Louis Lougen

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Louis Lougen, OMI, born in 1952 in Buffalo, New York, is an American Roman Catholic priest who serves as Superior General of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI). He was elected to the role in 2010 and was re-elected in 2016, the year the Oblates marked their 200th anniversary. The Oblates, founded in 1815 by Saint Eugene de Mazenod, now number about 3,800 male missionaries worldwide, and their main mission is the evangelization of the poor. They are notable for their historical missionary work in Canada, including the administration of 57 residential schools, a history that has been the focus of controversy over how those schools were run and the deaths of students.

Lougen is the twelfth Superior General since the order began in 1816, succeeding Heinz Wilhelm Steckling. Under his leadership, the congregation has reduced its presence in parish churches in order to focus its missionary activities in other areas. He took his perpetual vows in 1976 in Newburgh, New York, and was ordained a priest in 1979. He spent 17 years as a missionary in the Archdiocese of São Paulo, Brazil, and also worked in Washington, DC, and Godfrey, Illinois. On March 15, 2016, Saint Paul University in Ottawa awarded him an honorary doctorate in celebration of the OMI’s 200th anniversary. He is based in Rome to fulfill his duties as Superior General.