Benedictine Oblates

[zachattack936]

I had some questions about Benedictine oblates.

1. Do they wear anything of any kind that would distinguish them as a Benedictine oblate?
2. Are they mandated to say some prayers daily, like the Secular Franciscans?
3. Can they be buried wearing a habit?

Also, when choosing a lay group such as a third order or being an oblate, should the key factor be the saint upon which it was founded? I’m trying to decide which I should maybe join but I don’t know how to decide between them. Obviously I’m looking mostly into being a Benediction oblate, but it’s hard to find information on them.

 

[puzzleannie]

I had some questions about Benedictine oblates.

1. Do they wear anything of any kind that would distinguish them as a Benedictine oblate?

We wear the Benedictine cross we receive at our commitment ceremony

not so hard to find info, search on the spirituality form, there are several of us here, and several discussion on oblates, and secular orders in general, with links

here is link to our monastery
starrcountybenedictines.org/Links.htm
and if you check the stickies above this forum, mods have gathered the best of the threads and info about secular orders there

best way to find out is to find a Benedictine monastery close to you.

here is one link from the sticky on lay orders above
osb.org/obl/index.html
which describes Benedictine oblates and our way of life, formation etc.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

I wonder if each abbey makes a decision regarding being buried in a habit. Mine allows it. There is also an Oblate cemetery right next to the monk’s cemetery for those who want to be buried at the Abbey.

The OP asked

Also, when choosing a lay group such as a third order or being an oblate, should the key factor be the saint upon which it was founded? I’m trying to decide which I should maybe join but I don’t know how to decide between them. Obviously I’m looking mostly into being a Benediction oblate, but it’s hard to find information on them.

I think the key factor should be the type of spirituality you are drawn to. If your heart is Benedictine then that’s the direction you should go, but if you are drawn more toward Franciscan spirituality or Carmelite spirituality, etc. then you should pursue them. As an Oblate you are committing yourself to following the spirit and Rule of St. Benedict as far as you are able, so you should read the Rule and see if that’s how you want to structure your life. You can read the Rule online at osb.org/gen/rule.html

You should also follow Puzzleannie’s advice about checking for your closest monastery. While I suppose you could be an Oblate off by yourself, there’s a lot of benefit if you are either close enough to the monastery to go there regularly, or if there is an Oblate group that meets locally. My Abbey is about 100 miles away so I can’t exactly pop in all the time. But we have a local group that meets monthly with one of the monks so that helps maintain the sense of community.

Also, if you go to someplace like amazon.com and put in “benedictine oblates” you will find dozens of books.