Looking for Benedictine Oblates out there

[BonnieBj]

:tiphat: Once before I asked this. Would love to hear from fellow Oblates, about where you’re from, your spiritual journeys, etc. Where I am in Cullman AL we have 2 Benedictine monasteries; we’re very fortunate in that. But there are no monthly meetings or anything like that. And most of the Oblates are not fromk this area. So I’d like to hook up with other Oblates on this forum.

 

[Ambrose]

My wife and I aren’t oblates yet although we have talked about it. We live about 1 1/2 hours from Conception Abbey in Northwest Mo. How do you go about becoming an oblate, do you approach them or are you asked ? We have gotten to know many great monks at the Abbey the last few years, so much so that my eldest son feels he has a vocation to be a Benedictine priest !

Please pray for him.

 

[Ed_McGrath]

I’m a Benedictine Oblate at Mount Michael Abbey, Elkhorn, NE., but also attend Oblate retreats and the July work weekend at Conception Abbey in Missouri. Ambrose, if you’re interested in becoming an Oblate at Conception, ask for Fr. Kenneth. He is the abbey’s Oblate director and is also prior. There is also a link on Conception’s web site that can be helpful to anyone who wants to become an Oblate. Being an Oblate has helped me grow in my spiritual life in ways that I did not anticipate.

 

[puzzleannie]

we had some Oblate threads a while back, and threads on secular orders in general.

Oblate of the new Benedictine Monastery of the Good Shepherd in Rio Grande City. We are up to 52 of us, had our latest retreat in the new building. Abbess of their mother house in Minnesota is coming down at the end of the month which will be a gala.

 

[WanderAimlessly]

Although, I was thinking of becomming an Oblate, a possible change in direction has put that on hold. Ironically, if the path I am debating comes true, I will be attending the seminary ran by the Archabbey I was going to go through to become an oblate.

Saying that, there is a forum group on MSN called OSB Oblates. It is currently not too active, but you may be able discuss things with other oblates.

PF

 

[Ambrose]

We know Father Kenneth well, he’s the one my son talks to about his vocation every time he’s up at Conception for a visit or a discernment weekend. I go there for a retreat for a couple of days twice a year and always come back in a spiritually better state thanks to the quiet time of prayer and reflection that seems to get me back in touch with the things that really matter when I’m there. Of course it helps that the college is not in session at the time of my retreats as well.

We’ve gotten close to Fr. Jerome (who’s kinda of having a tough time after his stroke ) and Fr. Albert in paticular. My twins went to the summer camp last June and had a blast there. As I mentioned we really have gotten close to alot of the monks, and I’m considering being an oblate, the wife who also loves the Abbey is kinda leaning toward the secular Franciscans so we’ll see.

 

[Augustine]

Ed McGrath:

Being an Oblate has helped me grow in my spiritual life in ways that I did not anticipate.

Without meaning to pry, would you please expand on the unanticipated ways of spiritual growth?

TIA