He was a silent witness. Every day. Multiple times a day. Day in and day out. Rain, snow, sunshine, feast day or ferial day. He always came and sat in the back.
He was as steady and dependable as the rising of the sun. He joined us for every prayer time we had, as early as 5:30 AM. He was so dependable that we asked him to unlock our chapel door in the morning and lock it at night. He was our doorkeeper...a 98- year old doorkeeper. He never said much but always had a smile. That radiated JOY. We had a placeholder for him in the back of the chapel that said “Vince’s place”. If he didn’t show up we would call him to make sure he was OK. He didn’t just “not show up”.
Before coming, he took care of his sick wife for many years. After she died he met her here in our chapel. The mysterious sacramental presence of the Eucharist is where we encounter heaven. Before marrying her, he was a Carthusian monk. She would jokingly say “You can take a man out of the monastery, but you cannot take the monastery out of a man”. He lived his last 10 years praying at a Franciscan monastery, witnessing powerfully to each of us that “what you do matters”. It makes a difference. HE is worth showing up for. Every day.
He who had the freedom to do whatever he wanted in his elder years, chose to come here day in and day out, take Communion to the sick and serve the poor. His first hospital stay was at 98 years old. He died a week later on December 15th, 2022.
There is a bond that forms between hearts who adore Him together day in and day out. We miss him very much. He is still praying with us. Though we do not see him we know that He sees us. We meet him where he once met his wife, in the Eucharist.
Thank you, Vince, for your silent witness. Every day. You were a quiet affirming presence that loudly proclaimed “Your life is a GIFT”! You encouraged us and called us on.
Your rock- solid steadiness speaks of our God: His beautiful, faithful, breathtaking, day in, day out loyalty and constancy - His unbreakable covenant. You witnessed to us how He will always show up. He has etched this promise in our hearts with His blood.
Your “showing up” will forever be etched in our hearts as a sign of God’s faithful covenant. We miss you so much. Pray for us that we will be as faithful as you and continue showing up as He does. Every day.
- Sr. Therese Marie Iglesias, T.O.R.
