Bernard Arostéguy

A good Basque that Father Arostéguy, born in Itxassou on January 19, 1887. After having done his primary studies in Bayonne and having felt very early the desire to be a priest and missionary, he was entrusted to the Jesuit Fathers who made him study secondary schools in their apostolic school in Bordeaux. He saw one or another Spiritan Father passing through there, so at the end of his studies he asked to enter their home. The director gave very good information about him and he was admitted to do his novitiate at Orly where he made his profession in September 1905. His military service completed and his studies of philosophy and theology completed, he was ordained priest in October 1912 and designated for the Bata mission in Spanish Guinea. He had studied Spanish and was excited to go to Africa. He was working there when war in 1914 was declared, but he was ordered to stay there. He therefore continued to devote himself to his apostolate, life there was hard and his health suffered. In 1918, the Congregation decided to withdraw its Fathers from this Bata mission. Father Arostéguy returned to France and upon his arrival he found himself arrested as a rebel. Fortunately it was easy to have his rights recognized. He spent a year off in France and his superiors saw fit to send him not to Africa but to the island of Martinique, where he arrived in October 1919.

The adaptation was easy, after a year in the capital, he became parish priest of Adde Bouillon. He was truly at his place in this parish ministry so he was sent as Dean of Lorrain. Very artistic, loving painting, he left a beautiful collection of works that were much appreciated wherever he went. It is only after 18 years of presence that he can finally take his leave in France. There also in the communities which received him he left some paintings.

Returning to Martinique, parish priest of St. Thérèse, and in 1942 principal superior of the Spiritans of the Island, he fulfilled this function until 1953, after which he was considered retired, but for him retirement was still very active, in particular as chaplain of the college of the Sisters of St Joseph of Cluny.

Several times during his conversations, Father Arostéguy had expressed the fear of growing old while being a burden to others. He was granted, because he left in two hours without noise. Going out in his car, which he was still driving, he felt unwell but was barely able to return to his community. There he had to be rushed to the St-Paul clinic. He died there of a heart attack on November 8, 1956. His funeral was celebrated in the Notre Dame de Bellevue church. His bishop Mgr de la Brunelière, who had been his vicar in Lorrain, acquitted him.

He had fulfilled his missionary vocation and the Island newspaper reporting his death titled it: “A beautiful priestly life. »

Source: Spiritans-Forum