The Bishop's story

the long version

Joseph Byron Oblinger was ordained by Bishop Gilmore on May 30, 1946, and immediately was asked to come to the chancery to help out for a few days. Those few days lasted five years. He is now preparing to celebrate his sixtyfifth anniversary of that event. In 1960 at his fathers funeral Mass, the Bishop asked him once again to return as his chancellor. It was these assignments that gave Father Oblinger the insight to Joseph Michael Gilmore 26 years of Episcopal ministry to the people of western Montana. What is penned in this biography is but a sampler of what actually took place.