Born at Hoscheid (Luxembourg), August 15, 1815
Taking of the habit at Notre-Dame de l’Osier, June 28, 1847
Oblation at Notre-Dame de l’Osier, July 10, 1848 (no. 198)
Dismissed with a dispensation, August 12, 1849.

Mathias Michels was born at Hoscheid which, at the time, was part of the diocese of Namur, August 15, 1815. He entered the novitiate of Notre-Dame de l’Osier on June 28, 1847 and made his oblation there on July 10, 1848. After one year as a scholastic brother at the major seminary of Marseilles, he was dismissed from the Congregation. In the report of the August 12, 1849 session of the General Council, we read: “This young man, more than thirty years of age, according to his own recent admission rejected from his seminary as unsuited for parish ministry, was substantially in debt when he came to the novitiate. In addition to that, he was a cause of concern for his novice master because of his entirely secretive and underhanded character. In the wake of a rather dramatic change of heart which we thought we saw in him during the last months of his period of probation, [at the major seminary of Marseilles] he was admitted to oblation. This brother soon revealed that, not only would he be of no benefit, he would be harmful to us…”

Yvon Beaudoin, o.m.i.