Oblates of St. Benedict

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I just have a question about the Liturgy of the Hours that the oblates of St. Benedict pray. I saw that there is a Benedictine version of the Liturgy of the Hours that is only a two week psalter. I am considering becoming a Benedictine oblate but I have been praying the regular four week psalter of the Liturgy of the Hours for a while now and I am quite used to it. Are Benedictine oblates required to pray the Benedictine style Liturgy of the Hours, or if they elect to pray the standard four week psalter are they allowed to?
 
if you are talking about a red book on Benedictine prayer and life published a couple of years ago, that is meant to be a sample, it is not any “approved” psalter, but an introduction to the concept of morning and evening prayer.

as an Oblate you will pray as your monastery does
for us because of monetary constraints we used Shorter Christian Prayer in formation and pray from that when we come together, since while it does not have vigils and optional memorials it has all the major feasts and Sundays, and most of all what you need to pray daily morning, evening and night prayer. It is also the easiest book to use to teach those new to LOTH.

If you have already been praying for a while you have nothing to worry about, and hope you will help out others in formation with you.

welcome to the Oblate family (oblation 2003, Benedictine Monastery of the Good Shepherd, Rio Grande City TX)
 
paul11b said:
I just have a question about the Liturgy of the Hours that the oblates of St. Benedict pray. I saw that there is a Benedictine version of the Liturgy of the Hours that is only a two week psalter. I am considering becoming a Benedictine oblate but I have been praying the regular four week psalter of the Liturgy of the Hours for a while now and I am quite used to it. Are Benedictine oblates required to pray the Benedictine style Liturgy of the Hours, or if they elect to pray the standard four week psalter are they allowed to?
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As Oblates we are bound to pray the Divine Office as our respective monasterys do, my Monastery pray the Monastic Diurnal with some additions (such as readings for additions for feasts that was not included on the calender of the MD), however I know another Oblate that’s connected to another Monastery that pray a different form of the Office, I’ve heard everything from the standard LTOH, to the Monastic Diurnal, to the Brevarium Romanum, to variations of all of these, it is as your Abbots tells you to do.
 
Thank you very much. I love the Benedictine spirituality; I grew up in Kentucky and went to Thomas Merton academy for grade school. I remember taking a field trip to Gethsemane and seeing the Benedictine monks praying and I have always remembered it to this day. I now live in Washington D.C. and I recently found out that there is a Benedictine Abbey near me so I think that I’m going to go there soon and see about becoming an oblate… By the way here is a link to the Benedictine prayer book I was talking about

amazon.com/gp/product/0814628338/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d1_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0KQZEW2BFMZYFRXR7ZZ9&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846
 
I purchased this prayerbook about three years ago and I personally do not like it. I found some inclusive words in it and the wording of the Psalms seems, to me personally, too modern so I went back to my 4 vol of the LOTH. I use it only for the Benedictine calendar of the Saints. A lot of hard work went into this prayerbook. I just wish they had kept the older wording of the Psalms. I am a Benedicitne Oblate affiliated with St. Vincent’s in Latrobe, Pa and an “old school” Roman Catholic. Good luck with your quest to become an Oblate.
 
Each monastery has its own oblates’ charter; remember as oblates we are affiliated to a monastery, not an order. I do pray the same Liturgy of the Hours as my monastery (monastic Schema B, all psalms in 1 week, no repetitions), but on a 2-week cycle. So at least I know at each office I am praying the same psalms that the monks are.

A couple of key points:
  1. we are to pray the Office as our condition in life permits, We are not bound to prayer of the entire Divine Office.
  2. The GILH (monastic version) itself allows monks who are working or traveling outside the monastery, who have an apostolate, or who are praying in another community, to use the 4-week Roman Office. I believe a liberal interpretation of this rule includes oblates. We are not bound to choir, we do have obligations outside the monastery including “day jobs”, and in our monastery it is OK to use it, many oblates do; I have used it on occasion when particularly busy, and I use it when traveling as everything is in one compact book. I do use our abbey’s 2-year lectionary for Vigils though.
It is therefore quite OK to use any approved version of the Roman Office. The book Benedictine Daily Prayer isn’t in fact, an approved text so I don’t use it, but I do have a copy.
 
I am extremely interested in Benedictine chant. It speaks to my soul.

I am not naive enough to think that means that I know anything about Benedictine spirituality because I know zilch, or that years from now I will be a Benedictine Oblate, because again, I know nothing about it. I just know the chant attracts me.

Can anyone recommend a good book about St Benedict’s life and one about Benedictine spirituality:?
 
Fr. Groeschel’s book on St. Benedict for the life and teachings

A Life-Giving Way by Esther DeWaal for the spirituality of the Benedictine Oblate as a layperson living the rule of St. Benedict in the world.
 
puzzleannie said:
Fr. Groeschel’s book on St. Benedict for the life and teachings

A Life-Giving Way by Esther DeWaal for the spirituality of the Benedictine Oblate as a layperson living the rule of St. Benedict in the world.
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Thank you PuzzleAnnie!
 
puzzleannie said:
Fr. Groeschel’s book on St. Benedict for the life and teachings

A Life-Giving Way by Esther DeWaal for the spirituality of the Benedictine Oblate as a layperson living the rule of St. Benedict in the world.
Click to expand...
I did a quick search but I’m not sure of the name of Father Groeschel’s book?
 
TrueLight said:
I am extremely interested in Benedictine chant. It speaks to my soul.

I am not naive enough to think that means that I know anything about Benedictine spirituality because I know zilch, or that years from now I will be a Benedictine Oblate, because again, I know nothing about it. I just know the chant attracts me.

Can anyone recommend a good book about St Benedict’s life and one about Benedictine spirituality:?
Click to expand...
Check out the rule Of St. Benedict, it’s very good. Here is a link to it: amazon.com/RB-1980-Rule-St-Benedict/dp/0814612725/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1313559561&sr=8-2 .
 
puzzleannie said:
Fr. Groeschel’s book on St. Benedict for the life and teachings

A Life-Giving Way by Esther DeWaal for the spirituality of the Benedictine Oblate as a layperson living the rule of St. Benedict in the world.
Click to expand...
Be aware that Ms DeWaal is not a Catholic (just saying-our monsatery gives out her book to new interested persons 😉 )
 
Luigi_Daniele said:
Be aware that Ms DeWaal is not a Catholic (just saying-our monsatery gives out her book to new interested persons 😉 )
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Our monastery uses it for oblate formation, that is the “novice” year, for instruction. And it’s a very orthodox monastery.

There is nothing in the book that is incompatible with the Catholic faith.
 
Esther DeWaal is an Anglican and Anglican and Lutheran Benedictines are recognized as “fellow Benedictines” by Catholic Benedictines.

And her books are highly praised by one and all!

Alex
 
paul11b said:
I just have a question about the Liturgy of the Hours that the oblates of St. Benedict pray. I saw that there is a Benedictine version of the Liturgy of the Hours that is only a two week psalter. I am considering becoming a Benedictine oblate but I have been praying the regular four week psalter of the Liturgy of the Hours for a while now and I am quite used to it. Are Benedictine oblates required to pray the Benedictine style Liturgy of the Hours, or if they elect to pray the standard four week psalter are they allowed to?
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In fact, the Rule of St Benedict affirms that the Psalter should be prayed in total every week.

I’m a Benedictine oblate with St Meinrad’s Archabbey in Indiana and my Oblate Director allows me to pray the Byzantine office (as I’m Eastern Catholic) which goes through the psalms each week.

I would encourage all Benedictine Oblates (and all Catholic) to pray all 150 psalms each week, however we wish to do it. It is NOT a burden and it is Catholic tradition at its finest!

The two or four week psalter was really designed for public praying. There is no reason why we cannot pray all 150 psalms in private each week according to the admonition of St Benedict.

Alex
 
OraLabora said:
Our monastery uses it for oblate formation, that is the “novice” year, for instruction. And it’s a very orthodox monastery.

There is nothing in the book that is incompatible with the Catholic faith.
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Agree completely. I only mentioned it in the interest of full disclosure 😉
 
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