Helicopter Priest 

1. Computer hacking capable with some pride, 
By cell phone not ‘nough occupied, 
Commercial pilot trained, he tried 
To take a chopper in his stride.   

2. Truly missionary sent, 
On Monsignor title intent, 
Gospel versed and eloquent, 
Sacramentally fervent. 

3. Mountain villagers imploring, 
Jesus Christ, his Lord, before him, 
Not hungry souls ignoring, 
Passionately labouring. 

4.  Fond of spirituality, 
Prayer life actively, 
Patristic sensitivity, 
He preached abundantly. 

5. Jesus was his dearest friend, 
He personally spent 
Meditating for hours on end, 
To his Father’s heart’s content. 

6. So helicopter priest he was, 
Hopping up and down the grass, 
Up the mountains, down the vallies, 
Busying Spirit-hungry bellies. 

Francis de Ruijte, Sorel-Tracy, August 6, 2009. 

P.S. – Composed during the night before getting up. 
The same day, in the afternoon, Marc-André Fleury arrived with the Stanley Cup landing by helicopter 
on the Franciscans’ grassland.