Le Mariage d'Antonine
I first met Antonine when our St. Charles Group visited Flamand in the parish of Cavaillon. There was dialogue about the development of the clinique and questions of accountability. Antonine was the treasurer/secretary and perfectly capable of turning the table on our experts, pointing out expired medicines.
I was happy when this intelligent, not unattractive, young Haitian woman wanted to serve as my guide on the trek to L'Oiseau. I had used my high-school French for a month with the Mission de France as a deacon in Angouleme. But that was 30 years ago. French had been useful in the Dominican Republic when we helped out Haitian refugees during the coup d'etat. However Antonine brought back words I had forgotten as she explained the flowers and the community of that enchanting island. With that language of the heart in common, we soon extended to one another the hand of friendship.
But there is often a price for friendship, I learned, as I listened to her plans to get an accounting degree. I checked it out with Pere Jocelyn and found I could offer a year's graduate education in accounting for less than half a month of a priest's big salary. On the second visit, she shared her hopes to marry Ronauld, who taught with her in Cavaillon. I was invited to meet her mother. Her father had died long ago. I received a hand-embroidered shirt that joined St. Charles and the parish of Notre Dame.
Jocelyn advised me on his visit here that I was under consideration as Antonine's Parain for the wedding. Little did I know the implications of a word that translated as Godfather. I was rushed on arrival last Jan. 18 to the wedding cortege into the role of "giving away the bride." A nasty flu distracted me with a great desire to find a bathroom mid-way through the ceremony. That was accommodated. There was great music, dance and sermonizing by Pere Jocelyn. Little girls in flowing dresses held flowers aloft as they danced for God through the eucharistic prayer. After the ceremony, Ronauld stood to address thanks to me! And to advise me that the community expects me to fix the hole in the Chapel roof. As he handed me the text, I recognized Antonine's script! Later I discovered that the whole chapel needed renovation at an estimated cost of 15,000 US dollars. I was invited to speak. I had found my text in the song sheet, L'espoir du monde est l'amour. By the time I finished my oration, love was not only the hope of the world but the hope of the family and the hope of the church. However, I maintained a level of abstraction on the romantic occasion that did not include leaky roofs. I would not touch that one till I discussed the matter with our Haiti Committee!
The next duty of the Parain was to chauffeur the bridal party to the reception. I was lucky to have the loan of Bishop Grullon's massive SUV, which could barely negotiate the ornamental arches of trees and flowers to the couple's house. There a repast for royalty was laid out. After further lengthy proclamations on the nature of marriage by the civil authorities, I was ushered to the repast by my co-mere, the godmother. She advised me to pile up a plate of assorted delicacies. When I asked if this was for the bridal couple, she pointed to me, picked up an empty plate and spoon, and guided me to the Matrimonial Bed where she seated herself. I was invited to share the plate with my co-mere in a situation of close proximity. It seemed that I had become an intimate part of an extended family, cemented by another gift of Gourdes! L'espoir de l'église est l'amour.
Gerard Creedon, February 23, 2000
