Why become a benedictine oblate

The vision of what we might become in Christ will be revealed in the mutuality of the monastic journey. Oblates are everyday people with jobs, families, and other responsibilities. They come from a variety of faith traditions. In today's hectic, changing world, being an oblate offers a rich spiritual connection to the stability and wisdom of an established monastic community.

By their commitment to the Rule of Benedict, oblates benefit from an ancient spiritual tradition that has led countless other monastics and oblates to holiness. Oblate meetings are on Sundays see calendar PM. Candidates meet at prior to each gathering.

Help us to become people of prayer and peace. A woman or man with the desire for spiritual growth and a desire to seek God through the Christian ideals and values set forth in the Rule of Saint Benedict begins with an inquiry to the Oblate Director. After an initial meeting with the Oblate Director, the person will discern if they wish to begin a year of study and reflection. The Year of Formation officially begins with an Enrollment Ritual, where the person, referred to as a candidate, receives the Rule of Saint Benedict from the Prioress of St.

Francis because he said St. Francis, through his voluntary poverty, was free as a bird. Francis was the personalist, St. Benedict the communitarian. Although not directly related to monasticism, Millet captures the spirit of prayer and work embodied in faithful Catholic life. Hearing the church bells, this young couple stops their work to recite the Angelus , inviting Christ to become incarnate in that moment. The Angelus captures a glimpse of the monastic rhythm of prayer, prayed morning, noon, and evening.

This painting explains with its simplicity the heart of the oblate life: prayer and work. Perhaps culture will be rebuilt with such simplicity: deep, strong yet gentle, and largely imperceptible by the world. Thank you for this. I did not know about the Benedictine Oblate. It is so refreshing and brings hope that we as lay people have different ways of becoming holy people.

Thank you for helping build our Catholic culture within ourselves so that we can take that out to other people. I am an Oblate of St. Plus they send on weekyl and monthly newletters via email.

BUT if one cannot have at least this minimal annual contact I would strongly urge not seeking oblation. You need to personal contact, the personal connection. Deacon David, thank you for your thoughts. I agree on the difficulty of being long distance. As I tried to show in the post, I think there are many ways of living the Benedictine spirituality on a daily basis that could still make oblation worthwhile, but your caution should be taken seriously.

Staudt, thank you for the detailed insight into the Benedictine oblate. I have considered on and off for some years doing the same. Our family is only five hours south of Clear Creek. I have visited the monastery only once alone. We will have a couple of family trips before the end of the year as well. How many visits would you think adequate to make the decision to become an oblate? Also, do you think using the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin is acceptable or would an oblate with Clear Creek be obligated to follow the Monastic Diurnal?

Jared Staudt, Ph. Culture St. My last post focused on saints who converted from Protestantism. This post looks at another angle on the saints, modern saints from the Benedictine tradition.