I remember this time when I was growing up on the farm. . .” This phrase has become as well-known and well-loved as the person who says it - Fr. Lou Studer, O.M.I. For the past ten years, Fr. Lou, the Director of the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows and the Missionary Association of Mary Immaculate, has shared stories about his childhood in Wesley, Iowa, with both pilgrims to the Shrine and supporters of the Oblates.

Fr. Lou’s stories are often featured in his letters to friends and benefactors of the Oblates. Oftentimes in his letters, Fr. Lou reflects on his family’s strong faith and love and explains how this is similar to the Oblates’ care for the poor. “His letters are so personal!” shared Rose Ison, a pilgrim to the Shrine’s annual Healing and Hope Novena. “I pray for him because I know he’s praying for me.”

Fr. Lou has touched the lives of many pilgrims to the Shrine. As Director, Fr. Lou has promoted the belief that the Shrine is a place where pilgrims can discover God’s love. He explains, “The Shrine stands as an example of the healing and hope of Christ for the world, a place where all people can proudly profess their faith.” He has many fond memories about the Shrine and its visitors, and each memory reflects the Oblates’ belief in finding Christ’s love through the intercession of Our Lady. “I remember a time when I met a couple from Pennsylvania.” Fr. Lou shared. “They had come here because the wife had to go on kidney dialysis. The entire time they visited, she expected a phone call from one of her children with the news that they were a blood match and could donate. Sadly, she never got that call while she was here. Still, every time I saw her,
she was smiling! I asked her why she was smiling even after she didn’t receive the news she wanted and she said, ‘I can go home now and face the dialysis because somehow the Lord has touched my life here. I can face the dialysis now because I know the Lord will take care of me.’”

This story is a powerful example of the healing and hope shared at the Shrine. As Fr. Lou says, “When we pray to God for an answer to a special need, we may not always get the answer we hoped for, but our intentions will be answered in a way that will bring us closer to God.”

Fr. Lou credits both his family and the Oblates for his deep faith. As a child, Fr. Lou’s family, “went to Mass often and we prayed the rosary as a family every night. My siblings and I learned our catechism at mom’s knee.” His spiritual development continued when he became an Oblate. “I was drawn to the Oblate life because we are missionaries in so many countries of the world and because we have such a deep devotion to the Blessed Mother.”

As director of both the Shrine and Missionary Association, Fr. Lou is a witness to both the ministry to the missions and the faith in Our Lady. His dedication to all aspects of the Oblate life has inspired many. Whether through his words or his actions, Fr. Lou continues to help others find faith and hope in Our Lord.