Alain Pinet was born in Liège, Belgium, on 23 June 1959, to a family that raised him with great care and attention. He himself said, "Most of my education was taken care of by my grandmother (from whom I took my middle name). From her I received the gift of deep faith, of joy, as well as love of the Rosary and of prayer, of fidelity to the end. From my mother I received the virtue of love, strength, perseverance. From my aunt, I received the virtue of gentleness, listening... From my father, I received the gift of being able to face great challenges, to prepare myself to do things well and not to be afraid of anything."
He made his novitiate at Woluwe-Saint-Lambert in Brussels in 1979 and made his first profession on 30 August 1980. Perpetually professed since 1986 and ordained priest in his hometown on 23 June 1990, he spent his early years of apostolic activity in his country, before leaving as a missionary, his deep desire, for the Salesian mission in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
"I remember him as a very active, lively, cheerful young man who knew how to animate the group and had a positive influence on everyone," recalls Fr Morand Wirth, a professor at the Pontifical Salesian University, who was his formator in the postnovitiate. And already at that time he clearly perceived a missionary vocation within his Salesian vocation."
“I met Fr Alain when I had just entered the Salesian aspirantate. He was a cheerful and talkative person, who smiled a lot and was always willing to share his feelings and stories with others. I did not know the Salesian environment and he accompanied me and chatted often, helping me to discern my Salesian vocation. His willingness to share remained in my heart and made me want to embrace the Salesian charism, " recalls Fr Carlos Cheung, today Formaton Delegate in the Mary Help of Christians Province based in Hong Kong (CIN).
"He asked for years to be sent as a missionary to China and came to us in 1993, the first missionary of the new generation of bold witnesses of the Gospel in these lands" says Fr Lanfranco Fedrigotti, Rector of the Provincial House in CIN. Of Fr Pinet he again underlines "the indomitable faith and courage" manifested in over twenty years of service to Chinese youth, as well as "fervent prayer, rock-solid hope, and his tireless struggle" in the time of illness.
Also from the house in Hong Kong, Fr Roberto Tonetto reports: "I still have in view the great delicacy of your service... For him I have nothing but words of admiration and thanks. I am sure that Fr Alain is in Heaven: illness united him to Jesus on the cross and his acceptance of Faith, always positive, was his response."
Another message of condolence came from theProvincial of France and Southern Belgium, Fr Daniel Federspiel: "He is a person that I have always personally appreciated since his earliest years in the Congregation (we are of the same generation) and during his visits to Belgium and the Province."
From Salesian Headquarters the Rector of the Community, Fr Francesco Marcoccio, added, "We thank the Lord for his shining example of faith and hope, for his fraternal presence among us, for his service and his desire to live the Salesian life".
Fr Jose Joseph, from the Economer General's Officel, got to know Fr Pinet while both were attending the Italian course: "I remember Fr Alain as a man of joy and faith, very friendly and willing. He enjoyed community life and we knew him as an ‘always happy man’. He always reminded me that we are never alone and, on the contrary, when we celebrated our first Masses in Italian he told me: ‘Jesus, Mary and all the saints are around us’".
The Director of ANS, Fr HarrisPakkam, says, "He never complained about anything, even in the most painful moments, and said that illness was an opportunity to suffer a little with Jesus. He always brought joy to everyone: as soon as he entered the hospital he had to spend almost two days on a waiting stretcher, without even a pillow, but instead of complaining he had formed a group of people around him to whom he conveyed good humour. And another time he animated celebrations for a patient, a roommate, who was celebrating his birthday. He was a sensitive and generous person and loved China and everything that reminded him of it: he also celebrated the Lunar New Year, and always wanted to eat with chopsticks... ".
“He was a witness of the crucified Christ among us. We often found him in the chapel meditating with his eyes fixed on Christ. He knew the seriousness of his illness, and he knew how to abandon himself to the mystery of the risen Christ every day he fought cancer. He said that if he was cured he would want to teach hymns in to the Sacred Heart and to Mary in French to the confreres of the community. Now I am sure that he is singing the hymn of Eternal Glory with the Risen Christ, with the angels and saints, " said Fr Gildasio Mendes, General Councillor for Social Communication.
The final thought about Fr Pinet was expressed by Card. Á.F. Artime. Presiding over the funeral he also remarked on the testimony of joyful Salesian life and the suffering lived in union with Christ, and for this reason, trusting in the fidelity of God the Father, he said he was certain of the presence of Fr Pinet in our Garden in Heaven.
