Benedictine Oblate #2

[jwinch2]

I am not an Oblate, but next year I will be a junior Oblate!!! I go to a high school that is administered by Benedictine monks! There is a club called Junior Oblates which I will join.

Good for you. I pray that it goes well for you!

Peace,

 

[Luigi_Daniele]

I am not an Oblate, but next year I will be a junior Oblate!!! I go to a high school that is administered by Benedictine monks! There is a club called Junior Oblates which I will join.

Excellent! May God guide you.

 

[pgnat1]

Thank you!

 

[Tampa_Dave]

Well I am obviously not an Oblate at this time, but I will attempt a response anyway.

From what I can tell, the actual requirements for Oblates are relatively minimal. You are asked to incorporate the following things in your life. 1) Daily Mass; 2) Divine Office; 3) Monastic Spirituality; 4) Lectio Divina; 5) Personal and Contemplative Prayer; 6) Scripture Study. There are likely others, but that seems to be relatively consistent from one monastery to the next. The key though is, that you are to bring these things into your life as your state in life allows.

So, if you desire, one could really structure their life as if they were in the monastery. If you can’t do that, then you can’t, and that is OK also. I expect the number of people who are really able to do that on a regular basis is very small.

I really feel that is more about the spiritual mindset. Hopefully the Rule and Monastic Spirituality, rooted in the Tradition of the Church and the Fathers, comes to color every part of your life and become the lens by which you see the world and approach God. Even if you did all of the Hours, Daily Mass, Lectio Divina, etc. on a daily basis, you are still only talking about a few hours work of actual stuff. The key, from what I can tell is that you are doing one of those things at various times throughout the day and thus, consecrating the entire day to God.

Cheers!

The Lectio Divina and Divine Office are primarily where we differ. We have the Rosary, the Preces (Opus Dei common prayer in Latin), the Angelus, Memorare, and three Hail Marys. I’m guessing, but I’ll bet the Lectio Divina and Divine Office take a bit longer than the Opus Dei prayers. More difficult too. Opus Dei clearly has a greater element of Marian devotion which suits me just fine. Bottom line, the important thing is what we get out of our recitations.

I have additional monthly obligations - bi-weekly meetings with my spiritual director (Opus Dei priest), monthly circle at a supernumerary’s house, monthly Church doctrine class, and monthly evening of recollection. Once you become a supernumerary, you have a one week workshop added to the annual Opus Dei retreat. I love the constant interaction with the prelature each month. Keeps you on your toes.

 

[jwinch2]

The Lectio Divina and Divine Office are primarily where we differ. We have the Rosary, the Preces (Opus Dei common prayer in Latin), the Angelus, Memorare, and three Hail Marys. I’m guessing, but I’ll bet the Lectio Divina and Divine Office take a bit longer than the Opus Dei prayers. More difficult too. Opus Dei clearly has a greater element of Marian devotion which suits me just fine. Bottom line, the important thing is what we get out of our recitations.

I doubt they take much longer. I suppose it really depends on how many hours you pray and which form you use. If you use the Monastic diurnal it is going to take much longer than if you use the Roman Breviary. Right now, I am using the Breviary as it is easier to use, particularly since the whole thing is online every day, and it is shorter which works for me. I may transition at some point to the Diurnal, but even then, it wouldn’t really put me in line with my monastery. Almost every place uses their own schedule for the hours which tends to make things complicated.

From what I can tell, the Preces are not unlike the Office anyway…

opusdei.us/art.php?p=45968

 

[Luigi_Daniele]

The Lectio Divina and Divine Office are primarily where we differ. We have the Rosary, the Preces (Opus Dei common prayer in Latin), the Angelus, Memorare, and three Hail Marys. I’m guessing, but I’ll bet the Lectio Divina and Divine Office take a bit longer than the Opus Dei prayers. More difficult too. Opus Dei clearly has a greater element of Marian devotion which suits me just fine. Bottom line, the important thing is what we get out of our recitations.

I have additional monthly obligations - bi-weekly meetings with my spiritual director (Opus Dei priest), monthly circle at a supernumerary’s house, monthly Church doctrine class, and monthly evening of recollection. Once you become a supernumerary, you have a one week workshop added to the annual Opus Dei retreat. I love the constant interaction with the prelature each month. Keeps you on your toes.

I am horrible at Lectio Divina

I have been praying the Divine Office (aka Liturgy of the Hours) Lauds (aka Morning Prayer) and Vespers (aka Evening Prayer) for about 15 years. It is beautiful. If you have an iPhone (or similar) there is an iBreviary app that makes praying it nearly idiot proof (occasionally you will get an optional feast day, in which case the app is very difficult to use, although you can always just pray that day’s “regular” prayer).

I must admit to being floored that OD does not require the LotH being prayed, TBH. I can’t think of any third order/oblate group that does not require at least Lauds and Vespers to be prayed daily. And with OD being so traditional, I would think that it would be a requirement.

 

[Edward_H]

At what I think is a low risk for derailing the thread, my wife recently imagined a wonderful thought, a totally unsubstantiated thought about Mary and Jesus on the day of the Ressurection. And she shared this with me.

This might make some people nervous…but please remember that God gave us our imagination, so that we could love Him in ever new ways. I think this use of imagination is in fact a wonderfully faithful example of Marian love and veneration, imagining her view of Jesus, Our Lord.

So here is her thought: Why didn’t Mary the mother of Jesus go to the tomb? Where was Jesus when the people first arrived at the tomb?

Well maybe the first person who Jesus appeared to was His dear mother, to bring her the first joy? Maybe they had breakfast. Maybe He ate something so as to allay any worry or question she might have.

What a wonderful act of love and joy that might have been.

 

[Luigi_Daniele]

I doubt they take much longer. I suppose it really depends on how many hours you pray and which form you use. If you use the Monastic diurnal it is going to take much longer than if you use the Roman Breviary. Right now, I am using the Breviary as it is easier to use, particularly since the whole thing is online every day, and it is shorter which works for me. I may transition at some point to the Diurnal, but even then, it wouldn’t really put me in line with my monastery. Almost every place uses their own schedule for the hours which tends to make things complicated.

From what I can tell, the Preces are not unlike the Office anyway…

opusdei.us/art.php?p=45968

I tried the MD. Had to send it back (for which I never received credit ). There is no “St Joseph’s Guide” to use when praying it, and no online version that I am aware of.

The link you posted is actually completely different from the LotH. It appears to be a Litany (I am not fluent in Latin) rather than the Divine Office.

 

[Luigi_Daniele]

At what I think is a low risk for derailing the thread, my wife recently imagined a wonderful thought, a totally unsubstantiated thought about Mary and Jesus on the day of the Ressurection. And she shared this with me.

This might make some people nervous…but please remember that God gave us our imagination, so that we could love Him in ever new ways. I think this use of imagination is in fact a wonderfully faithful example of Marian love and veneration, imagining her view of Jesus, Our Lord.

So here is her thought: Why didn’t Mary the mother of Jesus go to the tomb? Where was Jesus when the people first arrived at the tomb?

Well maybe the first person who Jesus appeared to was His dear mother, to bring her the first joy? Maybe they had breakfast. Maybe He ate something so as to allay any worry or question she might have.

What a wonderful act of love and joy that might have been.

Seems very reasonable to me.

 

[jwinch2]

I tried the MD. Had to send it back (for which I never received credit ). There is no “St Joseph’s Guide” to use when praying it, and no online version that I am aware of.

The link you posted is actually completely different from the LotH. It appears to be a Litany (I am not fluent in Latin) rather than the Divine Office.

It includes scripture and psalms, which is why I made the link. But yes, it is probably more closely compared to a litany.

 

[Luigi_Daniele]

It includes scripture and psalms, which is why I made the link. But yes, it is probably more closely compared to a litany.

Got ya, sir.

 

[Tampa_Dave]

I must admit to being floored that OD does not require the LotH being prayed, TBH. I can’t think of any third order/oblate group that does not require at least Lauds and Vespers to be prayed daily. And with OD being so traditional, I would think that it would be a requirement.

Opus Dei is a prelature instituted in the 20th century. You’re comparing them to centuries-old monastic orders. Apples and oranges, my friend.

 

[Luigi_Daniele]

Opus Dei is a prelature instituted in the 20th century. You’re comparing them to centuries-old monastic orders. Apples and oranges, my friend.

They are new. But so are the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal and Mother Angelica’s friars, and I am sure they both pray the LotH, amico mio.

The Franciscans do allow for praying the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary as an option, though. I know of no one who prays it, though. Everyone prays the LotH.

I hope that my comment didn’t come across as snooty. Such was not my intention

 

[jwinch2]

They are new. But so are the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal and Mother Angelica’s friars, and I am sure they both pray the LotH, amico mio.

Again, apples and oranges in my view. New branches of the Franciscan family are still Franciscan either way. They have all the rights of mendicant friars, but all of the obligations as well. They have a Rule, etc. which OD does not have.

Peace,

 

[Tampa_Dave]

Those are monks, so I can see the Divine Office and Lectio Divina. Opus Dei is so totally different, at least for supernumeraries. I heard the Opus Dei priests, and possibly the numeraries, have greater daily obligations of prayer.

 

[Luigi_Daniele]

Again, apples and oranges in my view. New branches of the Franciscan family are still Franciscan either way. They have all the rights of mendicant friars, but all of the obligations as well. They have a Rule, etc. which OD does not have.

Peace,

True enough. I am fairly certain that newer families do pray the LotH, though.

@Dave: I don’t mean to come across as a LotH snob. I am just really passionate about it. I love it.

 

[Luigi_Daniele]

Found this link. Fantastic resource

ewtn.com/expert/answers/breviary.htm

Incidentally, the only guide that I have found that follows the rubrics on praying the Canticles (ie, making the sign of the cross when beginning them) is in iBreviary, of all places.

 

[jwinch2]

True enough. I am fairly certain that newer families do pray the LotH, though.

Opus Dei was not formed in the same way as other groups, and their constitutions reflect it. The Holy Father did something entirely new with them because they were different than what else had come along previously.

In your example of the Friars of the Renewal or the Friars of the Eternal Word, they are both off shoots from other parts of the Franciscan Family, I believe the Capuchins, but I could be wrong. As such, they had to embrace Franciscan identity in order to be able to call themselves Franciscan.

Peace,

 

[Luigi_Daniele]

Opus Dei was not formed in the same way as other groups, and their constitutions reflect it. The Holy Father did something entirely new with them because they were different than what else had come along previously.

In your example of the Friars of the Renewal or the Friars of the Eternal Word, they are both off shoots from other parts of the Franciscan Family, I believe the Capuchins, but I could be wrong. As such, they had to embrace Franciscan identity in order to be able to call themselves Franciscan.

Peace,

Excellent points

 

[Tampa_Dave]

True enough. I am fairly certain that newer families do pray the LotH, though.

@Dave: I don’t mean to come across as a LotH snob. I am just really passionate about it. I love it.

No snobbery inferred! I’ll gladly take the Rosary and the Preces, thank you.