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Francophone Canada Announces the Loss of Two Additional Brothers

The Lasallian Region of North America (RELAN) mourns the loss of two additional Brothers from the Francophone Canada District due to COVID-19. Brother Jean Laperrière, FSC, and Brother Rosaire Rivard, FSC, both died on May 22, 2020, at Résidence  De  La Salle  in Laval, Québec 

Résidence  De  La Salle  is home to Brothers and members of other religious congregations. In all, 32 members of the 74-member community have died from COVID-19, including a total of 10 Brothers and 22 members of other religious congregations. Thirteen other community members have tested positive for the virus, 10 of whom have not exhibited any symptoms. Three staff members have tested positive in recent days. 

These deaths and infections come despite the strict safety measures Résidence  De  La Salle put into place early in the pandemic, even a week before the government mandated the measures. Precautions included not allowing visitors or gatherings, closing the chapel, allowing no more than one or two (as needed)  people in an elevator, bringing  meals to the residents’ rooms, requiring staff members to leave  their  uniforms  to be  washed nightly, and requiring staff to wear masks  with nurses and attendants wearing a mask and  face shield.  At the peak of the infections, residents were not allowed to leave their rooms  and meals were  brought to their rooms  using disposable plates and utensils.  

Brother Florent Gaudreault, FSC, Visitor of the Francophone Canada District, said the Public Health Service supported the community for four weeks during the outbreak and recognized that nothing more could have been done. 

I would like to thank, from the bottom of my heart, all the people, Brothers and other Lasallians, who expressed their sorrow and offered their prayers, from around the world—really from all the Regionsby means of emails and phone calls. It was very moving,” said Brother Florent. “Fortunately, the situation is improving, as Brothers are allowed to leave their rooms and go outside. It’s still fragile, but there is a lot of hope. 

Memorials will be scheduled for the Brothers at a later date. If you would like to send a note to the Brothers at  Résidence  De La Salle, you may email your message  to Brother Florent at  fgaudreault@delasalle.qc.ca  or mail a note to: 

Daniel Croteau, fec
Résidence De La Salle
300, ch. du Bord-de-l’Eau
Laval (Québec) H7X 1S9
CANADA

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