| CURIA GENERALIZIA MARIANISTI Rome, December 10, 2004 Death Notice No. 35 (To all Unit Administrations) The Region of Switzerland and its Sector Togo recommend to our fraternal prayers our dear Brother, FRANÇOIS-JOSEPH PRALONG, priest, who died in the service of the Blessed Virgin Mary on December 8, 2004, at Sion, Switzerland, in the 83rd year of his age and the 66th of his religious profession. François Pralong was born at Chermignon (Valais), on May 19, 1922. He was the oldest of a family of nine children. At the age of 14, he entered the postulate at Martigny. At 16, François began his novitiate in Belgium, at St-Remy-Signeulx. One year later, on September 12, 1939, he consecrated himself to God in the Society of Mary. On August 4, 1945, the young brother gave himself forever to God and made alliance with Mary. Before entering the Seminary Regina Mundi in Fribourg (1948), young François Pralong pursued his secondary studies in Belgium and in Fribourg, and taught for five years at the industrial school in Sion. Ordained a priest on July 12, 1953, Father François returned to Sion a year later to teach in the primary school and in the normal school for elementary-school teachers. >From 1976 to 1982, Fr. Pralong was responsible for the community in Martigny and taught religion in the Orientation Cycle. Then, his superiors asked him to return to the community in Sion where he continued teaching religion and rendered numerous services to his brothers (director of the Chaminade community from 1987 to 1996), even while suffering from Parkinson’s disease. At the beginning of November 2002, Father Pralong was hastening to join the members of the Legion of Mary assembled at Chaminade, missed a step and fell head first against the wall of the stairwell. He was hospitalized, then taken to Maison St-François. His zeal urged him to take part in many church activities. During the 60’s, Fr. Pralong was the instigator of the pilgrimage made by many young people of the normal schools in Sion to the statue of Christ the King at Lens. He was active in the Legion of Mary and organized sessions for young “legionaries” from French-speaking Switzerland at the Marianist chalet in Planchouet. He also participated in Synod 72 in the diocese of Sion and the diocesan pastoral council. Deeply engaged in liturgy, he animated numerous Masses and was not afraid to put religious words to profane songs or to add verses to religious songs. He was also always looking for new melodies in order to vary the different celebrations and animate them with his guitar. Each year, he loved to spend his vacation with his relatives at the “Mayen”, the family chalet. The last wishes of Fr. François Pralong are a praise for the gifts the Lord gave him, the help received from his fellow brothers, his directors and his superiors, the priests who shared the sacerdotal ministry with him, the members of the Legion of Mary and his family. The two songs he wished for his burial reveal his Marian soul and his constant search for God: Toi Notre-Dame, nous te chantons, toi notre Mère, nous te prions (You Our Lady, we sing to you; you our Mother, we pray to you) et Trouver dans ma vie Ta presence (To find your presence in my life). His return to the house of the Father on the feast of the Immaculate
Conception is a celebration of life, eternal life, which he entered
in the company of Mary. In fact, on a paper Fr. Pralong left on his
bed, we can read the title of a song that he wanted to compose: Vive
la vie! (Long live life!) |