Oblate presence: 1873-1877

Location: Capital of the State of Minnesota, United States

Letter dated July 3, 1873 (St. Paul, Minnesota) from Father Eugène Gauvin, OMI? “[…] It was in the evening of May 23rd that we made our entry into St. Paul and our new church and the charming little cottage that serves as a presbytery. Alas! In what a sad state did we find the people and the place…. That very evening, we were very well received at the bishopric by Bishop Grace, his Grand Vicar and his Secretary. Many Canadians from the city came to greet us expressing their joy and happiness. Despite the fatigue of a journey of several days and nights, it was necessary to follow them to the church, to the presbytery and to answer many questions suggested by their legitimate desires to know if things were to our liking. We were careful not to say otherwise. For the first three days, we lodged at the bishop’s house as the rectory was not yet equipped with the necessary things. Finally, on the third day in the evening, with old Kate, our housekeeper, – a true Irishwoman, purebred Irish – we took possession of our priests’ home; Father Lauzon and I sat around a round table, with only bread and butter to honor it, swallowed down with several cups of excellent tea. The meal was delicious with hunger and cheerfulness.

On Sunday the 25th, I sang the Mass and preached. Our Canadians were admirable in their attention. We had their sympathy. After Mass, it was no surprise to be greeted by acquaintances from Montreal, Quebec City, Burlington and Plattsburg. I wasn’t in a foreign country. After shaking hands over and over again, we had to give them news of our people in Québec and St-Sauveur and Plattsburg. If I had wanted to listen to them, we would all have deprived ourselves of our dinner, as the pleasure of seeing each other was great and sincere.”

This is how the first two Oblates were welcomed at St. Louis Church in St. Paul, Minnesota.

The letter of Institution of St. Paul’s House, Minnesota, was signed by Father Joseph-Eugène Antoine, Provincial of the Eastern Province of Canada, on June 5, 1875.

Father Lebret wrote the following letter (to the Provincial, it seems) from St. Paul, Minnesota on May 15, 1877: “I received your letter this morning […] As you told me, I showed it to Father Therrien. He came here today, a Canadian priest from Ogdenburg. After dinner, he asked me to accompany him to Mgr. I told Father Ther. to go in order to give His Grace an opportunity to call for me. They didn’t tell him anything.

When I saw this, instead of waiting until tomorrow, I went immediately. I found Mgr in a charming mood. After talking about this and that, he told me that he had received a letter from you and gave it to me to read. I read it as if I didn’t have a copy in my pocket. His face then changed a little and he looked sad. He told me that he was very sorry to see us leave, but that what we were asking for was impossible. He then repeated to me what he had already told me several times, that the Canadian congregation would be lost, that there would no longer be a parish, etc… etc. After that, he talked about the St. Louis property; how much it would be worth in a few years, etc. He said that his intention in buying this property at such a great sacrifice, was to change the place of the church and move it somewhere where it would be of lesser value, and to sell the current site…. Yes, he said, but you wanted to move it to St. Joseph’s side!!!!

So that’s our fault. If we had moved it somewhere else, he would have let us do it. Finally, His Grace took comfort in saying that, in July, he would ordain five new priests. I am going to see Mr. Dufresne and Mr. Olivier tonight, but I really think it is unnecessary and it is better that the Canadians do not take any action.”

In another letter dated May 30, 1877, Father Lebret wrote that the official announcement of the departure of the Oblates from St. Louis in Minnesota had been made the previous Sunday in both churches; a real lightning bolt, he says. There were assemblies and delegations to His Grace. Everything was useless. The Oblates left by train for Montreal on June 5 at 10 a.m.

Eugène Lapointe, OMI