Father

Raymond

Laulom

May 30th, 1921 - February 24th, 2007

Born on 30 May 1921 at Mugron (Landes), he followed the classic formation route for religious of his day: Novitiate at Balarin (Gers) and first vows in 1939; scholastic in the Holy land: final profession at Bethlehem, priestly ordination at Jerusalem (29 June 1946).

His life as a religious–priest unfolded in a particular manner. As a priest he found himself in China from February 1947 to October 1952. The  communist regime chased him out, along with his other confreres. Then his life was turned this way and that: a few months here, two or three years there; with, however, a longer stay (1961-1973) in the Paris region as school chaplain to the Lycée Lakanal in Sceaux (diocese of Nanterre).

For a long time he retired to his house, which was always open to his brothers whenever they asked hospitality; he himself loved to go to Sarrance, where he was a historian of sorts.

In 2001, he chose to rejoin the community of the Maison-Neuve our house of retirement. He thought he would not last long: in any case in less than five years, in 2005, he thought his time has come, so much of his strength had gone; but then he rallied a little and began his daily walks again. In recent times he became weaker; and he left us peacefully on Saturday 24 February 2007.

Let us unite in prayer for our brother

 

Good and tender, mother

of the healthy and the sick,

of those who wear the crown and

those who have gone away barefoot...

Our Lady of Sarrance

Fr Laulom wanted to have the lift system installed in the house of retirement as a gift to the religious. Eventually the lift was working. But has he ever tried it…? I can see this as a typical trait of his life. He was a man of highs and lows and then once more of highs. Through his readings he used to like to recall history, century by century, King by King, up to the Romans at the beginning of our history. What a treat!

For the inhabitants of Lestelle, those of the village, towards the cross on the hill, he was a man who, at strange hours when no one was abroad, climbed in the full heat of the day the hills, clothed no less strangely, bare to the waist if weather permitted. The mayor with some concern asked about this man so regular and yet so unknown... where did he come from?

For us, a brother, once strong and weak like ourselves, fashioned by highs and lows. The child who sang admirably, they used to say! A searcher, a constant critic, sometimes eager and sometimes depressed, yet always bouncing back with a surge of brilliant intelligence, long-time deciding to face up to things, when brought low, and then arising from it; surprising us all. Up to his final illness which proved fatal, nothing was ever clear, a certain obscurity surrounded him.

For his family: he was the nephew of the celebrated Canon Lahitton whose studies on vocations marked an era! Did the uncle have anything to do with his choice of life?

For God: a child of God like us, marked by grace like us, marked by sin like us. His ascent to the Father was often in the mist and he returned with difficulty to his brothers.

On the earth, people knew him. He liked to take his holidays at Sarrance, the object of his researches in the heart of the Aspe valley.

In heaven, his rest will be in the merciful love of the Father. Come, all who are ready for the banquet!

So, the lift will always be for us a little place of prayer for our brother. May they both help us climb towards the One whom we know... so little!

Gabriel Verley,SCJ

Testimony at the vigil prayer

Maison Neuve, 26 February 2007