SAINT PAUL UNIVERSITY: 150 YEARS
Founded 150 years ago the College of Bytown gave birth to the University of Ottawa and Saint Paul UniversityFor Saint Paul University, 1998-1999 has been a year of festivities and ceremonies to mark its 150th anniversary. On Sunday, April 18, four honorary doctorates were granted in a solemn ceremony at Sacred Heart Church, one of them to our Superior General, Fr Wilhelm STECKLING. The three other new doctors are Bro Andrew González, Ms. Marjorie Hodgson and Ms. Huguette Labelle. Bro González, a Filipino, is the President of the International Federation of Catholic Universities and former Secretary of State for Education, Culture and Sports in the government of the Philippines. Ms Marjorie Hodgson is a member of the Wets'uwet'en First Nation in British Columbia. She is a highly respected leader in the Aboriginal community and has worked for a long time with the Oblates in Western Canada. Ms Labelle is Chancellor of the University of Ottawa, with which Saint Paul University is federated. These four doctorates illustrate well the Canadian and international dimensions of the University.
First, the College of Bytown
The University has its origin in the foundation of the College of Bytown (the future Ottawa) in 1848 by Bishop GUIGUES and Fr TELMON. After much hesitation, finally overcome by the missionary daring of Bishop de Mazenod, the Oblates established themselves in Bytown, which then belonged to the diocese of Kingston. Bishop Phelan had been pastor there for a few months in 1842 before being appointed coadjutor of Kingston. Fr Telmon arrived as a pioneer on January 28, 1844 to a "mostly Irish" parish. The negotiations for setting up a bishopric in this town lasted for several years. Finally, on July 30, 1848, Bishop GUIGUES was ordained Bishop of Bytown in a cathedral that was only half completed. The new diocese had about 40,000 Catholics with only three stone churches and thirty or so wood structured chapels at its disposition.
There is a very long letter from Fr Telmon to the Founder, dated March 25, 1846, in which he writes "I have been placed in a very critical situation, in a post most difficult to fill, and then told: cope as best you can. That is what I have done. But I find this method a bit harsh...." In this letter, he alludes to plans for a college which "would be readily welcomed by the citizens and the Bishop; but it is not without difficulties, the most serious one being personnel." He makes an appeal: "Would you have some Irish oblates (that was the name for scholastics at the time) to teach English and the English-speaking children? .... Many of the fathers of these families who send their children to Montreal, and even further, often ask when the college will open...."
Fr Telmon then gives some news about the parish. "The town is growing every day. There are presently 7,000 souls of whom 5,000 are Catholics. I don't know what to tell you about the moral state and the improvement that has been made. I am told that things have changed considerably and that outsiders are quite impressed. For my part, I have had so many problems, and I see so many things that are still not right that I cannot content myself yet with administration and taking it easy. We can't get them to pay their pledges (for the construction of the church). Bytown has begun a bit like Rome did. The majority of our fellow citizens are no more commendable than were the founders of the eternal city, and I doubt very much that their descendants will ever become the first people of the world. If we could get our college established, the rebirth would be brought about more promptly...."
The college – very modest – was able to open September 26, 1848 with 35 boarders and 50 externs under the direction of Fr Edouard CHEVALIER, the future founder of Holy Angels parish in Buffalo, New York, who was only 25 years old at the time. The teaching body was made up of some novices, some Oblate Brothers and Fr DANDURAND, the first Canadian Oblate, whom Bishop Guigues had made his Vicar General and put in charge of the parish.
The decisive event for the future of the college was the arrival in 1853 of Fr Joseph-Henri TABARET (1828-1886), a 25 year old young French Oblate from the diocese of Grenoble. "He would become the soul of the undertaking for thirty years. It is he who would give the college its definitive orientation." "It can be said that he made the college and the University." These words of praise are from Fr Gaston CARRIÈRE, the historian of the Oblates in Canada. With the help of the French society for the Propagation of the Faith, Bishop Guigues bought a new piece of land and new buildings were opened in 1856, thus making expansion possible. Several works would later become attached to the college: the minor seminary, a school for adults and a night school, a primary school, the teacher training institute, the major seminary and the scholasticate.... By an agreement dated August 17, 1856 between Bishop Guigues and Bishop de Mazenod, the Bishop of Bytown ceded the property and buildings to the Oblates and Bishop de Mazenod "accepted to furnish a sufficient number of educated subjects capable of filling the posts at the above seminary and college."
Development continues
In 1854, Bytown changed its name to Ottawa. Three years later, Queen Victoria chose Ottawa as the capital of the "United Province of Canada." In 1867, it became the capital of the "Dominion of Canada."
An 1866 report by Fr Tabaret notes that the majority of the population being Protestant, "the salvation of a large number of souls is involved in the struggle" to maintain the college. He also speaks of the growing city and about bilingualism: "The institution's program offers all the classes of our nascent society a means of instruction in keeping with their needs, with the advantage – unique for these lands – of giving the children of British or French origin a perfect knowledge of two languages. This will make it easier for them to enter most careers, the use of French and English being almost always necessary for most jobs. This advantage gives real prestige to our college compared to many other places of education where the study of English and French has but a very secondary place. Here, each class is given in two languages, in French in the morning, in English in the evening."
Development was slow but continuous. We limit ourselves to noting but a few of its stages. In 1866, the College of Ottawa was elevated to university status by royal charter. In 1889, it became a Catholic University with faculties of theology and philosophy. In 1903, a fire destroyed the University's main building. The Faculty of Canon Law was created in 1929. Then in 1933, the revised civil charter was approved by the Ontario provincial legislature and the official name became the University of Ottawa. The Institute of Mission Studies was founded in 1948.... By 1965 the University had nine faculties, including one of medicine, and four schools. The number of "regular students" had reached 4,000.... Through it all the University has remained faithful to bilingualism. Fr Roger Guindon has published four volumes on the history of this fidelity. But as Etudes oblates says, the Oblates – especially the Province of Canada – could no longer carry the "burden" alone....
The year 1965 was a decisive one. Fr Roger GUINDON was the rector. The negotiations with the Province of Ontario which had been underway led to a provincial "act." "On July 1st, the institution heretofore designated as the 'University of Ottawa' becomes 'Saint Paul University,' while keeping its civil and canonical charters, that have governed it to this date. At the same time, the provincial government forms a new institution to be known as the 'University of Ottawa.' The two universities become a federated complex and, by mutual agreement, distribute between them existing faculties and schools."
Saint Paul University
Today, Saint Paul University consists of four faculties: the Faculty of Theology, the Faculty of Pastoral, Mission and Communication Studies, the Faculty of Canon Law, and the Faculty of Philosophy. We must also add the Center for Ministry Formation which offers "formation for lay ministries emerging in the practice of the Church," a Bachelor of Arts program in Christian Studies, and three other centres: Research Center in Religious History of Canada, the Center for Techno-Ethics, and the Center for Biblical Interpretation. Fr Dale SCHLITT is the present rector.
Here is a quotation from the Mission Statement "As a Catholic institution, Saint Paul University is dedicated primarily to an understanding and integration of Christian faith and life. It intends to pursue this task in a spirit of ecumenical openness and with a critical awareness of the forms of Christian life already existing or now emerging within modern cultures and societies." "As a bilingual institution, Saint Paul University wishes to contribute to the mutual understanding and enrichment of the English and French speaking communities, while remaining attentive to the cultural diversity of the country."
"As a center of higher learning, Saint Paul University intends, within the local, national and international academic community, to promote excellence in teaching, research, and professional formation. It endeavours as well to serve diverse Christian communities and socio-cultural organizations and, in collaboration with them, to try to meet the challenges presently confronting Church and society."
"Thus, by participating in the evangelizing mission of Christ, Saint Paul University hopes to contribute creatively to the humanization of society."
In his speech accepting the honorary doctorate, our Superior General asks the question: "What do I expect of a Catholic University community?" "My first consideration, he continued, can be expressed this way: Be true men and women of science! The second: that your academic and scientific learning breathe with the vision and values of faith. And the third: In your work, keep in mind the practical needs of the men and women involved in the mission of the Church." On this last point he said: "Would it not be possible for an institution like yours to help us Oblates understand the history of our missionary work, discover our past and our present objectives? Could it not help us interpret the signs of the times and elaborate new approaches for the future? I believe this is the kind of collaboration that men and women on mission expect of a Catholic University."
