A Christian person, lay or ordained, who wishes to become
an oblate of Saint Meinrad Archabbey must:
- Be of upright character and have an earnest desire for
spiritual advancement according to the Christian ideas set forth in
the Rule of St. Benedict.
- Be at least 15 years of age.
- Not be an oblate of another monastery.
Here are the steps to becoming an oblate:
- Submit an application for acceptance into the oblate community.
(Contact us for
more information).
- Meet with Fr. Meinrad Brune, OSB, Saint Meinrad's director of
Benedictine Oblates.
- Schedule a time for the investiture ceremony, where you will
receive a small religious habit called a scapular. In this
ceremony, you become a novice or "beginner" in the Benedictine
oblate vocation.
Receiving the scapular
introduces you to a spiritual life in which you assume a few
obligations and share many
spiritual privileges. The obligations do not bind under any pain of
sin, for St. Benedict prefers that one serve God with love rather
than with fear.
After a year as an oblate novice, you may participate in a
ceremony called the act of final oblation and become a permanent
member of the monastic family.
