A short Oblate History

History - Historical Dictionary

Richard, Jean-Marie

Born at Lyon (Rhône), January 18 1829.
Taking of the habit at Notre-Dame de l’Osier, February 13, 1850.
Oblation at Marseilles, February 17, 1851. (no. 299)
Ordination to the priesthood at Marseilles, June 26, 1853.
Dispensed from his vows, June 26, 1862.

Jean-Marie Richard was born at Lyon on January 18, 1829. He began his novitiate at Notre-Dame de l’Osier on February 13, 1850 and made his oblation in the presence of Father J. J. Lagier at Marseilles on February 17, 1851. In his letter to the General Council to present this brother for vows, Father Santoni, the novice master, wrote: “He has a deep prayer life, a rather solid virtue; he has given proof that cannot be doubted of the strongest attachment to his vocation because, although he is an only son, he left his parents and nobly resisted the most pressing pleading addressed to him.”

After two years of theological studies at the major seminary of Marseilles, he was ordained to the priesthood on June 26, 1853. According to his letters and those of Bishop de Mazenod, it really seems that he worked first in Aix from 1853-1856, then in the major seminary at Ajaccio in 1857-1858, at Notre-Dame de Cléry in 1858-1859 and once again at Aix in 1860-1861. Because of the “conflict” of which he was the source in the Aix community, he was sent as to teach at the church school of Vico in Corsica in 1860-1861. He was very soon a source of complaint for the superior there. In its June 26, 1862 session, the General Council decided to dispense him from his vows for the following reasons: “More serious complaints had been lodged against him a year ago. Out of compassion for his soul, he was not expelled. Subsequently, instead of conducting himself as an exemplary religious, he showed himself to be arrogant and impossible to deal with. Although nothing more can be attributed to him on this first charge, is there not sufficient grounds here to dispense him from his vows, consideration being given to the fact that he has become a burden on the Congregation because he can no longer be given ministry any place and his character renders him impossible to live with in a house of studies, consideration being given further to the fact that on a daily basis this individual could compromise the Congregation by his conduct that is as frivolous as it is thoughtless, consideration being given to the fact that this individual’s family has the means to support him..., the Council was inclined to granting a dispensation.”

Yvon Beaudoin, o.m.i.

Sources
Oblate General Archives in Rome. Oblation formula, February 17, 1851; a letter to Father Fabre (1853), three letters to Bishop de Mazenod (1855-1860), two to Father X (1862-1863)