“Remembering Louie”
When you have the wonderful privilege of living, praying, working and playing in the shadow of a spiritual giant, how do you begin to express your gratitude? To our dear Father Lou, "Louie" as I affectionately knew him, we open our broken heart and let our thanks and love burst forth. Now he knows Resurrection beyond even his most imaginative yearnings!
Since Wednesday so many memories have churned in my mind privately and with friends and fellow parishioners who knew him so well. Tonight my thoughts turn to him as Father; over these years we have become like father and son. Many people are perplexed by our Catholic tradition of calling our priests "Father". The scriptures tell us that only God is our Father. Lou Trivison personified and reflected the image of Father to all of us so well. His life and ministry made real for us the compassion, love and strength of God.
He lived the Gospel in an exemplary way. His lifestyle and attitude provided a living model of how to love God and one's neighbor. If one doubted the value of the Eucharist and prayer, the person needed only to look to Fr. Lou's example. His most inspiring homily was his life. He lived the Word and drew his courage and vision for the church through the nourishment of the Eucharist he celebrated so often.
I can still hear the clatter of his typewriter in the back office of his home on Farm Drive pecking out his thoughts for a Sunday homily. His message had been honed and refined throughout the week starting on Monday morning. The message was a call to action, to live justice, to serve the poor and in all things to love God and your neighbor. It was not theory; it inspired the heart and convinced you that you were loved by God, no matter your limitations, and that you could grow closer to the Lord and to one another.
Fr. Lou was not all work and no play. He knew how to have fun. He found his fun with others. Before he grew weak, he loved to host gatherings whether for lunch, dinner or just to be with friends. He was always the gracious host during his days on Farm Drive. You always felt special in his presence. And you often realized that the evening was coming to a close when he took the vacuum cleaner out of the closet. He wasn't always subtle.
Like a good Father, he taught us and guided us to be confident, independent Christian men and women. He shared his vision for a Future Church and gave us the courage to speak out for it. He was there to comfort us when we felt weak and to encourage us to be risk takers when we were afraid or depressed. He helped to heal our wounds and as a wounded healer himself he graciously accepted our love and comfort in these last months. Hopefully, God did not break the mold when He created Lou Trivison. We need gifted replicas now, more than ever.
I found it a happy coincidence that the Lenten booklet I'm using this year featured the theme of God our Father in the 5th chapter of John's Gospel this past Wednesday, the day Louie entered the Lord's house. The reflection also quoted the Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard who was searching for God. He prayed:
"God in heaven, when the idea of you awakes in my heart, let it awaken not like a frightened bird that thrashes about in panic, but like a child waking from a nap – its face aglow with a trusting smile."
I am confident that on Wednesday afternoon, beneath Fr. Lou's final labored breaths, there emerged that childlike, trusting smile as he crossed the threshold into the arms of his Father, our Lord.
Bill Plato – Evening Prayer Service, March 21, 2010