Benedictine Oblates

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Is anyone on this forum an Oblate with the Benedictines. I am strongly considering this and would really like people’s opinions as I discern a third order.

If you happen to be a member of a different third order, please share your thoughts about WHY you chose that order and what the experience has been like since.

God Bless,
 
there are at least 3 past threads, two quite recent, that answer this very question, and a sticky on secular groups in general,
welcome to the forums
yes I am an oblate attached to the Benedictine Monastery of Starr County Tx
 
puzzleannie said:
there are at least 3 past threads, two quite recent, that answer this very question, and a sticky on secular groups in general,
welcome to the forums
yes I am an oblate attached to the Benedictine Monastery of Starr County Tx
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Thanks. I did a search and read many of them, but I am curious if anyone has changed their minds or maybe new members have joined. It would seem with something like this that the situation is quite fluid. Plus, I am REALLY curious what led each person to their third order, especially those that are Benedictine as I am trying to discern myself.

Why did you choose the Benedictines puzzleannie?
 
I am an Oblate. It is a wonderful vocation. The monks are so traditional. I must say that I love them, and my community.

Go for it. You won’t regret it. 🙂
 
Luigi_Daniele said:
I am an Oblate. It is a wonderful vocation. The monks are so traditional. I must say that I love them, and my community.

Go for it. You won’t regret it. 🙂
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That’s what I needed to hear! I really like the idea that they are so traditional too.

Let me ask another question. I read in another post that non Catholics can be an oblate? Is this still the case?
 
Boulder257 said:
That’s what I needed to hear! I really like the idea that they are so traditional too.

Let me ask another question. I read in another post that non Catholics can be an oblate? Is this still the case?
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Be careful of what you mean by traditional. If we mean by the term, rooted in 1500 years of Church Tradition, then yes. But what most people in the Traditional forum think of the term could not be applied to many monastic communites.

The Mass at many Benedictine abbey Churches are celebrated in the vernacular with the community gathered around a free standing altar. Many monastic communites welcome all denominations and faiths and the extent to which they do so would offend most self labeled “Traditionalists”. I know a monk who is good friends with some Buddhist monks and has prayed with them. Some of the monastic communites concern with care of the poor, violence and war would challenge the sensibilities of many “Traditionalists”.

I think this is one small part of the reason why I am attracted to Benedictine monasticism, especially Cistercian/Trappist, because they challenge commonly held views of many people including myself. They force you to think outside of yourself and what you were brought up to believe and think. Christ was like that with his disciples, challenging them to accept new ways of thinking which were considered radical in his day.

-Tim-
 
Boulder257 said:
Why did you choose the Benedictines puzzleannie?
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because they are here
because the people in parish ministry and apostolates I worked with and admired invited me, I made a visit, and joined
because Benedicine spirituality is accessible and works for me

I tried to link those past threads, where I have given my testimony in great detail, but keep getting knocked off line, patience.
 
TimothyH said:
Be careful of what you mean by traditional. If we mean by the term, rooted in 1500 years of Church Tradition, then yes. But what most people in the Traditional forum think of the term could not be applied to many monastic communites.

The Mass at many Benedictine abbey Churches are celebrated in the vernacular with the community gathered around a free standing altar. Many monastic communites welcome all denominations and faiths and the extent to which they do so would offend most self labeled “Traditionalists”. I know a monk who is good friends with some Buddhist monks and has prayed with them. Some of the monastic communites concern with care of the poor, violence and war would challenge the sensibilities of many “Traditionalists”.

I think this is one small part of the reason why I am attracted to Benedictine monasticism, especially Cistercian/Trappist, because they challenge commonly held views of many people including myself. They force you to think outside of yourself and what you were brought up to believe and think. Christ was like that with his disciples, challenging them to accept new ways of thinking which were considered radical in his day.

-Tim-
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You are so right in that “traditional” holds many different definitions, especially among those who categorize themselves as traditional. I should have used different wording and probably included more definition in what exactly it is that I like, because quite frankly, I don’t want to be categorized a “traditionalist” in the sense that many on this forum use it.

What I meant is that they hold to Catholic Tradition (capital T) strongly, but not that they are “traditionalists” in the sense of those groups not in communion with Rome.

I appreciate your point because I could have been wrongly categorized by my poor choice of wording.
 
puzzleannie said:
because they are here
because the people in parish ministry and apostolates I worked with and admired invited me, I made a visit, and joined
because Benedicine spirituality is accessible and works for me

I tried to link those past threads, where I have given my testimony in great detail, but keep getting knocked off line, patience.
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I was able to find your story by searching your posts. That was incredibly helpful. Thanks!!!
 
Boulder257 said:
That’s what I needed to hear! I really like the idea that they are so traditional too.

Let me ask another question. I read in another post that non Catholics can be an oblate? Is this still the case?
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It is. But they are not “full members” (at least at my monastery). Having said that, we only have 1 person who isn’t RC.
 
I became a Benedictine Oblate because I read the Rule and found that I wanted to live the Rule in the secular life.
 
Joannm said:
I became a Benedictine Oblate because I read the Rule and found that I wanted to live the Rule in the secular life.
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I love how it is split up so that you can read through it 3 times./year. I love reading it daily. 🙂
 
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