Going Home

By Fr. Doug MacKinnon, S.F.M.
January 1999

Return to Table of Contents
Print Article

At his last Mass celebrated with the Scarboro Missions community here in Canada before returning to Brazil, Bishop George (left) receives a blessing from Bishop Paul McHugh. Bishop McHugh had been his predecessor as Bishop of the Prelacy of Itacoatiara. At right is Fr. Jack Lynch, Superior General of Scarboro Missions.

After his operation in late December, 1997, Bishop George Marskell was advised that he would live only for a short time, a year at the most, but more likely it would be six months. From then on George planned his return home to Brazil.

The first thing on his list was to celebrate the Easter vigil in Itacoatiara; secondly to participate in the National Conference of Brazilian Bishops in Sao Paulo near the end of April; and finally to participate in some small way in the Assembly of the People being held on June 8-11 in Itacoatiara, and meet with as many people as he could.

On his arrival at the airport in Manaus, two bishop friends, many priests, and a large number of lay people were there to greet him. He was accompanied by Fr. Ron MacDonnell, a Scarboro colleague who had also served in the Brazil mission.

After a rest of two days in Manaus, George continued on his journey, arriving at the Benedictine monastery about 10 kilometres away from the city of Itacoatiara where he would spend the first months of his return to Brazil. Again, on his arrival at the monastery, many people were waiting to greet him.

According to plan, he celebrated the Easter vigil at the cathedral in Itacoatiara where he had been pastor for 20 years. On hearing that George would be celebrating this event, people came from all over the prelacy in support of his struggle and to offer their prayers and encouragement at this time in his journey. More than 3,000 people came to this celebration, many journeying long hours by boat from villages in the interior.

A couple of weeks later Ron accompanied George to Sao Paulo, the second part of George's journey, to participate in the Assembly of the National Bishops’ Conference of Brazil. At this time he was able to speak with the Nuncio of Brazil, and with many of his bishop friends from the region and from other parts of Brazil. All of them expressed solidarity in his illness and offered prayers for his recovery.

At the end of the first week of the bishops’ meetings, George said goodbye and returned to Itacoatiara. The journey to Sao Paulo took a lot out of him and his strength and health began to deteriorate. Extreme pain in his back began to develop, and so another journey to Manaus was necessary to get more medical consultation. A ‘cat scan’ revealed that a ruptured disk had developed and so treatment of this new agony had to begin.

At this time George also entered into a profound depression. With the depression came a lack of appetite and he began to lose more weight. At this point, George expressed his desire to return to Itacoatiara, to his own house, his own room and his office, to try to do a few little things that he felt he had to accomplish or had promised to do. At home he seemed to become more relaxed, a little happier, and not so depressed.

However, the disease continued to take its toll on his body. He ate very little and spent more and more time in bed, yet he complained very little. Two doctors from Itacoatiara attended his every need and made him as comfortable as possible. Mass was celebrated each day in his room by one of the priests from the prelacy.

In the week before George died, the Archbishop of Manaus and nine priests of the diocese came to visit George. They gave him the last rites and concelebrated Mass with him and the other priests of the prelacy.

On June 30, George’s body temperature dropped considerably and he began to perspire a great deal. Dehydration set in and more and more liquids had to be put into his body intravenously. On July 2 he passed away in his sleep.

Preparation for the funeral Mass and interment began at once. In the Amazon burial takes place within 24 hours because of the heat and humidity. During this time, one could almost feel the collective sorrow of the priests, sisters, pastoral agents, and the people of the prelacy, and condolences came from all over the world.

The Mass of the Resurrection was prepared by the liturgy team in Itacoatiara and held in the cathedral. The Archbishop of Manaus was the main celebrant. Three more regional bishops and two diocesan administrators also came to concelebrate with the priests, sisters, lay missionaries, and the people of the prelacy.

More than 5,000 people from the city of Itacoatiara and surrounding communities came to offer their last farewell to the one they came to know and love so well. It was a very solemn and beautiful Mass and it was presented live on the prelacy's satellite channel. Two large television screens were placed outside for those who were unable to get into the church itself.

The custom in most South American countries is to have a Mass on the seventh day after the person has died. For this the people would have time to prepare their celebration and feel freer to express their love for their bishop. The Archbishop of Manaus returned once again to concelebrate with the priests and people. Fr. Raymond O'Toole of Scarboro Missions’ General Council represented the Society and presented George’s sister-in-law, niece, and their two friends to the people during the celebration. Ray expressed the Society’s solidarity with the prelacy and thanked the people for their expression of faith and love for George. The following is an excerpt from his homily:

“The Gospel of today (the Beatitudes) speaks of those who are poor in spirit, the poor, the meek, those who hunger for justice, the merciful, the peace-makers, the pure of heart, and those who are persecuted for the cause of justice. It appears that Jesus was thinking of Dom Jorge when he was teaching on the mountain to the apostles and disciples. Dom Jorge embodied these qualities of the Beatitudes in his life and work in the prelacy.”

At the request of the people of the Prelacy of Itacoatiara, Bishop George, Dom Jorge as they knew him, was buried in a tomb within the cathedral. Each day since, a great many people continue to come to the tomb of Bishop George to pray for him and for his intercession. Indeed, many people already consider George a saint.

Return to Table of Contents
Print Article