Death and Funeral
The Municipal Cemetery of Santiago, where he was first buried, and the crypt of the Jean-Paul II School of Evangelization, in Santo Domingo, where the remains of Father Émilien rest after the translation in July 2017
Father Émilien Tardif died on Tuesday morning, June 8, 1999, in a house of spiritual retreats in San Antonio de Arredondo, Province of Cordoba, in Argentina.
On the morning of Sunday, June 6, before taking the plane for Argentina, Father Émilien celebrated his 71 years during a Eucharist at the Maison de L'Annonciation in Saint-Domingue. Both at the 10:00 a.m. Mass and at the celebration that followed, he was accompanied by several of his confreres of the congregation of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart as well as friends.
He left for Argentina at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 6, and stopped over in Miami. During the evening of the same day he met members of the community of the Servants of Christ and finally took the plane for Buenos Aires the next morning, Monday, June 7. In the late afternoon, he began a retreat for 250 priests. He gave a one-hour teaching entitled: “The priest, man of the Mystery”. Around 7:00 p.m., he concelebrated the Eucharist.
The following day, around 7:00 in the morning, since he did not come down for Lauds and breakfast, they asked Deacon Evaristo Guzmán, the organizer of the retreat, to go to Father Émilien's room. They found him deceased, fully dressed, half resting on the bed… ready to come down to begin the day. They had the impression he had just died.
The news spread at once throughout the world. During the day, the priests took turns praying beside the body of Father Émilien Tardif, which was laid out in the chapel of the house. As quickly as they could, those responsible began the steps for the transfer of his body to the Dominican Republic, to the mother house of the Congregation of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in Santiago. The steps were not easy, but finally, thanks to the help of several friends, Father Émilien's body was able to leave Cordoba on the morning of June 10, passing through Buenos Aires and Miami to arrive at the Santo Domingo airport on Friday, June 11 at 1:30 p.m. The Dominican government decreed a day of national mourning.
From the airport the body of Father Tardif was taken to the Maison de Notre-Dame du Sacré-Cœur in Los Padros. There was the celebration of a first Eucharist presided over by the Father Provincial Darío Taveras, and hundreds of people began to file past the coffin. Then Father Émilien was laid out until 11:00 p.m. Another Mass was celebrated, presided over by Mgr Cedano, auxiliary bishop of Saint-Domingue. Hundreds of people filed past the coffin, in a discreet but solemn atmosphere.
On Saturday, June 12 at 9:00 a.m., a Eucharist took place presided over by Cardinal López Rodríguez, and concelebrated with 55 priests. The Mass took place at the sports complex of the Collège de Loyola with the participation of thousands of faithful. Throughout the day until about 10:00 p.m., the faithful filed past the coffin, which was brought back to the funeral home.
On Sunday, June 13 at 6:00 in the morning, the coffin left for the city of Santiago de los Caballeros, 160 km from the capital. They arrived at the parish of Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia, run by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. There were thousands at the Mass celebrated by the Missionaries. From 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., the faithful filed past the coffin. There were funerals presided over by the Archbishop of Santiago, Mgr Flores, as well as four bishops from the interior of the country. They concelebrated with 70 priests, and more than 15,000 people attended the ceremony.
The media announced every day the death of Father Émilien Tardif, and Dominican television broadcast to the whole world, via satellite, the religious services. During these services, each person received a leaflet that was like the final page of the book Jesus is Alive and a photo of the Father.
Deacon Évaristo Guzman; Father Émilien Tardif at prayer
During the week that began on Monday, June 14, several parishes continued to celebrate Eucharists in memory of Father Tardif, particularly at the parish of Los Padros and at the Maison de l'Annonciation of Saint-Domingue. The last Mass of the novena was celebrated on Sunday, June 20 at 10:00 a.m. at the Loyola Stadium and at the Church of the Altagracia near Santiago.
Hundreds of messages of condolence were received from throughout the world. During the weeks that followed, video cassettes were published showing in detail the funeral of the Father. The death of Father Émilien Tardif reminded the whole Christian community that his passing was like the passing of Our Lord among us.
Translation of the article: “Muerte y funeral del P. Emiliano Tardif, m.s.c.” from the review Amigo del Hogar, July-August, No. 617, pp. 34-36.