Benedictine Oblate

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Luigi_Daniele said:
This is exactly why I won’t be buying it. I knew that there was something about her.

Thanks Jason!
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I asked Fr. Martin at St. Gregory’s and his response was that while she was known for pushing hard on women’s issues, she was orthodox in other areas. Unfortunately, I did find some very disturbing quotes from her immediately following Pope Benedict’s election from the College of Cardinals.

I know that the money from the book does not go to her directly, but it does go to her order and the groups she works with to fund their work. That makes me a bit uncomfortable. I would also be lying if I said that the fact that they have no problem recommending her books makes me concerned about the focus on orthodoxy at the monastery as well. Perhaps I am just being over-concerned about that.

I welcome any thoughts or comments.

Peace,
 
Jason,

Get in touch with 2-3 of their Oblates. You will (most likely) know the orthodoxy of the monastery immediately.

I knew immediately that my group and monastery were orthodox.
 
there is a book called “The Oblate Life” which I recommend.

litpress.org/Detail.aspx?ISBN=9780814631768

It is a series of essays by benedictine oblates on various topics and how they live out the Rule of St. Benedict and Benedictine spirituality in every day life.

Prayer during our hectic day, finding silence, stability in a society which is constantly moving, and such are topics which are touched upon in essays by oblates themselves.

There was a particularly good essay online on creating an enclosure in one’s life and in one’s heart but I can’t find it. I’ll post if I can dig it up. There are a few other essays at benedictine-oblates.net/oblates.htm which are good.

-Tim-
 
Luigi_Daniele said:
Jason,

Get in touch with 2-3 of their Oblates. You will (most likely) know the orthodoxy of the monastery immediately.

I knew immediately that my group and monastery were orthodox.
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Yep, I already have. I spoke to one of them last night and have been exchanging e-mails with another.

Thanks for the suggestions!
 
TimothyH said:
there is a book called “The Oblate Life” which I recommend.

litpress.org/Detail.aspx?ISBN=9780814631768

It is a series of essays by benedictine oblates on various topics and how they live out the Rule of St. Benedict and Benedictine spirituality in every day life.

Prayer during our hectic day, finding silence, stability in a society which is constantly moving, and such are topics which are touched upon in essays by oblates themselves.

There was a particularly good essay online on creating an enclosure in one’s life and in one’s heart but I can’t find it. I’ll post if I can dig it up. There are a few other essays at benedictine-oblates.net/oblates.htm which are good.

-Tim-
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Thanks Tim. I will look into those! I have the book you recommended on my wish list at Amazon so I will likely be getting it down the road.

Peace, and thanks again.

Jason
 
Also another thought or two…

Although it is specific to the Cistericans, the best book I have read on Benedictine Monasticism is “The Cistercian Way” by Andre Louf. This book was outstanding. The reviews on Amazon here are all extremely positive. I think this is a must-read.

Another outstanding book is “Praying with Benedict” by Korneel Vermeiren. I found this used on Amazon for a few dollars.

-Tim-
 
TimothyH said:
there is a book called “The Oblate Life” which I recommend.

litpress.org/Detail.aspx?ISBN=9780814631768

It is a series of essays by benedictine oblates on various topics and how they live out the Rule of St. Benedict and Benedictine spirituality in every day life.

Prayer during our hectic day, finding silence, stability in a society which is constantly moving, and such are topics which are touched upon in essays by oblates themselves.

There was a particularly good essay online on creating an enclosure in one’s life and in one’s heart but I can’t find it. I’ll post if I can dig it up. There are a few other essays at benedictine-oblates.net/oblates.htm which are good.

-Tim-
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Thanks so much, Tim! I am particularly looking forward to reading Fr Luke’s talk on Lectio Divina.

-Lou
 
TimothyH said:
Also another thought or two…

Although it is specific to the Cistericans, the best book I have read on Benedictine Monasticism is “The Cistercian Way” by Andre Louf. This book was outstanding. The reviews on Amazon here are all extremely positive. I think this is a must-read.

Another outstanding book is “Praying with Benedict” by Korneel Vermeiren. I found this used on Amazon for a few dollars.

-Tim-
Click to expand...
Thanks again!
 
Luigi_Daniele said:
This is exactly why I won’t be buying it. I knew that there was something about her.

Thanks Jason!
Click to expand...
I did end up sending the book written by Sister Joan back to Amazon. My conscience was really bugging me. Particularly with the report from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith coming out yesterday on the issues with women religious in America, I didn’t see how I could keep it. When there is something official from the Vatican identifying issues with a particular group, I am loathe to support it.

If she had written something that I just could not get elsewhere, I might have overlooked it. There are just too many books out there written by people who are not surrounded with controversy for me to justify that one.

At this time, these are the two books I have and am planning to read first:

How to Be a Monastic and Not Leave Your Day Job: An Invitation to Oblate Life (Voices from the Monastery)
Brother Benet Tvedten

Share in the Kingdom: A Commentary on the Rule of St. Benedict for Oblates
Benet Tvedten

The first one arrived today and I am very much looking forward to diving into it! There are also several others I have my eye on and I will update the list as I go forward.

The next two books on my list are:

In the Heart of the Desert: The Spirituality of the Desert Fathers and Mothers (Treasures of the World’s Religions)
John Chryssavgis

The Oblate Life
Gervase Holdaway

I also received a small packet in the mail from St. Gregory’s Abbey today with some basic information about their Oblate program along with a short letter from Fr. Martin. At this time, I am planning on attending a Oblate session they are running sometime this summer.

Pax Christi,

Jason
 
I received a new breviary that I ordered from the Saint Meinrad Archabbey bookstore. It is “Liturgy of the Hours for Benedictine Oblates.” I used it for my morning and evening prayers today and really like it. I have been working on learning to use Christian Prayer but I’m very new to the Divine Office and so it is a little confusing for me. This breviary is so simple. You just turn to the appropriate day and everything is all in consecutive pages except for the Canticles which are at the very back of the book. It has Vespers, Lauds, Midday Prayer and Compline with four-week Psalter.

I highly recommend it to anyone just starting out with the Liturgy of the Hours. Cost was just $20 plus shipping.

I’m still going to keep working on Christian Prayer until I master it but this is a great beginning breviary too.
 
Balian said:
I received a new breviary that I ordered from the Saint Meinrad Archabbey bookstore. It is “Liturgy of the Hours for Benedictine Oblates.” I used it for my morning and evening prayers today and really like it. I have been working on learning to use Christian Prayer but I’m very new to the Divine Office and so it is a little confusing for me. This breviary is so simple. You just turn to the appropriate day and everything is all in consecutive pages except for the Canticles which are at the very back of the book. It has Vespers, Lauds, Midday Prayer and Compline with four-week Psalter.

I highly recommend it to anyone just starting out with the Liturgy of the Hours. Cost was just $20 plus shipping.

I’m still going to keep working on Christian Prayer until I master it but this is a great beginning breviary too.
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Thanks.

Divineoffice.org is really a nice resource and they have Android and iPhone apps also.

Peace,
 
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