1875 – 1915 (February 2)
Amedee Joseph Viger was born in Montreal, Canada, on August 31, 1875, to Amedee Viger and Cordelia Desrochers. While still a child, his family immigrated to the United States and settled in Lansingburgh, New York. Amedee was confirmed there in Saint Augustine Church in 1888 and was educated at Whipple Public School and Saint Augustine’s Parochial School. He attended La Salle Institute before enrolling at Villanova College in 1893. He entered the novitiate at Villanova on May 4, 1896 and made his profession the following year. Following his studies, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Edmund Prendergast at Villanova on January 19, 1901.
Father Viger’s first assignment was to the Province Mission Band with residence at Lawrence, Massachusetts. On June 15th of the same year, however, he assumed duties at Saint James Parish, Carthage, N.Y., where he had special care for the French-speaking who had settled there. Two years later he was called to Villanova, where he became Master of postulants at Saint Rita’s Hall. Eight months later he was appointed Master of both novices and professed with a dispensation from Rome for the office of Novice Master due to his age. At the start of the school year in the Fall of 1904, he also taught moral theology and liturgy. In 1906 he was elected a definitor of the Province. It was during his term of office as Master of Professsed that Corr Hall was built and first occupied in the spring of 1914.
Father Viger returned, feeling unwell, to Villanova on January 6, 1915, following a visit to his parents who had moved back to Montreal. He was diagnosed with typhoid fever and was rushed to Saint Joseph Hospital, Philadelphia. Though he was responding well to treatment and was preparing to return to Villanova, he died suddenly on Sunday, February 2, 1915 at 39 years of age.
His funeral Mass was celebrated on February 5, 1915, by his close friend, Father Francis Tourscher, O.S.A., with the Prior Povincial, Father Nicholas Murphy, O.S.A. preaching, after which he was buried in the Community Cemetery at Villanova.
Father Viger was mourned as an exceptional man, deeply spiritual, strong, wise, courteous and kind.
