 |
|||
|
This page briefly describes some of the people buried at the O.M.I Cemetery, but is not a complete listing. BISHOP D'HERBOMEZ He was ordained in France by the founder of the Oblates, Charles Joseph Eugene de Mazenod, (now St. Eugene de Mazenod). As first Vicar Apostolic of British Columbia, he established a solid network of spiritual and cultural institutions throughout the province. BISHOP DURIEU Successor to Bishop D'Herbomez, he insisted that the missionaries adhere to what became known as the "Durieu System". In each village, eucharistic chiefs, catechists and watchmen were appointed to oversee the spiritual good of the people in the absence of the priest. FATHER LEON FOUQUET An extraordinary Oblate priest who left a teacher's scholarly life in France to come to the wilds of British Columbia. In addition to choosing Mission City as the site for St. Mary's Mission, he founded St. Peter's, (New Westminster), St. Paul's (North Vancouver) and St. Eugene's Mission (Cranbrook). He was the first priest to offer Mass in Vancouver (1860). FATHER DENNIS LAMURE (1838-1870) Only 32 years old, died tragically in a hunting accident at St. Mary's. He was the first Oblate priest to be buried there. FATHER EUGENE C. CHIROUSE First came to St. Mary's in 1879, died in 1927 after spending almost 49 years at the Mission. FATHER LEJEUNE A master of languages (he spoke twelve) brought literacy to thousands of natives in the interior by modifying and adopting the Chinook language to a system of phonetic writing. The native newspaper, the WAWA, was printed in a small room behind the church on the Shuswap reserve in Kamloops. By 1898 it had reached a circulation of 3,000. FATHER GENDRE First superior of St. Mary's, prematurely worn out by his labours, died in 1873. Aged 39. FATHER JAMES McGUCKIN From County Tyrone, Ireland, followed the gold rush miners into the Cariboo (Richfield). He founded St. Joseph's Mission near Williams Lake in 1867, was named rector of the University of Ottawa (1889-1898) and pastor of Holy Rosary Cathedral, Vancouver (1898-1903). During his time as pastor, Father McGuckin arranged for the building of Holy Rosary Cathedral. There were some who thought it rash to build such a large church at the time and called it "McGuckin's folly". He was a priest whose mortification and penitential practices were astounding. After he died in 1903, there was found a piece of paper in his pocket giving a summary of his principles and ideals. It was given to Father Provincial with the words "I am giving you a treasure". FATHER JOHN PATTERSON Came to Mission in 1935. Following his death on February 19, 1968. Father John O'Brien left this description: "Father Patterson usually had a choice of ways to leave for his missions from St. Mary's School, Mission City, by foot, by a neighbour's kindness in a car, by train, even by bus or Fraser River gas boat. He told me one time that his program meant one day at the Indian School and 29 days on the missions. When no transportation was available, he walked the railroad track, often to be picked up by a friendly motorist when the track approached the highway. Father Patterson was well known and highly esteemed by all who knew him from one end of his missions to the other. He always had time to talk to anyone who wanted to spend a few minutes with him. No one could complain of his lack of visits to their houses or reserves. Perhaps the oustanding mark of his work was the St. Francis-like flavour he gave to his visits he simply loved people and they knew it." FATHER AMBROSE MADDEN Was born in Ottawa and served the Church in the Canadian West. He distinguished himself in the service of his country during two wars as military chaplain. He was awarded the Military Cross and Distinguished Service Order in recognition of his contribution in the First World War. One citation reads: "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on 8th August, 1918, in the attack on Caix. He went forward on his own initiative with the attacking troops and assisted the medical officer in attending to the wounded in the open under heavy artillery and machine gun fire until he himself was severely wounded in three places by shrapnel. The calmness of his demeanour,his disregard of his own safety, and his unflagging efforts were a very fine example to all." BISHOP JOHN FERGUS O'GRADY(1908-1998) Born in Macton, Ontario, was ordained to the priesthood in 1934 in Saskatoon. He served at St. Augustine's Church in Vancouver then became Principal of Indian Residential Schools at Mission, Kamloops, and Williams Lake until 1953 when he was named Provincial Superior of the English-speaking Oblates in Canada. From 1956 to 1986 he served as Bishop of Prince George where he became a noted builder and educator. Founder of a volunteer group known as "Frontier Apostles", he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws by the University of British Columbia in 1986. He died at Mazenod Residence in Saskatoon in 1998. An honourary Oblate is someone who has been closely associated with the Oblates and made a significant contribution to the work of the Congregation. There is one honourary Oblate in the cemetery (Arthur Johnston): ARTHUR JOHNSTON Originally from a Manitoba Metis community, worked for many years at St. Peter's Church and Oblate Provincial House, Vancouver. Art died in 1994. Diocesan Priests - There are four diocesan priests interred in the OMI Cemetery: Monsignor J.F. MONAGHAN (diocese of Nelson) Father MATT PHELAN (diocese of Kamloops) Father LADISLAS DEMBSKI Father BENJAMIN CSAKI Some of Mission's early settlers are buried in the O.M.I. cemetery: AMABLE LAGACE came to Hatzic Prairie after several years working on the building of the transcontinental railway. Amable and his wife, Philomene, had come from the Rimouski area of Quebec and settled in Hatzic Prairie. They welcomed Father Fouquet and other priests into their home. GIUSEPPE & MARIA DONATELLI are both buried in the O.M.I. cemetery. Giuseppe and his brother Gaetano Donatelli arrived from Atilato, province of Abruzzi, Italy in 1890. They moved to Silverdale in 1900. GEORGE MAXWELL STUART Son of Hon. Henry Maxwell Stuart and Hon. Yuliana Middleton, George was born in Yorkshire, England and died on April 15, 1945. As you enter the cemetery, you will notice the large stone cross which marks his grave. STEPHEN JOHN SWOBODA & his wife ALICE MARGARET lived in Matsqui. They gave two of their sons, Joseph and Francis, to the service of the church as priests. Father Francis was an Oblate missionary in the Kamloops area and later a military chaplain in the Queen Charlotte Islands. He died at Merritt on January 12, 1992. ANTON MITZEL (1886-1913) lived on the Mission flats and worked for the Village of Mission. He was killed in an accident on the Mission bridge and survived by his wife and children (Ann, Joseph, Maxwell, John, Tracey, Pauline and Philomena). MARIA SODERGARD & MADELEINE JACK Two family members among the many native people who rest in the O.M.I. Cemetery. They were sisters of the late Sarah Christensen. LARANCE FELIX from Chehalis, lost his life during the disastrous flooding of the Fraser River in 1948. |
||
