Fr. Clem Gauthier spoke from his heart, loved his priesthood

A man who always said what he thought; this shepherd tended his flock: He died April 3

- WCR file photo by Ramon Gonzalez Fr. Clem Gauthier loved his priesthood, his fellow man and his church.

By RAMON GONZALEZ
WCR Staff Writer
Edmonton

He was charismatic, friendly, kind and opinionated. More than once Father Clement Gauthier made some people uncomfortable with his controversial views on celibacy and the role of women in the Church.

He supported optional celibacy for priests and the ordination of married men to the priesthood.

"That was Clem. He would make our assemblies very interesting with his comments," laughed his friend Father Don Stein of Red Deer. "Clem would have a special way of looking at things, even if they were a bit radical. But it was very interesting and we would be disappointed if Clem didn't make his comments."

The outspoken priest, described by Stein as "a genuine priest" who truly loved the Church and his priesthood, died of cancer at Foyer Lacombe in St. Albert April 3. He was 70.

Succumbed to cancer

He was diagnosed with cancer about a year ago and moved to Foyer Lacombe about two months ago.

Stein, who met Gauthier at the seminary in St. Boniface in the late 1950s, said Gauthier had an engaging personality and was always outspoken, even if his views did not resonate with the Vatican.

"He was very sincere and honest and he loved the Church and he loved the priesthood and he loved the people," the Red Deer pastor said. "Some of his opinions were motivated out of his concern for the Church and for the archdiocese. He wanted us to improve ourselves. He wanted the Church to carry the spirit of Vatican II."

An early call

Raised in Bonnyville, Gauthier declared at age eight his intention to be a priest and entered the seminary in St. Boniface in 1957 at 19. He was ordained in 1963. Following his ordination, he served many communities, including Vermilion, Wetaskiwin, Rocky Mountain House, Hinton and Edmonton.

Gauthier retired from full-time parish ministry in 2006, after serving at Assumption Parish in Edmonton for more than five years.

"He was always well-liked here," said Walter Kwiatkowski, chair of Assumption's pastoral council. "He was very frank, he spoke his mind and it was just very nice to work with him. If you asked for his opinion he wouldn't cut any corners - he would basically tell it like it is and I appreciated that."

Gauthier expressed interest in the parish's youth and their activities, according to Kwiatkowski. "He supported our youth wholeheartedly and he also reached out to the poor and to people facing challenges."

Assumption parishioner Lorraine Brooks recalls Gauthier being friendly, kind, humorous and down to earth.

"He was open to everyone and accepted everyone the way they were," she said. "He certainly knew how to make people comfortable."

Gauthier used to tell his parishioners that if they didn't want to spend an hour in Church on Sunday they should at least visit the sick or someone in need, Brooks recalled.

The priest sometimes would invite himself for supper to parishioners' homes and everyone was always happy to have him, she said. "Can I come over for supper tonight?" he would ask. "And I would say, 'Of course.' He was a guest at our home lots of times."

Emily Rowan, the president of Assumption's Catholic Women's League, said Gauthier "was always very supportive and cooperative" with CWL projects. "He always worked with us and made donations to our fundraising efforts."

And Gauthier was always in a good mood. "He never had a bad hair day," Rowan said with a laugh.

Gauthier loved his parishioners as well. "What keeps me and any other priest going is my parishioners," he said in a 2005 WCR interview about his priesthood. "It's really a strong support. They encourage you and sustain you. As they say, a third of the people think you are a superb guy, a third really don't care and a third don't even know who you are. That's how it goes."

Always outspoken, Gauthier said in the interview that if the Church wants to attract more people to the priesthood, it has to change.

New model for the Church

"I think we have to change the model of the Church; we are no longer the triumphalist Church. We have to go to another model of the Church like the servant Church, the prophetic Church. We have to look at new models of priesthood. The model of the 1950s is no longer an appealing model today to young people."

Making celibacy optional and ordaining married men would be good steps in the right direction, he said. "Some people perhaps want to stay celibate, but those who want to marry should be allowed to marry. I think they would be a lot happier. We don't live in the 1950s anymore. We live in the 21st century. Let's get on with it."

Archbishop Emeritus Joseph MacNeil presided at a Sunday evening prayer vigil for Gauthier April 6 and Archbishop Richard Smith presided at a Mass of Resurrection the following day. Gauthier was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery.

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