Author Archives: franksantucci

It is important to bear in mind why the Founder sent Oblates to the British Isles. He had three motives: 1/ to cooperate with the Catholic revival in England by bringing back to the Catholic Church those who had abandoned … Continue reading →

As opposed to the letters regarding the first years in Canada, not much of the correspondence between the Founder and the Oblates in England and Ireland has survived. It is a pity because the Oblate missionaries were zealous and hard-working … Continue reading →

The group of Missionaries in Canada had become victims of criticism and negative judgement within the community and gossip outside. Eugene denounces how this bad example had affected vocations to join the community. Join together all of you to eradicate … Continue reading →

Now that a promising new mission was about to be established in Bytown, Eugene strongly urges that the members of the community work at unity among themselves. It was this bad example of disunity, amplified mainly by Father Baudrand’s verbal … Continue reading →

Eugene had desired that some Oblates be permitted to establish themselves to work in the Diocese of Quebec, but the Archbishop had not been open to the idea. Now there had been a change of heart and he had allowed … Continue reading →

Father Baudrand had repented of his wrong behavior – the most serious being that he had openly gossiped to many about the internal difficulties that the Oblate community was experiencing in Montreal. Eugene realized that one of the major consequences … Continue reading →

Father Jean Baudrand was 30 years old when he was sent to Canada in 1841 as part of the first group of Oblates. He was a good preacher, but had a hyper-critical spirit. In a September 20, 1842 entry in … Continue reading →

Before our Christmas break. we had seen how Eugene’s lifelong friend, Charles Forbin de Janson, had died. Eugene had presided at his funeral and wrote in his diary: This morning, I went to say my last adieux to my old … Continue reading →

The full impact and importance of the foundation we are celebrating can only be appreciated if we look at the bigger picture. Eugene was convinced that the 6 men coming together in the foundation room were doing so in response … Continue reading →

Not all approached by Eugene to join him on 25 January 2016 had the same sentiments as Henri Tempier. In this letter to his friend, Forbin Janson, Eugene gives vent to his feelings in a frank, and rather humorous, description … Continue reading →