CONSISTS OF BLACK ROBE WITH FRINGE, FRINGED SASH. FRONT BUTTONED. SLEEVES HAVE A RIBBON BAND ALONG EDGE & ARE DOUBLED BACK STITCHED TO SLEEVE AT THE FOREARM. C/W BLACK BELT OR SINCTURE. 1 BUTTON IS LOOSE & POCKET IS TORN.
BLACK ROBE OF THE OBLATES, NOT WORN SINCE VATICAN II (1962). OBLATES ACTIVE IN LETHBRIDGE AREA SINCE 1ST BAPTISM AT FORT HAMILTON BY FATHER SCOLLEN IN 1873. FATHER VAN TIGHEM CELEBRATED THE 1ST MASS IN 1884 IN COALBANKS. THEREAFTER ESTABLISHING A PARISH IN 1886 & BUILDING 1ST ST. PATRICKS CHURCH IN 1887 IN SEPTEMBER VAN TIGHEM MOVED TO NEW PARISH AS ITS PRIEST. THE OBLATE OF MARY IMMACULATE (OMI) HISTORICALLY SOMETIMES CALLED THE BLACKROBES BECAUSE OF THEIR CHARACTERISTIC BLACK ROBES. THE OBLATES ARE RETIRING FROM LETHBRIDGE IN JULY .1990. THIS ROBE WAS NORMALLY WORN WITH A CINCTURE OR BELT SNAP FASTENED AT THE WAIST WITH A LARGE CROSS (12.7 X 20.4) & HUNG BY A CORD FROM THE NECK.