The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate invite the faithful of the Archdiocese of Edmonton to join them in a moment of profound thanksgiving and renewal as they celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Approbation of their Constitutions and Rules.
This historic milestone will be marked locally with a special Oblate 200th Anniversary Mass on February 17 at 6:30 p.m. at St. Albert Parish, featuring the renewal of Oblate religious vows and the commitments of Oblate Associates.
Read more: Oblates continue a lifetime of mission through prayer and presence
The anniversary recalls a decisive moment in the life of the Church, when papal approval was granted to the Constitutions and Rules of the Oblates, giving universal recognition to the missionary congregation founded in 1816 in Aix-en-Provence, France, by St. Eugene de Mazenod. What began as a small community of priests dedicated to preaching the Gospel to the poor has, over two centuries, grown into a worldwide missionary family serving on the frontiers of faith.
This missionary spirit has been deeply woven into the history of the Church in Western Canada. The Oblates arrived in Montreal in 1841 and soon moved westward—to Ottawa, St. Boniface, and eventually to what is now Alberta. Their presence shaped not only parish life, but also the very foundations of the local Church.
Among the most beloved figures in this history is Father Albert Lacombe, OMI, one of the earliest Oblate missionaries in the West. In 1857, he built a chapel within Fort Edmonton, and in 1861 he founded the St. Albert mission settlement, constructing a log chapel to serve the Cree and Métis peoples. Today, Father Lacombe Chapel, the oldest building in Alberta, stands as a Provincial Heritage Site and a testament to missionary faith and perseverance.
The leadership of the Oblates also guided the Church’s growth across vast territories. In 1871, the Diocese of St. Albert was established, with Bishop Vital Grandin, OMI, as its first bishop, shepherding an immense region that included present-day Alberta, Saskatchewan, and the Northwest Territories.
On Nov. 30, 1912, the diocese was elevated to the Archdiocese of Edmonton, while its southern portion became the Diocese of Calgary. Archbishop Emile Legal, OMI, was appointed as Edmonton’s first archbishop.
Today, the Oblates continue their mission in the Archdiocese of Edmonton through a variety of ministries. They serve at St. Albert Parish, in Indigenous ministry at Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples in Edmonton, and in pastoral outreach to Lac Ste. Anne, Enoch, Alexander, Alexis, Paul, and Maskwacis communities. They also offer retreat, renewal, and reconciliation ministry at Star of the North Retreat House in St. Albert, accompanying individuals and communities on their spiritual journeys.
At the heart of Oblate life is a clear and enduring charism, rooted in the words of Christ: “He has sent me to bring the Good News to the poor.” Evangelizing the poor—and allowing themselves to be evangelized by those they serve—remains central to the Oblate mission.
The Feb. 17 Anniversary Mass will be a visible sign of this living charism. Through the renewal of religious vows by Oblates and the recommitment of Oblate Associates, the celebration points not only to the past, but to a future filled with hope.
Together with the Archdiocese of Edmonton, the Oblates look ahead with a renewed missionary spirit—committed to reconciliation, attentive to the cries of the poor, and confident that the Lord continues to call men and women to missionary discipleship in the Church today.
This article is based on an interview with Fr. Andrew Stendzina, Provincial Superior of the OMI Lacombe Canada Province.
