What is a retreat? We hear the word used a lot these days. There are of course many different types of retreat. Among Catholics we hear of group retreats where a number of people come together, have conferences (2 or 3 a day usually) and spend some extra time in prayer. There are also private retreats, where an individual or perhaps a group of individuals go to a retreat house just to spend some time in quiet and prayer but do not have conferences. There are directed retreats where an individual arranges for someone to see them at least once or twice a day for direction. Usually the director is a priest or someone trained in giving such retreats. There are also thirty day retreats where an individual is directed by someone through the Spiritual Exercises as explained by St. Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits.
The weekend of October 8-10, about forty of our oblates gathered at Conception Abbey for their fall retreat. We have such a retreat for the oblates in the spring and another in the fall. In the summer we schedule a "Pray and Work" weekend where the oblates also spend some time in work here at the Abbey. These retreats are "group retreats" where someone gives them some conferences, usually four for the weekend and the retreatants are encouraged to take part in the monastic prayer, both the Liturgy of the Hours and the daily Eucharist, as well as take time for some private prayer and reflection.
We are always happy when any of the oblates can come and spend time with our monastic community living here at the Abbey. Oblates too are members of this family but in a more remote way than those of us who live here. We are grateful to our oblates for joining us in prayer whether it is here at the Abbey or in their homes. Together we are all working for the same thing – to live a good Christian life, and finally eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. As Benedictines we promise to do this especially by following the Rule of St. Benedict as best we can in our own state in life.
We were happy during this oblate retreat to receive two new oblate novices: Earlene Koons and Gail Frost. Five oblate novices made their final oblation: Margaret Gardner, Mark Roesel, Cynthia Switzer, Constance Huard and Suzanne Crowley.
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| The group here for the Oblate Retreat October 8-10, 2010. |
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| Two new Novices are received into the Oblate Novitiate - Earlene Koons and Gail Frost. |
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| Five Oblate Novices make their Final Oblation in the Basilica - Margaret Gardner, Mark Roesel, Cynthia Switzer, Constance Huard, and Suzanne Crowley. |