There are tears of pain, sorrow and grief. There are also tears of joy and gladness. The news of the passing on of “Le Pere” elicited tears of joy for many who knew him. Le Pere means Rev. Father or priest. But Bro. Peter Martin Otilio, Le Pere was more than a priest to Dominicans of the Province of St. Joseph the Worker, he was “A Father.” He is one Dominican who understood the daily struggles of his brothers, and who was always there to nudge them on to living a more fulfilled religious life. Le Pere was a pillar of strength, support, encouragement and discipline.
To what seemed so difficult, he would present as very easy. Le Pere was a true Dominican who applied faith and reason in all situations. To the young ones who came to him despondent about the difficulty of religious life, he would encourage them to take one day at a time, taking a queue from his life. Le Pere would say “when its time to pray, pray; when its time to eat, eat; when its time to play, play; when its time to talk, talk.” For him, the secret to living a fulfilled religious life is in living by the regular life. It brings order to one’s life and with order, comes peace, freedom and happiness.
Having lived in Nigeria before her independence, Le Pere lived out his priestly life in Nigeria, helping to shape the Dominican foundation into what it is today. No one really mourned the life of Le Pere because he lived a happy, fulfilled religious and priestly life. From what has happened to him in the past, many say Le Pere outsmarted death a number of times and that he lived the life of a cat with nine lives. To hear that he died after lunch on his seat was more of an affirmation of what Le Pere represented, peace and tranquillity. He did not have to struggle with the pitfalls of a terminal disease. His happy living saw him through the gates of death to light beyond. Bro. Peter Martin Otilio, Le Pere, Remain joyful among the saints of our Order.
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