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Buffalo, Minnesota: Oblates Celebrate 190^th Birthday

On January 25, 1816, young Monsieur l’Abbé Eugène de Mazenod and his first companions in ministry, Monsieur l’Abbé Henri Tempier and probably Monsieur l’Abbé Icard, moved into their quarters in a former Carmelite monastery to begin an adventure.  Responding to the call they felt from Christ himself to preach the gospel to the poor of Provence in Southern France, they were the first Missionaries of Provence.  Ten years later, the Holy Father would call them by a new name: Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

To celebrate the 190^th birthday of our Congregation, the Oblates at Christ the King Retreat Centre in Buffalo, Minnesota, celebrated with a French-inspired menu prepared by the resident Oblate “chef extraordinaire,” Fr. Jack Lau, OMI: homemade brioche and tourtier. They listened to an account of how our founding fathers spent that first night in a smoky upper room and reflected on how charity calls us beyond the structures of the day to meet people where they are at.

On January 24, 1831, the Founder wrote to Father Mille and the novices and scholastics at Billens: "Tomorrow I celebrate the anniversary of the day, sixteen years ago, I left my mother's house to go and set up house at the Mission. Father Tempier had taken possession of it some days before. Our lodging had none of the splendor of the mansion at Billens... My camp-bed was placed in the small passageway which leads to the library; it was then a large room used as a bedroom for Father Tempier and one other... It was also our community room. One lamp was all our lighting and, when it was time for bed, it was placed in the doorway to give light to all three of us. The table that adorned our refectory was one plank laid alongside another, on top of two old barrels. We have never enjoyed the blessing of such poverty since the time we took the vow."