At the age of 26, Pampalon found out that he had tuberculosis. During this time he stayed devoted to God, moving back to Quebec to be a priest there. While dying from tuberculosis he gave communion, baptized people, and heard confessions. Before his death he was in constant pain, and would spend his days in prayer. The night before he priest died, he said in a soft voice "O death..., O holy death..., come..., do come! O divine Savior..., my hope is in your merits... I am happy... to suffer for you! I want to go to Heaven... to see you and Mary," After this he got up and sang the Magnificat in a loud voice. He has become known as the "Hail Mary Saint" because of this.