There has been a huge increase in recent years in the number of people wishing to become special oblates of monasteries.
These people live in the outside world and may have jobs, spouses and families. They may not even be the same denomination as the monastery they wish to become a special oblate of.
These are people who have become very interested in monastic life and usually a particular monastery.
They don’t make vows but just yearly promises to live their lives in accordance with Benedict’s Rule as much as their circumstances will allow.
They try and say as much of the Divine Office as they can which obviously differs greatly between oblates.
They are truly considered brothers or sisters of the monastery they choose.
Regular Oblates
There is much less known about regular oblates.
These are people who enter the monastery and receive the same preparation during the novitiate as the other members of the community. Instead of taking simple vows for 3 years prior to making solemn proffession they make promises which are renewed every year.
The arrangement is flexible on both sides as the oblate is free to leave at any time and the community are equally free to discontinue the arrangement if it is not successful.
The oblate lives the same life as the rest of the community and wears the same habit although does not receive the cowl and the ring as no solemn proffession is made. They will also not have a vote in chapter on important decisions.
Some communities do not like to take regular oblates because they make no binding commitments. However, many communites are happy to accept the arrangement and we have done so ourselves successfully. We do not have any regular oblates at the prresent time.
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Here in North America, what you call special oblates we call Oblates and what you call Oblates we call Claustral Oblates.
At Christ in the Desert, we have a Claustral Oblate. He has been known to the community for decades. He and his wife used to live on the property for several years. When his wife died a couple years ago, he asked to join as an oblate. He wears the same habit that the brothers do. He’s 92!
Please could you tell me if there is a age limited on regular oblates,and what is a cowl, and what are the vows a regular oblate makes. I am an oblate of the Grace and Compassion Sisters in Brighton. I am married aged 47 and if I considered one day if I was free from dependants to live with your community for as a Regular Oblate, would that be possible
Thankyou Sister
God Bless Leigh
Hi Leonora and welcome, our community as a whole has no age limit – it is more important to have good health – Oblate sisters take the same vows as everyone else but they are binding only for a year at a time instead of for life – the novitiate and habit are exactly the same too. Entry requirements are different though and are not exact so we would prefer women to contact us individually explaining their circumstances rather than write them on the blog, so yes there probably would be a possibility for you in the future if you are free. It really would be down to disernment on both sides. The Cowl is a large over garment ( like a huge smock) that is worn by Solemnly Professed relgious women and men of some communities in choir. This and the ring are the outward tokens of final and binding profession – Oblates don’t make this profession so wouldn’t recieve it. Oblates go through postulancy and then novitiate then make simple vows yearly and recieve the black veil of the professed.
If you would like more details please contact Mother Anne on the email address in About and About us she would be happy to be in contact with you and support you in your seeking. I hope this helps, pax sr marie-therese.
How are you? You have just come to my mind and before you go away again because of the many things I have to do, I write to you to tell you that I am glad to see you as happy as ever. My life goes on being the same as before, so no change, no news, good news. We have changed the website if you want to have a look, at http://www.fcjsisters.org, you will see me in the vocation page and in the new members page. Courage and confidence and a big hug to you!!!!!
My wife and I were some of the new oblates this year in February 2008. It was a step in the direction our lives had been going for years, and we are very pleased to live monasticly according to the Rule as much as possible.
I am very pleased to read . . . However, many communites are happy to accept the arrangement and we have done so ourselves successfully. We do not have any regular oblates at the prresent time. Seems that this kind of openess is not very widly spread. It would be of great help if u could let me know some addresses to get in touch with. In case you know of monasteries in Germany accepting regular oblates, that too would be helpful, since I live here. On the other hand, for me it would be no problem to go abroad i.e. to UK or the US after my worldy responsibilities will end. Thanks for your kind attention.
Hello, St.Bonifaz in München has a regular oblate. Otherwise I don’t know much about men’s communities but there are plenty of women’s communities (OSB, OCist) that have a regular oblate in Germany/Austria, I imagine many men’s communities should be accepting regular oblate as well. Vocation in Germany is not doing that well and most places really need people to take care of day-to-day things. I think you can just look for communities that look good for you in all the other aspects, and ask if they would take you as claustral oblate, instead of narrowing down first with the possibility of claustral oblate. It can also happen that a community currently has one and doesn’t want two. (The formation of a c.o. is often directed by the Abbot himself instead of novicemaster, then he might not have time for two at once.)
To put it short, discernment process for becoming claustral oblate should be the same as that of becoming a regular monk, only that one would have to ask the possibility in the early stage of the communication.