Bishop Robert P. Deeley of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland will preside over a funeral service in Caribou on Tuesday, Oct. 10, for the Rev. Clement Thibodeau, whose body was found over the weekend in a wooded area in Hancock County.
The state medical examiner’s office positively identified the body on Tuesday. Thibodeau, a resident of Caribou, had been missing since July 15. A massive manhunt over the following weeks had come up empty, but on Saturday, Sept. 30, a man clearing trails near Upper Pistol Lake, south of Springfield, came upon the 85-year-old’s car near a remote, unimproved road, according to the Maine Warden Service. Wardens found the body a short distance away.
The “manner of death was not deemed suspicious,” according to a release from the warden service. Mark Belserene, spokesman for the state medical examiner’s office, said Wednesday that because of the condition of the body when it was found the exact cause of death could not be determined, but “there was no obvious trauma.”
The positive identification of Thibodeau caused both sadness and relief.
Rev. Clement Thibodeau’s vehicle shown where it was located Saturday morning near Upper Pistol Lake, Hancock County.
“Though relieved that the uncertainty following his disappearance has been resolved, we feel now a deep sense of loss,” Bishop Deeley wrote in statement. “On behalf of all of us, priests, deacons, religious, and faithful in the Diocese of Portland, I ask you to join in prayer for the eternal rest of Fr. Thibodeau and for the consolation of his family and friends.”
Bishop Deeley offered “sincere thanks” to the Maine Warden Service, Caribou Police Department, and “all those who searched tirelessly for Fr. Thibodeau in recent months.”
Hundreds of man hours had been dedicated in the search effort during the 77 days the retired priest was missing, including the state police issuing a Silver Alert, a notification informing media outlets throughout the state of any missing senior citizens who may have memory or cognitive issues.
The Maine Warden Service was able to highlight a 300-square mile area near Lee using cell-phone and GPS technology. However, the official search eventually was called after the area was thoroughly combed.
The Down East Emergency Medicine Institute continued the search, utilizing social media, drones, planes, and high resolution aerial photography to locate Thibodeau, but that too proved unsuccessful.
In August, hundreds gathered at the Sacred Heart Church in Caribou to pray for the priest’s well-being.
Thibodeau was last seen in Caribou a few days before he was reported missing in July.
Lynn Jones of Connor, Thibodeau’s niece, told the Bangor Daily News that Caribou police notified her and other family members of the body’s discovery Saturday afternoon.
“At least now we know that he’s going to be brought back home and buried properly, so we have closure there. But there’s still the not knowing what he was doing in that area,” Jones said Saturday night.
“That’s probably a question that we’re never going to get answered. Why was he down there? What was his need to be down there? Those are questions I’m always going to have,” she said.
Thibodeau’s parish assignments over the decades included St. Mary Catholic Church in Bangor, St. Mary’s in Eagle Lake, Notre Dame in Waterville and St. Joseph’s in Gardiner. He also spent 17 years as a teacher at St. Ignatius High School in Sanford and taught religious studies at Nason College in Springvale.
He retired in 2001 and moved back to the Caribou area where he grew up.
A reception of the body will begin at 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 9, at the Holy Rosary Church in Caribou. Visitation will continue until 5 p.m. when there will be an evening prayer. The wake and visitation then will continue until 7 p.m.
The Bishop will preside over the funeral Mass beginning at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 10, at the Holy Rosary Church, followed by the burial ceremony at the Sacred Heart Cemetery.
