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Priest striken with H1N1 flu
by Robert Delaney of The Michigan Catholic
Published November 27, 2009
Detroit - Fr. Gerard Bernier remained on life support Tuesday in a local hospital with complications from double pneumonia and the H1N1 flu virus.
Msgr. Michael Bugarin reported that Fr. Bernier, who has been in residence at St. Joan of Arc Parish in St. Clair Shores, was in critical, but stable condition in the intensive care unit at Oakwood Annapolis Hospital in Wayne.
"He's making slow progress. We just hope this progress will continue," said Msgr. Bugarin, the parish's pastor.
Fr. Bernier, 55, a priest of the Archdiocese of Castries based on the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia, has been staying at St. Joan of Arc Parish the past two years while pursuing a licentiate degree in the New Evangelization at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit.
"Although a full-time student, Fr. Gerry goes out of his way to be a presence in all aspects of parish life. He's just greatly loved by the people of the parish," Msgr. Bugarin said.
He said Fr. Bernier was already suffering flu-like symptoms during a recent trip to Trinidad, from which he returned Nov. 13. Then, one day last week, Fr. Bernier got into his car and began driving in what must have been a state of delirium, Msgr. Bugarin continued. Romulus police pulled him over for erratic driving, and saw that he got to hospital.
"Given his condition and the fact he is fully sedated in ICU, visitors have been limited to his immediate family and the (parish's) pastoral staff," Msgr. Bugarin wrote in a posting on a Caring Bridge Web site he set up to keep people apprised of Fr. Bernier's condition.
"Fr. Gerry loves praying the rosary. Please consider praying one for him," he added.
Msgr. Bugarin promised to post further updates at the site, www.caringbridge.org/visit/frgerrybernier.
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