St. Stephen Church at 6044 SW 19th Street , Miramar, FL 33023 US - The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
| The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate |
The Oblates were founded, in 1816, by a small band of zealous priests under the leadership of St. Eugene DeMazenod. The original purpose of these early Oblates was to minister to the spiritual needs of the people of the countryside of France, after the spiritual devastation of the French Revolution. St. Eugene, eventually appointed Bishop of Marseilles in southern France, was moved to send missionary priests and Brothers to other countries in Europe and eventually overseas, to South Africa, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and to Canada. The Oblates now number about 5000 priests and Brothers, in more than 62 countries.
Archbishop Colman Carroll requested that the Oblates assume the pastoral service of St. Stephen's in 1968. The order also serves in the parishes of St. Monica and St. Philip Neri in Opa-locka, St. Francis Xavier and Holy Redeemer in Miami and Christ the King in Perrine.
