Viatorians around the world celebrated the anniversary of the death of Fr. Louis Querbes, or Querbes Day, on Sept. 1 in a variety of ways. It was particularly memorable at Cristo Rey St. Viator College Prep in North Las Vegas, where Br. Carlos Florez, CSV, Director of Catholic and Viatorian Identity, visited each religion class during the day on Friday.
Students focused on Fr. Querbes for the entire class period as they discovered more about him as a person and his vision as the founder of the Viatorians.
Br. Carlos not only described his birth in rural France during the French Revolution and early ministry as a pastor of St. Bonnet Church in Vourles, but his desire to form a group of catechists to teach the young about Christian doctrine. In describing him as a person, he pointed to the gospels of John, which summarized Christian life in two verbs: believing and loving.
“Fr. Querbes deeply lived out those two verbs, with faith and love characterizing his entire life,” he told students. “His motto, Adored and loved be Jesus, sums up the power of the gospel that Fr. Querbes wanted to pass on to his successors.”
The laminated image of Fr. Querbes that travels with students.
As a parting gift, Br. Carlos handed out ice cream bars, giving away some 320 novelties throughout the day. This sustained effort to promote the vision of Fr. Querbes and the school’s Viatorian identity is having an effect, administrators say.
Students have developed a strong bond with Fr. Querbes and even have started a tradition of taking a laminated image of him with them when they visit local colleges.
“It’s actually amazing to see and feel the students’ connection,” says Fr. Tom von Behren, CSV, founding president. “When the juniors and seniors travel to colleges for day visits, they bring this image they have named Querbes to a college visit with them. We think it is pretty amazing. And they came up with it, not us. Wow.”
Br. Carlos, too, cannot exactly describe the closeness the students feel to Fr. Querbes, but he welcomes it.
“It is sort of like their mascot or spiritual guide,” Br. Carlos says. “We’re not really sure, but I think it is kind of like a guardian angel to our students.”