The Irish standard., 1888-06-23

was the opening that served for a doo1
way, and that, not infrequentlY, he wa
obliged to lower into the grave wit
his own hands the bodies of the dead
| These early 0blate missionaries fire
quently crossed the Canadian line t.
pursue their evangelical labors in tn
United States, along the lines or ou
northern boundary, and as early as 1876:
the society sent band of twenty two
laborers from France to Texas. To-da,
the Oblates have several establishment t;
in this country, the best known ot
which, to New Englanders at least, are
those at Lowell, in this state, where the
order has charge of the churches OF the
Immaculate Conception. St. Joseph and
the Sacred Heart. Out at TewsburY, a
place that enjoys national reputation
now, there is also the Ohlate novitiate
Of the United States province, over
which Rev. E. Emery, .. M. L., presides
as superior. at the immaculate Con-
ception, in Lowell, is generally to be
found the very reverend provincial of
the order in this country, Father James
McGrath, o. NJ. l., who is one of the
foremost clergymen in the land, and a
very effective speaker. The Oblates
who are attached to this church preach
missions frequently throughout New
England, and the names of Fathers
Christopher Smith. Joyce, Burns, Bar
rett and Fitzpatrick are we'll known to
the Catholics of this section Of the
country. The Oblates connected with
ST. Joseph's Church, in the Spindle
City, are all Frenchmen, who are often
called upon to give missions in the
many French Canadian parishes that
are to be found in the eastern states
There is another community of French
Oblates at Pittsburg, n. Y, in the
diocese Of Ogdensburg, the superior Of
which is Rev. A. A. AmYot, and the
members of which find frequent occu-
patton in preaching missions to the
manv French Canadian Catholics to be
found in northern New York and in the
nelghboring state Of Vermont.
Out in Oregon and California, where
they once did excellent work as mis-"
sionaries, the Oblates have retired in
favor of the Fathers Of the Society ct
Jesus, who, with the Benedictines con-
troll most Of the Catholic Indian mis-
sions in that section of the country.
They still retain their places in Texas,
however, where they have pastoral
charge of ST. Mary's Church in San
Antonio, TO which are attached Rev.
Fathers Moloney and Smith while a
community of French Oblates islocated
at Eagle Pass, in Maverick county.
Here in this Boston archdiocese the
Oblate's attend the almsbouse at
Tewksbury, and they also have pastoral
charge Of Billeuca. Their greatest
strength in America, however. lies in
Canada, though under the wise juris
diction of Very Rev, Provincial Nc
Grath, the order is progressing favor
ably in this country, where, in the course
Of a few years it will doubtless be much
better represented than it Is at the pres
ent time. That it's missionary labors in
Canada are duly appreciated by the
Catholics of this country was amply
proven during the recent visit which
Bishop Grandin of st. Albert and his
yicar~general, Very Rev. Father LA.
conbe, paid this country in search of
aid for their diocese. Everywhere
these distinguished Oblates went, they
were given a cordial welcome, and the
American bishops to whom they ap-
Piled for permission to collect in their
sees, willingly accorded them that favor,
so that the Oblate mission of the Can
adian northwest doubtless prodted
handsomely by the visit to the United
States of Bishop Grand1n and his COM
panion.
Vicar. General Lacornbe proved him
self quite an effective preacher during
his American tour, and his eloquent
descriptions of missionary life in Can
ada contributed in no small measure to
the financial success Of Bishop Gran
din's visit 10 this country.
Outside of Canada, the north western
section of which land may be said to be
one vast Oblate mission, this order
finds its greatest missionary field in
Ceylon, out in India, where tbs actively
engaged in preaching Christianity to
the followers of Brabma, Buddha and
Mohammed. And the Oblates are
meeting with signal success, too, in
that farawav country, whare they have
charge of two vicariates, one at Co.
lombo, and the other at Jafna. In the
former district they have upwards of
$50 schools, which are attended by about
$4,000 pupils, while at the latter some
5000 scholars are being educated in 120
schools. The Ob!ates. also, in conjunc'
ton with the Franciscans and Lazarists,
are doing excellent missionary work in
Africa, though their strength there is
not as great as in Ceylon, where. ac-