Notes to Oblates of Mount Angel Abbey

March 10, 2023

Dear Oblates,

“The water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
– Gospel Reading for the 3rd Sunday of Lent 

There is a twofold theme to the Lenten season. The first is repentance, which is something we are all familiar with. The second is one that is less familiar, and it is the theme of baptism. This Sunday’s reading points to the baptismal character of the Lenten season. Jesus says to the Samaritan woman that the water he gives will well up to eternal life. As Joshua led the Israelites across the waters of the Jordan to the promised land, so now Christ, the new Joshua, leads his people through the waters of baptism into the kingdom of God by his death and resurrection.

The day of our baptism was the most important day of our life. On that day, when we were submerged three times into water, we died with Christ and rose to new life with him. We became adopted sons and daughters of God and were incorporated into the Mystical Body of Christ. With the sanctifying grace we received, we were made heirs of eternal life. Therefore, I encourage you today to recall your baptism. Get some holy water, make the sign of the cross and renew your baptismal vows. Say, “I reject Satan and all his works and all his empty promises.” Then say, “I believe in God the Father almighty and in his Son Jesus Christ our Lord and in the Holy Spirit, the giver of life.” By doing this, we can enter more deeply into the Lenten spirit.

An oblate recommended a video on the Shroud of Turin on the “Pints With Aquinas” YouTube channel. This can be a very good Lenten video to help us enter more deeply into the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus.

This will be my last call for the Bona Operas. Find that envelope that is lost in the pile of mail and try to get these filled out and sent to me. This is a great way to be spiritually united to the Abbey. Thank you!

With support from the Oblate Council, I have decided to donate $100 from the Oblate Fund to the Alliance for International Monasticism. The organization supports monasteries in third-world countries. One of the beneficiaries is a monk from our daughter house in Cuervnavaca, MEXICO. See below for more details.

Prayer request. Please pray for the monks as they take on a local Catholic high school (Chesterton Academy) in a frisbee match on Sunday. Pray for safety and good weather. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, O.S.B.
Director of Oblates

Oblate Day of Recollection in Sumner, WA

Monastery cloister hallway

Oblate Calendar

March
12 – Oblate Sunday: Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works, Part II, Inner Dispositions: a guide to true Metanoia
21 – Passing of St. Benedict (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

April
7 – Good Friday Stations of the Cross: Led by Hispanic Oblates
9 – Easter Sunday

May
19-21 – Oblate Retreat: Br. Ignatius – The Four Marks of the Church in the Letters of Saint Ignatius of Antioch.
28 – Oblate Sunday: Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works, Part III: The Ascetical Path: “to Chastise the Body.”

June
25 – Oblate Picnic

July
8 – St. Benedict Festival
10-13 – Oblate Study Days: Br. Thomas
11 – Solemnity of St. Benedict (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblations)
23 – Oblate Sunday: Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works, Part IV: The rules of Christian Koinonia.

March 3, 2023

Dear Oblates,

“The Lord said to Abram: ‘Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you.”
-1st Reading for the 2nd Sunday of Lent 

Abram is told by God to leave what he knows and the people he knows for a land that will be shown to him. To put this in another way, Abram is called to leave behind everything he knows and everything he has grown comfortable with to follow God, who has promised to show him “a land” he has not seen. Yet, in an act of faith that most people would call absurd, Abram leaves his home, opens his heart and believes in this promise of God in which God promises to bless him, make his name great and make him a blessing for others. Abram has put his faith and hope in an “I will” from God that is not seen.

How many times in our lives has God asked us, whether through our conscience or an event, to go in this or that direction or to change this or that about our habits, and all that came to mind was what we would be losing? How many times have we refused to believe in the “I will” of God, in which He promises to bestow his grace upon us through Christ Jesus even though we did not always see it (2nd Reading)? But also, how many times, when we reflect on our past, have we seen God’s good will in our trials and tribulations? I’m sure that we could all think of times that fit these questions. The question now is, “what will we do in the future when we hear this ‘I will’ from God?” Will we stick to our comfort or place our hope in Him? Will we follow Him who has “called us to a holy life, not according to our works, but according to his own design,” or will we insist on our own design (2nd Reading)?

The answer to these questions will determine whether we can pray the Responsorial Psalm with an open heart and live it accordingly. The repeated antiphon says, “Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.” Notice it says “as” and not “if.” Let us now in this time of Lent turn to the Lord and place our trust in Him with no strings attached. Let us “wait” for Him whose eyes “are upon those who fear him, [and] upon those who hope for his kindness” for “all his works are trustworthy” (Responsorial Psalm).

Our next Oblate Sunday will be on Sunday, March 12th. Br. Alfredo will give his second of four talks on the Tools of Good Works, a very pertinent chapter for Lent. This second conference is entitled: Inner dispositions: a guide to true Metanoia. For sign up for in-person click here; for remote option click here.

An oblate shared with me a talk that Abbot Jeremy gave on the Word on Fire podcast. It is titled, “Source and Summit of Evangelization.” You can access it here.

Next Thursday, March 9th, is the memorial of St. Frances of Rome, patroness of Benedictine oblates. May she intercede for all of you and guide you along the way of the Holy Rule and lead you into deeper union with Christ. A special blessing on all to take St. Frances as their patron.

Prayer request. Please pray for the eternal rest of oblate Joanne “Catherine of Sienna” Violand who passed away last month. Pray for all the oblates who will participate in the Day of Recollection in Sumner, WA tomorrow. Pray also for the seminarians who will be instituted as lector and acolyte on Monday. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, O.S.B.
Director of Oblates

P.S. – Reflection above written by Br. Jesse.

Ash Wednesday Mass 2023

Icon of St. Henry and St. Frances of Rome

Snow on Hilltop Feb 2023

Oblate Calendar

March
9 – St. Frances of Rome (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday: Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works, Part II, Inner dispositions: a guide to true Metanoia
21 – Passing of St. Benedict (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

April
7 – Good Friday Stations of the Cross: Led by Hispanic Oblates
9 – Easter Sunday

May
19-21 – Oblate Retreat: Br. Ignatius – The Four Marks of the Church in the Letters of Saint Ignatius of Antioch.
28 – Oblate Sunday: Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works, Part III: The Ascetical Path: “to Chastise the Body.”

June
25 – Oblate Picnic

July
8 – St. Benedict Festival
10-13 – Oblate Study Days: Br. Thomas
11 – Solemnity of St. Benedict (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblations)

February 24, 2023

Dear Oblates,

“Return to me with your whole heart”
– Joel 2:12 (Ash Wednesday readng)

We have all gone astray like sheep, so our journey to God takes the way of a return. It is a return that means a changing of direction, a changing of our ways. In a sense, by our sins, we have turned our back on God. The prophet Joel counsels us to return to God, and this is essentially what the season of Lent is all about. Yes, the practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving is essential, but the primary meaning lies in restoring our relationship with God.

The prophet tells us to return to God with our whole heart. We have not given God our whole heart; rather, we have been half-hearted, lukewarm, and have only given him a portion of our heart. The other parts we retain for other things, other people and for ourselves. What part of our heart still needs to be given over to God? What am I still holding on to, unable to let go of? Is it a sin? Is it a lack of forgiveness? Can we trust God with our whole heart knowing that suffering is a real possibility? However, we also know that through our wounds we come closer to Christ’s wounded heart.

Dear oblates, I pray that this Lenten season will be for you a deepening in your intimacy with God. I pray that you will return to him with all your heart, and that no other loves will hold you back from giving yourself entirely to him. Nothing in this life is worth pursuing more than the God who loves us. As St. Benedict says, “Prefer nothing whatsoever to Christ” (RB 4:21).

Br. Cyril’s conferences from the Oblate retreat a few weeks ago is now available on the oblate page. We have also recorded Br. Anselm’s Lenten conferences and hope to make these available in a few weeks.

Our next Oblate Sunday will be on Sunday, March 12. Br. Alfredo will give his second of four talks on the Tools of Good Works, a very pertinent chapter for Lent. This second conference is entitled: Inner dispositions: a guide to true Metanoia. For sign up for in-person click here; for remote option click here.

Br. Ambrose latest article, entitled, “Monks Are ‘Idiots,’ and You Should Be Too” is now available online.

Prayer request. Today marks one year anniversary since the war in Ukraine. A Ukrainian priest said, “Everyday has become a station of the holy cross.” There is an online Stations of the Cross from Kyiv. It will contain personal stories from Ukraine in English and Ukrainian Hymns between each station. It will begin at 9am PST. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, O.S.B.
Director of Oblates

An oblate sent this picture to me on the feast of St. Scholastica. It is a picture of one of the murals in Subiaco. St. Scholastica’s face is priceless

Oblate Calendar

March
9 – St. Frances of Rome (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday: Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works, Part II, Inner dispositions: a guide to true Metanoia
21 – Passing of St. Benedict (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

April
7 – Good Friday Stations of the Cross: Led by Hispanic Oblates
9 – Easter Sunday

May
19-21 – Oblate Retreat: Br. Ignatius – The Four Marks of the Church in the Letters of Saint Ignatius of Antioch
28 – Oblate Sunday: Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works, Part III.

February 17, 2023

Dear Oblates,

“If we wish to dwell in the tent of this kingdom, we will never arrive unless we run there by doing good deeds ”
– Prologue 22

St. Benedict mentions the word “tent” here, and he will go on using this word three additional times in the prologue. What is he talking about when he writes about the tent of God’s kingdom? Is it something like a nice camping trip where we pitch our tents and make smores. That may sound nice but no. When St. Benedict uses the word tent he is evoking a strong biblical image. The tent of meting housed the ark of the covenant. It was also called the Dwelling (Ex 26). It was the sign of God’s presence among the people and was a privileged place of God’s revelation. The Latin word for tent, tabernaculi, makes the connection clear. In the Catholic Church, the Blessed Sacrament is reserved in the tabernacle, so to dwell in God’s tent is like living in the tabernacle, living in God’s house.

If we wish to dwell continuously in God’s presence, we must do good deeds. Those good deeds are spelled out explicitly in chapter four. St. Benedict is basically saying to us, “A privileged state does not sanctify us” (Paul Delatte). It is not simply enough to make vows or oblation. Action must flow from this initial offering of our lives to Christ. When Christ saw the fig tree with leaves but no fruit, he spoke to it and it withered (Mt 21:19). It is not simply enough to have the ornaments (leaves) of a religious life; there must also be fruit. Do we desire to dwell continuously in the presence of God? Then let us do a good deed, for in love, we reflect the divine image implanted in our souls.

One of the oblates asked whether oblates have free membership to the Abbey library. After inquiring, the director of the library told me that it was the policy of the library that oblates do indeed have free membership to the library.

Prayer request. Please pray for Abbot Jeremy as he returns from his time of rest. Pray that he may be renewed in spirit and have the strength and grace to guide our community into the future. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, O.S.B.
Director of Oblates

Monastic Discernment Retreat, February 2023

Visitation Garden at sunset, February 2023

Oblate Calendar
2023

February
22 – Ash Wednesday: Lenten Day of Recollection – Br. Anselm: Hymns of Lent

March
9 – St. Frances of Rome (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday: Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works, Part II.
21 – Passing of St. Benedict (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

April
7 – Good Friday Stations of the Cross: Led by Hispanic Oblates
9 – Easter Sunday

May
13 – Novice Classes
19-21 – Oblate Retreat: Br. Ignatius – The Four Marks of the Church in the Letters of Saint Ignatius of Antioch.
28 – Oblate Sunday: Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works, Part III.

February 10, 2023

Dear Oblates,

“When I appealed to you, you would not listen to me. So I turned to my God and He heard my prayer.”
– St. Scholastica to St. Benedict

I always enjoy hearing the reading for St. Scholastica’s feast. It is wonderful to hear how St. Benedict had a sister to whom he was very close, and that although they were both very saintly, they had their differences of opinions. St. Benedict wanted to keep his rule and St. Scholastica wanted to keep talking. They had their differences and even became upset with one another, St. Benedict saying in frustration, “What have you done sister?” This was followed by St. Scholastica’s reply quoted above. Because of the downpour of rain, they were happily able to enjoy an extended conversation on the interior life, and three days later St. Scholastica passed away.

I like this verse because it is a reflection of our own human experience. We’ve all had situations in which we appealed to another person but were met with deaf ears. All we wanted from them was that they listen to our request and take it to heart, but we were met with a cold shoulder instead. Those moments in our life are difficult and challenging, but St. Scholastica gives us a bit of advice. If we are not being heard by man, let us pray to our heavenly Father, who always hears us and has power over rain, wind and sea, and can turn the tables in our favor. Today, let us ask St. Scholastica to intercede for us for a particular need, which man did not grant.

I have received a number of Bona Operas already, so thank you to those who have done this. Suddenly, Lent is less than two weeks away. This weekend may be a good time to reflect on your Lenten practices and fill out your Bona Operas. I hope that as many oblates as possible will participate in this spiritual work.

A blessed feast of St. Scholastica to you all and especially to those who take her as their patron. As noted below, a plenary indulgence can be obtained by oblates today.

Prayer request. Today, please pray for all the Benedictine Sisters, especially those at Queen of Angels convent. Please pray also for the eleven men, who are here on the monastic discernment retreat this weekend.  Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, O.S.B.
Director of Oblates

Please pray for our new Oblates. Danielle “Elizabeth Leseur” Quitslund, Trish “Catherine of Siena” Meier, Grace “Maria John” Gapuz, Seth “Alcuin of York” London, and John “Thomas” Jarret.

Pray also for our new Oblate Novices. Natalia, James, Sheina, Fernando and Sean. Also for Erica Ryan, who was enrolled today.

Oblate Lenten Day of Recollection 2023
To sign up, please click here.

Oblate Calendar
2023

February
10 – St. Scholastica (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works (Ch. 4 of the Holy Rule)
22 – Ash Wednesday: Lenten Day of Recollection – Br. Anselm: Hymns of Lent

March
9 – St. Frances of Rome (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works, Part I.
21 – Passing of St. Benedict (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

April
7 – Good Friday Stations of the Cross: Led by Hispanic Oblates
9 – Easter Sunday

May
13 – Novice Classes
19-21 – Oblate Retreat: Br. Ignatius – The Four Marks of the Church in the Letters of Saint Ignatius of Antioch.
28 – Oblate Sunday: Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works, Part II.

February 3, 2023

Dear Oblates,

“Clothed then with faith and the performance of good works, let us set out on this way, with the Gospel for our guide, that we may deserve to see him who has called us to his kingdom.”
– Prologue 21

Our holy father Benedict is exhorting here us to heed God’s call. The first thing to notice is God’s initial action. He has called; he keeps calling, hoping for our response. In fact, he’s doing it at this very moment with these words which St. Benedict has taken from scripture. God calls us to set out toward a goal, his kingdom, our heavenly homeland. We get a glimpse of this kingdom in every liturgy, every moment of charity, and every moment with the Lord in prayer. But we have been called to more than a glimpse. We are called to clarity. Let us set out on this path then not forgetting our guide: the Gospel. How can we reach a destination if we don’t have a guide or if we don’t listen to or use our guide? The Gospel is not supposed to guide us once a week or thirty minutes each day. It is supposed to guide us constantly. Like a compass or a GPS for any traveler, we must go back to it over and over again lest we go off course. It is not simply a weekly correction after going astray. To ensure this does not happen, let us make a constant effort to set up some time for lectio divina, our fount of direction, which we can delve into over and over again. Let us put our faith in Him who gave us this guide and put on the good works which God has gifted us with that we may heed St. Benedict’s exhortation on our way to God’s kingdom.

Our next Oblate Sunday, will be February 12, and Br. Alfredo will begin the first of a series of conferences on Chapter 4 of the Holy Rule: The Tools of Good Works. Br. Alfredo describes his first talk as follows: Origins of Chapter 4th in the Rule of the Master. Comparison between the Rule of the Master and St Benedict’s Rule. Two key concepts that permeate chapter four: A) the relationship between Theophilia and Philanthropia, and B) the relationship between one’s state in life and the virtuous life. For in person click here; for remote option click here.

Prayer request. Please pray for the oblates and inquirers who will be with on retreat this weekend and for Br. Cyril the retreat master. Pray especially for the five novices who will be making final oblation. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, O.S.B.
Director of Oblates

Icon on the Feast of the Presentation

Oblate Lenten Day of Recollection 2023
To sign up, please click here.

Oblate Calendar
2023

February
3-5 – Oblate Retreat
10 – St. Scholastica (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works (Ch. 4 of the Holy Rule)
22 – Ash Wednesday: Lenten Day of Recollection – Br. Anselm Hymns of Lent

March
9 – St. Frances of Rome (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works, Part I.
21 – Passing of St. Benedict (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

April
7 – Good Friday Stations of the Cross: Led by Hispanic Oblates
9 – Easter Sunday

May
19-21 – Oblate Retreat: Br. Ignatius – The Four Marks of the Church in the Letters of Saint Ignatius of Antioch.
28 – Oblate Sunday: Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works, Part II.

January 27, 2023

Dear Oblates,

“What, dear brothers, is more delightful than this voice of the Lord calling to us?”
– Prologue 19

As a man in love longs to hear the voice of his beloved, so too the Christian should long to hear the sweet voice of the Lord. Do we long to hear his voice? Do we recognize the voice of the Lord calling us, or are we like the young Samuel, who did not recognize God’s voice. Jesus says, “the sheep follow him [the shepherd], because they recognize his voice” (Jn 10:4). How do we recognize the voice of the Lord, and how do we distinguish it from the voice of the hired hand? For one, we can be sure it is the voice of the Lord if it is in accord with Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition and Magisterial teaching. Secondly, and on a more personal level, the voice of the Lord brings about peace, joy and an increase of faith, hope and love. The voice of the hired hand brings about disquiet, disturbance, anxiety and a decrease in faith, hope and love. Let us take some time today and allow the delightful voice of the Lord speak to us in our lectio divina (see handout below).

Our next Oblate Sunday, will be February 12, and Br. Alfredo will begin the first of a series of conferences on Chapter 4 of the Holy Rule: The Tools of Good Works. In this first conference, he will be comparing and contrasting St. Benedict’s chapter with that of his source, The Rule of the Master. I believe that this can be a good conference as we prepare for the season of Lent. To sign up for in-person, click here; for remote option, click here.

With in the next week or so, you should be receiving your annual Lenten Bona Opera. You can think about your Lenten practices now, and I will try to get them back to you before Ash Wednesday.

Every four years, there is World Congress of Oblates. The next one will be from September 9-16, 2023 at Sant’ Anselmo in Rome, ITALY. The United States is permitted to send 40 delegates, so about one per monastery. It will cost about $930 for the conference; this does not include airfare. You can learn more here. If you are interested in attending, please let me know by February 14.

We will be having our Lenten Day of Recollection on Ash Wednesday, February 22. Br. Anselm will be giving the conferences on the Vespers hymn during Lent. To sign up, please click here. Please see below for more details. I added the praying of the Stations of the Cross to the day.

Prayer request. Please pray for vocations to our monastery. We have two men who will be visiting us this weekend. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, O.S.B.
Director of Oblates

Oblate Lenten Day of Recollection 2023

The practice of Lectio Divina

Oblate Calendar
2023

January
22 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mount Angel history: Part IV

February
3-5 – Oblate Retreat – Br. Cyril on the 7 Deadly Sins and the 9 Fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 – St. Scholastica (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works (Ch. 4 of the Holy Rule)
22 – Ash Wednesday Lenten Day of Recollection – Br. Anselm Hymns of Lent

March
9 – St. Frances of Rome (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Alfredo
21 – Passing of St. Benedict (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

January 20, 2023

Dear Oblates,

“Even before you ask me, I will say to you: Here I am (Is 58:9).”
– Prologue 19

When I here the words “Here I am,” I go back to my days at St. Joseph’s Church in Kennewick, WA. We would often sing the hymn entitled “Here I am Lord.” The message of the hymn is taken mainly from Psalm 40, which speaks of the obedience of God’s servant. However, St. Benedict quotes not from the psalm but rather from the prophet Isaiah, and it is not we who say “Here I am” but God. In Isaiah God is speaking to the captive Israelites returning from exile. They were oppressed by the Babylonians and God may have seen absent to them, but he reassures them with the words “Here I am.”

St. Benedict in quoting this verse from Isaiah is acknowledging the closeness of God. “Even before you ask me, I will say to you: Here I am”. Before we start praying to God he is already near; he is already here with us. Sometimes we may wonder, “Where are you God? Why aren’t you doing anything?” He simply replies, “Here I am.” The presence of God among his people is a fundamental part of the Christian message, from the beginning to the end. In the Christmas season, we hear that the Son of God would be born of the virgin and be given the name Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.” After his resurrection, Jesus says that he will be with his disciples until the end of time. Therefore, during the course of this day, take a few moments here and there and simply call to mind an image of Our Lord and hear him say to you, “Here I am.”

We will be having our Lenten Day of Recollection on Ash Wednesday, February 22. Br. Anselm will be giving the conferences on the Vespers hymn during Lent. To sign up, please click here. Please see below for more details.

Also, I will be giving a Lenten Day of Recollection to Oblates around the Sumner, WA area on Saturday, March 4th.

Br. Ambrose has written several articles related to Benedictine spirituality. The articles are creative, thought-provoking and spiritually edifying. His most recent one is entitled, “On the Fortieth Day of Christmas My True Love Sent To Me.” You can find it on the oblate page under the heading “Articles.”

Prayer request. Please pray for the new oblate groups that are starting up and for the oblates who will be making final oblation in two weeks. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, O.S.B.
Director of Oblates

Natalis Domini, icon written by Br. Ambrose Stewart, O.S.B., based on a prototype by Br. Claude Lane, O.S.B.

Oblate Lenten Day of Recollection 2023

California Scrub Jay on the hilltop. Picture taken by one of our oblates. A blue jay but not a Blue Jay.

Oblate Calendar
2023

January
22 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mount Angel history: Part IV

February
3-5 – Oblate Retreat – Br. Cyril on the 7 Deadly Sins and the 9 Fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 – St. Scholastica (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works (Ch. 4 of the Holy Rule)
22 – Ash Wednesday Lenten Day of Recollection – Br. Anselm Hymns of Lent

March
9 – St. Frances of Rome (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Alfredo
21 – Passing of St. Benedict (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

January 13, 2023

Dear Oblates,

“Let peace be your quest and aim.”
– Prologue 17

Peace. This is one of the major Benedictine themes. Several times after the resurrection Jesus said to his disciples, “Peace be with you.” This peace that he gives us is a gift of the resurrection because by it, Christ has destroyed sin and death and has given us new life. This peace that Jesus gives endures even in the midst of trial, hardship and suffering because we know that our “momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Cor 4:17). Lastly, peace is something we seek out. Are we seeking the peace of Christ? Are we doing what gives us his peace? Or are we forfeiting that peace by forcing our own will, meddling in the affairs of others or refusing to restrain our tongues? Peace is a gift of God. May his peace control our minds and hearts this day and always.

I was able to find a monk to give the February Oblate Retreat. Br. Cyril will be leading it and will focus on the 7 deadly sins and the 9 fruits of the Holy Spirit. If you would like to attend the conference-only option, please let me know.

Our next Oblate Sunday on January 22 will be the last of four conferences given by Br. Cyril on Mount Angel’s history. To sign up for in person click here, for remote option, click here.

Prayer request. Please pray for several of the new regional and online oblate groups that will be starting this month or next month. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, O.S.B.
Director of Oblates

Members of the Bethlehem Community stopping over in Libby, Montana, on their way to Mount Angel for John’s (right) final oblation.

John “Joseph” with Abbot Jeremy in the Abbey sanctuary after making his oblation.

How many monks does it take to take down a Christmas tree? At least six!

Oblate Calendar
2023

January
15 – Feast of St. Maurus and Placid (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
22 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mount Angel history: Part IV

February
3-5 – Oblate Retreat – Br. Cyril
10 – St. Scholastica (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works (Ch. 4 of the Holy Rule)
22 – Ash Wednesday Lenten Day of Recollection – Br. Anselm Hymns of Lent

March
9 – St. Frances of Rome (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Alfredo
21 – Passing of St. Benedict (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

January 6, 2023

Dear Oblates,

“Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you. See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds over the peoples, but upon you the Lord shines, and over you appears his glory.”
– First reading for Epiphany

This Sunday we will all celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord. The epiphany or manifestation of Jesus as King was given to the magi, but it is also the Lord’s manifestation to us. In the midst of a world where there is much confusion, hopelessness, and shall we say gloomy darkness, we Christians have received the light given by Jesus the King to light our path, direct our ways and enlighten our spirit. This grace, this mystery made known to us through revelation was given to us for our benefit and the benefit of others who receive it through us, who are the stewards of this mystery (second reading). But how are we receiving this grace today? How are we responding to it at this very moment? Are we receiving this message like Herod or the magi? Are we trying to eradicate the light in the secret recesses of our hearts troubled by its implications and continuing on a sinful path? Or are we receiving the light joyfully, and humbly following it with the purpose of handing over the riches of our body and soul, our very self, and following the path it opens for us (Hebrews 10, 13:15)? Although in our imperfect discipleship we certainly fill both roles of this story at various times, we should keep before our eyes this loving King who came to share with us his very self and ask ourselves how we are receiving him and his teaching. Let us today and henceforth receive him and his teaching as the magi did, filled with the joy of the spirit.

Our next Oblate Sunday on January 22 will be the last of four conferences given by Br. Cyril on Mount Angel’s history. To sign up for in person click here, for remote option, click here.

Currently I am looking for a monk to lead the Oblate retreat in February. Fr. Andrew, who was scheduled to give it, will be away in Samoa. I will let you know when I find a retreat master.

Prayer request. Please pray for Oblate Novice John Ayers and some of the members of the Bethlehem Community in North Dakota. John is a pilot and will be flying a very small plane to Mount Angel on Saturday and hopes to make final oblation on Monday. Pray also for our students, faculty and staff who will begin the new school year on Monday. Lastly, please pray for Abbot Jeremy as he begins a five-week sabbatical this week. He has been abbot for nearly seven years and has been going full speed during this time, so this is a much needed and well-deserved rest. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, O.S.B.
Director of Oblates

Br. Ignatius and Fr. John Paul with Fr. Pius in Montana

Oblate Calendar
2023

January
15 – Feast of St. Maurus and Placid (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
22 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mount Angel history: Part IV.

February
3-5 – Oblate Retreat
10 – St. Scholastica (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday. Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works (Ch. 4 of the Holy Rule)
22 – Ash Wednesday: Lenten Day of Recollection. Br. Anselm: Hymns of Lent.

March
9 – St. Frances of Rome (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Alfredo
21 – Passing of St. Benedict (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

December 30, 2022

Dear Oblates,

“The Lord bless you and keep you! The Lord let his face upon you, and be gracious to you! The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!”
– Numbers 6:24-26

The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God is celebrated on the first day of the year, New Year’s Day. Therefore, in a sense, the Church is entrusting the new year to the care and protection of the great Theotokos, and this text is one of the readings. It is through her, we received a blessing in Christ at the original Nativity. So also now we receive the blessing of Christ through her. Through the incarnation man has been able to see the face of God in Christ, an experience of the beatific vision while on earth. This capacity is made possible only with the consent of the Blessed Virgin. The verse above can be thought of as speaking to Mary, for she is the one who is “blessed” among women; God was extremely “gracious” to her filling her with the fullness of grace; she was able to see the face of God daily in the house of Nazareth; and she is known as the Queen of Peace. May our Lady be with you as you begin a new year, and may she lead you ever more deeper in love with her Divine Son.

Fr. Odo and Fr. Timothy will be leading a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in May of 2023. See below for more details.

Prayer request. Please pray for the bishops of Region XII who will be here on retreat this upcoming week and for Abbot Jeremy, who will be leading the retreat. Pray also for the seminarians, who will also be on retreat during the same time. Lastly, say a little prayer for Br. Ignatius and I as we drive up to Montana to visit Fr. Pius (former oblate director). Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, O.S.B.
Director of Oblates

Novice Br. Andrew introducing his performance, which was a monastic parody on the 12 Days of Christmas.

Monks with the Benedictine sisters at Queen of Angels. It is an annual tradition for us to sing Christmas carols together.

Holy Land Pilgrimage 2023 itinerary

Oblate Calendar
2023

January
15 – Feast of St. Maurus and Placid (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
22 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mount Angel history, Part IV

February
3-5 – Oblate Retreat – Fr. Andrew
10 – St. Scholastica (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday. Br. Alfredo
22 – Ash Wednesday: Lenten Day of Recollection. Br. Anselm: Hymns of Lent.

March
9 – St. Frances of Rome (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday. Br. Alfredo
21 – Passing of St. Benedict (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

December 24, 2022

Dear Oblates,

“I proclaim to you good news of great joy . . . today a savior has been born for you who is Christ the Lord.”
– Lk 2:10-111

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, O.S.B.
Director of Oblates

December 16, 2022

Dear Oblates,

“O Wisdom, the living Word, you embrace all creation . . . come to teach us your way of prudence.”
– O Antiphon for December 17

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, OSB
Director of Oblates

Ordination of Br. Charles to the diaconate. More pictures can be viewed on our Facebook page.

Oblate Calendar

December
18 – Posada in Damien Center from 6:00 – 8:00 pm. Led by Hispanic Oblates.

2023
January
15 – Feast of St. Maurus and Placid (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
22 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mount Angel History Part IV.

February
3-5 – Oblate Retreat
10 – St. Scholastica (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday. Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works (Ch. 4 of the Holy Rule)
22 – Ash Wednesday: Lenten Day of Recollection. Br. Anselm: Hymns of Lent.

March
9 – St. Frances of Rome (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday. Br. Alfredo
21 – Passing of St. Benedict (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

December 9, 2022

Dear Oblates,

“May it be done to me according to your word.”
– The Blessed Virgin Mary (Lk 1:38)

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, OSB
Director of Oblates

Image of the Immaculate Conception in the Abbey Church.

Abbey Church at night after light snowfall.

Oblate Calendar

December
18 – Posada in Damien Center from 6:00 – 8:00 pm. Led by Hispanic Oblates.

2023
January
15 – Feast of St. Maurus and Placid (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
22 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mount Angel History Part IV.

February
3-5 – Oblate Retreat – Fr. Andrew
10 – St. Scholastica (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday. Br. Alfredo
22 – Ash Wednesday: Lenten Day of Recollection. Br. Anselm: Hymns of Lent.

March
9 – St. Frances of Rome (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday. Br. Alfredo
21 – Passing of St. Benedict (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

December 2, 2022

Dear Oblates,

“I want to be an oblate”

These were the words uttered by Rosemary Meier a few weeks ago while on hospice. Rosemary’s daughter-in-law Trish is currently an oblate novice, and we were talking one day about the possibility of Rosemary making oblation. Trish spoke with Rosemary and told me that Rosemary wanted to be an oblate. At that time Rosemary was still doing okay while on hospice, but about a week ago her health declined quickly. Fr. Andrew gave her the anointing of the sick on Monday morning, and I visited Rosemary in the afternoon. Shortly before I came, Rosemary suddenly awoke and was reaching out for something or someone. Prior to my visit, Rosemary was unable to speak more than a few words, so I was pleasantly surprised when she spoke a few sentences telling me of her desire to become an oblate. With that, I had her repeat after me the words of final oblation and placed a medal of Saint Benedict around her neck.

It was a beautiful little ceremony, and she was very happy to make oblation. Rosemary is related by marriage to our fourth Abbot, Abbot Thomas Meier. While I was chaplain at Mount Angel Towers a few years ago, she would tell me stories of hiking with Abbot Thomas around Oregon. On his deathbed, he gave her one of his Abbatial stones, which she later donated back to the Abbey. Please keep Rosemary in your prayers as she prepares to meet Our Lord. She is 97 years old.

As I mentioned in a previous email, there will be a posada led by the Hispanic oblates on December 18th from 6-8pm in the Damien Center. To sign up, please click here. Fr. Ephrem has asked for help to get things for the posada.

Prayer request. Please pray for our students who have their final exams next week. Pray also for Br. Charles, who will be ordained to the diaconate on December 10th. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, OSB
Director of Oblates

Rosemary “Bernadette” Meier

Back garden photo after a light snowfall yesterday

Oblate Calendar

December
8 – Immaculate Conception (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
8 – Advent Day of Recollection (Engelberg Room): Br. Anselm: On the Advent Vespers Hymn – Conditor Alme Siderum
18 – Posada – 6:00 – 8:00 pm. Led by Hispanic Oblates

2023
January
15 – Feast of St. Maurus and Placid (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
22 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mount Angel History: Part IV

February
3-5 – Oblate Retreat – Fr. Andrew
10 – St. Scholastica (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works (Ch. 4 of the Holy Rule)
22 – Ash Wednesday: Lenten Day of Recollection. Br. Anselm: Hymns of Lent

March
9 – St. Frances of Rome (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Alfredo
21 – Passing of St. Benedict (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

November 26, 2022

Dear Oblates

“Advent is a time of being deeply shaken, so that man will wake up to himself.”
– Fr. Alfred Delp (Priest and Martyr)

First of all, I hope you are all having a blessed Thanksgiving weekend with family and loved ones.

As Benedictines we live a liturgical spirituality, and tomorrow, we will begin the holy season of Advent. The quote above is from a book on the sermons of Fr. Alfred Delp entitled Advent of the Heart. It is a great reading for Advent if you are looking for a book. Fr. Delp was a German Jesuit priest who was imprisoned in Berlin and martyred by the Nazis in 1945. Some of his Advent sermons were written while being handcuffed in prison and smuggled out for the faithful. In his sermons he often speaks about being shaken up from our lukewarmness and allow the light of Christ to burst forth in our souls. Often times we can easily fall into the mundaneness of routine. Advent is a season of reawakening our desires and kindling within our hearts the fire of divine love. Elsewhere he writes, “It is time to awaken from sleep. It is time for an awakening to being somewhere; and it is time that someone places things again in the order that they were given by God.” May your Advent be a fruitful preparation for the celebration of the Lord’s incarnation.

A note about the Oblate Sunday for December. Since we have the Day of Recollection on December 8 and the Posada on Dec 18, I have decided to cancel the Oblate Sunday for December. Therefore, Br. Cyril’s last talk on Mount Angel history will be on January 22. After that, we will begin a series of conferences by Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works.

Prayer request. Please pray for our students during this last week of classes and for their exams last week. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, OSB
Director of Oblates

Br. Isaiah doing a rap for the community yesterday. Part of the lyrics read, “so I let go of sin and death and I choose you instead tired of sin I Just want to be blessed The world’s tryin to seduce me but I’m not impressed I know these evil pleasures can’t give me rest Lord please take my life and make it new please take my pain I give it all to you And What do I need on this earth if I have you? Jesus”

The Blessed Sacrament beautifully adorned

In this month of remembrance, please pray for our oblates and the one monk who died in the last year

Oblate Calendar

December
8 – Immaculate Conception (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
8 – Advent Day of Recollection (Engelberg Room): Br. Anselm: On the Advent Vespers Hymn – Conditor Alme Siderum
11 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part IV
18 – Posada – 6:00 – 8:00 pm. Led by Hispanic Oblates

2023
January
15 – Feast of St. Maurus and Placid (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
22 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mount Angel History: Part IV

February
3-5 – Oblate Retreat – Fr. Andrew
10 – St. Scholastica (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works (Ch. 4 of the Holy Rule)
22 – Ash Wednesday: Lenten Day of Recollection. Br. Anselm: Hymns of Lent

March
9 – St. Frances of Rome (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Alfredo
21 – Passing of St. Benedict (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

November 18, 2022

Dear Oblates

“keep your tongue free from vicious talk and your lips from all deceit”
– Prologue 17

What is the way to eternal life? Saint Benedict is very practical. He says be careful about what comes out of your mouth. In another place he quotes scripture saying that “the tongue holds the key to life and death.” These are strong words, and yet when we think about it, we can hear the truth of the statement. For example, we read Jesus saying, “from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks” (12:34). Our words are a manifestation of our interior life. If we speak words of “vicious talk”, it must mean that our heart is full of anger and bitterness. If we speak words of “deceit”, it must mean that our heart is lacking integrity and humility. Words matter. Jesus Christ is the Word of God made flesh, and by meditating upon his words of love and truth our hearts are transformed into that likeness.

I have received several responses from those who are interested in leading local oblate groups. Thank you for your response. If you are interested in doing this, please respond to this email by next Friday.

On Sunday, December 18th, the Fourth Sunday of Advent, the Hispanic Oblates will be hosting a posada in the Damien Center from 6-8pm. All oblates are invited.

Prayer request. Please pray for Br. Jesse’s mother Lidia, who began her novitiate on Monday. Pray also for the success of the Tolton play, which is on Monday at 7pm (event open to public). Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, OSB
Director of Oblates

Lidia and her son Br. Jesse

Schedule for Advent Day of Recollection, December 8, 2022

In this month of remembrance, please pray for the oblates and monk who have died in the last year.

Oblate Calendar

December
8 – Immaculate Conception (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
8 – Advent Day of Recollection (Engelberg Room): Br. Anselm: On the Advent Vespers Hymn – Conditor Alme Siderum
11 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part IV
18 – Posada – 6:00 – 8:00 pm. Led by Hispanic Oblates

2023
January
15 – Feast of St. Maurus and Placid (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
22 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works (Ch. 4 of the Holy Rule)

February
3-5 – Oblate Retreat – Fr. Andrew
10 – St. Scholastica (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday
22 – Ash Wednesday: Lenten Day of Recollection. Br. Anselm: Hymns of Lent

November 11, 2022

Dear Oblates,

“If you desire true and eternal life”
– Prologue 17

Saint Benedict’s program is intended for those who are serious about their spiritual growth. You don’t have to have the best traits or even be above average in regard to virtue. All that is required is a thirsting desire for Jesus. Do we have this desire or do we desire false and temporary life? Do we go after the lies that bring only transitory happiness. True life is found in Jesus Christ and following his example. It is not an easy way, but he does say that his yoke is easy and his burden is light. When our hearts are inflamed with love, everything becomes much lighter, and we can truly experiences the crosses in our life as embraces of Christ.

As I mentioned in a previous email, I am hoping to have more local oblate groups gatherings. Currently, we only have a handful of these groups, and more than a few oblates have expressed the desire to meet locally. In order for this to happen, I am looking for oblates, who are interested in being leaders/organizers of local groups. If you are interested in being a local leader, please respond to this email.

I am opening up the Advent Day of Recollection to the public. If you know someone who might be interested in this, please forward this to them, especially if they are potential oblates. See below for details.

Below there is a calendar of oblate events for 2023. The retreat masters and topics have been determined for all retreats, except for the first one by Fr. Andrew. He is still discerning what he will talk about.

Prayer request. Please pray for our four new novices who began their novitiate last weekend, and for Fr. Martin on his namesday. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program. Happy Feast of St. Martin.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, OSB
Director of Oblates

New novices: Theresa, Karen, Fr. John Paul, OSB, David, Jeffrey

Four priests with seminarians on a Frassati group hike at Barlow Pass

Please pray for all these oblates and one monk who died in 2022

Schedule for Advent Day of Recollection, December 8, 2022

Oblate Calendar

November
13 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part III

December
8 – Immaculate Conception (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
8 – Advent Day of Recollection (Engelberg Room): Br. Anselm: On the Advent Vespers Hymn – Conditor Alme Siderum
11 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part IV
18 – Posada – 6:00 – 8:00 pm. Led by Hispanic Oblates

2023
January
15 – Feast of St. Maurus and Placid (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
22 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works (Ch. 4 of the Holy Rule)

February
3-5 – Oblate Retreat – Fr. Andrew
10 – St. Scholastica (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday
22 – Ash Wednesday: Lenten Day of Recollection. Br. Anselm: Hymns of Lent

November 4, 2022

Dear Oblates,

“The Communion of Saints”

In the past few days we had the celebrations of All Saints and All Souls Day. They are liturgical celebrations of what we profess every Sunday, namely, our faith in the communion of saints. The Catechism of the Catholic Church speaks of the three-fold nature of this communion stating, “We believe in the communion of all the faithful of Christ, those who are pilgrims on earth, the dead who are being purified, and the blessed in heaven, all together forming one Church” (CCC 962). In death, the Christian is not separated from earthly community. Rather, their communion with us exists in a different manner. The saints in heaven “fix the whole Church more firmly in holiness” with their prayers (CCC 956). We on earth support those in purgatory by our prayers that they may be “loosed from their sins” (Macc 12:45). In this month of remembrance, please pray for all the oblates who have died in the past year (see below). This communion of saints which we celebrate this month is a reminder to all of us to open up our eyes to the spiritual reality that is going on around us. Even though we cannot see those who have died in Christ, they are present and with us all along our journey to heaven. As Saint Benedict says, “May he bring us ALL together to everlasting life” (RB 72:12).

Our next Oblate Sunday is Nov. 13, 2022. To sign up for in person, click here. For remote option, click here.

We have about 40 oblates who have joined the Oblate Facebook group. You can request to join the group by clicking here.

Please note that we our now live-streaming Compline (7:30pm on weekdays and 8:00pm on Sundays).

Prayer request. Please pray for the oblates who are here on retreat this weekend and for Br. Louis who is giving the conferences. Per Br. Louis’ request, the conferences will not be recorded. Pray also for the success of our Seminary Benefit Gathering which is on Sunday. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, OSB
Director of Oblates

Relics on display during the feast of All Saints. The center relic is the bone of St. Boniface

Chalkboard drawing by Br. Ambrose. The Dies Irae (Day of Wrath) used to be chanted at every funeral Mass

Please pray for all these oblates and one monk who died in 2022

Schedule for Advent Day of Recollection, December 8, 2022

Oblate Calendar

November
4-6 – Oblate Retreat – Br. Louis. Praying Deeply: the Liturgy as the Marriage of Heaven and Earth
13 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part III

December
8 – Immaculate Conception (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
8 – Advent Day of Recollection (Engelberg Room): Br. Anselm: On the Advent Vespers Hymn – Conditor Alme Siderum
11 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part IV

2023
January
15 – Feast of St. Maurus and Placid (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
22 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works (Ch. 4 of the Holy Rule)

February
3-5 – Oblate Retreat – Fr. Andrew
10 – St. Scholastica (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
12 – Oblate Sunday
22 – Ash Wednesday: Lenten Day of Recollection. Br. Anselm: Hymns of Lent

October 28, 2022

Dear Oblates,

“Seeking his workman in a multitude of people, the Lord calls out to him and lifts his voice again: Is there anyone here who yearns for life and desires to see good days?”
Prologue 14, 15

Dear Oblates,

The first word in this verse of the Holy Rule is “seeking.” Everyone seeks what they desire, and no one seeks what they don’t desire. This fact makes “seeking” an important word, because it shows that God desired us first. He took the first step toward union with His workman. It is a step in which He subjects Himself to the risk of rejection and the pain that accompanies it, even though He is what is most desirable. God calls all people who yearn “for life” and desire to “see good days,” to seek Him. God calls both in a singular and plural way. He lifts His voice and calls “is there anyone,” who yearns for “life” and “good days”? This message is for everyone. He seeks each one of us particularly in the midst of the multitude to be his workman, whom He wishes to reward with “life” in and through Christ. The word “workman” should not be taken lightly. Everyone who wishes to follow the Lord follows Him down a narrow road (Luke 13:24). Following this road requires vigilance and discipline which uproots vice and supplants it with virtue, perseverance in trial, and a persistent hope in that “life” and those “good days” we were promised. But alas, we don’t walk alone. We walk the narrow road with other workman. Yes, as workmen we are called to help, but there are also workmen who help us. Let us cultivate our desire for that eternal life and seek it.

We will be offering an Advent Day of Recollection on December 8th, 2022, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, a holy day of obligation. This event is for oblates and their family (yes, children are welcome). Br. Anselm will be the conference speaker. The schedule is as follows: Mass – 9:00am. Conference I – 10:45am. Noon Prayer – 12:00pm. Lunch – 12:15pm. Conference II – 1:30pm. Confessions – 3:00-4:00pm. To sign up, please click here. Cost is $15/person, the event is free for children under 12.

Our next Oblate Sunday is Nov. 13, 2022. Br. Cyril will be giving his third of four conferences on Mount Angel Abbey history. This third talk will cover the years between 1927-192 and is entitled, “New beginning: rebuilding after the 1926 fire to Vatican II.” To sign up for in person, click here. For remote option, click here.

A new way to connect online with other oblates is through the new Oblate Facebook page. This is something that was asked for in the survey a few months ago. This is a private Facebook group for oblates to post personal prayer requests and information about oblate meetings. Please do not post ads, political comments, etc. You can request to join the group by clicking here.

If you are interested in being a part of an online oblate group that will meet once or twice a month, please click here and answer the following survey by November 4th.

Prayer request. Please pray for the eternal rest of Jack “Martin” Sharpe. He was the leader of the Bethlehem Community in North Dakota where I visited this past summer. I have learned a lot about what it means to be a believing Christian through his words and witness. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, OSB
Director of Oblates

Reflection above written by Br. Jesse

Men discerning our community. Please pray for them and for vocations!

Nice sunrise on the morning of the first day of rain in many months.

Visitation Statue at sunrise, October 2022, between bands of showers

Oblate Calendar

October
23 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part II.

November
4-6 – Oblate Retreat – Br. Louis. Praying Deeply: the Liturgy as the Marriage of Heaven and Earth
13 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part III

December
8 – Immaculate Conception (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
8 – Advent Day of Recollection (Engelberg Room): Br. Anselm: On the Advent Vespers Hymn – Conditor Alme Siderum
11 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part IV

2023
January
15 – Feast of St. Maurus and Placid (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
22 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works (Ch. 4 of the Holy Rule)

October 21, 2022

Dear Oblates,

“Run while you have the light of life, that the darkness of death may not overtake you [John 12:35]”
Prologue 13

This verse reminds me of my childhood. When I was a little boy, my brothers and I loved to run and play around outside. One of the games we would play was “running from the darkness.” On partly cloudy days the sun would hide behind a cloud. We boys would try to stay in the light of the sun as long as possible and not allow the “darkness” to catch us. It was thrilling. I think the spiritual life is something like this verse and this game. In baptism we have been given the light of Christ to guide us to our heavenly homeland, yet the darkness is not far behind. It is pursuing us relentlessly trying to overcome us. In order to stay in the light, we have to “run”, that is, be motivated, put in effort and live a disciplined life.

Where are you in relation to the light and darkness? Is the darkness catching up or are you drawing nearer to the light of Christ? If the darkness is close behind, what do you need to do to stay away from it?

We will be starting an online oblate group that will meet periodically. I am grateful to Ulana Pederson who is helping to get this started. If you are interested in being a part of this online deanery, please click here and answer the following survey by November 4th. In the next few weeks/months, we will be looking for ways for regional groups of oblates to meet together.

There are still a few rooms available for the Oblate Retreat for November 4-6. Also, you can still register for the conference-only option for the retreat by clicking here.

Prayer request. Please pray for the Episcopal Council that will meet next Wednesday. This group consists mostly of bishops and vocation directors, who send their seminarians to our seminary. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, OSB
Director of Oblates

Fall colors in the cemetery, October 2022

Water Lily in back garden pond

Oblate Calendar

October
23 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part II.

November
4-6 – Oblate Retreat – Br. Louis. Praying Deeply: the Liturgy as the Marriage of Heaven and Earth
13 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part III

December
8 – Immaculate Conception (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
8 – Advent Day of Recollection (Engelberg Room): Br. Anselm: On the Advent Vespers Hymn – Conditor Alme Siderum
11 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part IV

2023
January
15 – Feast of St. Maurus and Placid (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
22 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works (Ch. 4 of the Holy Rule)

October 14, 2022

Dear Oblates,

“Come and listen to me, sons;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord (Ps 33[34]:12)”
Prologue 12

These words from the Prologue are dear to the monks, for at the Rite of Solemn Profession, the Abbot holding the place of Christ speaks these words to them. The monks standing at the end of the choir stalls come forward to meet the Abbot and make their Solemn vows. This ritual action shows that we need guidance in the spiritual life and that doing this alone is not a wise endeavor. And what does the Abbot teach? The fear of the Lord. This fear of the Lord is often empahsized both in the Sacred Scriptures and the Holy Rule. It is the awe of recognizing the greatness of God and a profound reverence for his divine presence in our life. This needs to be learned. Saint Benedict speaks about recognizing Christ in the Abbot, the sick monks and in the guests. He speaks about the heightened presence of God during the Divine Office.

This awesome presence of God can easily be forgotten; it becomes routine. We go to Mass, say our prayers and on to the the next. It helps to take a few moments and place ourselves in the presence of God throughout the day and say, “O God, how awesome you are!” Keeping this in mind, we can truly keep the fear of the Lord before our eyes and recognize him in all the people and experiences of our day.

The conference videos for the September Oblate Retreat are available on our webpage and can be viewed here. Please pray for the anonymous donor who bought us a new camcorder. The visual and audio is quite a bit better than the Study Days videos.

Speaking of oblate retreats, we have another one coming up in three weeks on November 4-6. As with the last retreat, we will be offering a conference only option (Fri – 8pm, Sat 10am & 2:30pm, Sun – 10:30am). To register for this option, click here. There is no charge for this option, but donations will be accepted.

Prayer request. Please pray for the men who are with on discernment retreat this weekend. We are grateful to have vocations to the monastery, but we can never take this for granted. Thank you! Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, OSB
Director of Oblates

Triptych of St. John Paul II, Divine Mercy image and St. John XXIII. This triptych was placed in the Abbey sanctuary on October 11, St. John XXIII’s feast day. This is the date on which the Second Vatican Council began. Both popes were canonized on Divine Mercy Sunday in 2014.

There is not much color here on the hilltop nowadays, in October 2022, but these large bushes outside the Abbey church still echo the feast of Pentecost. Shadow of angel statue in foreground.

Oblate Calendar

October
23 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part II. To sign up for in person click here. For the remote option, click here.

November
4-6 – Oblate Retreat – Br. Louis. Praying Deeply: the Liturgy as the Marriage of Heaven and Earth
13 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part III

December
8 – Immaculate Conception (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
8 – Advent Day of Recollection (Engelberg Room): Br. Anselm: The Hymns of Advent – Conditor Alme Siderum and Alma Redemptoris Mater.
11 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part IV

2023
January
15 – Feast of St. Maurus and Placid (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
22 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works (Ch. 4 of the Holy Rule)

October 7, 2022

Dear Oblates,

“If you hear this voice today, do not harden your hearts [Ps 95:8]”
Prologue 10

This quote is taken from Psalm 95, a psalm St. Benedict has the monks pray everyday and a psalm which the Church continues to pray everyday. This verse gets to the heart of our calling as Christians and Benedictines, and I believe we need to hear these words regularly. Everyday God speaks to us. Where is God’s voice speaking to us “today”? Are we listening or are we hardening our hearts. A hardened heart for the Christian leads to a spiritual death. That is why we need to break our hearts of stone and turn that heart of stone into a heart of flesh. We have hardened our hearts because we suffered; we were wounded; we cried out to God and he did not listen to us. We say, “Why should I listen to God if God did not listen to me? God did not protect me; I must protect myself.” And so, we harden our hearts to protect ourselves, and my doing so, we cut ourselves off not only from human love but divine love as well.

St. Mary Magdalene is special example of someone whose heart turned from stone to flesh. C.S Lewis wrote in a letter once, “The allegorical sense of her great action dawned on me the other day. The precious alabaster box which one must *break* over the Holy Feet is one’s *heart*. Easier said than done. And the contents become perfume only when it is broken. While they are safe inside they are more like sewage. All very alarming.”

Our Oblate Sundays will take a slightly different format moving forward. Instead of having the Guesthouse provide the brunch, we will do a potluck-style option. This is due to rising costs and constraints on the Guesthouse. The brunch will follow Sunday Mass and the conference will be at 11am as normal. Our next one will be October 23 in which Br. Cyril will be giving his second of four lectures on the history of Mount Angel Abbey, from 1893-1926. To sign up for in person click here. For the remote option, click here.

There are a couple of things going on this weekend from the Mount Angel Institute. Also, there is a new digital art display.

Prayer request. Please pray for all those here for Abbot Jeremy’s Fellowship Retreat this weekend and pray for him as well. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, OSB
Director of Oblates

Abbot Hildebrando Epinoza. First Abbot of our daughterhouse Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles in Cuernavaca, Mexico.

The Benedictine community of Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles.

A picture of a male Bullock’s oriole on the hilltop in May 2022 taken by one of our oblates.

September 30, 2022

Dear Oblates,

“Let us open our eyes to the light that comes from God, and our ears to the voice from heaven that everyday calls out”
Prologue 9

From time to time Br. Jesse, the Assistant Oblate Director, will write the reflection. I am grateful to him for helping me with this. The following is his first one.

What does our holy father Benedict mean when he asks us to open our eyes to the light that comes from God, and our ears to the voice from heaven that everyday calls out? He is asking us to be attentive to God’s daily invitation for us to follow Him on the path to our eternal homeland. It is a path that turns our every moment in this terrestrial life into a moment of encounter with Him who is our goal and our end. Holy Benedict is asking us to be attentive to the living Word we hear in the sacred scriptures during holy Mass and in our personal lectio divina, which challenges us to persevere in the good, chastises us in our faults of thought, action, and omission, encourages us in our difficulties, and illumines the choices and path of our lives. He is asking us to be attentive to the call for help of our needy brothers and sisters around us in whom we find God’s image. He is asking us to be attentive to the wind that reminds us of the Spirit, the rain which reminds us of our purification, the singing of the birds which reminds us of the heavenly choirs, the life cycle of plant life which reminds us that it is necessary to be buried in good soil in order to bear fruit and give color to the world, and the many other things not mentioned. Benedict is asking us to be attentive to all the ways God speaks, especially to the spirit’s subtle movement in our heart that illumines our daily experience in light of our eternal destiny. Let us open our lives up to the eternal reality in which we live.

This is very last minute, but there is space available for oblates who are interested in attending the Fr. Joel Rippinger lecture on the history of Mount Angel Abbey from 4-5pm in the Engelberg Room on Saturday. Fr. Joel is the author of the book about Mount Angel Abbey’s history called Struggle and Ascent. To register, please click here.  Seating is limited.

Prayer request. Please pray for Abbot Hildebrando Espinoza, the first Abbot of our daughter-house in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Pray also for our three new oblates (picture below) and five new novices. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, OSB
Director of Oblates

Our Jubilarians Abbot Peter, O.S.B., Br. James, O.S.B. and Br. Simon, O.S.B. with Abbot Jeremy, O.S.B.

New Oblates. Michael “Bernard” Hays, Rachel “Mary Magdalene” Campbell and Jim “Joseph” Healy

Icon of the archangels in the sanctuary on the Solemnity of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael

Oblate Calendar

October
23 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part II

November
4-6 – Oblate Retreat – Br. Louis. Praying Deeply: the Liturgy as the Marriage of Heaven and Earth
13 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part III

December
8 – Immaculate Conception (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
8 – Advent Day of Recollection (Engelberg Room): Br. Anselm: The Hymns of Advent – Conditor Alme Siderum and Alma Redemptoris Mater.
11 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part IV

2023
January
15 – Feast of St. Maurus and Placid (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
22 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works (Ch. 4 of the Holy Rule)

September 23, 2022

Dear Oblates,

“The Scriptures Rouse Us”
Prologue 8

The word of God is living and active, and as a living word, God’s word has power to move us and transform our lives. The saints are witnesses of this. St. Antony and St. Augustine are perhaps two of the best known examples of people whose lives were completely changed by hearing a single verse of scripture. The word of God may not have this dramatic, life changing effect in our daily lectio divina, but our commitment to lectio divina draws us ever more deeply into the heart of Christ, slowly transforming us into his divine image. When our heart is pure, and we are open to listening to what God has to say, he will very often speak to us through the sacred scriptures. He can awaken us from our drunken spiritual stupor and invigorate us with new life. This is the power of the word of God. When you do your lectio today,  pray that God’s word will rouse your soul.

Prayer request. Please pray for the oblate retreat this weekend. There will be two novices making final oblation and one transferring his stability to the Abbey. There may be up to five who will begin the novitiate. Please continue praying for the election of the first Abbot of our daughterhouse in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, OSB
Director of Oblates

Paradisus Claurstri. Acrylic paint on canvas by Br. Isaiah Vargas. He writes, “This painting was inspired by the springtime beauty and the grace of the Lord’s resurrection, visible as I walk through the cloister garden. The vivid colors and the life flowing from nature at this time really moved me to try to capture that moment. The trees also deeply inspired me, especially the birch tree, with its beautifully textured white bark. The colors and textures that day were begging to be captured and enjoyed, from this beautiful garden given to us by the Lord.”

Br. Alfredo at the coffee shop waiting to take your order.

Fr. Israel, Br. Alfredo’s twin, back from Rome enjoying our delicious coffee. Is it better than Italian coffee? Taste and see.

How To Read a Book (According to Saint Benedict) by Br. Ambrose

Monks have always had a love-hate relationship with reading. On the one hand, Saint Benedict himself is said to have fled from his “liberal education” in Rome as the first stage in his monastic conversion. His biographer, Pope St. Gregory the Great, paradoxically explains that “he took this step, fully aware of his ignorance; yet he was truly wise, uneducated though he may have been” (Dialogues II). On the other hand, the very same Saint Benedict would go on to write a rule for monks in which he not only expects them to be literate (cf. RB 8.3), but also that they will regularly “devote themselves to reading” (RB 48.4; cf. RB 4.55). This is nowhere more evident than in his prescriptions for the Lenten season:

They should be free in the morning to read until the third hour… During this time of Lent each one is to receive a book from the library, and is to read the whole of it straight through. (RB 48.14-16)

Saint Benedict certainly could not have expected ignorant, uneducated monks to read entire books. And, if we are to believe Pope Gregory’s pithy phrase that “his life could not have differed from his teaching” (Dialogues II.36), Benedict must not have been so ignorant or uneducated himself…

This tension between St. Benedict’s life and his legislation is best resolved by recourse to the kind of reading he recommends for his monks. In chapter 48 of his Holy Rule, he calls it lectio divina, or “divine reading.” As some of Saint Benedict’s translators point out, “the adjective ‘divine’ refers in the first instance to the nature or quality of the text being read,” namely, “the Bible, the Fathers of the Church, or some other spiritual writing” (RB 1980 48.1n; cf. RB 73.2-6). Despite their footnote, however, these same translators chose to render lectio divina not as “divine reading,” but as “prayerful reading.” Such a translation shifts the focus away from the nature of the text one is reading (“reading divine things”) and instead emphasizes the manner in which one reads a text (“reading things in a divine way”). This effectively expands the range of monastic reading material from a small list of “divine” books to almost anything at all—including even those subjects which once caused the youthful Saint Benedict to abandon his “liberal education” in Rome (the very same subjects, we might add, that constitute the undergraduate curriculum at Mount Angel Seminary!).

Regardless of what one chooses to read, lectio divina has traditionally been described as a four- (or five-) step process. Pope Benedict XVI formulated it thus:

1. Reading: what does the biblical text say in itself?
2. Meditation: what does the biblical text say to us?
3. Prayer: what do we say to the Lord in response to his word?
4. Contemplation: what conversion of mind, heart and life is the Lord asking of us?
5. Action: how should we act to make our lives a gift for others in charity?
   (Verbum Domini 87)

The essence of this process, however, has been described most elegantly by the 20th-century philosopher and unbaptized Christian mystic (!!!), Simone Weil. “The key to a Christian conception of studies,” she explains, “is the realization that prayer consists of attention” (Waiting for God 105). More than a white-knuckled attempt at concentration, Weil’s definition of “attention” represents a radical receptivity to truth: “our thought should be empty, waiting, not seeking anything, but ready to receive in its naked truth the object that is to penetrate it” (112).

When we prayerfully or attentively “read” anything—be it a Bible passage, a novel, a work of art, a marvel of nature, or even our neighbor—we preclude all distraction, expectation, and prejudice in order to welcome into our hearts and minds the deepest and truest meaning of that thing upon which our attention is fixed. And we know that this meaning—if we truly believe that “from him and through him and for him are all things” (Rom. 11:36)—must be nothing other than God himself. Our prayerful and attentive reading thus results not in the knowledge that “puffs up,” but the love that “builds up” (cf. 1 Cor. 8:1)—and something tells me that Saint Benedict certainly wouldn’t flee from that.

Further reading:

• Pope St. Gregory the Great, The Dialogues (Book Two is popularly published as an independent booklet entitled “Life and Miracles of St. Benedict”)
• Simone Weil, Waiting for God (esp. pp. 105-116, “Reflections on the Right Use of School Studies with a View to the Love of God”)
• Jean Leclerq, O.S.B., The Love of Learning and The Desire for God: A Study of Monastic Culture

Oblate Calendar

September
29 – Solemnity of Archangels (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

October
23 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part II

November
4-6 – Oblate Retreat – Br. Louis. Praying Deeply: the Liturgy as the Marriage of Heaven and Earth
13 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part III

December
8 – Immaculate Conception (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
8 – Advent Day of Recollection (Engelberg Room): Br. Anselm: The Hymns of Advent – Conditor Alme Siderum and Alma Redemptoris Mater.
11 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part IV

2023
January
15 – Feast of St. Maurus and Placid (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)
22 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works (Ch. 4 of the Holy Rule)

September 16, 2022

Dear Oblates,

“On Solemn Profession – A Cheerful Giver”

On Tuesday September 13, the Abbey joyfully celebrated the Solemn Profession of Br. La Vang Nguyen, O.S.B. In the homily, Abbot Jeremy quoted from St. Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians saying “God loves a cheerful giver” (9:7). Indeed, Br. La Vang is truly a cheerful giver. Those who have been privileged to get to know him over the  past four years are witnesses to Br. La Vang’s generous heart and joyful giving. He has one of the most radiant smiles on the hilltop, and it is no surprise that this smile graces the cover of our vocation’s brochure. Br. La Vang joyfully gives himself in service to the church and world through the hospitality he provides to the guests who reside in the monastery and through his candle-making.

I think Br. La Vang’s example can give us all an occasion to reflect upon not only upon the service that we render to God and others, but the spirit with which we do it. We can ask ourselves, “Am I a cheerful giver or am a resentful giver?” Yes, there are many demands placed upon us and often times we are overwhelmed by its weight, but let us not allow that weight to crush the love and joy that Christ came to give us.  May God give us the grace to offer our good works with a smile.

A little update on our new junior monks. Both Br. Ambrose and Fr. Michael were actually oblates before they entered the monastery. Recently, I asked the both of them to help with the oblate program, and they both happily agreed. Br. Ambrose will be teaching the monthly novices classes on the liturgy, and Fr. Jack will be the retreat master for the September retreat in 2023. Therefore, if you know someone who is thinking about becoming an oblate, now is the time to do a little encouraging.

If you would like to sign up for the conference-only option for the Oblate retreat for September 23-25, pleaase click here.

Prayer request. Please join us in saying a novena prayer (Sep 20-28) for the election of the first Abbot of our daughter house in Cuernavaca, Mexico. There is a prayer below in English and Spanish.  Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, OSB
Director of Oblates

Br La Vang Faustina O.S.B. with his family

Br La Vang Faustina O.S.B. with the Divine Mercy image

Back of the holy card of Br La Vang Faustina O.S.B., on the day of his Solemn Profession, September 13, 2022

Oblate Calendar

September
23-25 – Oblate Retreat – Fr. John Paul. Praying the Psalms: Living in the Divine Current
29 – Solemnity of Archangels (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

October
23 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part II

November
4-6 – Oblate Retreat – Br. Louis. Praying Deeply: the Liturgy as the Marriage of Heaven and Earth
13 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part III

September 9, 2022

Dear Oblates,

“On Simple Professions”

Yesterday night we rejoiced greatly at the profession of simple vows by two of our monks. The climax of the Mass of simple vows is the pronouncement of the monks’ new name. Br. Brody Stewart took the name Br. Ambrose, and Fr. Jack Shrum took the name Fr. Michael (picture below). It was wonderful to have a church packed full of family, friends and seminarians for this joyous occasion. The changing of one’s name is biblical in origin and is associated with a changing of one’s calling in life. Oblates too receive a new name upon their final oblation and are called to imitate the virtues of their patrons and seek their intercession.

The Abbot gave a quote from St. Ambrose about Our Lady, which really struck me, “if she [Mary] wanted to die along with her Son, it was because she looked forward to rising with him.” Then he said, “Isn’t this what the life of a monk ought to be?” Yes, it is, and I think we can say that it is true for all Christians.

The day before, we were happy to have Br. Andrew Brands begin the novitiate.

There was a problem with the Google Forms I created for the conference-only option for the Oblate retreat for September 23-25. I believe it is working now. To register, please click here.

We had our 2nd Annual 5K run this past Sunday. We had quotes from the Holy Rule pasted on our backs. Some quotes were, “Run while you have the light of life” (Prologue 13) and “we must run and do now what will profit us forever” (Prologue 44). The top three winners were Br. Ambrose, Br. Matthew and Fr. Michael. Pictures below.

Prayer request. Please pray for Abbot Jeremy, whose progress seems to have taken a step back. He is in quite a bit of pain recently. Thank you! Please pray for the eternal rest of Duane “Francis” Kanooth, who passed away recently. Also, pray for the men who are with us during these days discerning the monastic life. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, OSB
Director of Oblates

Abbot Jeremy with Br. Ambrose (formerly Br. Brody Stewart) and Fr. Michael (formerly Fr. Jack Shrum)

Oblate Calendar

September
10 – Oblate Council
11 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part I
23-25 – Oblate Retreat – Fr. John Paul. Praying the Psalms: Living in the Divine Current
29 – Solemnity of Archangels (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

October
23 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part II

November
4-6 – Oblate Retreat – Br. Louis. Praying Deeply: the Liturgy as the Marriage of Heaven and Earth
13 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part III

September 2, 2022

Dear Oblates,

“With his good gifts which are in us”
– Prologue 6

People are generally better at recognizing their weaknesses than their strengths. We know our faults, sins and shortcomings, but if someone were to ask what our strengths are, we may be a bit confounded. Saint Benedict is reminding us of the good gifts God has given us. The verse above is followed by the phrase, “we must obey him at all times.” I like another translation which reads, “we must serve him.” We, as the Mystical Body of Christ, have been endowed with these gifts for building up his kingdom on earth. We are called to use our gifts to serve God and one another. As St. Peter says, “Whoever preaches, let it be with the words of God; whoever serves, let it be with the strength that God supplies, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 4:11).

Do we know what are gifts are? Are we developing them? And are we using them to serve God and one another?

September is here and at the monastery it is the month of professions. On September 8, Br. Brody and Fr. Jack will be making Simple Profession during the 7:00 pm Mass. On September 13, Br. La Vang will be making Solemn Profession during the 9:30 am Mass.  On September 25, we celebrate the Jubilee of Profession for  Abbot Peter, Br. James and Br. Simon at the 9:00 am Mass. Please keep these monks in your prayers.

As you know, I am trying to find ways to make it easier for oblates to relate to the Abbey. Therefore, there will be two extra opportunities related to the oblate retreats. First, there will now be a conference-only option for oblate retreats, no meals. Of course, you are welcome to the prayers.  There is no charge for this option, but you are welcome to make a donation. If you would like to attend the conferences only for the retreat from September 23-25, please click here. Conferences are Friday at 8:00 pm, Saturday at 10 am and 2:30, and Sunday at 10:30 am. Second, these oblate retreats will be recorded and put on the website like the Study Days videos. I will let you know when these are available.

This Sunday, September 4, the monks will be having their 2nd annual 5K run starting and finishing at the Brewery. If you would like to show your support, we will start the race at 2:30 pm. Have a beer and do a little cheer.

Oblate Sunday for September 11, 2022 – Br. Cyril on Mount Angel History: Part I. To sign up for in person click here, and for the remote option click here.

Prayer request. As I mentioned above, please keep the monks who are making vows or celebrating their jubilees in your prayers. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, OSB
Director of Oblates

Oblate Calendar

September
10 – Oblate Council
11 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part I
23-25 – Oblate Retreat – Fr. John Paul. Praying the Psalms: Living in the Divine Current
29 – Solemnity of Archangels (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

October
23 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part II

November
4-6 – Oblate Retreat – Br. Louis. Praying Deeply: the Liturgy as the Marriage of Heaven and Earth
13 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part III

August 26, 2022

Dear Oblates,

“Prayer by the church was fervently being made to God on his behalf”
– Acts 12:5

This verse came to my mind this week as Abbot Jeremy underwent hip surgery on Tuesday. This quote refers to the early Church praying for Saint Peter their leader while he was in prison, but it can be fittingly applied to our local church here. There were so many prayers offered up for a successful surgery. The monks were praying, seminarians, family members, friends, benefactors and all you oblates. Thank you for all your most earnest prayers for Abbot Jeremy.

The surgery went exceptionally well. An hour after the surgery, the doctor called me saying that it was a great success and that Abbot Jeremy did very well. A few hours later, he was already walking-with a walker of course. Abbot Jeremy quickly passed all the tests, and I was delightfully surprised when he called at 2pm, and said, “You can come pick me up now.” This was about six hours sooner than anticipated. It was truly due to all the prayers that the surgery went so well, and he expressed his thanks to me for all the oblates praying for him, so I am passing this on to you. Thank you! Now the hard work of recovery begins. Please keep this in your fervent prayers as well. It is a most powerful tool.

I have been working on the oblate page of our website, and I am happy to tell you that it is more or less complete. You will find it under the “monastery” tab or you can click here. On this page, I am putting my “Note to Oblates” so that those who have trouble receiving the emails can access these notes online. Also, the Study Days videos are finally up. We had to do quite a bit of work to make the audio acceptable for listeners. I do think you will thoroughly profit from watching one or all of them. You can find these on the oblate page as well. Perhaps, you can do a little private retreat with yourself or a group. Also on the webpage is a recommended reading list and information on the Oblate Council.

Our next Oblate Sunday is September 11, 2022. We will begin a series of four talks by Br. Cyril on the history of the Abbey, which will be taken mostly from the book Struggle and Ascent. This first talk will take us from the years of 1291-1892. I asked Br. Cyril to give these talks because I think it will give us a better sense of all the sacrifices our forefathers made to make the Abbey a reality. It will also help us understand better what it means to be a Benedictine of Mount Angel. To sign up for in person click here, and for the remote option click here.

Fr. Eugene Hemrick will be doing a presentation on The Life and Legacy of Fr. Romano Guardini. See below for more information.

Prayer request. Please pray for the eternal rest of oblate John “Henry” Brockamp who recently passed away. You can view the list of deceased oblates on our In Memoriam page. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

August 19, 2022

Dear Oblates,

“We should never grieve him”
– Prologue 4

The beloved wields a power to affect the lover. We as beloved children of God can cause him to grieve. This can be done by placing him second in our lives, being indifferent to him or through our sins. God is a Father who loves us dearly and desires nothing more than for us to return that love. Do we think about how we might grieve him? How we may wound his heart? We know that Our Lord wept over the death of Lazarus and mourned over Jerusalem. Would he not be saddened and grieved when we use our freedom to reject his love? St. Benedict in writing this makes it clear that our relationship with God is a very personal matter. We who have entered into a covenantal relationship with him can affect him by what we do and what we do not do. Let us pray that we may not to offend God nor grieve him in any way, but if we do, may we be given the grace to return to him.

I have been seeking for ways to reduce the cost of Oblate retreats since a number of you have mentioned this as an obstacle to making retreats. Therefore, starting this September, the Oblate Fund will subsidize a part of Oblate retreats and lunch on Sunday will be taken off the schedule. The cost for a single retreatant will be $220 and $330 for a couple. If you like to support this effort, you can make a donation to the Oblate Fund.  I hope this will make Oblate Retreats more financially feasible.

Prayer requests. On Monday, we learned that our daughter house in Cuernavaca will be raised to the status of an Abbey. What a joy it is for us monks here at Mount Angel! Please pray for the upcoming Abbatial election, which will take place on September 29, 2022, the feast of the Holy Archangels. Pray also for Abbot Jeremy, who will be having hip surgery on Tuesday. Pray that it may be a successful surgery and that there will be quick recovery. Thank you from all the monks! Please pray also for the returning seminarians will arrive on Sunday and the beginning of the school year.  Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, OSB
Director of Oblates

Oblate Calendar

September
10 – Oblate Council
11 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part I
23-25 – Oblate Retreat – Fr. John Paul. Praying the Psalms: Living in the Divine Current
29 – Solemnity of Archangels (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

October
23 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part II

November
4-6 – Oblate Retreat – Br. Louis. Praying Deeply: the Liturgy as the Marriage of Heaven and Earth
13 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part III

Dear Oblates,

Fire Analogy

I recently spent some time on the coast camping and hiking. Surprisingly, I spent quite a bit of time around the campfire, and it made me think about how fire can be analogous to the spiritual life. Like starting a fire, the spiritual life progresses in stages. Sometimes, we want to get the big log burning right away, but no, we have to start with the tinder, add smaller sticks, then bark and branches and finally the log. A lot of times we want to be set spiritually on fire and wonder why it is not happening. “Why am I not praying like the saints,” we say to ourselves. It is a process. We have to start small and work our way up. We begin with a little discipline and ascetism, add personal prayer and lectio, and liturgical prayer, and finally, we are consumed with the fire of divine love.

However, this process is not easy. I have to make a confession. I am not very good at starting fires-no Eagle Scout badge here. At one point, I wanted to simply give up. I thought to myself, “perhaps, it is not worth the effort. I don’t need a fire.” So too, we can feel the same way in our spiritual life. We put in the effort and wonder why nothing is happening but something is happening. We are growing in the virtues of patience, perseverance, humility and dependence on God. Even though the fire keeps going out, the bark, branches and logs are heating up. They are being prepared to catch on fire. And then, all of a sudden, after one more try, the log catches on fire, and once it is set on fire, what a marvelous sight! Everything that comes into contact with it catches on fire. So too is the man consumed with the love of Christ. Everyone who comes into contact with him will be set on fire as well. Saint Benedict is calling his sons and daughters to be set on fire for Christ and set the world on fire for love of him.

I have been working with an email server to help me with my emails. Unfortunately, a lot of my emails are rejected because they may be marked as spam. Also, it will provide a nicer layout regardless of the electronic device. Lastly, it will allow those who wish to unsubscribe to do so, which is a necessity when sending emails to more than 500 recipients. This may happen as early as next week.

Prayer requests. Please pray for Br. Brody and Fr. Jack who will be on retreat in preparation for Simple Vows next week. Pray also for the new seminarians who will be arriving Sunday. I believe the numbers are up this year; there may be about 80 seminarians in all. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, OSB
Director of Oblates

Oblate Calendar

September

10 – Oblate Council

11 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part I

23-25 – Oblate Retreat – Fr. John Paul. The Divine Office: Living in the Divine Current

29 – Solemnity of Archangels (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

October

23 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part II

November

4-6 – Oblate Retreat – Br. Louis. Praying Deeply: the Liturgy as the Marriage of Heaven and Earth

13 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part III

A Note to Oblates 2022.08.05
A Note to Our Dear Oblates – August 5, 2022

Dear Oblates,

“Pray to him most earnestly”
– Prologue 4

For our Holy Father Saint Benedict, going through the motions is not adequate. It is not enough to simply listen, he calls us to listen carefully. It is not enough to simply obey, but he teaches us to obey immediately. And it is not enough to mumble a few vocal prayers, but he counsels us to pray most earnestly. We who spend a lot of time in prayer experience the ebb and flow of fervor and zeal, sometimes it is more ebb than flow. We can easily slip into routine and go into auto-pilot where our heart takes a seat on the bench while our lips do the heavy lifting. At times we need a little reminder to WAKE UP or SNAP OUT OF IT, and pray most earnestly once more. The dictionary defines earnest as an intense and serious state of mind. It requires focus and attention and involves our whole being, our heart, soul, mind and strength. Distractions is something we all struggle with, but hopefully with a little more fervor, there will be fewer distractions during our prayer, and we will be able to “say what we mean and mean what we say.”

Questions for reflection: Do I pray most earnestly? Why or why not? Perhaps, we can begin our prayer with a simple prayer such as, “God, help me to pray most earnestly!”

Thank you for those of you who have filled out the oblate survey. It is greatly appreciated. If you would still like to fill out the survey, you can find it by clicking here.

Prayer request. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, OSB
Director of Oblates

Oblate Calendar

August

14 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Thomas on the Psalms: Part IV. Conference on Psalm 103. For in-person click here. For remote option click here.

September

10 – Oblate Council

11 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part I

23-25 – Oblate Retreat – Fr. John Paul. The Divine Office: Living in the Divine Current

29 – Solemnity of Archangels (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

October

23 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part II

A Note to Oblates 2022.07.29
A Note to Our Dear Oblates – July 29, 2022

Dear Oblates,

Lovers of the Place

We speak of Benedictines as lovers of the place. The location of the monastery is not picked at random but very thoughtfully and prayerfully considered. Indeed, our forefathers searched far and wide for an ideal location for the foundation of a de facto “second Engelberg.” They travelled from Denver to San Francisco to Southern Oregon and finally to the present location of Mount Angel. On this little hill that overlooks the lush Willamette Valley, the first monks began a life of prayer and work. It is a place surrounded by tall fir, oak, pine and cedar trees; a place where squirrels and birds find welcome; a place where lovely flowers accent the changing of the seasons. How different it would be if the monastery were located in a city! Here, at Mount Angel, we see and experience daily the marvelous handiwork of God and the words of Wisdom ring loud and clear, “from the greatness and the beauty of created things their original author, by analogy, is seen” (13:5).

So too, our oblates belong not to the Benedictine Order in general but to a particular monastery, at a particular place, with a particular group of monks. And it is to Mount Angel Abbey that our oblates promise stability. Many oblates have mentioned to me that the Abbey is a special place for them.>They are drawn to and attracted to the surrounding landscape, the beauty of the liturgy and the Benedictine way lived by the monks. It is a place for them to encounter Christ and find his peace.

It is my hope that you, our oblates, will be lovers of this place.>I believe that coming to the Abbey for oblates is vitally important. For that reason, I would like to find ways to have more oblates come and enjoy the hilltop’s many blessings. Yes, there are many circumstances that prevent such a hope from happening, but I do ask for your help in my outreach to you the oblates. If you would take a few minutes and fill out the following survey (click here), it will greatly help me in my ministry. Perhaps, you can think of it as “summoning the oblates for counsel.” In short, I would like to know what prevents you from coming to the Abbey for retreats, study days or just visiting in general, and I hope to do what I can to make such visits more possible. Of course, circumstances are circumstances and some cannot change but if we can do something on our part, I will try to make it happen. Thank you ahead of time.

From Fr. Ephrem, Assistant Oblate Director:

“Dear oblates, On  June 18th, we had our first meeting with the candidates for a general orientation. On July 16th, they had a tour across the hilltop to be familiar with the monastery, to plant in them the love for this place, and to develop a spirit of identity. On the same day, 14 candidates started the novitiate (picture below). We had the ritual before vespers, and some monks joined us and welcomed them.

On July 31st, during Sunday Mass, we will have the final oblations of 11 novices. Currently, we have 48 members including in total.  Pray for all of us, please. “

Our next Oblate Sunday is August 14. Br. Thomas will be presenting on his conference on the Psalms. This one will be on Psalm 103. For in-person click here. For remote option click here.

Prayer request. Pray also for the eternal rest of oblate Bill “Benedict” Stricker, who passed away last Friday. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, OSB

Director of Oblates

Oblate Calendar

August

14 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Thomas on the Psalms: Part IV. Conference on Psalm 103. For in-person click here. For remote option click here.

September

10 – Oblate Council

11 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part I

23-25 – Oblate Retreat – Fr. John Paul. The Divine Office: Living in the Divine Current

29 – Solemnity of Archangels (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

October

23 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part II

A Note to Oblates 2022.07.22
A Note to Our Dear Oblates – July 22, 2022

Dear Oblates,

“Every time you begin a good work, you must pray”
– Prologue 4

Saint Benedict uses strong language in his first mention of prayer in the Holy Rule. He uses the words “every time” and “must,” yet how often do we begin a good work without prayer? Indeed, everything we do ought to be a good work; therefore, we ought to be praying constantly throughout the day. However, if you are like me, it may often happen that only when a good work goes wrong that you begin to pray. Saint Benedict knows that whenever we begin a good work, the devil is sure to put in his tail. Asking for God’s help at the beginning of such endeavors is a helpful way to counter those tactics.

There are two good works in particular that we Benedictines do regularly that require prayer beforehand. They are lectio divina and praying the Liturgy of the Hours. A short prayer before doing lectio can be as simple as, “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.” A prayer I learned as a novice for the Hours is, “O Lord, open Thou my mouth to bless Thy holy name; cleanse my heart also from all vain, evil and wandering thoughts; enlighten my understanding , kindle my affections, that I may be able to recite this Office worthily, attentively and devoutly, and may deserve to be heard in the presence of Thy divine Majesty. Through Christ our Lord. Amen Lord, in union with that divine intention, wherewith Thou Thyself didst praise God whilst Thou wast on earth, I offer this Hour unto Thee.”* With little prayers such as these, we can ask God to bring to perfection a good work begun.

Here are a few events to mark on your calendars. We will be having an Advent and Lenten Day of Recollection. The Advent one will be on December 8, 2022 (Immaculate Conception) and the Lenten one will be on February 22, 2023 (Ash Wednesday). Br. Anselm will be the conference speaker for both of these days. Also, we are reviving the annual Oblate Picnic. This will take place on June 25, 2023. More information will be provided as the events near. Thank you.

This month eighteen people began the novitiate (14 Spanish and 4 English).

Saint Benedict Festival pictures can be viewed on our Facebook page.

Prayer request. Please pray for the health of a number of sick monks. Pray also for the success of the Abbey Bach Festival, which is next Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  Also, a handful of seminarians will be arriving Sunday to begin their Intensive Spirituality Program (ISP). Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, OSB
Director of Oblates

P.S. – *Prayer taken from https://jovanprayers.blogspot.com/2012/02/aperi-domine_17.html.

Oblate Calendar

August

14 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Thomas on the Psalms: Part IV

September

10 – Oblate Council

11 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part I

23-25 – Oblate Retreat – Fr. John Paul. Praying the Psalms: Living in the Divine Current.

29 – Solemnity of Archangels (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

October

23 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part II

November

4-6 – Oblate Retreat – Br. Louis: Praying Deeply: the Liturgy as the Marriage of Heaven and Earth.

13 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part III

A Note to Oblates 2022.07.15
A Note to Our Dear Oblates – July 15, 2022

Dear Oblates,

“Strong and Noble Weapons”

Two weeks ago, I wrote about Saint Benedict describing obedience as our strong and noble weapons. It is a weapon that most Christians rarely use in their battle against evil. I did not get the chance, however, to address what this obedience entails. You may ask, to whom do I owe obedience? Is it my parents, boss, co-worker or friend? I don’t have an Abbot like the monks do. This is a good question, and the question of obedience in the life of the oblate can be multi-faceted, but I will offer this single point, let us obey God first. If we can’t obey God and his commands, obedience given to others does not mean much. In the Frist Letter of St. John we read, “For the love of God is this, that we keep his commandments” (5:3). By keeping God’s law we are truly doing battle against evil. By following his word, we grow in the likeness of the Eternal Word. The goal for Saint Benedict is to have monks become saints.

We can ask ourselves, “What commands of God am I not obeying?” “Why am I not obeying those commands?” “What needs to happen in order for me to obey those commands?”

We will be having an encore performance of the Last Conversation between St. Benedict and St. Scholastica in the Abbey Church at 4:30 PM this Sunday. Many monks, oblates and volunteers were unable to attend because of their work at the Festival, so I asked Fr. Teresio and Br. Thomas if they would do it again. They gladly accepted. Feel free to invite others.

We have our next Oblate Sunday on Sunday, July 24th. Br. Thomas will be giving his third conference on the psalms. For in-person click here. For Zoom click here.

Prayer request. Please pray for the eternal rest of Oblate Michael “Edward“ Legge, who passed away on July 6th.  Pray also for the Oblate Program; I have plans and hopes for what we can do for all of you. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, OSB
Director of Oblates

Oblate Calendar 

July

24 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Thomas on the Psalms: Part III. For in-person click here. For Zoom click here.

August

14 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Thomas on the Psalms: Part IV

September 

10 – Oblate Council

11 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part I

23-25 – Oblate Retreat – Fr. John Paul. The Divine Office: Living in the Divine Current

29 – Solemnity of Archangels (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

October 

23 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part II

A Note to Oblates 2022.07.08
A Note to Our Dear Oblates – July 8, 2022

Dear Oblates,

Happy early feast of St. Benedict!

In a few days, we will celebrate the great feast of our most holy Father Saint Benedict. St. Gregory calls him the “man of God,” and what a fitting title for him. In the life of Saint Benedict, we read page after page of how he continually left the things and concerns of the world in order to seek God with a greater purity of heart. He committed himself frequently to prayer and spiritual reading. This desire to be alone with God ironically led others to join him. How grateful we are that he accepted that call from God to take in disciples and show them the way to God.

Questions for reflection. Would others call me a man or woman of God? If not, how would they describe me? What could I do to become more of a man of God or a woman of God?

We have our next Oblate Sunday on Sunday, July 24th. Br. Thomas will be giving his third conference on the psalms. For in-person click here. For Zoom click here.

Today, we concluded our Oblate Study Days. We have been spiritually nourished by the amazing conferences Fr. Konrad Schaefer has given us on the Gospel of Luke. We have the conferences recorded, I will let you know when they are available online.

On the calendar below, you will note that oblates may gain a plenary indulgence on the feast of Saint Benedict. An indulgence as defined by the Catechism (1471) is “a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven . . . An indulgence is partial or plenary as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin.” The conditions for obtaining a plenary indulgence are as follows:

1) Go to confession 8 days before or after the day, I think it may have been extended to 20-30 days.

2) receive Holy Communion on that day

3) pray for the intentions of the Holy Father, such as an Our Father.

4) be in a state of grace and have total detachment of sin

Oblate Novice Paul Rodgers informed me that the little Zoom Compline group is going well. They do a little reading from the Holy Rule and talk about it and pray Compline together. They meet at 8:30 PM PST daily. If you would like to join, the link is here.

Br. Anselm wanted me to send you the link to the Mount Angel Institute webpage. It is here.

Prayer request. Please pray for the success of our Saint Benedict Festival tomorrow. We will have about 1,000 guests in attendance. Pray also for the Oblate Program; I have plans and hopes for what we can do for all of you. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, OSB
Director of Oblates

Oblate Calendar

July

9 – St. Benedict Festival

11 – Solemnity of St. Benedict (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

24 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Thomas on the Psalms: Part III. For in-person click here. For Zoom click here.

August

14 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Thomas on the Psalms: Part IV

September 

10 – Oblate Council

11 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part I

23-25 – Oblate Retreat – Fr. John Paul. The Divine Office: Living in the Divine Current

29 – Solemnity of Archangels (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

October 

23 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part II

A Note to Oblates 2022.07.01
A Note to Our Dear Oblates – July 1, 2022

Dear Oblates,

“Do battle for the true King, Christ the Lord”

One of the ways to describe Christians on earth is the Church Militant. It implies that we are engaged in a fierce spiritual battle. St. Benedict is no stranger to this concept, for in the beginning of his Holy Rule, he calls upon his followers to “do battle for the true King, Christ the Lord.” As in St. Benedict’s time, so too our age is quickly plummeting into a realm of darkness as foundations are being demolished. Faith in God is has been replaced by faith in man, science and technology. We need to take up arms, but what are those arms? Some do battle by writing aggressive blogs or having one-sided conversations. They think that the more one speaks and the louder one shouts, the stronger one is. However, St. Benedict tells us that the weapon that we should use is “obedience.” Perhaps, we do not think much of this weapon or even like to hear it. We say, “obedience is weak, timid and cowardly.” St. Benedict says otherwise, for he describes obedience as both “strong” and “noble”. I would surmise that is far from the worldly of looking at it. However, it was the way of Christ, who made himself weak through obedience and by doing so, saved the world. When we obey, we are truly doing battle for the true King, Christ the Lord.  We can ask ourselves, “Am I doing battle for Christ, and how am I doing it?”

I am still in the process of straightening out the email list. If you ever stop receiving these weekly emails, please let me know.

Prayer request. Please pray for our upcoming Oblate Study Days and for Fr. Konrad, who will be giving the presentations. We are planning on recording them and making them available online. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, OSB
Director of Oblates

P.S. – Below is an article on the Word of God by Br. Brody. He shared it with the hilltop employees and thought the oblates would like to read it as well.

Oblate Calendar

July

5 -8 – Oblate Study Days – Fr. Konrad Schaefer on the Gospel of St. Luke

9 – St. Benedict Festival

11 – Solemnity of St. Benedict (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

24 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Thomas on the Psalms: Part III. To sign up for in person, click here. For Zoom click here.

August

14 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Thomas on the Psalms: Part IV

September

10 – Oblate Council

11 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part I

23-25 – Oblate Retreat – Fr. John Paul. The Divine Office: Living in the Divine Current

29 – Solemnity of Archangels (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

October 

23 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part II

How Does Monastic Prayer Work?
(And Whose Work Is It, Anyway?)
by Br. Brody

Anyone who has spent more than a couple hours on our holy hilltop is familiar with the bells. If you work here, you probably hear them tolling every day at noon—and maybe even 6:30am or 5:15pm, depending on your schedule. Our seminarians, however, have you beat: they hear the bells every morning at 5:20am… at least until they train themselves to sleep through them. For most people, the bells are (at worst) a minor annoyance or (more positively) a pleasant reminder that prayer is being offered for them multiple times each day. For the monks, however, the bells are nothing less than the voice of God, summoning us to prayer.

Saint Benedict describes the bells—and the prayer to which they summon us—in chapter 43 of his Holy Rule:

On hearing the signal for an hour of the divine office, the monk will immediately set aside what he has in hand and go with utmost speed, yet with gravity and without giving occasion for frivolity. Indeed, nothing is to be preferred to the Work of God. (RB 43.1-3)

As prominent as our bells may be, they aren’t anything more than a “signal”; our real focus is “the divine office,” also known as “the Work of God.” Based on the context of St. Benedict’s words—and on our daily practice here at Mount Angel—the phrase “Work of God” refers specifically to our gathering in church to chant the Psalms and listen to readings from Sacred Scripture. Such a “Work” is evidently so important to St. Benedict that no other work—in fact, nothing at all—is to be preferred to it. If that’s the case, though, we have to ask ourselves: whose “Work” is it? And how does that “Work” work?

At first glance, the “Work of God” might seem like our own work rather than God’s. We, after all, are the ones praying—and praying rather elaborately, I might add. But the fourth-century Fathers of the Egyptian desert (the pioneers of monastic life and precursors to St. Benedict) understood our prayer differently. Abba Evagrius, for example, offers us this teaching: “if you wish to pray, you need God who gives prayer to the one who prays” (On Prayer 59). And St. John Cassian (who transmitted Evagrius’ wisdom to the Roman Church) reminds us that this teaching came from none other than Christ himself:

“I am not able to do anything of myself,” he says, “but my Father who abides in me himself does the works.” In the person of his assumed manhood he says that he can do nothing by himself. How, then, can we who are ashes and earth think that we do not stand in need of the Lord’s help in whatever pertains to our salvation? (Institutes 12.17; quoting Jn. 5:30, 14:10).

In the monastic tradition, then, prayer is only our work to the extent that we fully, consciously, and actively participate in the work of God.

This becomes abundantly clear when we consider how our prayer works. As we assemble for each hour of the “Work of God,” the first thing we do (as soon as the bells stop tolling) is cry to God for help: “O God, come to my assistance! O Lord, make haste to help me” (Ps. 70:2) We then proceed to pray, not with our own words, but with words that were given to us by God: namely, the inspired Psalms. The Psalms are particularly meaningful to us as Christians because we know that they were the prayers of Christ during his earthly life—e.g., “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Lk. 23:46, quoting Ps. 31:6). And since Jesus is, himself, the eternal Son of God, the Psalms also communicate his heavenly Father’s eternal plan for him—e.g., “The Lord has sworn and will not waver: ‘You are a priest forever in the manner of Melchizedek.’” (Ps. 110:4). When we gather to pray with these inspired words—receiving them from the Father and uttering them back to him through the Son—we recognize that all of them also pertain to us, because we have been baptized into Christ (cf. Rom. 6). By praying these inspired words in and through Jesus, we allow the Father to refashion in us the image of his beloved Son, who is our “righteousness, sanctification, and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30).

In the words of Irénée Hausherr (a French Jesuit from the last century) this prayer of ours “is called ‘work of God,’ ultimately, because it means the deification [literally, transformation into God] of the servant and the sinner by the Holy One.” And only in light of this fact do we dare to affirm St. Benedict’s bold declaration that “nothing is to be preferred to the Work of God” (RB 43.3).

Further reading (available in the Mount Angel Abbey Library):

• Abbot Jeremy Driscoll, O.S.B., “‘Every Passage of Scripture Which Referred to Him’: The Psalms in Christian Prayer,” American Benedictine Review 67, no. 2 (June 2016)
• Irénée Hausherr, S.J., “Opus Dei,” Monastic Studies 11 (1975)

A Note to Oblates 2022.06.24
A Note to Our Dear Oblates – June 24, 2022

Dear Oblates,

“Come, let us worship Jesus, whose heart was wounded for love of us.”
– Invitatory for Vigils

The feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a feast of God’s immense love for his people. However, the Sacred heart of Jesus is often wounded, rejected and scorned by the very ones he came to save. Time after time, he goes in search for lost sheep and places them on his sacred shoulders. Hour after hour he awaits for the return of his prodigal children. Despite the deep wounds we inflict upon his Sacred Heart, we know that nothing can separate us from His love. Yes, we have offended the Christ, but we can also be a balm to him by the little acts of love we show him. We can allow him, who has no place to rest his head, to find repose within our hearts.

Please note that there are still rooms available for the Oblate Study Days (July 5-8). See attached for more information.

One of our oblate novices Paul Rogers is interested in a Nightly Compline via Zoom. If you are interested in this, please contact him at paulrogersxo@gmail.com.

You can listen to Abbot Jeremy’s homily on Corpus Christi here

Prayer request. Please pray for four of our Alumni who will be ordained to the Sacred Order of the Priesthood either today or tomorrow. They are Deacon Dustin Busse, Deacon Tristan Dillon, Deacon John DePalma and Deacon Chad Hill. Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, OSB Director of Oblates

Oblate Calendar

July

5 -8 – Oblate Study Days – Fr. Konrad Schaefer on the Gospel of St. Luke

9 – St. Benedict Festival

11 – Solemnity of St. Benedict (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

24 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Thomas on the Psalms: Part III.

August

14 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Thomas on the Psalms: Part IV

September

11 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part I

23-25 – Oblate Retreat – Fr. John Paul. The Divine Office: Living in the Divine Current

29 – Solemnity of Archangels (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

A Note to Oblates 2022.06.17
A Note to Our Dear Oblates – June 17, 2022

Dear Oblates,

“They all ate and were satisfied.”
– Luke 9:17

This quote is taken from the Gospel for Sunday’s feast of Corpus Christi, and it can be applied spiritually to the Eucharist. The Eucharist alone satisfies our desires. Money will always leave us wanting more, good friendships cannot fulfill our deepest longings, work can turn us into slaves. Jesus gave us his Body and Blood to nourish and strengthen us for our pilgrimage to heaven. As we need regular food to survive day by day, so too, we need the Eucharist to stay spiritually alive.

Does the Eucharist satisfy us or are we looking for other things for fulfillment? Do we long to be united with Christ in His Body and Blood as he desires to be united with us? Is the Eucharist truly the center of our lives? May the feast of Corpus Christi help us all grow in our awe and gratitude for the most wondrous gift of the Most Holy Eucharist. And when we receive Christ in Holy Communion, may it be exactly that, a holy communion.

Last week, I went with Br. Luke to visit the Oblates of Bethlehem Community and of North Dakota. On Monday, there was a St. Benedict Family Day with about 35 oblates and about 50-60 kids. It was a wondrous day beginning with Mass, followed by catechesis, and the day concluded with a beautiful Eucharistic procession with song. I was happy to see many oblate friends and meet new ones as well. Some pictures below.

Please let me know if you know of any oblates who have died in the past 6 months. We offer a Mass for the eternal rest of all our oblates who have passed away, but we need to be informed of their death. Thanks!

Prayer request. We are starting formation classes for the novices tomorrow. In this program, there will be three classes offered by the monks on something related to Benedictine Spirituality. We plan on meeting once a month. Please pray for this. There are about 10 novices signed up (3 in-person and 7 via Zoom). Please know that you can always send your prayer requests through our Oremus program.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Paul, OSB
Director of Oblates

Oblate Calendar

June

18 – Oblate Council Meeting

July

5 -8 – Oblate Study Days – Fr. Konrad Schaefer on the Gospel of St. Luke

9 – St. Benedict Festival

11 – Solemnity of St. Benedict (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

24 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Thomas on the Psalms: Part III

August

14 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Thomas on the Psalms: Part IV

September

11 – Oblate Sunday – Br. Cyril on Mt. Angel History: Part I

23-25 – Oblate Retreat – Fr. John Paul. Praying the Psalms: Living in the Divine Current

29 – Solemnity of Archangels (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)