Michael Casey's The Road to Eternal Life: Reflections on the Prologue of Benedict's Rule. Read Chapter 16 and the next few chapters. The excellent discussions keep us on a lectio divina pace. The group goes slowly to enjoy everyone's insights, comments, and sharing. Oblate Allison Poff will lead this discussion.
This month's Benedictine Circle begins at 1:30 pm and ends at 3:55 pm.
We will start at 1:30 pm which is later than the usual start at 1:15pm because a retreat will be leaving when we are starting. But it is super to have these big retreats at the abbey. These transitions as a retreat leaves is a good time for us to show them the abbey's Benedictine hospitality.
November 10-12 Oblate-Program Spiritual Retreat
The theme is "Prayer and Purity of Heart."
More info will be posted later. Anyone may attend, Catholics, non-Catholics, men, women. The retreat will be led by Abbot Isaac, OSB. The Facebook announcement video by Justin Lawrence.
December 3, 2017 Oblate Christmas Party with the Monks
Y'all come, everyone is invited. An optional and voluntary part of this event is getting a monk a gift on his Christmas wish list. The party is Sunday, December 3, 2017 from 1:15 pm until all the desserts are eaten.
Examination of Conscience at Night Prayer
One of the
previous emails had an article entitled, "Thoughts and ponderings from FAM, a lay Benedictine Oblate" which is about the stillness of the abbey's night prayer and how that special time is so conducive to a deep reflection on the day.
Tim shared his insights:
"I find that I ponder my shortcomings at the time I recognize them. I'm afraid that if I waited until the end of the day I might forget them - or worse spend a sleepless night ruminating about them. I wonder if the Rule's admonition (by way of scripture) that we are always in God's fishbowl (Let a man consider that God is always looking at him from heaven, that his actions are everywhere visible to the divine eyes and are constantly being reported to God by the Angels. RSB 7) makes it prudent to recognize and, if possible, correct our shortcomings as they arise.
"Of course, I might do things quite differently if I were able to participate daily in the Abbey's Night Prayer.
"I find noon prayers (via IBreviary) to be my daily link to the brothers, the Abbey and the Oblates - as well as spontaneous prayer throughout the day."
Thanks Tim and FAM.
May our hearts be in harmony with our uplifted hands in the sanctuary at night. Let our desire choose life and the Lord who made heaven and earth.
Those resourceful Benedictines
Psalms table showing Saint Benedict's arrangement of the Psalms throughout the day. This is the plan of saying the Psalms from his famous Rule.
No Oblate Sunday until January 2018
Because of the retreat in November and the Christmas party in December, the regular Oblate Sunday will not be held until January.
