The Beginning of the Mission in Canada
On December 2, 1841, Fr. Jean-Baptiste Honorat, together with four other Oblates, arrived at the house of Bishop Bourget in Montreal. Thus began the presence of the Congregation in Canada. From there in just a few years, the Oblates travelled across all of North America settling in western Canada in 1845, on the Pacific coast in 1847, in Texas and northern Mexico in 1849-52, on the banks of the Mackenzie and the Arctic Ocean from 1858 on.
In the letter of Obedience to Fr. Honorat St. Eugene wrote:
God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who has chosen and predestined us for the praise of the glory of his grace, has established us so that we may go and gather fruit and our fruit may remain. You know that from the moment the Father sent us, his little flock, at the last hour to work in his vineyard, we returned from our modest labours with abundant fruit; that on beginning to proclaim his Word, God accomplished great things through us though unworthy and that many were the wayward brought back to the right path as we went through the regions about us to seek sheep in peril. But here is a road that leads afar and a field more vast that unfolds. A gateway is wide open to us. We are now sent not only to those who are close and who are brothers in the faith but to others who are far afield and outside the faith, we who, being so few, were unequal to the task of gathering the abundant harvest lying before us.
Wherefore the Illustrious and most Reverend Lord Ignace Bourget, Bishop of Montreal in Lower Canada in the province of North America, while on his way to Rome to perform his duty ad limina apostolorum and pausing to visit our house, confided to us that he wished to take some members of our Society to his diocese. At first surprised by his quite spontaneous proposal, then welcoming it truly as pleasing to God, we have consented wholeheartedly to send four priests of the Congregation.
Wherefore we choose first yourself, Rev. Fr. Honorat (Jean-Baptiste), fourth of our assistants, for this work with Rev. Frs. Pierre Antoine Adrien Telmon, Jean Fleury Baudrand and Lucien Lagier. We grant you herewith faculties and rights according to the laws of our Institute for constituting a house of our Congregation in whatever place of his diocese the said Prelate wills; he, being solely appointed by the Supreme Pastor to feed his flock, will send you likewise when and where he wills to exercise your ministry under his full and in every way entire authority. Above all, however, not only do we prescribe that you revere him as your Lord; we exhort you also to love him as a father, him in whom we have perceived so great a piety and such excellent merit and of whom also, if you conduct yourselves worthily, you will experience, we promise you, love and benevolence. […]
For the rest, brothers, take comfort in the Lord and in the might of His power. Put on the armour of God, hold yourselves erect, loins girded with truth, wearing the breastplate of justice and your feet shod in readiness to evangelize; so that the Lord may help you to announce the Word mightily, to withdraw from sin the sons of the Church and lead them to holiness; and that He may open your mouth to make known with assurance the mystery of the Gospel to those ignorant of it.
Therefore, be mutually encouraging and edify one another. Be united in the same spirit, working together for the faith of the Gospel. You especially whom we have appointed to lead and direct your brothers, excel more in merit and virtue rather than in being elevated as the one in charge; endeavour more to endear the hearts of those under you by charity and mildness than to lead them by authority. Strive by the observance of our Rules and the practice of piety towards God to show yourself such that your companions may seek avidly to follow you step by step and to emulate you. As for you whom Our Saviour has deigned to call, rather than your fellows, to so great a work, endeavour with all your strength to respond to this holy vocation of God and moreover seek carefully to lighten the burden imposed on your Superior by humility, by the practice of mortification, zeal for perfection, assiduity in prayer, respecting him truly for God’s sake, joyous obedience and especially a sincere love.
As for me, I give thanks to God each time I think of you, in all my prayers, supplicating him with joy for you all because of your communion in the Gospel; confident also in that He who has begun a good work in you will bring it to completion, until the day of Christ Jesus, as is rightful for me to believe as well as for you whom I bear in my heart. God indeed is my witness how I pursue you all with my affection in the tenderness of Christ; and I ask that your charity may abound more and more in knowledge and in every sentiment through Jesus Christ, to the glory and the praise of God.
Go then forth upon your journey with a light and willing heart. May God our Father himself and Our Lord Jesus Christ guide your steps. The benevolent protection of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, conceived without stain, be with you and the attentive care of the holy Angel of God. (Oblate Writings, 1, p. 12-14)
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