FR. ROBERT MOOSBRUGGER, OMI

 1943-2004

Fr. Robert Moosbrugger, OMI, Provincial Treasurer of the United States Province, died suddenly on December 26, 2004, of a massive stroke.  He had been spending Christmas with his sister in Clearwater, FL, when he was stricken.

Father Moosbrugger, affectionately called “Moos” by his brother Oblates, was an important part of the team that saw the transition, in 1999, from the five former U.S. provinces to the new United States Province.  As Provincial Treasurer, he, along with Fr. Rufus Whitley, OMI (now General Treasurer), worked with attorneys and accountants to maneuver through the complicated steps of setting up a new province corporation and merging the assets of the former provinces.

Born in St. Paul Minnesota in 1943, he pronounced his first vows as a member of the former Central Province in 1967.  Ordained a priest in 1970, he completed his priestly formation at the International Scholasticate in Rome. He pursued further studies in Rome from 1971-73 and 1979-81, achieving a doctoral degree in Spiritual Theology.  His research thesis was on the spirituality of the Oblate Founder, St. Eugene de Mazenod.

He served on the formation staff at the Oblate House of Studies in Omaha, NE (1973-75) and at the West End Parish in Duluth, MN (1975-79).  From 1981-1985, he was Director of Planning for the Central Province.  In 1985, he became the founding superior of the Oblate House of Theology in Chicago, IL, a scholasticate community, where he served until 1994.  While in Chicago, he also taught Spiritual Theology at Catholic Theological Union. 

In 1994, he became the Treasurer of the Central U.S. Province until the new province was founded in 1999.  A member of the General Finance Committee, he was to have traveled to Rome next week for a meeting.

Tuesday, December 28, 5-8 p.m. Visitation at O’Halloran & Murphy Funeral Home at the corner of Snelling & Randolph.

Wednesday, December 29, at 10:00 a.m.: Eucharist at Holy Spirit Church.

Thursday, December 30, 5-8 p.m. Visitation at Renner’s Funeral Home.

Friday, December 31, 10 a.m.: Mass of Christian Burial at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows, with burial following the Mass at the Oblate cemetery.