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Brief Foundation History of the MOI in Zambia.

On April 29, 1983 the General Council in Plenary Session in Rome granted the then Southern U.S Province’s request to found a mission in the then Diocese of Livingstone, Zambia. On February 2, of this year, the province had officially accepted to go to Zambia. The decision was made in Council on the feast of Our Lady in Mexico, the Province’s first mission. The first four Oblates for the mission, from a large number of volunteers, had also been selected:

1)      Frs. Paul Duffy,

2)      Pat Gitzen,

3)      Jack Joyce and

4)      Bro. John Keplinger.

Fr. Charlie Hassenauer also joined the first group. The first mission was to be Sancta Maria Catholic Church in Lukulu in the Western part of Zambia. It was by then served by Franciscan Capuchins and Holy Cross sisters as well as Brothers of St. Johns. It included a secondary school, hospital, leprosarium and over 30 church centers.

The western part of Zambia is Lozi speaking and they saw it wise to bring in Oblates from Lesotho to work with the Americans since Lesotho would easily understand the language due to similarities. The first group of four USA Oblates arrived in Zambia in January of 1984. The new mission was dedicated to Our Lady on whose feast it was accepted.

Later the Oblates accepted ministries in various parts of Livingstone Diocese which later become Mongu Diocese.

St. Michael's Parish in Kalabo.

St. Lawrence Parish in Limulunga

By 1988, the Oblates had opened a formation program for young men wanting to join the missionary life as Oblates.

With reaching our in ministry to the vast areas across the flooded water plains of the Western Province, the Oblates opened a Community Radio Station and named it Oblate Radio Liseli (Liseli is Light in Lozi)

Years later the Oblates accepted St. Leopold Parish in Shangombo, Mary Immaculate Parish in Lusaka, St. Paul's Parish in Livingstone, Chowa in Kabwe, Our Lady of Assumption in Mazabuka, St. Stephen Parish in Magoye, St. Michael's Parish in Kasama/ Chitimukulu.