Fr. Louis Studer, OMI Appointed for Second Term as U.S. Provincial

Fr. Louis Studer, OMI, who has served as Provincial for the U.S. Province since 2017, was re-appointed to a second term on May 7, 2020.

Upon receiving the news, Fr. Studer said, “I am very grateful for the continued confidence and trust my Superiors in Rome place in my leadership and also very thankful for the support of the U.S. Oblates. There is much I hope to accomplish these next three years. My main priorities would be: continuing discernment of our ministry presence in the U.S.; renewal of our Oblate community life; further collaboration with the delegation of Zambia; greater outreach to the poor as we continue to suffer from this pandemic; increasing vocations to our Oblate way of life.”

Biographical Information:

Rev. Louis Studer, OMI, was born in Wesley, Iowa, in 1949. As one of seven children born to Paul and Sally Studer, he grew up on the family farm.

At 13, Fr. Studer entered the Oblate’s Minor Seminary, Our Lady of the Ozarks in Carthage, Mo. While at Carthage Fr. Studer made his decision to pursue religious life. Moving on from high school, he went on to the college seminary program at Lewis University. From there, he entered the Oblate novitiate in Godfrey, IL, where  he professed temporary vows in 1972. He did his theology studies at Weston School of Theology in Boston. He made his perpetual vows in 1975, and was ordained in 1976 at his home parish of St. Joseph’s in Wesley.

After a first assignment as Associate Pastor of St. Patrick’s Parish in McCook, Nebraska, Fr. Studer, served as principal of St. Henry’s Seminary in Belleville, IL, 1977-84. He spent several years more in vocation and formation ministry before being named Director of the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville, Illinois.  While at the shrine, he also assumed the duties of Director of the Missionary Association of Mary Immaculate, a major fund-raising ministry of the U.S. Oblates.

After 10 years at the Shrine, Fr. Studer served four years as Director of Christ the King Retreat Center in Buffalo, Minnesota. In 2011, Fr. Studer was appointed Vicar-Provincial / Personnel Director for the U.S. Province of the Missionary Oblates and it is from that position that he assumed the office of U.S. Provincial in 2017.