VIATOR WEB HOMAGE

Jos Antonio Lezama Arriola

33 Years of Service at the General House

33 Years in Rome
General Councilor
Vicar General
Procurator at the
Holy See
Postulator of the
Cause of Father
Querbes
Translator

HEARTFELT RECOGNITION OF THE

ENTIRE VIATORIAN COMMUNITY

Fidle collaborateur de cinq

suprieurs gnraux
Thomas G. Langenfeld, 1972-1984
Jacques Berthelet, 1984-1987
Lonard Audet, 1988-2000
Mark R. Francis, 2000-2012
Alain Ambeault, 2012

A Man of Service

A Collaborator Without Equal

During my brief mandate as Superior General, I

had the privilege of being able to count on Father
Jos Antonio Lezama in the General Council of
the Congregation. He was already a member of
the General Council at the end of Father Thomas
Langenfelds mandate and had also taken on the
role of Procurator at the Holy See. So, I was happy
that he agreed to continue with his commitment.
I am pleased to highlight Father Lezamas deep
sense of service, his total availability, his
efficiency, his optimism, his love for Father
Querbes and for the Congregation, and his
pastoral and ecclesial sensibilities. All of that
was concretized in his readiness to translate a
large quantity of documents from French into
Spanish, in his willingness to make frequent trips
to the Vatican to follow up on current files and
to maintain good relations with the Holy See, in
his pastoral commitment to a parish in the
suburbs of Rome connected with the Saint Egidio
Community, in his eagerness to participate in
research about Father Querbes, in his interest
in getting to know the Congregation better
through visits to the provinces and foundations.
I give thanks to the Lord for the gift that he gave
to the Congregation and to the Church in the
person of Jos Antonio over the course of these
last thirty-three years and I ask the Lord to grant
him many happy and beneficial years back in the
land of his birth. Jos Antonio, thank you very
much!
+ Jacques Berthelet, C.S.V.

Father Jos Antonio Lezama was the V icar

General during the twelve years of my term as
Superior General (1988-2000). For me, both in
Rome and in my pastoral visits in the provinces
and foundations, he was a collaborator without
equal. Besides being a personal counselor, he
was the person in whom I could confide, playing
that very important role for me as I assumed the
leadership of a religious congregation such as
ours, with its strengths and its limitations, as it
faced major changes in contemporary society as
well as in the Church as it evolved after Vatican
II. For our Congregation, that was certainly a
period marked by a certain diminution in
membership. Both Father Lezama and the other
General Councilors strongly supported me as we
tried to establish certain fundamental milemarkers on our path into the future. Thus it was
that we pursued the renewal that Vatican II had
requested.
Initially in charge of the growth of
Association, Jos Antonio assumed responsibility
for the development of the Viatorian Community
after the 1994 General Chapter. Together, we
worked to promote the Viatorian Community as
an innovative endeavor. For us, the Viatorian
Community proved to be a sort of new
community through which the Viatorian charism
could be more strongly rooted in modern society
and in the Church today.
(Cont, page 3)
VIATOR WEB no 63 p.2

In the Spring of 1993, Father Lezama had to

assume the direction of the Congregation and of
the Viatorian Community by reason of my twomonth absence owing to health difficulties
experienced during a sojourn in Canada. Keeping
in close contact with me, he fulfilled that role
magnificently.
I particularly admired Jos Antonios abilities in
his relationships with the Vatican through the
Congregation for Institutes of Religious Life and
Societies of Apostolic Life. He was able to
successfully establish relationships that were
both professional and friendly with those
responsible for that Congregation. In that way, he
was able to have numerous cases settled within
more than reasonable time-frames.
And so I repeat my recognition of Father Jos
Antonio Lezama. I was happy to have him at my
side as a collaborator and as a friend. My prayers
and my friendship accompany him along the paths
of his new beginnings.
Lonard Audet, C.S.V.
VIATOR WEB no 63 p. 3

Fr. Jos Antonio Lezama A Wonderful Collaborator

What can I say about Jos Antonio and his years in Rome? Many of these years overlapped with my
own time in Rome as a translator, student, general councilor and Superior General. I first met Jos
Antonio when I came to Rome for a month in the summer of 1979 to join a team established to
translate and publish the General Regulations. From that day to the present three adjectives come to
mind when I think of Jos Antonio: humble, self-giving, and fraternal. Time and again he exhibited
these qualities while carrying out his various roles in service to the international Viatorian Community.
Jos Antonio is a man who is comfortable in his own skin. He does not need to dominate others in
order to feel appreciated. At heart, he is a humble person in the best sense of the origin of the term
(humus=earth). He is close to the earth and therefore realistic about life and people. Because of
this humility he is able to put situations in perspective and is slow to judge and condemn. A person
like Jos Antonio is wonderful to have on the General Council since he instinctively relates with
empathy when confreres experience difficulty. His counsel is always measured and balanced.
He is also self-giving. I remember several instances when, as Superior General, I asked Jos Antonio
to do something or assume a role he really did not want to take on. He was always open to gentle
persuasionespecially if the good of the Community was involved. I know that at times great personal
sacrifice was necessary for him to say yes, but once the decision was made he entered into the
new job or activity wholeheartedly and without recriminations.
Being fraternal simply flows naturally from the first two qualities that I have listed. Jos Antonio is
wonderful to live with in community. He is attentive to both individuals and the morale of the
community. Most importantly, he invariably displays a good sense of humor (a quality most important
in order to live happily in Rome).
I dont want to give the impression that Jos Antonio is perfect (after all, he knows how much effort
it requires for canonizations these days). However, I can state without fear of contradiction, that the
last thirty-three years in Rome would have been less productive and less joyful had Jos Antonio not
been at the General Direction. God bless our dear confrere and my best wishes as he returns to Spain
where I am sure that he will continue to offer only his best to the Viatorian Community.

Fr. Mark Francis, C.S.V.

VIATOR WEB no 63 p. 4

Jos Antonio, a Spiritual Man

I have always associated the name of Jos Antonio Lezama with the
General House. When I entered the community, he was already there.
And today, I share daily life with him. Just like all the others who have
known him, I could speak to you about his human qualities, which make
him an agreeable person to rub elbows with, a confrere possessing
numerous resources, a being always ready and willing to be of service.
Whether at his desk, at the dining room table, or in the chapel, he radiates
the same traits of someone who is accessible and generous. To live with
Jos Antonio is simple and without surprise.
There is much that could be said, but I will use the space that has been
given to me to speak to you about Jos Antonio as a spiritual man. He is
concerned about letting the Word of God question us in lifes concrete
moments. While he might at times appear to be a bit distracted, moments
of community prayer, for their part, regulate his soul just as a
metronome guides the rhythm of a song. The way to meeting his
God is simple: organize his daily life in such a way that prayer recalls
the marvelous gift of life and imbues the service that he is called
upon to render.
I offer as proof the sharing of the Word that we experience every
Tuesday morning and the homilies that he offers when he presides
at the Eucharist. He is the master of a sheep-scented spirituality,
which Pope Francis invites all of us to adopt. He cannot announce
the Good News to us without orienting us, in one way or another,
toward the heart of our worlds reality. We might say that he shares
the Gospel as a person welcomes a question, speaks to a friend, or
opens a book. He is an evangelizer who knows that the human person
is at the heart of the mystery of God.
Jos Antonio speaks of Jesus as if he were giving the word to the
people; in fact, he is offering and receiving back the Good News at
the same time. Jos Antonio, I must say thank you for the numerous
services that you have provided for all of the Superiors General and
General Councils with whom you have collaborated. Even more so,
I have the desire to say thank you for the witness of faith that you
have offered to all of us with such great generosity. You leave us with a precious icon signed by the hand
of a man who is simple, harmonious, and truly genuine.
Thank you very much!
Alain Ambeault, C.S.V.
VIATOR WEB no 63 p. 5

I served on the General Council for six beautiful years. Fr. Lezama assisted me significantly for I neither
speak nor read Spanish.

Our common language was French. Antonio harbors a great llove for our Congregation. As a council
member he was extremely competent, insightful andalways respectful. Antonio taught me much in the
course of our meetings: patience, generosity and a willingness to truly listen, which is the unique gift off
a truly wise man.
Thirty-three years of service to the Congregation means that Fr.Antonio Lezama has left his lasting
imprint upon our Congregation and for this we are deeply grateful.
God Bless you, Antonio
Fr. George Auger

The fact that Jos Antonio was designated by five Superiors General to work with them is already
an affirmation of his condition and ability to function as a member of a team and his facility for
adaptation and flexibility in order to accommodate himself to different kinds of people and different
work styles.
With his great experience accumulated at the service of the General Direction, he learned how to
be co-responsible and to contribute his ideas for the good of the Congregation. With his capacity to
act as translator between French and Spanish, he was known for his scrupulosity, clarification, and
interest in transmitting, not the meaning of the word, but rather the thoughts of the one who was
speaking.
And to myself, who had occasion to work with him and to replace him in certain responsibilities, he
transmitted his knowledge and experience in a spirit of total openness and availability, demonstrating
in that way that he had always carried out his mission and his tasks as a team member.
Goio Esqubel, C.S.V.
VIATOR WEB no 63 p. 6

Memories of Father Jos Antonio Lezama remain very much alive within me. Our side-by-side offices at
the General House and our bilingualism certainly facilitated frequent exchanges.
While Father Jos Antonio Lezama never sought to impose himself on others, people always listened
willingly to his opinions, which were founded upon years of experience and upon his familiarity with the
functioning of various General Directions and the services of the Holy See, with which he had frequent
contacts as Procurator and Postulator and in which his negotiation abilities were invaluable.
His disinterested uprightness and his attachment to the Community and to our Founder all served to
inspire confidence.
In a word, he is a beautiful example of a team person.

Roger Bou, France

As General Councilor and General Treasurer from 1984 to 1988, I had the privilege of working with Father
Jos Antonio Lezama, whom I consider to be an admirable team person. In that regard, I remember his
great spirit of availability to help us get settled into our Roman surroundings. How many times, for
example, did he accompany me to certain administrative offices, such as the Vatican Bank? His presence
always facilitated communications, while his gentleness and sense of diplomacy made it possible to
find prompt responses to administrative questions that might have ordinarily dragged on and on. I found
his spirit of availability and of collaboration to be exemplary.
Preparations for the 1988 General Chapter also provided a good opportunity to work as a team, which we
were able to accomplish with Father Lezama. It had been agreed that the General Council would give its
opinion about each of the questions inscribed in the General Chapter program. We divided up the questions
among ourselves and each member was able to work out a first draft of a response. Each councilors
reflections were then submitted to the other members of the council and enriched with the viewpoints of
the other councilors. In that team effort, Jos Antonio knew how to listen to the opinions of everyone and
to give an enlightened and open opinion about the international Viatorian Community. Those discussions,
which took place in a warm and brotherly atmosphere, made a strong impression on me.
Finally, his team spirit showed forth in his visits to the provinces. Different Viatorians bear witness to his
ability to listen, to his dynamism, and to his openness in discussions, with Viatorian Associates and
Religious, about the development of the Viatorian Community and the progress being made in the cause
of Father Louis Querbes.

Marcel Aumont, C.S.V.

VIATOR WEB no 63 p. 7

Tell me, my friend, what you were speaking about as you walked along.
And I stopped in my tracks, astonished, along the edge of the road.

Thus began a song by the Perales group, which Jos Antonio tried to help us learn in its four-part
rendition. While he played his accordion perfectly with his nimble hands, we were trying to adjust our
youthful voices. We were novices in the 1970s on a summer day in Escoriaza. We were supposed to
present a musical number in one of those major presentations that used to be given at provincial
celebrations. At the conclusion, thanks to our expert director, we were heartily applauded. That is how I
came to know Jos Antonio, a dynamic young man who was always ready to help, to serve, and to share
his natural joyfulness.
Among the many anecdotes that are related about him during his long history as a member of the
General House, he himself tells the story about a visit he was making, if I recall correctly, in Honduras,
where he presented himself to the people who had attended a meeting by saying his name: Jos Antonio
Lezama. Since, on our continent, we do not use the letter z, but replace it with the letter s, the people
understood him to say: Jos Antonio Laze Ahmah (loves you). And the group, with great gusto, responded:
We also love you, Father. That is precisely the kind of thing that happens when a person meets Jos
Antonio. His enthusiasm for what he is doing and his charismatic nature make him a special person.
I believe that all of us who visited Rome or who spent a certain amount of time at the General Direction
found that Jos Antonio made our lives easier and our sojourns more pleasant.
Jos Antonio is also a leader among us, a leader in the Viatorian Community, and for that we honor him.
But he also represents the spirit of our Founder, with all the work that he has done on the Cause of Father
Querbes, showing us a new side of him and making us feel proud, very proud, to be Viatorians. Thank
you, Jos Antonio.
P.S.: This is the type of Viatorian that we need today. A Viatorian who is not distant and who is accessible
to everyone, without distinction. A Viatorian who irradiates his vocation as a man of God in such a way
that we need his presence. A Viatorian whom everyone wants to keep nearby. This model, which Jos
Antonio Laze Ahmah (loves you) demonstrates, is available here for other Viatorians to adopt. It is to be
hoped that all of us will be able to carry a Jos Antonio in our hearts.

Gerardo Soto, C.S.V.

VIATOR WEB no 63 p. 8

During my sojourn at the General House, I rubbed elbows with Father Jos Antonio for eleven years. I
shall leave it to others to celebrate his wisdom, his competence, his efficiency, and his spirit of availability
as a member of the General Council, as Procurator at the Holy See, and as Promoter of the cause of
Father Querbes.
I, for my part, would like to highlight the quality of his presence as a member of the local community that
we formed. Always in good spirits, generous, and devoted, I remember him as a companion with whom
it was always a pleasure to take a stroll. He participated faithfully in community life, in those moments
when we were sharing prayer, meals, work, and recreation, to which he gave added life through his
talents as a musician. He also had a special ability to welcome all those persons whom we received at
the General House.
Finally, I would like to mention a characteristic that I admired in Jos Antonio: his constant concern about
social justice and his dedication to those accounted of little importance. All of that was especially
evident in his constant participation in the Saint Egidio Community, where he played an important role as
spiritual guide.
I wish him a pleasant retirement in his home country, of which he always spoke with great affection.

Roger Brousseau, C.S.V.

How beautiful and enriching were the thirteen years that I spent in close contact with Jos Antonio. The
memories will last forever! His great simplicity, his
sense of wonder, and his communication skills all
provided me with precious assistance to get integrated
into community life, without too many shocks, in a local
community in which diversity is a real part of common
life.
As an accomplished communicator, you helped me to
widen my cultural horizons. How happy I was to share
VIATOR WEB no 63 p. 9

our impressions and our differences after all the great expositions that Rome brought to us on a silver
platter. All your sense of astonishment could be summarized in the brightness of your eyes as I emoted
on the third balcony.
Your welcoming spirit, your readiness to be of service, and your love of the local community speak
volumes. Without you, community life would be much less interesting. The entire Iberian Peninsula
should be proud of having engendered such a confrere.
Thank you for your high-quality presence.
Thank you for your sense of humor.
Thank you for being who you are.
Very fraternally yours,
Gilles Gagn, C.S.V.

For me, living close to Jos Antonio for almost twenty years in the Community of Rome has been a very
fortunate and grace-filled experience.
In my first years, I considered him as a father who taught me, not only to live in Rome, but especially to
live together with brothers from other diverse mentalities. Later on, he showed me how to live as a
brother with whom one shares and interchanges what is most personal.
I would describe Jos Antonios most outstanding attributes to be friendliness, sincerity, and
companionship.
In the local community, he was always available. With visitors, he proved to be an explosion of Roman
culture. With his parishioners, he demonstrated understanding and closeness.
His knowledge and expertise about the Vatican and Father Querbes are the mixture that ran through his
veins in these last years that he has spent in Rome.

Jos Luis zar de la Fuente Salazar

Well known and, at the same time, not so well known, the greatness of this confrere is certainly not
measured in linear terms!
Endowed with a great sense of sociability, he is perhaps the first, in a large gathering, to introduce
himself to a stranger; nor can anyone forget his smile and his pleasant demeanor. And, at the same
VIATOR WEB no 63 p. 10

time, his daily overall presence is such that he can easily pass unnoticed in a local community: in fact,
from morning until night, he remains discrete in all of his movements, while still remaining an accurate
observer of the hic et nunc of daily life.
As both a peacemaker and a diplomat by birth and by virtue, and without ever raising his voice in any of
his interventions, and while paying greater attention to content than to form, he was able to share his
wisdom and his practical advice, thus becoming a pillar of community life.
Saying no when a service is requested is not part of his vocabulary. He knows how to discretely present
wise suggestions. He uses his multilingual talents during meetings or in order to complete translation
projects that are due yesterday, if possible. He willingly carries out the unappreciated, but necessary,
work of those translator confreres who love their community!
How can we not highlight his musical contributions, with his exceptional voice and his abilities on the
organ and the accordion, at religious ceremonies or during festive parties? To my knowledge, the success
of the Goio-Lezama duo at dinner on Christmas Night never has been and never will be surpassed!
Jos Antonio, a social and religious man who remains profoundly human, would never miss an opportunity
to raise his glass and to propose a welcoming or a congratulatory toast. In a word, he is a charming
confrere.
Claude M. Garipy, C.S.V.

VIATOR WEB no 63 p. 11

Dear Jos Antonio,

So, you are going to retire! But doing so far from Rome and away from all the files associated with
the Cause of Father Querbes, you are going to feel lost!
Father Querbes has occupied your attention for many years. In Rome, your primary work was that
of a translator: in order to love Father Querbes, a person must get to know him and read about
him. The Viatorians in Spain and Latin America owe you a large debt of gratitude: you have
helped them to read about Father Querbes, you have explained him to them in conferences and
retreats, and you have oftentimes accompanied them to Vourles.
And you are the Postulator. When the 2000
General Chapter asked that his cause be
introduced as soon as possible, a process was
set in motion. In January, 2004, with Brother
Roger Bou and Father Andr Crozier, we met with
Professor Guy Avanzini, who was responsible for
coordinating causes in the Diocese of Lyons. He
was direct and told us to go for it and to take
the decisive step with the Cardinal Archbishop
of Lyons. I believe that, even before that
interview was over, you were already on the road,
at least in your mind.
Everything moved quickly: the official request
made by Father Mark Francis (on August 31,
2004), the appointment of those responsible for
the diocesan inquiry, the creation of the
commission of historians, the opening of the
inquiry by Cardinal Barbarin (on February 23,
2006), the interviews with those testifying on
behalf of Father Querbes reputation for
holiness, and the preparation of the historical
VIATOR WEB no 63 p. 12

inquiry by Cardinal Barbarin (on February 23, 2006), the interviews with those testifying on behalf
of Father Querbes reputation for holiness, and the preparation of the historical files. All of that
went very smoothly, since the Cardinal closed the inquiry the following year. You followed each
and every step very attentively.
How many times, since 2008, have you visited the offices of the Congregation for the Causes of
Saints in order to meet with one official or another, and especially with the very welcoming Father
Daniel Ols, O.P.? If the files moved along rapidly, it is because you were right there. I believe that
you oftentimes must have meditated on chapter 18 of Saint Lukes Gospel, where a poor widow
insistently knocks on the door of a reluctant judge until he grants her request. The examination of
all the materials in the diocesan inquiry, the writing up of the Positio (position paper), and its
scrutiny by six Roman historians all proceeded apace. Still to be undertaken is the heart of the
process: the examination by the theologians. I suspect that you secretly regret not being present
to witness that step and, in particular, being able to respond to the formidable Promoter of the
Faith, who used to be called the devils advocate. But you yourself have already said it: the
first postulator of a cause does not follow it through to the end.
Continue making Father Querbes better known! If you still want to translate his texts, there are
fifteen more volumes!
Fraternally,
Robert Bonnafous, C.S.V.

My advanced age and its repercussions on my memory sometimes play tricks on

me. Nevertheless, from a general perspective, I want to especially highlight the
enthusiastic nature of Jos Antonio.
He accepted his role, not as an assignment, but with zeal and faith, in perfect
imitation of Father Querbes. Facing that challenge for thirty-three years also requires
a great deal of faith (with a little f), that is, a strong conviction that an official
recognition of the holiness of Father Querbes is almost certainly assured. In that
respect, he is day and night ahead of me.
Being limited to typing slowly and with only one finger requires that I be brief.
In great friendship, Jos Antonio!
Maurice Marcotte, C.S.V.

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Is it really possible to leave Rome?

Jos Antonio Lezama Arriola

That is a question that I am being asked as I complete the thirty-fourth year of my Roman
sojourn and as the moment draws near to leave the City of Rome.
If when we say to leave Rome we are referring to no longer being able to regularly see the
incomparable enchantment of the Eternal City with its Vatican, its Coliseum, its forums, its museums,
and its long list of beautiful, centuries-old works of art, I will not deny that that will cost me something,
but I am sure that, with a bit of effort, such will be possible.
Rome has also been for me a place of gratifying work, both as a General Councilor and as the
Procurator at the Holy See and, in later years, as the Postulator of the Cause of Beatification of our
Founder. I must admit that, at times, especially in my work as Procurator, there were difficulties and it
was necessary to practice great patience and to engage in long dialogues, but all of that was quickly
forgotten with the satisfaction of a completed achievement. I believe that that aspect can also be left
behind without any great trauma.
But, for a person who has lived for thirty-four years in this incomparable city and has found
happiness in it, Rome is much more than all that. I have established here, over the course of the
years, both inside and outside of the Viatorian Community, a communications network of friendship,
of affection, of support, of inspiration, and of enlightenment that has left a deep impression upon my
heart and that continues to have its place there.
For that reason, instead of talking about leaving Rome, I believe that, after thanking the
Lord for granting me this possibility, I must begin by thanking what I owe to Rome, that is, to those
persons whom I have had the good fortune of meeting here. First of all, my Community companions,
the number of which, realizing that each one of them has lived in Rome for several or for many years,
comes to almost thirty persons. With them, I have always felt welcomed and understood. Enlivening
and encouraging me in my religious life and in my work and edifying me by their love for the Viatorian
family, they proved to be excellent companions on the journey. Many thanks to each and every one of
them!
VIATOR WEB no 63 p. 14

But I also established, outside of the Viatorian Community, very close bonds of affection,
friendship, and love with the service personnel, whom I always considered as members of my family,
as well as with religious friends from neighboring communities, such as the Recollect Augustinians,
the Marist Brothers, and the Marianists. With all of them, unforgettable bonds of friendship and
mutual support were established. Nor can I forget certain members of the Saint Egidio Community,
especially those of the Trullo, for whom I have been celebrating the Eucharist on Sundays for almost
thirty years. All of those relationships create personal bonds of affection that are impossible to forget.
Thank you very much, also, to all of them!
We all know that, in matters of the heart, there are no distances and that, consequently, a
person can physically leave a city and continue maintaining the same bonds of affection even though
not immediately present. For this reason and coming back to the initial question about whether or
not it is possible to leave Rome I can affirm that I do not know. I only know that, even though I
might be living at a great distance from Rome for many years, I will never leave it behind.

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