Urique, Father Albert

1925, November 23

Date of Birth: 1857, July 25

Paris
December 20, 1925

Fathers and Very Dear in Our Lord:

To tell you of Father Urique, I can do no better than pass on to you the notes sent from Montreal by Father Labelle on his Curriculum Vitae, then of his outstanding qualities exhibited in various assignments.

Pierre Albert Urique, born at Grandpré in the Diocese of Reims on July 25, 1857, came to St. Sulpice in 1879. Ordained a priest at the Reims seminary on May 10, 1883, he was sent to teach Philosophy at Alix (1883-1884). He came after that to Issy for his year of Solitude (1884-85). He left for Canada on September 6, 1885, and was appointed Professor of Moral at the Grand Seminary of Montreal (1885-86), then Professor of Philosophy at the seminary of Philosophy (1886-1896). From 1896 to 1904 he was Superior [of Philosophy] at Brighton Seminary near Boston and Professor of Philosophy there. In 1904-1905 he was Superior of the Philosophy Department and Professor of Moral at St. Mary’s Seminary, Baltimore. Then from 1905 to 1918, Vice-president of St. Mary’s. He returned to Montreal as Superior of the Grand Seminary (1916-1924). Finally, he was confessor to the Sisters of the Normal School, of St. Urban’s Academy, of Notre Dame School - three institutions run by the Congregation of Notre Dame (1924-1925).

To a rare degree Father Urique possessed the spirit of sacrifice, of obedience, of charity. It was to do Father Olier’s work at Montreal that he had offered himself to the Superior General on leaving Solitude. However, for the better part of his life in America – twenty eight out of forty years – he was engaged in Sulpician work in the United States. Father Urique did not know how to refuse the least wish of his superiors. He had early trained himself to see God in them; so, what they wanted constituted law.

In 1896, after ten fine years of teaching Philosophy at the seminary of Philosophy in Montreal, when it was proposed to him that he go to St. John’s Seminary in Brighton, he was soon there.

In 1904, Baltimore appealed to his sense of duty to teach Moral there and also be in charge of the Philosophy students. Father Urique responded with the same promptness.

In 1905, his heart was still in Montreal and he was dreaming of returning there as teacher or chaplain. But St. Mary’s Seminary wanted him as Vice-president, and he accepted with good will this new responsibility which for fourteen years held up his return to Canada.

Finally, when in 1918 – with the approval of the Superior General and the consent of Father Dyer (then Vicar General for the United States) – Montreal asked Father Urique to take on the position of Superior of the Grand Seminary of Montreal. Although already suffering from arterio-sclerosis, he accepted, against his own will and the opinion of his doctor. By sheer obedience he offered himself to carry the too heavy burden which was awaiting him. He returned to Montreal, leaving behind an ineradicable memory in the minds and hearts of his confreres and of his American students.

“I knew Father Dissez very well and I saw Father Chapon at close range,” wrote one of them; “both men were to the United States what Fathers Delavigne and Roussel were to Montreal – model Sulpicians. They left here a reputation for priestly holiness which carries their influence on into the lives of their confreres and former students. It can be said without exaggeration that Father Urique was just as remarkable as his two confreres for charity and humility. I never heard him say a harsh word to anyone, even in circumstances when his patience was severely strained.”

His goodness of heart was one of the strongest traits in Father Urique’s life. A fine confrere, he did not content himself with avoiding everything that might cause unhappiness in those who labored with him, but it made him happy to do all in his power for them.