Author Archives: franksantucci

A month later, after intense prayer and consultations, Eugene came to a peaceful conclusion to stop worrying about the nomination of Fr Guigues to be the first bishop of Bytown, and to leave it all in God’s hands. Writing to … Continue reading →

In his concern for the welfare of his Oblates in North America and their fear of losing the highly effective leadership of Bruno Guigues, Eugene pleads with the Bishop of Montreal to reconsider the situation of requesting the Pope to … Continue reading →

A few weeks later, a troubled Eugene wrote to Bishop Bourget of Montreal, revoking his permission to proceed with the application to the Vatican for Fr Guigues to be appointed bishop. It was the result of a letter from the … Continue reading →

The news of the possible appointment of Bruno Guigues as the first Bishop of Bytown (today the city of Ottawa) caused a quandary for Eugene. At first this news plunged me into great perplexity. If I saw on the one … Continue reading →

I have dealt at length with the adventures of Father Leonard on his recruitment campaign because it makes an interesting page of our Family history. The campaign concluded in March 1848 when Fr Tempier ran out of money to take … Continue reading →

Father Yvon Beaudoin takes up the narration on Father Leonard’s recruiting successes: “From 1841 to 1847 there were 115 men began the novitiate at Notre-Dame de l’Osier and a similar number in 1847 and 1848. Father Léonard’s preaching tour was … Continue reading →

Two months later, some of the Oblates began to put pressure on Eugene to curb Father Leonard’s recruitment campaign They were practical older Oblates who realized the impossibility of feeding, housing and educating a never-ending supply of new recruits. This … Continue reading →

Father Leonard’s vocational recruiting campaign was bringing in so many responses that a second novitiate eventually had to be opened in Nancy, with the possibility of a third in Belgium. As wonderful as all this was, it also led to … Continue reading →

After just a few months of his whirlwind tour to some of the diocesan seminaries, Father Leonard was already convincing several young men to sign up for religious life and the Oblate missions. Eugene wrote enthusiastically: Dear Father Leonard, what … Continue reading →

A few weeks after the arrival of Fr Leonard on his vocational recruitment drive in France, Eugene wrote to Fr Pierre Aubert in Oregon: Father Leonard was sent to Europe simply to make recruits. Your America is expanding so much … Continue reading →