Oblate Formation 
Posts concerning Oblate and Novice formation. These include articles which are also applicable to most Christians, whether Oblate or not. Additional articles on instruction of various parts of the Rule can be found under that category.
Spousal Privilege
Since I’ve been on vacation, I’ve been watching an unusual amount of television. Over the past few days, I’ve been struck by the volume of material about sex. Talk shows, tv shows, even supposedly conservative networks like Fox News seem to be obsessed with the topic. The mentality of these talk show hosts seems to… Read More ›
A Benedictine priest reflects on changes in the Liturgy
By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Half a century after the start of the Second Vatican Council, the reform of the liturgy initiated there has not lost its power to stoke controversy. On June 13, after years of on-again-off-again talks with the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X, which effectively… Read More ›
Five Hard Truths That Will Set You Free
Some years ago I read an essay by the Franciscan Theologian Richard Rohr. I will say, (honestly) that I do not share a lot of agreement with Richard Rohr (no need to detail that here), but I found this particular essay compelling. I do not recall the exact title of that essay but in my… Read More ›
Take up his cross daily and follow me
“If anyone will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke IX. 2 3). We must keep this warning before our minds in our frequent trials and sufferings. Heaven will be worth it all, and far in excess of it all, if we can only wait… Read More ›
The capacity to live “in truth and love”
In marriage man and woman are so firmly united as to become—to use the words of the Book of Genesis—”one flesh” (Gen 2:24). Male and female in their physical constitution, the two human subjects, even though physically different, share equally in the capacity to live “in truth and love”. This capacity, characteristic of the human… Read More ›
Humility is the foundation of the house of love
Humility is the foundation of the house of love. Yet even that foundation sits on the firm earth of gratitude. ”Abba Peter (the Pionite) said, “We must not be puffed up when the Lord does something through our meditation, but we must rather thank him for having made us worthy to be called by him.’… Read More ›
Heaven will be worth it all
. . .when it seemed that wickedness had triumphed and virtue had gone down in defeat, came the sudden and ever-glorious victory in the resurrection to immortality and fadeless life and glory, to be followed shortly by the triumphal return to the heavenly kingdom and the prepared and awaiting regal seat at the right hand… Read More ›
Jesus took his place
After having undergone the humiliation of his passion and death, Jesus took his place at the right-hand of God; he took his place with his eternal Father. But he also entered heaven as our Head. Whereupon, in the expression of Leo the Great, the glory of the Head became the hope of the body. For all… Read More ›
WWJD: What was Jesus doing?
A clergy friend of mine remarked the other day that he found it difficult to preach during the Easter season – the excitement of the big day is past, he said, but the Lord has not yet ascended, and the Spirit has not yet come. For these 40 days until the Ascension, Jesus just keeps… Read More ›
Benedictine Spirituality as Integral to Liturgical Formation, part 4
The Notre Dame Center for Liturgy is pleased to make available a series by Prof. Maxwell Johnson, of the University of Notre Dame’s theology department, on Benedictine Spirituality. This is part of our new initiative in liturgical spirituality. In coming months, these videos will also be included in an ICL Conversation, with additional reading in… Read More ›