While studying in Turin as a seminarian, Bruno met Fr. Nicholas von Diessbach. Under Diessbach’s spiritual guidance, Lanteri developed a great love for the Holy Father and faithfulness to Church teaching. In 1781, at the age of twenty-two, Lanteri was ordained to the diaconate. The next year he received priestly ordination at the chapel of the Immaculate Conception of Mary in Turin.

For the next thirty years, Lanteri worked intensely in the following apostolates: the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, the distribution of good books, the formation of young priests, confessions and spiritual direction.

In 1814, Lanteri met three priests who were starting an apostolic work in Carignano. Very intent on reviving a Church that had been badly damaged by Napoleon, the three, nevertheless, needed some guidance. They looked to Lanteri for help. Lanteri shared with them his own apostolic and spiritual experience. Thus, the Oblates of Mary Most Holy began in 1816 as a diocesan congregation.

This small group was soon disbanded, but Lanteri continued his priestly work for many years. While on retreat, Lanteri received an inspiration from the Holy Spirit to re-found the congregation. The Oblates of the Virgin Mary received papal approval in 1827, and Fr. Lanteri died three years later in 1830.

The Oblates of the Virgin Mary came to the United States in 1976. Since then, they have expanded rapidly with foundations in Massachusetts, Colorado, Illinois, California and even a new seminary and retreat center in the Philippines.