Dear Friends in the MMP,
With great sadness, we announce the passing of Fr. Albert Roux at his home in Lewiston, Maine on March 9, 2023. Fr. Roux served as the U.S. National Director of the MMP from 1975 until his retirement in 2010.
In 1977, he was appointed pastor of St. Charles Church in St. Francis, Maine, and during those first few years operated the MMP out of the rectory. When Fr. Lionel Pare moved to St. Francis to assume the role of Assistant Director, the offices were moved to Fr. Pare’s home. Necessitating a larger space, the MMP renovated and moved into a new headquarters building in 1991, under the guidance and leadership of Fr. Roux. During his time as director, all of Our Lady’s messages to Fr. Gobbi were translated from Italian into English and published in a U.S. edition of the book, “To the Priests, Our Lady’s Beloved Sons. The MMP in the U.S. owes a debt of gratitude to Fr. Roux and his hard work and perseverance. He devoted himself tirelessly to the unending tasks of serving both his parishes and the MMP, each of which was in and of itself a full-time commitment. May he rest from his labors.
Upon his retirement in 2010, he wrote,
“And what, you may ask, was I going to do there [in St. Francis] with the Movement, as I also wondered? No doubt, Our Lady had a very special reason for choosing this small and remote place to establish the center of her Movement in the United States. But soon thereafter, to our amazement, the Movement radiated from the tip of Maine to the whole of the United States and other countries. St. Francis of Assisi was asked by Jesus to go rebuild his Church. Is this not also the purpose of Our Lady’s Movement? By means of it, Mary is rebuilding the Church of her Son by the transformation of his priests and faithful. I believe that she chose the town of St. Francis as the heart of her Movement in the United States to communicate this symbolic message.
I want to take this opportunity to publicly express my gratitude to the Blessed Mother for having chosen me for this work of Hers. I am ever so grateful to Her for having giving me the necessary strength to undertake such an enormous task and the grace to persevere all these years.”
Fr. Roux had a true gift for holding an audience captive with his spiritual teachings. His joy was infectious, and many sought his spiritual guidance and friendship. As a priest, he rendered himself a faithful servant to all, witnessing beautifully to the love that God has for each one of us. The people of God will be forever grateful for the example that he gave.
May the angels lead him to Paradise, and may Our Lady whom he served so well and for so many years hold him in Her embrace. Rest in peace, Fr. Roux.
Obituary & funeral details: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/lewiston-me/albert-roux-11189608
Livestream links:
- Prince of Peace website: https://princeofpeace.me/testing-streaming
- Prince of Peace Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/PrinceOfPeaceME/
- Prince of Peace YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@PrinceofPeaceME