What is an Oblate? Oblates are any interested lay or cleric, single or married, male or female adult who wishes to follow the Rule of St. Benedict as their state in life permits. Many oblates are Catholic as well as Episcopalian, Methodist, Lutheran, etc. Oblates are affiliated with a local monastery or abbey.
The Oblates affiliated with St. Gertrude Monastery in Ridgely, Maryland will begin their 2011-2012 season with an Annual Retreat, “Dealing with Stress the Benedictine Way” with the help of Retreat Master Ray Studzinski, O.S.B., Ph.D., September 16th through 18th . If you are considering joining an oblate group, please join us on November 13th to meet our current oblates (29), novices (4), and inquirers (25) as well as the Benedictine Sisters.
Sister Roni Daniels, O.S.B., Directress of the Oblates will lead at least four new novices through instruction on the Rule of Benedict. The novices will look forward to celebrating their oblations at the end of 2012.
The oblates generally meet the second Sunday of each month for Praise, Mass, and Brunch followed by a meeting. Some past topics for instruction and discussion have been the Rule of Benedict, Lectio Divina, prayer, saints, stability, humility, and listening just to name a few.
Oblates attend an Annual Weekend Retreat (mentioned above), an Annual One Day Retreat, and also a North American Oblates gathering every other year. Several oblates are selected to attend the North American Association of Benedictine Oblate Directors Biennial meeting; and in 2013, the Benedictine Oblates affiliated with St. Gertrude Monastery may be chosen to send two oblates to the Third World Congress of Oblates in Rome United States
