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num. 377 - March 1999
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Index: |
The Oblates in the United States now one Province
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THE OBLATES IN THE UNITED STATES NOW ONE PROVINCE February 10 the five "old" Oblate Provinces in the United States became one single Province. Fr David Kalert is the Provincial. He was appointed to this office in May 1998. The headquarters of the new Province are located at the former Oblate College property, at 391 Michigan Avenue, N.E., Washington DC, 20017.
The inaugural celebration originally planned for February 17, which was Ash Wednesday, was moved up to February 10. It was held in Washington in the presence of Fr Wilhelm Steckling, Superior General. Oblates gathered in each of the Province's six areas to reflect and share on the theme of mission using videotaped reflections by Fr Richard Cote based on his book, Re-Visioning Mission: The Catholic Church and Culture in Postmodern America. The inauguration ceremony was shared simultaneously by all the areas through a live audio hook-up with the Superior General presiding and installing the new area Superiors by telephone.
The new U.S. Province has a total of 565 members: 481 priests, 40 brothers and 44 scholastics. These numbers include the members in the various Delegations and Missions dependent on the Province. The Alaska Mission is part of the United States Region. The Recife Delegation (Brazil), the Missions of Puerto Rico and Baja California in Mexico are in the Latin American Region. The Zambia Delegation is part of the Africa-Madagascar Region, and the Tahiti Mission (French Polynesia) belongs to the Region of Asia-Oceania.
By a decision of the recent General Chapter the Province of the United States alone constitutes a Region. If the members belonging to the Province's Delegations and Missions located in other Regions are deducted, the total number of Oblates in the U.S. Region are 503: 455 priests, 35 brothers and 13 scholastics.
The United States Province has been divided into six areas. The Northeast Area takes in the 133 Oblates residing in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York. The Southeast Area includes the 58 Oblates in Florida, Louisiana, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The 119 Oblates in Texas make up the Southwest Area. The North Central Area is formed by the 42 Oblates in Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. The 66 Oblates in Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri and Ohio form the South Central Area, and the 62 Oblates residing in Alaska, California, Oregon, Washington, as well as those in Baja California in Mexico the Pacific Area.
The Provincial is assisted by a Vicar Provincial, Fr Charles Banks, who is also Personnel Director, and two Councillors-at-large, Frs David Ullrich, who is mainly responsible for mission at home and abroad, and Henry Lemoncelli, who holds the vocations and formation portfolio. Together with the Area Superiors they form the Provincial's Council. The Area Superiors are Frs Arthur Obin (Northeast), Richard Sudlik (Southeast), Joseph Hitpas (North Central), Allen Maes (South Central), Salvatore De George (Southwest) and Jose Arong (Pacific). The scholastics have been regrouped at the two scholasticates in San Antonio and Chicago. The novitiate, which is in Godfrey, Illinois, also receives English speaking novices from Canada. The future sites for pre-novitiates are still under study.
We might note that three Oblates are bishops in the United States: Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, Michael Pfeifer of San Angelo (Texas), and Roger Schwietz of Duluth (Minnesota). Abroad, Paul Duffy is Bishop of Mongu in Zambia, and Philip Smith is Archbishop emeritus of Cotabato, Philippines.
The journey to unification
It is still too early to detail the journey to unification. Each community, and even each Oblate, will have to tell how they lived through the hopes, hesitations and decisions that marked the long series of consultations. Already in 1968, a joint novitiate was opened at Godfrey. In 1972, the General Chapter established Regions, and the United States Provinces constituted one of them. From that time, the OCUS (Oblate Conference of the United States) and its secretariat, encouraged by the active support of the General Councillor for the United States, promoted and developed ways of working together.
In October 1993, the Communiqué from the General Council made the first mention of "an ongoing reflection on restructuring in order to consolidate...." The joint session of the General Council and the "Oblate leadership" of the Region at Waltham MA (Nov. '94) gave a decisive impetus to the project. We quote the Communiqué: "We experienced the Oblate presence in the United States as dynamic, collaborative, effective and missionary." After speaking of "an openness to more sharing and greater unity," the document declares: "We are impressed by your ability to function as a body in a truly corporate way, continue to move in this direction." In the May 1996 Communiqué the expression "unify into one single Province" appears for the first time, and the project continued to be nurtured locally.
The November 1997 Communiqué summarized the various steps leading up to the final decision: "Monday, November 3, 1997, will be remembered by the Oblates of the United States as an historic day! During the afternoon session, the General and Council unanimously approved a request from the Oblate Conference of the United States (OCUS) to restructure the five existing Provinces into a single new Province of the United States." In a letter to the Oblates in the Region the Superior General wrote: "It is with great hope that I officially announce the restructuring of our missionary presence in the United States into one single Province. This is indeed a very important event for the whole Congregation. Along with the members of the General Council, I want to compliment you on what you have achieved thus far in your journey towards unification, and I urge you to continue to move together with generosity through the next stages of its realization."
Landmarks of Oblate history in the U.S.
| 1808-1811 | at the Saint-Sulpice seminary in Paris Eugene de Mazenod has contact with several U.S. bishops who came to France seeking help. | | 1831 | Letter from Fr Guibert to the Founder: "What a shame that a clergy with 36,000 priests (France) cannot give even one missionary for the Catholics in the UnitedStates! It is worthy of our society to erase this shame by responding to the plans God has for it in these times...." (October 17). | | 1841 | First Oblates leave for Canada. | | 1842 | Oblates preach their first mission in the U.S. at Corbeau, near Champlain NY. | | 1843 | "The United States will become Catholic through the Canadians and the Irish...." (Honorat to Bishopde Mazenod, May 25). | | 1847 | Oblates make a foundation in Oregon. | | 1849 | - first Oblate establishment in Texas (Brownsville);
- plans for a foundation in California (never implemented). | | 1850 | General Chapter divides the Congregation into Provinces and Vicariats. The Oregon Vicariat is the first Oblate unit in the U.S. | | 1851 | Oblates arrive at Holy Angels parish, Buffalo NY. | | 1860 | Bishop de Mazenod to Bishop Taché: "Bishop Grandin must have told you how opportune I deem your plan to found in the Diocese of Saint Paul...." (April17). | | 1868 | foundation in Lowell for French Canadian immigrants. | | 1881 | first vows of the first U.S. Oblate, Fr Charles Alfred PAQUETTE (1858-1925) from Ogdensburg NY. | | 1883 | creation of the Province of the United States with houses at Buffalo, Plattsburgh, Lowell, Brownsville, Rio Grande City, Roma and Agualeguas in Mexico. FrJames MCGRATH, a native of Ireland, was the first Provincial.
- A novitiate is opened at Tewksbury. | | 1904 | two Provinces in the United States. The First Province included everything except the southern and western States, mainly Texas, which made up the Second Province. | | c1916 | German Oblates from Manitoba and Alberta-Saskatchewan begin working in the Middle West. | | 1921 | creation of the Vice Province of Saint John the Baptist of Lowell which, as an "exception to the traditional rule" ofterritorial Provinces, grouped together all the French language works. | | 1924 | creation of the Vice Province of St. Henry of Belleville which brought together the Oblates dispersed throughout the region, who were mostly of German origin. | | 1932 | Fr LABOURÉ, Provincial of the Second U.S. Province, a Frenchman, is elected Superior General. | | 1939 | Mission in the Philippines begun. | | 1943 | - Oblates return to Mexico.
- founding of the mission in Haiti. | | 1945 | foundation of the mission in Brazil (S‹o Paulo). | | 1948 | foundation of the mission in Japan. | | 1953 | - Fr John WALSH is elected Assistant General (the first American Assistant General).
- United States Western Vice Province established. | | 1958 | foundation of the Denmark-Greenland mission. | | 1963 | foundation of the Recife mission (Brazil). | | 1971 | foundation of the Mexicali mission (Mexico). | | 1972 | Fr Richard HANLEY elected Superior General. | | 1977 | foundation of the mission in Tahiti. | | 1979 | foundation of the mission in Puerto Rico. | | 1984 | foundation of the mission in Zambia. | | 1988 | foundation of the mission in Alaska. | | 1997 | Francis George appointed Archbishop of Chicago and in 1998, Cardinal. | | 1999 | creation of the new Province of the United States. |
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