Father
Robert "Bob" Sevigny
LIFE
STORY:
Robert Joseph Sevigny was born May 2, 1927 in Fall River,
MA (50 miles south of Boston). Philip and Rose, the parents,
were modest people, especially at the door of the great
depression. Six years later Robert started at the parish
school, bi-lingual in French and English. After the sixth
grade, at the suggestion of the Pastor, Msgr. Boucher,
Robert, along with other parishioners went to a pre-high-school
course in Quebec. The French was excellent. At that point
the Holy Spirit guided Robert to the Oblate Missionaries,
and on June 24, 1953 he became Father Robert for protocol,
and Fr. Bob in daily life. At the end of internship a
letter came from Rome saying Father Robert was to go to
Lesotho in South Africa as teacher, pastor, and fund raiser.
In 1978 he worked in a parish in Massachusetts, then seven
years pastor of a parish and partime prison chaplain at
the New York State Prison in Dannemora, N.Y. At his request,
because the family had all moved South, he worked 18 months
in the Archdiocese of Atlanta, and has now worked in Golden
Meadow, Kramer, Chauvin, and is retired to continue serving
as a priest where he is called. St. Joseph Manor in Thibodaux
is the happy place of retirement for 58 residents and
four priests who also have pleasant memories of church
and families.
St. Joseph Manor In the Eyes of a "People Person":
Joseph and Ti-Lee are heading South of Canal Boulevard
when they decide to turn on Menard Street then right on
Cardinal Drive. In fact Joseph has a spark in his eye:
he is up to something. Just before he gets to stop he
makes a lefthand turn. The sign says St. Joseph Manor.
"Aye," says Ti-Lee, "where are we going?" "Just wait,
says Joseph." There is a lot of parking space so they
stop in the visitors’ parking and head for the main door
under the canopy. They are greeted by a gracious secretary
who calls the administrator. Now Ti-Lee is worried but
his friend is all smiles. So Mrs. Ann Thibodaux brings
them to the adjacent dining room, so bright, yet so cozy,
and at a comfortable table the administrator answers Joseph’s
questions clearly, but enthusiastically over coffee. There
is nothing somber about Mrs. Ann. They did talk money,
and Joseph who has a sharp memory remembers prices and
finds the rent very reasonable. After sorting out more
details like choice of food, when visitors could come,
where and when he could go out, Ti-Lee was very satisfied,
became very interested and asked to see the single and
double rooms, and they saw the chapel, the library, and
the neat walking space outside. As they were ready to
leave Ti-Lee asked about transportation to the doctor,
excursions of pleasure, and it was the frosting on the
cake. That night he dreamt of a beautiful castle and thanked
God for taking him there. "Je n’ oublierai pas!" "I will
not forget." For sure: now he is a member of the community.
