www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology My blessing to be an Oblate novice

Dear Friends,

Just wanted to share with you the experience I had when I was blessed to be a Benedictine Oblate novice.

This occurred at Sts. Cyril and Methodius UGCC parish in St Catharines, Ontario and I was blessed by my friend, Rev. Fr. Bohdan Choly.

The Church itself was consecrated by Patriarch Joseph the Hieroconfessor himself. A most beautiful Church, Father gave me a one-hour guided tour that left me breathless.

As it was noon, Father suggested we celebrate the Sixth Hour together during which he would bless me to become a novice.

We read the prayers together, Father blessed my scapular and Cross-medal that was on the tetrapod.

Before the dismissal, he fulfilled the ritual as outlined in the Oblate manual and imposed the scapular on me.

He then completed the Sixth Hour by reciting the dismissal.

He then said that there was significance to the fact that this ceremony had occured at noon. He said I should take it that the Rule of St Benedict is that which diverts the darts of the evil one and the Sixth Hour especially reminds us of the "noonday devil" etc.

And Sts Cyril and Methodius, together with St Benedict, are the patrons of Europe - so there was a link there as well.

I feel rather different now, spiritual life has real purpose as does the praying of the Horologion, as much as possible, every day, doing "lectio divina," reading the Rule of St Benedict and otherwise applying this spirituality to one's daily life in the world.

The scapular is like the mantle of St Benedict protecting and guiding one . . .

The five obligations of the Oblate are: praying the Hours (as much as possible), reading the Rule daily, doing some lectio divina, liturgical worship and reception of the sacraments and attentiveness to the Presence of God in one's life.

Father Choly has been my friend for many years now - his deep spirituality and application of it from a Byzantine Christian context made a great impression on me!

He has six children, his eldest daughter has a boyfriend who is going to become a married EC priest.

One of his younger sons, John, has a priestly vocation already!

I was led to the basement where there a little altar, with candles, books, Crosses, icons and even a place where John cuts bread into pieces for communion . . . He even has a small chalice . . .

As I spoke with his mother, John stood before his altar, began to cross himself, bow and started to recite prayers . . . His younger brother, Eliseus, is his deacon.

When John goes to day-camp, he organizes other children to "concelebrate" with him! When a group of mothers came across them, he said, "We are all priests here and we haven't finished our services!"

I remarked what a wonderful child the Presbytera had - he almost brought me to tears! I said I would get him a "pectoral Cross" since that seemed to be the only thing missing from his "priestly repertoire!"

Then John retired to a bed with his brother Eliseus for a game of wrestling and he dominated his "deacon . . ." I told the Presbytera that "Father John" even got the priest's relationship to the deacon right . . .

They have a beautiful copy of an ancient miraculous Icon of the Theotokos of "Borusiw" (exquisite!).

Whenever someone is sick in the parish, an icon card is passed around on Sunday where all the parishioners sign it before it is blessed and taken to the sick person's home . . .

A blessed day for me to spend with such a wonderful and holy priestly family!

May St Benedict pray unto God for us all!

Alex
unworthy disciple
of St Benedict

Dear Friends,

Anyone who might like to think about becoming an Oblate of St Benedict could also contact either myself privately or St Meinrad's Archabbey directly!

PAX

Alex

Alex,

There is, of course, another significance to being blessed at noon -- St. Benedict always preached the via media -- the middle way, and noon is, of course, "mid-day."

Service to God is always rewarding, just sometimes not in the way we expect.

May He who is the source of all send abundant blessings upon you.

Fr. Deacon Edward

Dear Father Deacon,

Thank you!

And you live just too far away for me to have sought you out as my delegate for investiture!

But your insight is significant and I will meditate on it today.

Cheers,

Alex

Alex,

A hearty congratulations to you as you embark on this spiritual pilgrimage!

I grew up surrounded by Benedictine monks, and my father studied in seminary under the good Benedictine fathers.

Tell me, what was your scapular like? Is it the traditional OLMC style scapular or something different? Also can you tell me about the rule of life that you follow as well as the community life?

God's blessings!

Gordo

Benedictine Fathers!! Gordo shame on you. Never fathers, always monks. Nearly had heart failure. I am sure all of your mates here join with Gordo's wishes for you. God bless!

Paul,

?????

Gordo

Dear Gordo,

Yes, it is like the Carmelite scapular, but with images of St Benedict and St Scholastica on each side respectively.

I'm a "long distance oblate novice." We are to pray the hours daily (a form is given with the Oblate Companion), read from the rule of St Benedict, do lectio divina, attend the sacraments regularly and be attentive to the presence of God in our lives.

The scapular and Benedictine spirituality really gives one a sense of attentiveness to what one does in the "now" - whether it be a canonical Hour, work, reading, what have you.

Cheers and good luck with Pavel!

Thanks, Pavel!

Alex

God bless you on your vocation to be an Oblate, Alex!

Personally, I think Third Order/Secular Order/Oblates are one of the best kept secrets of the Catholic Church. I encourage anyone who feels a pull towards a particular monastic order's charism, be it Benedictine, Carmelite, Dominican etc., to explore the possibility of being a formal secular member of the family.

Alex there are long distance oblates all over the world. Holy Trinity Abbey (Subiaco Congeregation) just a few hours drive north of Perth in Western Australia has Oblates all over the continent and last I heard a few in New Zealand who are looked after by the Trappists there. So you are not alone.

Holy Trinity Abbey is on the internet. It is the only Abbey of Benedictine monks in Oceania.
http://www.newnorcia.wa.edu.au/

Congratulations!

I just wanted to say, my spiritual journey has also crossed that beautiful parish. It was during a funeral service by Father Choly for my grandfather that I became drawn to the UGCC and my Ukrainian roots I only pray that my spiritual reawakening fully blossoms.

Anyway, I will pray for you and your vocation. May you have many blessed years.

Dear Andriy,

May God draw you fully into your great Christian and spiritual cultural heritage in the UGCC!

When Father Choly was showing me all the icons (he literally explained ALL the icons in the Church! ), I came across two very interesting icons.

They were of Augustine of Hippo and of Jerome - in BOTH cases their titles, on their icons, were "Blessed" and not "Saint" in the Orthodox manner!

Orthodox iconographers were employed to write the icons there. I've NEVER seen icons listing these two as "Blessed" in an EC Church before.

In addition, Father showed me two other icons of Church Fathers where the faces of the Fathers were done to represent . . . Patriarch Joseph the Confessor and Met. Andrew Sheptytsky (as Sts. Athanasius and Cyril of Alexandria).

But the first two of Augustine and Jerome literally "blew me away!"

Alex

Dear Pavel,

You are right and St Meinrad's Archabbey has over 1,000 such long distance oblates.

And even though distance separates us, I feel perfectly at one with all of them in some mysterious way, and especially during my Reader's Services of the Horologion!

In fact, for me the Rule of St Benedict provides a needed framework and discipline since I'm really all over the place with respect to spirituality.

I don't actually see it as a "vocation," so much as a necessity for me to get myself spiritually off the ground and running.

The Rule also frames one's entire life with respect to work and helps to focus one in terms of "day-tight" compartments, paying attention to what one must do at any given time of the day, whether to pray an Hour, to read and meditate, to work.

I recommend the Rule of St Benedict to everyone here - one may read the daily readings of it online at: www.osb.org [osb.org]

Anyone can become an oblate of St Benedict, Orthodox or Catholic or Protestant, the rules are basically the rules we should be following as Christians anyway.

The Rule disciplines and channels one's energy in a meaningful, productive way - it enlightens, vivifies and energizes one's entire life!

And for Easterners, let's remember that although our Holy Father Benedict was a Latin Catholic, he points Eastwards in his Rule to the monastic well-springs there, including Cassian's works and the Rules of St Basil the Great etc.

PAX!

Alex

Dear Alex,

Peace and best wishes in the Spirit of Christ as is exemplified in St. Benedict's Rule. I was a Benedictine Oblate for nine years. We had an extensive period of formation for two years before making our first oblation and then we renewed the oblation on a yearly basis after that. We were men and women connected to and associated with a Benedictine monastery located in a rural setting. There we attended retreats, meetings, and seminars two or three times a year as well as gave time to assist the Benedictine community there. Most of us lived within a 200 mile radius of the monastery. We also had small group community meetings under the guidance of the Benedictines in our localities...small towns and/or cities. In those we studied the RB, prayed, and organized various projects to help at the monastery as well as formed community with each other, but mainly just tried to live our Benedictine Spirituality in our every day lives. I helped start one of them and facilitated our lectio together several times over the years and also wrote a short
history of the oblate community there.

When we moved across the state some years ago we were a long distance away and not able to attend meetings. However, I do remain Benedictine in heart and spirit although no longer able to be part of that particular monastery. The focus of the RB is much on Christian community...so I hope you find fellowship and support with other Benedictines (cenobitic or oblates) on a regular basis.

Over the years all of my experiences with the Benedicines has given me renewed purpose and a solid way in which to study and pray and grow closer to God. It helps that my sister-in-law is Benedictine so I have often said that, "I married into the family."

Welcome to the family!

In St. Benedict
and St. Scholastica

Porter.

Dear Porter,

PAX in Christi!!

Thank you for your kind, spiritually-moving words!

I've already begun scouting for additional potential Byzantine Benedictine Oblates in my area - I've even sent a direct invitation to a friend who said he "needs more convincing" and I'll get to work on him after he and his family return from their vacation!

Perhaps eventually we'll have an active community here as well!

When Father Choly invested me with the Black Scapular, he read out the formula that said, "Many Saints have worn it . . ."

That was quite a sobering moment for me and I know wearing the Benedictine Habit in that Scapular is a serious, spiritual matter!

I feel "put under obedience" as a disciple and my direction will come primarily from the Oblate Director, Fr. Meinrad.

Please accept my deep spiritual bow!

In STs. Benedict, Scholastica and Meinrad and Our Lady of Montserrat (my personal Benedictine Theotokos devotion),

Alex