John Mary Odin

Background

John Mary Odin was born on February 25, 1801, at Ambierle, France, the seventh child of Jean and Claudine Marie (Seyrol) Odin.

Education

John Mary Odin studied in classical schools at Roanne and Verrière and, later, in colleges at L'Argentière and Alix. Deeply religious, he entered the Sulpician seminary at Lyons, where he became interested in the American missions. He answered the appeal of Bishop Louis G. V. Dubourg for volunteers and accompanied him in 1822 to New Orleans. Immediately he was sent to the Lazarist seminary at the Barrens, Missouri, where he studied theology under Dr. Joseph Rosati. Joining the priests of the Mission, he was ordained May 4, 1823.

Career

As a missionary to Arkansas, as an instructor in theology, and as director of the seminary at the Barrens, Father Odin gained renown for both zeal and scholarship. In 1833, he was selected by Bishop Rosati as his theologian at the Second Provincial Council of Baltimore, which commissioned him to take its decrees to Rome. For two years he carried on a crusade in behalf of the western missions, seeking money and recruits in the Continental seminaries. On his return to the United States, he was assigned to Cape Girardeau, where he opened a school and attended outlying stations.

In 1839 Odin, as the Vice-Prefect Apostolic of Bishop John Timon, departed for Texas, where he was destined to serve for a score of years as a simple missionary, journeying on horseback among the Comanche and Tonakanie tribesmen, visting Catholic communities, tracing isolated co-religionists, repairing Spanish missions, building churches and chapels in far-flung settlements, fostering colonization, and training disciples. In 1841 he refused the coadjutorship of Detroit, since Timon insisted that a bishop could easily be found for Detroit while Texas might wait long for another apostle. Tactful in handling politicians and empresarios who solicitously gave him attention because of his colonizing activities, he obtained the restoration of the old Spanish church properties, including the Alamo. In 1842 Texas was erected into a vicariate-apostolic with Odin as administrator under the title of Bishop of Claudiopolis; he was consecrated on March 6, by Archbishop Antoine Blanc.

Three years later, while in Europe, he secured the services of a number of French, German, and Irish priests, as well as material assistance from Belgium, the Society of the Propagation of the Faith at Lyons, and the Leopoldine Society of Vienna. He returned in time to attend the Sixth Provincial Council, which, in view of the political situation, urged that Texas be made a bishopric. Such action was taken and Rome appointed Odin to the see of Galveston in 1847. Convinced of the need of schools, he appealed to the religious communities for aid. The Ursulines from New Orleans established a convent and academy at Galveston (1847); the Ladies of the Incarnate Word came to Brownsville (1852); the Oblates of Mary Immaculate appeared in 1849 and soon founded the College of the Immaculate Conception; the Brothers of Mary established St. Mary's College, long known as the French school, at San Antonio (1852), with other academies at Brownsville, Brazoria, and Laredo; the Conventual Franciscans busied themselves with the care of German and Polish settlers (1852); and the Benedictines revived the mission of San José (1860).

Tender in the treatment of priests and people, devoted to the exiled Mexicans, appreciative of Protestant good will, and ready to minimize the Know-Nothing persecutions, Odin was esteemed as a saintly man and a loyal Texan. It was with regret that he accepted promotion to the archbishopric of New Orleans (February 15, 1861) and withdrew from his well-ordered diocese. No longer young but still indomitable, Odin continued to work energetically in the New Orleans of Civil War days. A Southern adherent of moderate views, he managed to survive the militarism of General Butler and General Banks and to meet the problems of physical and spiritual reconstruction. That he did so with boldness his printed pastorals indicate. In 1867 he journeyed to Rome in the interest of his diocese; two years later, despite feeble health, he attended the Vatican Council, where he obtained the appointment of Napoleon J. Perché as his coadjutor with the right of succession. Worn out, he sought relief from the sessions of the Council in his native village, where he died, his body being buried in the shrine at which he had worshipped as a child.

Achievements

• John Mary Odin was bishop of Galveston, Texas (1842-1861). During Odin's episcopate the Diocese of Galveston grew from 30 churches and 25 priests to 46 churches and 46 priests. Later Odin was archbishop of New Orleans, Louisiana (1861-1870). He expanded his archdiocese by inviting six communities of men and women.

Connections

Father:

Jean Odin.

Mother:

Claudine Marie (Seyrol) Odin