Born: Valence (Drôme), France, January 11, 1837
Took the habit: N.-D. de l’Osier, September 27, 1856
Vows: Montolivet, February 17, 1858 (No.449)
Priestly ordination: Ottawa, May 1, 1864
Dispensed from vows: July 2, 1868
Died: West Boylston, Massachusetts, May 21, 1886.
Antoine Derbuel was born in Valence, France, on January 11, 1837. His parents were Jean Antoine Derbuel, a baker, and Virgine Barnaux. Antoine began his novitiate in Notre-Dame de l’Osier on September 27, 1856 and he took vows in Montolivet on February 17, 1858. In September 1858, Father Vandenberghe, novice master, wrote that “he has been constantly a model novice, full of piety, zeal and devotion .. he is somewhat lacking in maturity of judgement. He easily becomes anxious.”
As a scholastic he spent some months in the scholasticate of Montolivet in 1858, then in Notre-Dame de l’Osier at the end of 1858 and the beginning of 1959, because of poor health. He was then sent to Bytown (Ottawa) in October 1859 in the hope that his health would improve. In the Personnel Register of 1859, the note after his name says that “he is of ordinary physical appearance, big enough, strong enough, pale in colour. His character is uneasy and his conscience perplexed. He suffers on account of his family who are poor. Inclined to be melancholy. He left the scholasticate to go to Ottawa. He teaches in the college and until now he has not advanced in orders. He has a very vivid imagination and is easily carried away in exterior things to the extent of losing his self-control. Quite violent in his pride and somewhat passionate, a fault which he fails to control…”
After his ordination by Bishop Guigues on May 1, 1864, he taught in Ottawa College until the end of the school year 1867-1868. During the summer of 1866 he travelled to France without permission. Father Fabre received him paternally, examined his disposition, had him make a retreat and then sent him back to his mission. According to the periodical Missions OMI, he was prefect of discipline and director of studies in Ottawa College during 1868. During the summer he accompanied Bishop Guigues on his pastoral visits. In a letter written at the beginning of July to Father Fabre, he said that he had written to Cardinal Barnabò requesting to be dispensed from his vows. The reason he gave was that he had not entered the Oblates to teach in a college and that he had to help his family who were very poor. On that occasion he “declared his pretence to receive 3,000 francs from the Congregation by way of damages and interest” (general council minutes, July 20, 1868). His request was considered unreasonable because the Congregation had helped his family for several years.
Having received a dispensation from his vows, on July 2, 1868, Father Derbuel was pastor in Saint Joseph’s, Pittsfield, Massachusetts (1868-1870), then in West Boylston, Massachusetts, United States, 1870-1886). He died on May 21, 1886.
Yvon Beaudoin, o.m.i.
