The Congregation
The Oblates in the West Website tells an important story in the exploration and settlement of Western Canada. Articles document the history of the Missionary Oblates over a period of 100 years and their impact on Western Canadian Society. In this part of the website, the user will find general information about the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, their foundation by Eugène de Mazenod in France, their arrival in Canada, their movement West, their missions in Alberta, and the order as it currently stands.
The Congregation in France
This first section highlights the foundation of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (initially called the Societé de Missionaires de Provence) by a nobleman, Eugène de Mazenod, in post-revolutionary France. It explains the impetus for the Congregation’s foundation, the objectives of the Congregation and touches on the early works of the Congregation in Provence.
Arrival in Canada
This section discusses Bishop of Montreal Ignace Bourget’s appeal to the Oblates of Mary Immaculate to send missionaries to his diocese in order to evangelize Aboriginals and neglected Catholics in the impoverished townships. This section includes an account of the arrival of the Oblates in Montreal, and the expansion of their missions into the dioceses of Québec and Kingston, in Lower and Upper Canada.
Movement West
This section describes the Oblates’ arrival at St. Boniface in Red River at the call of Bishop Norbert Provencher to aid in missionary work among the Métis and Saulteaux Aboriginals in the West. This section provides and overview of the spread of the Oblates to the North and West of Canada, and the missions in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, and the North.
The Congregation in Alberta
This section focused on the Oblate missions in the territory that would become Alberta, at Lac Ste. Anne, Fort Chipewyan, St. Albert, Lac La Biche, and many other locations around the province.
The Congregation Today
This section addresses the state of the Oblate of Mary Immaculate today including not only their current missions within Canada such as the Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples in Edmonton but also their work worldwide.
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This project has been supported in part by the Canada-Alberta Agreement on French-language Services; the opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the Governments of Canada or Alberta.
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