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THE OBLATE LIFE
Gervase Holdaway OSB
Canterbury Press, Norwich, UK; 2008

This book was written as a response to the first international Oblates Congress held in Rome in 2005.   At that time there were an estimated 25,000 Oblates in the world -- and the number of people seeking to deepen their spiritual life as Benedictine Oblates continues to grow steadily.

This handbook endeavours to help Oblates live by the Rule of St Benedict, discover how that rule can help them to live fully the life to which Christ calls them and how they can be mutual blessings for the vowed monastics living by the same rule within the monastery walls.

The Oblate Life is divided into two sections.

The first, The Benedictine World, covers a range of topics including a brief introduction to the Benedictine family and the foundations and development of the Oblate movement. It also has a commentary on the essentials of Benedictine spirituality.

The second part of the book explores numerous aspects of Living the Oblate life in today’s global, ecclesial, and domestic world.

The book concludes with a range of resources, including an appendix with a variety of bibliographies of authors, websites, monasteries, glossary of Benedictine terms.

The 36 chapters, written by Oblates, vowed members of various Benedictine monasteries includes well known writers such as Michael Casey, Kathleen Norris, Esther de Waal, Rowan Williams, Maria Boulding.

It offers invaluable resources for anyone living the Benedictine Oblate way of life or anyone working with groups exploring Benedictine spirituality.


 

Veronica Griffith SGS
Director of Oblates, Lawson, NSW

 

 

The Resource of the Month is a regular feature on the Good Samaritan Website. Its purpose is to introduce new resources relevant to Good Samaritan Benedictine spirituality and way of life to our readers. If you would like to recommend a book, article, film or website please forward a 250 word review to Sr Bernardina Sontrop bsontrop@goodsams.org.au  

archives - Book Reviews

MAKING ALL THINGS NEW
by Henri Nouwen
Gill and Macmillan, UK; 1981
- Click Here

THE WAY TO PARADOX -Spiritual Life as Taught by Meister Eckhart
by Cyprian Smith OSB
Darton Longman and Todd, UK; 2004
- Click Here

SAINT BENEDICT FOR THE LAITY
by Eric Dean
The Liturgical Press, USA; 1989
- Click Here

MAN OF BLESSING
by Carmen Acevedo Butcher
Paraclete Press, USA; 2006
- Click Here

HEART WHISPERS - Benedictine Wisdom for Today
by Elizabeth Canham
- Click Here

THE CRY OF THE PROPHET - A Call to Fullness of Life.
by Joan Chittister OSB
- Click Here

PEACE
The annual Benedictine Spirituality Lecture Series
- Click Here

40-Day Journey with Joan Chittister
Beverly Lanzetta, editor.
- Click Here

25 Windows into the Soul – Praying with the Psalms
Joan Chittister OSB, 2007, Benetvision USA.
- Click Here

Esther De Waal, Lost in Wonder, Rediscovering the Spiritual Art of Attentiveness
- Click Here

Norvene Vest, Gathered in the Word: Praying the Scripture in Small Groups
- Click Here

FINDING SANCTUARY - Monastic Steps for Every day Life by Christopher Jamison, Abbot of Worth Abbey. 2006, Weidenfield and Nicolson. UK.
- Click Here

 

Resource and Reading List

The Rule of St Benedict
Fry, T., RB80 In Latin and English, Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1981

General Commentaries
Chittister, J., Wisdom Distilled from the Daily, San Francisco: Harper, 1991
- The Rule Of St Benedict: Insight for the Ages, New York: Crossroads, 1997
-In the Heart of the Temple, New York: Bluebridge, 2005
- 25 Windows into the Soul. Praying with the Psalms Benetvision 2007
De Waal, E., Seeking God: The Way of St Benedict, Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1984, 2001
- A Life Giving Way, London: Geoffry Chapman, 1995
Drumm, D., Cherish Christ Above All, New York: Paulist Press, 1996
Holyhead, V., The Gift of St Benedict, Melbourne: John Garrett, 1995
Marrett-Crosby, A.,The Benedictine Handbook, Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 2002
Norris, K., The Cloister Walk, New York: Riverhead Books, 1997
Swan, Laura Engaging Benedict. What the Rule can Teach us Today Indiana, Ave Maria Press 2005
Swan, Laura (ed) The Benedictine Tradition. Spirituality in History. Collegeville: The Liturgical Press 2007
Tomaine, J., St Bendict’s Toolbox: The Nuts and Bolts of Everyday Benedictine Living, USA: Morehouse, 2005
Vest, N., Preferring Christ: A Devotional Commentary on Rule of St Benedict, USA: Morehouse, 2004

On Prayer
Casey, M., The Art of Sacred Reading, Melbourne: Harper Collins, 1995
Merton, T., Seven Story Mountain, Harcourt- Brace, Javanovich, 1978
- New Seeds of Contemplation, New Directions, 1972
More Information on Thomas Merton is available at www.merton.org
Pennington, B., Lectio Divina: Reviewing the Ancient Practice of Praying the Scriptures, New York: Crossroads, 1998

On The Sisters of the Good Samaritan
Walsh, M., The Good Sams: The Sisters of the Good Samaritan, 1857-1969, Melbourne: John Garratt, 2001
Heininger, J (ed)., Journey to the Heart: Mater Dei, 50 Years and 50 Stories, Sydney: Sisters of the Good Samaritan, 2007

PRAYER SITES
http://www.taize.fr/en
http://www.ChristianMystics.com
http://www.pray.com.au
http://www.clubi.ie/shalom/lectio
http://www.wellsprings.org.uk
http://prayerwindows.com
http://www.humilitymatters.com
http://churchresources.info/pray
http://www.contemplativeoutreach.org

BENEDICTINE MONASTERIES
http://www.christdesert.org
http://www.bedegriffiths.com
http://www.benetvision.org
http://www.osb.org
http://www.stgertrudes.org/index.htm
http://www.thedome.org
http://www.jamberooabbey.org.au
http://www.benedictinesisters.org
http://www.walburga.org
http://www.eriebenedictines.org
http://www.usccb.org