ses premiers voeux le 15 aout 1933 a Saint-Laurent, MB et fut ordonne pretre le 12 juin 1938 a Lebret, SK. Apres lapprentissage du saulteux a Fort Alexandre en 1939, le Pere Lacelle se consacre au ministere aupres des Autochtones de la region de Kenora, du Lac la Pluie, du Lac des Bois et du Lac Winnipeg. En 1953 il est nomme directeur-adjoint de lEcole Indienne de Kenora. En 1956 il resume sa vie de missionnaire a Lestock, SK. Il exerce son ministere a Camperville a partir de 1958. A lautomne de 1960 on le retrouve a Vermilion Bay et en juin 1964 il est nomme cure et missionnaire a St-Phillippe, SK. En septembre 1967, cest de Winnipeg quil continue son activite missionnaire en tant que directeur-adjoint du Centre Culturel pour Indiens et Metis. En aout 1977 il est nomme vicaire de la paroisse de lImmaculee Conception, rue Austin et continu son travail aupres des Autochtones que dessert le Centre St-Jean-Bosco. Meme apres sa retraite a la Casa Bonita il continue, dans le mesure que sa sante le lui permet, son ministere de visite et daccompagnement. Il est toujours pres a preter main forte a ses confreres. Le Pere Lacelle a aussi servi sa communaute en tant que superieur local et en siegeant sur divers comites. La messe de la resurrection sera celebree pour le Pere Antonio Lacelle, o.m.i., le mardi 2 mai 2000 a 10h, en lEglise Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, angle Ellice et Home, Winnipeg. La depouille mortelle sera exposee a partir de 9h30. Linhumation aura lieu a Lac Pelletier, SK a une date ulterieure. Les Oblats et la famille Lacelle veulent exprimer leur reconnaissance au personnel de la Casa Bonita pour son devouement envers le Pere Lacelle. FATHER ANTONIO LACELLE, o.m.i 1913 - 2000 Father Antonio Lacelle, o.m.i., died suddenly at Casa Bonita, the Oblate retirement home in St. Boniface on April 29, 2000. He was 86 years old. Father Lacelle leaves to grieve his passing his Oblate Family, his sister-in-law Mrs. Clara Lacelle as well as many nieces and nephews. Born on November 6, 1913 in Lac Pelletier, SK, Antonio Lacelle entered the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in St. Laurent, MB in 1932. After his First Vows on August 15, 1933, he went to the Oblate Scholasticate in Lebret, SK to prepare himself to become a priest and missionary. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 12, 1938. Father Lacelle was a missionary in Kenora Region serving Whitefish Bay, Assabaska, North West Angle, Eagle Lake, Islington, Rat Portage, Shoal Lake, Wabigoon, Emo, Lac Lacroix, Seine River, Red Gut, North West Bay, Minaki, Big Island, Fort Alexandre, Manigotagan and Hole River. In 1950 to 1953 he worked with Fr. Roland Chaput, o.m.i., in the regions around Rainy Lake, Lake of the Woods and Lake Winnipeg. In 1953 he is named vice-principal at the Kenora Residential School. In 1956 he returns to his life as a missionary in Lestock, SK. In 1958 he is pastor at Camperville, MB. In 1960 we find him in the Vermilion Bay area. In June 1964 he is sent as pastor and missionary in St. Philippe, SK. In September 1967 he is named assistant at the Indian and Metis Cultural Centre in Winnipeg. When in 1977, the services of the John Bosco Centre are moved to the Immaculate Conception Parish on Austin Street, he is named vicar of that parish and continued to serve the Native Community. Even after his retirement at Casa Bonita in July 1978, inasmuch as his health allowed, he remained active in ministry assisting in whichever way he could. Father Lacelle also served his religious community as Local Superior and by sitting on various committees. Funeral Mass for Father Antonio Lacelle, o.m.i., will be celebrated on Tuesday, May 2 at 10:00 a.m. in Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Church, 794 Ellice Ave. at Home Street, Winnipeg with viewing beginning at 9:30 a.m. Interment will take place at a later date in Lac Pelletier, SK. The Oblates and the family would like to express their heartfelt appreciation to the staff at Casa Bonita for their care and devotion to Father Lacelle. CROPO FUNERAL CHAPEL in cre of arrangements 586-8044.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on May 01, 2000