In Memory
Rev. Victor Vachon, S.F.M.
1921-2010
September/October 2010
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Fr. Napoleon Victor Vachon died peacefully on Friday morning, August 27, 2010, at East York General Hospital in Toronto where he had been admitted for a series of tests. He was 89 years old.
Born on July 22, 1921, in Verner, northeastern Ontario, Victor was one of 10 children to Hormidas and Emma Vachon. The family moved to the Windsor, Ontario, area where he received his elementary and secondary education, graduating from Assumption High School in 1939.
During the war years, he served in active duty in the Canadian Army. After the war he spent a year studying at Assumption College before entering St. Francis Xavier Seminary. On December 8, 1954, he was ordained for the Scarboro Foreign Mission Society at Sacred Heart Church in Windsor by the Most Reverend Charles L. Nelligan.
In 1955, Fr. Victor was missioned to the Dominican Republic where he served for more than 20 years ministering in various Scarboro parishes including Bani, Hato Mayor, Padre de las Casas, Sabana Grande de Boya, Azua, San José de Ocoa, and Consuelo. In 1974 he returned to Canada and continued to do parish work at St. Joseph’s Church in River Canard and in Windsor, Ontario, as well as at numerous parishes in and around Toronto.
For the last few years of his life Fr. Victor resided at the Christian Brothers Retirement home and later at the Cardinal Ambrozic Houses of Providence. However, he always looked forward to his weekend visits with his Scarboro colleagues at the central house, maintaining his links to mission and to the works of the Society.
On Monday, August 30, 2010, a wake service was held in the chapel at 2685 Kingston Road. The following morning, 26 priests concelebrated the Mass of the Resurrection for Fr. Victor along with his family and friends. Fr. Jack Lynch, Superior General of Scarboro Missions, presided and gave the homily in which he described Fr. Vic as having a profound sense of compassion for those who were most vulnerable and in need. “He often spoke with great love and affection of the sacrifice of his parents and of his loving family as God’s gift to him,” Fr. Jack said, and he always wanted to give back. While being frugal with his own needs, he was extremely generous to others. Whenever he heard of a tragedy, whether it was the tsunami in Indonesia or a hunger crisis in Malawi, Fr. Jack could always count on a visit from Fr. Vic. “He would drop into the office and say, ‘I want to give money to help. How much can the Society send? We have to do something and do it soon.’” And only two days before being hospitalized, he made three more donations to Scarboro missioners for their work.
Fr. Lynch also spoke of Fr. Victor’s ability to see the best in everyone. He loved his family—his parents, his siblings and their children—as well as his Scarboro family, and he often spoke about the wonderful people that God had brought together at Scarboro, both missioners and staff. An avid bridge player, he also enjoyed a game of pool and was always able to schedule a match in either game whenever he visited the central house.
“Fr. Vic believed in a God who loved him and forgave him his weaknesses and sins,” Fr. Jack said in his homily. “He was convinced that this is how we should act in turn, loving our neighbour and always willing to forgive. Today, we acknowledge that the risen Christ is present in history and we give thanks for Fr. Vic, his life, his love, and his witness.“
Fr. Vachon was predeceased by his parents, Hormidas and Emma, his sisters, Delisca (Bond), Amelia (Ouellette) and brothers Lionel, Herman, Roland, and Aime. He is survived by his brother Rene and his sisters Anita and Theresa (Preston), as well as various nieces and nephews. After the Mass of the Resurrection, Fr. Vic was interred at Queen of the Clergy Cemetery on the grounds of St. Augustine’s Seminary in Scarborough. May he rest in peace.
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