Alfred Pampalon facts for kids
Alfred Pampalon (born November 24, 1867 – died September 30, 1896) was a special priest from Quebec, Canada. He was born in Lévis, Quebec and passed away at the age of 28 in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré. Alfred Pampalon was a Redemptorist priest, which means he belonged to a religious group focused on helping others. He was known for his very strong belief in God and his great love for Mary, the mother of Jesus. Many people see him as a helper for those who are struggling to overcome difficult habits or challenges.
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Who Was Alfred Pampalon?
Alfred Pampalon was known for being a very humble and prayerful person. His classmates thought he was always honest and pure.
His Strong Faith
Pampalon had a deep devotion to Mary. Before he went to join the Redemptorists' monastery, he visited a statue of Mary. He asked her to pray for the monks to let him join their group. Even though he had poor health, the Monastery allowed him to join. They could see how much he wanted to become a Redemptorist father.
Studying to Be a Priest
While he was training to become a Roman Catholic priest, his friends wondered how he studied philosophy so well. He told them he imagined Mary was asking him the questions! He would often touch his head to the floor and pray to her every day. Even when he was dying, he prayed to Mary all day long.
His Final Years and Passing
When Alfred Pampalon was 26 years old, he found out he had tuberculosis. Even with this serious illness, he stayed dedicated to God. He moved back to Quebec to continue his work as a priest there.
Serving Others While Sick
Even while he was dying from tuberculosis, he continued to help people. He gave communion, baptized people, and listened to confessions. Before he passed away, he was in constant pain. He spent most of his days in prayer.
His Last Words
The night before he died, he spoke softly, saying:
"O death..., O holy death..., come..., do come! O divine Savior..., my hope is in your merits... I am happy... to suffer for you! I want to go to Heaven... to see you and Mary,"
After this, he got up and sang the Magnificat in a loud voice. Because of his strong devotion to Mary, he became known as the "Hail Mary Saint".
