Notes to Oblates of Mount Angel Abbey

Fr. John Paul Le, O.S.B., director of the oblates of Mount Angel Abbey, writes frequent notes to the oblates of Mount Angel Abbey. The oblates are a vibrant and active community of lay people and priests who strive to live the Holy Rule of St. Benedict in the spirit of Mount Angel Abbey, as far as their state in life permits. The notes are a mix of spiritual reflection, instruction, and updates on current events within the community of monks and oblates.

A Note to Our Dear Oblates – May 27, 2023

Dear Oblates,

“Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.”
– 1^st Reading for the Solemnity of Pentecost

The Solemnity of Pentecost’s first reading begins with the disciples gathered in “one place together” awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit. The previous chapter in the book of Acts tells us that they are there in obedience to Jesus’ pre-ascension speech and are awaiting the promised Spirit through constant prayer (Acts 1:8, 14). It is important to notice two things at the beginning of the reading: 1) God’s promise to send His Spirit to His friends who had shortly before abandoned Him, and 2) the apostles’ active, not passive, waiting. God reaches down and seeks all of us–sinful, weak, and treacherous as we may often be–to share His Spirt, His very self. He is the first to desire us. We respond to this desire and are most disposed to receive the Spirit when we are in a prayerful state, whether it be in a silent room, in front of the blessed sacrament, in a moment of charity, in nature, or in our Lectio. He desires to fill our “entire house,” our entire being, His entire church, with the Spirit, so that in us and through us He can “renew the face of the earth” and communicate to all “the mighty acts of God.”

As the Spirit came to rest on “each one of them … they … began to speak in different tongues,” in different languages, which are different ways of communicating the same thing. Although in the reading the spoken language was the main means of communication, allegorically we can interpret this to mean all the types of “languages” at our disposal that allow us to transmit in different ways the same truth of God’s love, salvation and peace. This includes our actions, our way of life, our simple tokens of charity. Let us then dispose ourselves to receive the Holy Spirit this coming feast by surrendering our heart to our bridegroom’s renewing love and peace. Receiving the Spirit which is infinitely more than we can contain, we, like the disciples in the story, will undoubtedly share the graces we have received with others and be united with the growing body of Christ.

Oblates receive a 30% discount on Abbey Bach Festival tickets. To reserve your ticket, please click here.

I will be giving a Day of Recollection entitled, Benedictine Spirituality for Everyday Living in Calgary, CANADA on June 10 from 1:30-4:30. If you are interested, please click here for more information.

Br. Ambrose’s latest article entitled, “Theōría Physikē (Or: What Happens When a Monk Looks at Art…)” can be viewed here. He writes, “The entire article is a running commentary on a painting by our very own Helen Bouchard [Bookstore employee].”

Prayer request. Thank you for your prayers for the Abbey retreat. The monks had a wonderful and grace-filled retreat. Please pray for the many monks who will be traveling in the next week (about a dozen of them). 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

New Oblates: Melissa “Frances of Rome” Abell, Judith “Faustina” Pepito”, Abbot Jeremy, Janine “Solanus Casey” Schutt, Fr. John Paul

New novices: David, Tricia, Larry, Judith, Greg, and Lisa (not pictured)

Orange flowers May 2023

Oblate Picnic June 25, 2023

Oblate Calendar

May
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 On the Davidic Covenant
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.

Aug
13 – Oblate Sunday. Br. Anselm on the 7 Rich Ways, Part I.

Sept
9 – Oblate Council
10 – Oblate Sunday. Br. Anselm on the 7 Rich Ways, Part II.
22-24 – Oblate Retreat. Fr. Michael Shrum – Friend, Why Have You Come.
29 – Solemnity of Archangels (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

A Note to Oblates - May 19, 2023

A Note to Our Dear Oblates – May 19, 2023

Dear Oblates,

“Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky?”
– Ascension Reading

For the past forty days, the disciples were privileged to see, touch and hear the risen Jesus. It was a time of immense joy and hope, and all that Jesus did and taught was definitely confirmed by his rising from the dead. O how happy the disciples must have been to have Jesus in their midst again. However, it would not for last long. Jesus had to return to the Father and sit at his right hand. We cannot fault the disciples too much for “looking at the sky”. How difficult it must have been for them to “lose” our Lord for the second time. They probably did not fully understand Christ’s statement when he said, “It is better for you that I go.” (Jn 16:7).

Why is it better that Christ go? What really happened at the Ascension? The Catechism tells us, “Christ’s Ascension into heaven signifies his participation, in his humanity, in God’s power and authority” (668). Christ in his divinity AND humanity is seated on the right hand of the Father. He who is our head has gone to where we his members will follow (cf. Preface of the Ascension). Christ also speaks about the coming of the Holy Spirit, which proceeds from him and the Father. He will not be with them in a physical sense but will not be even closer to them. He will dwell in their hearts and remain in them as they remain in him. Therefore, we do not need to look up at the clouds to find Christ, for he is dwelling within us.

Let us enter in spirit into the upper room with Our Lady and the apostles during these privileged days of prayer. Let us ask God to send forth his Spirit and renew the face of the earth.

Our next Oblate Sunday will be on Sunday, May 28^th. For the conference Br. Alfredo will continue with his conferences of the Tools of Good Works. This one is entitled, “The Ascetical Path: “To Chastise the Body.” For in person click here. For remote option, click here.

The Oblate Family Picnic will be on Sunday, June 25^th. Mass will be at 10am followed by the picnic on the Abbey lawn. This is for both English-speaking and Hispanic oblates. I would like for both groups to come together for this event. $15/person, free for children under 12. To sign up for the picnic, please click here.

The Oblate Study Days will be July 10-13 this year. Br. Thomas Buttrick, O.S.B. will be giving the conferences on the figure of David. The Study Days are entitled, “Who is the Son of Jesse?: A Study of David, King and Pilgrim”. His description of the talks is as follows: Our topic for these conferences is King David: Iron Age strongman, literary archetype and religious symbol. Mentioned over 1,000 times in the Old Testament, David represents the glory days of Israelite political unity and international clout. His name grew in stature with the centuries to become a symbol of the Jewish monarchy, thereby acquiring a theological weight persisting into the New Testament. Poems and stories associated with his heroism and piety are beloved to the present day. But amazingly, alongside all this grandeur as a culture hero, his career, narrated to full arc in the books of Samuel, reveals a deeply ambiguous figure: a man of his times and for all times, shot through with brilliance and folly. Our task is to discover how the different meanings of King David each contribute to our sense of self, and to our rich biblical heritage as Catholic Christians. If you are interested, please sign up with the guesthouse at retreat@mtangel.edu.

Oblates receive a 30% discount on Abbey Bach Festival tickets. We are still working out the process of how oblates can acquire them. Thank you for your patience. I will let you know as soon as I find out.

Prayer request. Please pray for oblate Deacon Arrion Rosales-Llantos, who will be ordained to the Sacred Order of the Priesthood today. Pray also for all the oblates on retreat this weekend, especially for the three who will be making final oblation and for Br. Ignatius, the retreat master. We will have a short Welcome Rite after Mass for the new oblates by the Blessed Virgin Mary statue; you are welcome to be a part of it. Pray also for all the monks who will be on retreat next week and for our retreat master Fr. Simeon Leiva, O.C.S.O. 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

Resurrection icon written by Br. Claude.

Flowers for Our Lady during this month devoted to her.

A little rabbit. There are a number of them by the parking lot.

Spring flowers are beautiful this year.

Oblate Calendar

May
19-21 – Oblate Retreat: Br. Ignatius – One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic: 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

Aug
13 – Oblate Sunday. Br. Anselm on the 7 Rich Ways, Part I.

Sept
– Oblate Council
11 – Oblate Sunday. Br. Anselm on the 7 Rich Ways, Part II.
22-24 – Oblate Retreat. Fr. Michael Shrum – Friend, Why Have You Come.
29 – Solemnity of Archangels (plenary indulgence may be obtained by oblates)

A Note to Oblates - May 12, 2023

May 12, 2023

Dear Oblates,

“Overcome with paschal joy, every land, every people exults in your praise.”
– Preface for Easter

It seems that the Easter season feels less like a season than Lent does. During the 40 days of Lent we offered the sacrifice of additional prayers, fasting and almsgiving. These practices were keenly felt and were lifted only momentarily. Hence, the season was connected by our works of penance. Easter is different. After only a few days it seems that the celebrations of Easter have worn off. It is not like we eat ice cream every day, drink a glass of wine or buy something nice to celebrate the season of the Lord’s resurrection. So the season can easily go by unnoticed. Unless we are in the Eastern church, we have probbably ceased to hear the Paschal refrain of “Christ is risen.”

Therefore, this is just a little nudge to say that we are still celebrating Easter, don’t forget it completely just yet. Every day at Mass, we say the above verse. “Overcome with paschal joy, every land, every people, exults in your praise.” Now, during this Easter season, we should be overcome with joy. We are so joyful because he who was dead is now alive for ever, never to die again. We are overcome with joy because by Christ’s blood we have been freed from the slavery to sin. We are overcome with joy because by rising from the dead Jesus lives in us and we live in him.

This is true not only for us but for Christians throughout the world. “Every land, every people” during this season exults in God’s praise. From those in the Far East to the Middle East, from Europe to Africa and to the Americas. The entire world is filled with this paschal joy. Even the flowers of the field join this hymn of praise with their vibrant beautiful petals. Even the birds of the air join in this song of praise with their morning song. The Easter season lasts for only two more weeks, so say your alleluias while you still have the chance. This is the time above all other times to simply praise the Lord. “We praise you O Lord, and we magnify your holy name. Amen. Alleluia.”

Our next Oblate Sunday will be on Sunday, May 28^th. It will be the Mass of Pentecost, so things will be a bit delayed. For the conference Br. Alfredo will continue with his conferences of the Tools of Good Works. This one is entitled, “The Ascetical Path: “To Chastise the Body.” . For in person click here. For remote option, click here.

You should have received an invitation to the St. Benedict Festival in the mail. To reserve your complimentary ticket or purchase additional ones, please click here. This will help us simplify the process. You will receive your e-ticket via email in June. To volunteer at the festival, email sbfvolunteer@mtangel.edu or call 503.845.3030.

Prayer request. Please pray for Fr. Odo, Fr. Timothy and all those who are on the pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Today, they are at the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. 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

Graduation Day!

Monks processing.

Beautiful spring colors in the cloister garden.

Sunrise over Mt. Hood.

Oblate Calendar

May
13 – Easter Day of Recollection by Br. Anselm. The Surprising Flame: Meditations on the Veni Creator Spiritus.
19-21 – Oblate Retreat: Br. Ignatius – One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic: 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

A Note to Oblates - May 4, 2023

May 4, 2023

Dear Oblates,

The Blessed of Engelberg

Today we celebrate the feast of the Blessed of Engelberg. It is a feast that is probably unknown to most Catholics, but for us here at the Abbey, it is a special day. It is amazing simply to think that we have four saints in our motherhouse in Switzerland. They are Blessed Konrad, Adelhelm, Frowin and Berchtold. Konrad endowed the Abbey in 1120 and later became a monk himself. Adelhelm was the first abbot of Engelberg, and he and the first monks of Engelberg came from the Abbey of Muri, also in Switzerland. Frowin was the second abbot and began the abbey school. Berchtold was the third abbot. During his lifetime there was a famine in the land, and after having blessed a lake, an abundance of fish rose to the surface.

As we remember the Blessed of Engelberg, we also remember all the sacrifices that they made to found Mount Angel Abbey. Due to persecution, the monks of Engelberg decided to found a daughterhouse in Missouri in 1873. However, the customs of the monastery did not reflect Engelberg traditions. Therefore, Fr. Adhelhelm Odermatt asked Abbot Anselm Villiger, 52^nd abbot of Engelberg, to establish another monastery out west. Abbot Anselm wrote regarding this new monastery, “From the beginning of this priory, the ordo, customs and traditions of the motherhouse at Engelberg will be carried out in as praiseworthy a manner as possible, and observed exactly” (January 6, 1881, translated copy in Mount Angel Abbey Archives). This vision of Abbot Anselm guided Mount Angel Abbey to who we are today. It should come to no surprise that Engelberg translated into English is Mount Angel.

This gives me the opportunity to make an exciting announcement. I am planning an oblate pilgrimage to Engelberg and Rome in June of 2025. I am currently working on the intinerary. The dates will probably be between mid-late June and, it will be about 12-13 days. The plan is to visit Engelberg, Muri and Einseideln in Switzerland, and then visit Montecasino, Subiaco and Norcia in Italy. There will be other stops along the way, but I think these are the important Benedictine sites for oblates of Mount Angel Abbey. It is also a Jubilee Year, so the Holy Doors in Rome will be opened during this time. I plan on going with two other monks, Br. Jesse and the monk who will replace Fr. Ephrem as director as Hispanic oblates. You probably are wondering how much it will cost. Right now, I do not know, but I am letting you know of the event, so you can mark it in your calendar if you are interested in going and can start saving up for the pilgrimage. I will let you know when I find out more details.

We will be having an Oblate Hike on Saturday, May 27, 2023. Oblate Novice Jeff Puda will be leading the hike, and Br. Jesse and I will be coming along. It will be at Silver Falls and begin at 9:30am and end around 12:30pm. Please click here to sign up.

Prayer request. Please pray for all the students who will be graduating on Saturday. The Baccalaureate Mass is at 8am and the Commencement Exercises begin at 10am. 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

Blessed of Engelberg icon that hangs in the monastery refectory

Abbot Jeremy and Br. Ignatius speaking with oblates

Fr. Teresio speaking with an oblate

Fr. Teresio and Br. Charles performing at the Brewery

Oblate Calendar

June
25 – Oblate Picnic

A Note to Oblates - April 21, 2023

April 21, 2023

Dear Oblates,

Emmaus Walk

A few years ago, I told my brother that the Easter season lasted for fifty days. He was so surprised to hear about it because he only knew that Lent was forty days. Anyways, the gospel story for this Sunday happened on Easter Sunday, Jesus appears to two disciples as they walk to Emmaus.

This story makes me think of the monastic discernment retreats that we have here a few times a year. One of the events on the schedule is the Emmaus Walk on Saturday afternoon. It usually involves one or two discerners walking with a monk around the hilltop. The discerners share their spiritual journey, struggles and questions with the monk, and the monk offers guidance and helps answer any questions the discerners might have. It is quite like Christ walking with the two disciples. While they may not always be talking directly about the scriptures, there is usually a tangible presence of Christ during these walks as the discerners seek the will of God in his life. Did not our Lord say, “where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20).

Therefore, I would like to simply encourage you during this week to go for an Emmaus walk with one or two other people and discuss where you are in your spiritual life. The weather, at least around the Abbey, is supposed to be quite pleasant. And may the Lord make himself present to you as he was present to the disciples.

Speaking of walking, we will be having an Oblate Hike on Saturday, May 27, 2023. Perhaps, I can call it an Oblate Emmaus Hike. Oblate Novice Jeff Puda will be leading the hike, and Br. Jesse and I will be coming along. It will begin at 9:30am and end around 12:30pm. Please see below for more details, and click here to sign up.

The hike will be at Silver Falls State Park, located about 20 miles from Mount Angel Abbey. We will be hiking a portion of the Park’s most popular trail, the Trail of Ten Falls.

The hike will be a 5 mile loop which begins and ends at South Falls Day-use Area. It is moderately difficult and usually takes 2-3 hours to complete at an easy pace. This includes the time we’ll spend viewing each of the waterfalls. The trail will take us through a forested canyon with a winding creek and past 7 unique waterfalls. If your schedule allows please join us afterwards at the Benedictine Brewery.

Prayer request. Please pray for Br. Anselm on this his namesday. Thank you for your prayers for the video this week (some pictures below). I think it turned out quite well, but we will find out when it is released on July 8th. 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

At the brewery

Preparing for Vespers

Still preparing for vespers

Day of Recollection, May 13, 2023

Oblate Calendar

June
25 – Oblate Picnic

A Note to Oblates - April 14, 2023

April 14, 2023

Dear Oblates,

“Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.
– Jn 20:27”

For those of you who will be at the Abbey for Mass on Sunday, you are getting a sneak peak of my homily. Happy Easter!

In the gospel for this Sunday, we read that St. Thomas was not there with the other apostles when Christ appeared to them. He doubted the testimony of the other disciples and said, “unless I see the mark of the nails on his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” A week later, he is with the other disciples and Jesus appears again. Jesus says to St. Thomas, “put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving but believe.” With that, St. Thomas doubted no longer.

By touching the wounds of Christ, St. Thomas was healed of his wound of doubt. So too, we can experience the same thing as St. Thomas, but in order to receive the healing touch of Jesus, we must acknowledge our wounds, that is, the dark places of our lives that go beyond even the darkness of our sin. We must descend into those shadowy experiences and bring them into the wounds of Christ. As we pray in the anima Christi, “Within thy wounds hide me.” Hide me, my Jesus in the depths of thy wounds. May thy wounds be for me a source of consolation, comfort, strength and mercy. May we pray that simple prayer that Our Lord taught St. Faustina, “Jesus, I trust in you.” May we enter into the darkness of Christ’s wounds and stay in this bridal chamber, where we can make our pilgrimage to his Sacred Heart, which was pierced for love of us. There we can rest our heads and find peace.

There are still rooms available for the May (19-21) Oblate Retreat lead by Br. Ignatius. It is on the Four Marks of the Church, and he gave this retreat to the Hispanic Oblates last month. The retreatants were very enthusiastic about the content. Please contact the guesthouse at retreat@mtangel.edu to register.

Prayer request. Please pray for the successful recording of our next video which will be from next Tuesday to next Thursday. It is on the seven touch points of the Mount Angel Institute, and the the recording for the oblates will be on Tuesday. 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. – Holy Triduum pictures below.

Triduum 2023 empty tabernacle

Way of the Cross

The Liturgy of Light at the beginning of the Easter Vigil

The Easter Vigil Liturgy

Day of Recollection, May 13, 2023

Oblate Calendar

June
25 – Oblate Picnic

A Note to Oblates - March 31, 2023

March 31, 2023

Dear Oblates,

“Palm Sunday Reflection”

In this Sunday’s readings we recount how the Lord suffered willingly for us, who through our sins joined in with the crowds and crucified him. Now that we are redeemed members of his body, we should pay close attention to him who has asked us to follow him on this journey of the cross and learn from him (Mathew 16:24). He “emptied himself … humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (2nd Reading). He did not rebel and did not turn back; he set his “face like flint,” knowing that God was his help, and that he would not be put to shame (1st Reading). He put all his faith and hope in his Father, and in so doing, showed us the great love he has for us.

In our trials, we are called to do similarly. These trials could come from our relationships, vices, prejudices, emotions, and all the other difficulties of life. They are tools the enemy uses to dissuade us from following our Lord’s footsteps. He tempts us to deny Christ, employing the anxiety and fear which spring from “peer pressure.” He tempts us to seek the quick fix when physical or emotional pain arrives, whether it be found in the closest mode of entertainment, anger, or any of the other “drugs” we use to flee from it. He tempts us with our own pride, which makes us unable to humble ourselves in any way, even though the just God humbled himself in love of us, so much so that he allowed his garments to be torn from him by people who tried to dress themselves in the clothes of justice. He tempts us to hopelessness, to question God’s love for us, like the Pharisees tempted Christ: “Let him deliver him, let him rescue him, if he loves him” (Responsorial Psalm).

In all temptation, let our eyes be on Christ. He felt abandoned, but yet trusted and hoped. He too feared the pain of rejection and the cross, and asked his father to let the chalice pass, yet he submitted out of love. He did all of this because he loved his Father and us. Through his actions he showed us what it means to have reverence and fear of the Lord. It is not the fear that comes from a mob. It is the fear that comes from love, which fears hurting the beloved, and which would rather suffer in place of the beloved. In this last week of Lent, sing “Hosanna” to him in faith, hope, and love, and wait for him amidst all trials.

Br. Anselm’s Easter Day of Recollection is entitled, “The Surprising Flame: Meditations on the Veni Creator Spiritus“. For this day of recollection, he will explore the role and action of the Holy Spirit in the spiritual life, his role and identity among the other persons of the Trinity, and meditate on one of the Church’s most famous and powerful hymns, the Veni creator spiritus, sung during the feast of Pentecost. To sign up, please click here.

For those who are interested in attending the Oblate picnic and staying at the guesthouse, rooms have been reserved from Saturday evening to Monday morning. Please contact the guesthouse to make reservations.

Br. Ambrose’s latest article entitled, “It Is Good That We Are Here” (But Just Where is “Here?”), can now be found in the oblate articles section of our webpage.

Mount Angel Abbey was selected to represent the United States in the Oblate World Congress. After a random selection, Mary and Tim Gallagher were selected to represent us. They will represent us well.

Prayer request. Please pray for the retreatants on the Hispanic oblate retreat and for Br. Ignatius, the retreat master. 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 were written by Br. Jesse.

Easter Day of Recollection

Solemn Way Of The Cross and Procession with the Relic of the True Cross

Oblate Calendar

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

May
13 – Easter Day of Recollection by Br. Anselm.
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 oblates)
23 – Oblate Sunday: Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works, Part IV: The rules of Christian Koinonia.

A Note to Oblates - March 24, 2023

March 24, 2023

Dear Oblates,

“May it be done to me according to your word.”
– Gospel reading for the Annunciation

These are the words of Our Lady after receiving from the archangel Gabriel the message of salvation. These words of Our Blessed Mother expresses her utter humility and openness to the will of God. “Let it be,” Mary says, “Thy will be done.” An image often used in the Litany of Loreto is that of the vessel. Mary is described as the spiritual vessel, vessel of honor and the singular vessel of devotion. How is Mary like a vessel? She is completely empty of herself and ready to be filled with the Spirit of God. She is not filled with pride, greed or self-love, but with humility, generosity and selflessness. This idea of emptying oneself is used to describe Our Lord by St. Paul, who says that Christ “emptied himself, taking the form of a slave” (Philippians 2:7). Hence, both Christ and Mary had this humble self-emptying attitude. Christ’s self-emptying lead him to share in the fulness of our human nature. Mary’s self-emptying lead her to be overshadowed by the Holy Spirit and become the Mother of God.

During this Lenten season, we can ask ourselves, “Do I have a humble self-emptying attitude? If not, what am I filling myself up with and how can I change?”

I would like to point out a few events in the calendar that are coming up in a few months. The Oblate Picnic is scheduled for Sunday, June 25th. Mass will be at 10:00 AM that day. The bluegrass band The Severin Sisters will be providing music and hamburgers and hotdogs will be served. I hope that as many oblates as possible can come to this event. I know that the St. Benedict Festival (July 8th) is a much bigger event, but many of you are volunteering and working hard at that event, so the picnic would be a good time to enjoy one another’s presence. After the St. Benedict Festival, from July 10-13, Br. Thomas will be leading the Oblate Study Days. His conferences will be on the Davidic Covenant. Those who have heard him lecture know that he truly loves the Lord and Sacred Scriptures and is great at sharing this with others.

Prayer request. Please pray for our postulants who began the postulancy a few days ago. Pictures of the Rite of Reception below. 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

Abbot Jeremy addressing the new postulants

Monks welcoming new postulants after the Rite of Reception

Br. Maliko, Abbot Jeremy, Br. Sherif and Br. Brandon

Solemn Way Of The Cross and Procession with the Relic of the True Cross

Oblate Calendar

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 oblates)
23 – Oblate Sunday: Br. Alfredo on the Tools of Good Works, Part IV: The rules of Christian Koinonia.

A Note to Oblates - March 17, 2023

March 17, 2023

Dear Oblates,

“The blessed man Benedict desired rather to endure the evils of the world than its praises, to be worn out with labors for God than to be exalted by the favors of this life.”
– Antiphon for the feast of St. Benedict

This verse is taken from the Life of St. Benedict written by Pope Gregory. After St. Benedict mended a broken tray, everyone began to admire him, and the tray was displayed in public for all to see. However, instead of basking in the praises and glory being heaped upon him, St. Benedict fled to the cave of Subicaco. In this we see St. Benedict practicing that humility he would later write about, “The sixth step of humility is that a monk is content with the lowest and most menial treatment” (RB 7:49). We naturally desire to be recognized for the good we do and to be affirmed in our actions. We know the sadness that comes from being rejected, criticized and ridiculed, and we know the joy of being praised, affirmed and respected. However, this desire for affirmation can sometimes become disordered, and we no longer do something for its own sake, but rather, we do it for recognition and praise. Hence, what is seen as a good action is tainted by bad a intention.

St. Benedict’s antidote was to run away from such praises. Indeed, he would rather endure evil than be showered with praises. Therefore, in his humility, he went away and hid himself in a dark and lonely cave, away from the world to seek God alone. As the passing of St. Benedict always occurs within the Lenten season, we can hear St. Benedict saying to us, “Pray, do good works and fast, but do look for praise or recognition. Don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, and your heavenly Father will reward you.” May St. Benedict intercede for us during this Lenten season, so that we may perform our Lenten practices for the Lord rather than for ourselves.

Br. Anselm’s Lenten conferences can now be found on our oblate webpage. In these conferences, he speaks about the traditional Lenten practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving and the witness of the cross. In addition, he will be leading an Easter Day of Recollection on May 13, 2023.

The monks had a great time playing ultimate frisbee against the students of Chesterton Academy. The game was dubbed, “Angels vs. Saints.” We scored the first point, and they scored the next ten. It was a lot of fun. Pictures below.

Prayer request. Please pray for all the Benedictine monks, sisters and oblates as we celebrate the passing of our most holy father St. Benedict on March 21st. Pray especially for the three postulants who will be entering our community 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

Additional Antiphons for the feast of St. Benedict
“Benedict was a man of venerable life, and was blest both by grace and name. Even from the days of his childhood he possessed the heart of a man and he did not yield his mind to the pleasures of the world.”

“The glorious confessor of the Lord, leading on earth an angelic life became to the world a mirror of good works, and therefore rejoices forever in heaven.”

“The man of God, Benedict, was filled with the spirit of the just; may he intercede for all those of the monastic profession.”

Monks assemble for match against Chesterton Academy

It was a lot of fun for all!

Dubbed “Angels vs Saints,” the monks scored first, however Chesterton Academy score ten unanswered points!

Monks and students from Chesterton Academy gather after their match

Oblate Calendar

March
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

June
25 – Oblate Picnic

A Note to Oblates - March 10, 2023

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

AIM USA 2023 Lenten Appeal

Solemn Way of the Cross and Procession with the Relic of the True Cross

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

June
25 – Oblate Picnic

A Note to Oblates - March 3, 2023

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

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 oblates)

Notes to Oblates of Mount Angel Abbey

A Note to Our Dear Oblates – May 27, 2023

A Note to Our Dear Oblates – May 19, 2023

For more information about the oblate program at Mount Angel Abbey, email oblates@mtangel.edu.