How to Be a Monastic and Not Leave Your Day Job

November 28, 2005
Even as the number of religious (ordained monks and nuns) declines sharply in this country, lay monasticism is on the rise. "The number of oblates everywhere keeps growing and growing," says Tvedten, a monk at Blue Cloud Abbey in South Dakota who describes an oblate as someone who takes vows of spiritual commitment to a particular Benedictine monastery, but can have a regular job and a family. In this concise but informative book, Tvedten explains the foundation for oblate life—the Rule of Saint Benedict, a sixth-century guideline for spiritual growth in community. Benedict stressed a balanced life, with days spent praying the Divine Office (chanting the Psalms), reading devotional texts and working. Modern oblates do these things at home—some living hundreds of miles from the monastery with which they are affiliated—and visit the monastery regularly to meet with the monks and other oblates. After highlighting some core aspects of Benedictine spirituality (with some interesting forays into monastic history), Tvedten outlines how a person becomes an oblate, identifies religious communities within the United States that accept oblate members and explores simple principles for oblate life.

January 15, 2006
These two books deserve dual consideration. Both issued by Paraclete, they make a powerful case for the revival of one of the less well known monastic traditions of the West, the -oblates, - who, while remaining laypeople in a lay life, are affiliated with a monastic house by their adherence to some of the basic tenets of the Benedictine rule. Tvedten (director, Oblates, Blue Cloud Abbey, SD) explains the history of Benedictine monasticism simply but in some detail as well as the history of oblates and their place in contemporary monastic houses, both Catholic and non-Catholic Benedictine.

Srubas, herself both a Benedictine oblate and a Presbyterian clergywoman, has written a collection of poemlike prayers and meditations directed at oblates and inspired by the Benedictine rule. These volumes cast fresh light on a little-known practice and should interest many readers. For most collections.

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