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Oblate News

 

2024-2025 Oblate Program:

This year’s theme is Obedience.

Oblates Occurences: December, 2024

Abbey Oblates met on December 3 for a shared Lectio Divina and holiday social, a special time to express gratitude for many blessings, in spite of local, national, and international divisions.

During the month, the Glastonbury Abbey communities, in addition to Advent Liturgies and Divine Office, offered a plethora of events and activities—from a Renaissance crèche on display, Christmas caroling at the Arbor, and seasonal specials at the Bookstore--to inspiring speakers from home and abroad. Retreats and opportunities for gathering in prayer filled out the Advent season right through Christmas and continue into the New Year. 

In 2025, the Oblate community looks forward to increased interaction with the several committees and projects that make Glastonbury Abbey a “hub of holiness” for and with its generous, dedicated friends.  The New Year promises presentations designed for our internal growth as Benedictine “monastics outside the walls,” renewal and revision of membership lists and the Oblate Handbook, a St. Patrick’s Day communion breakfast, and the annual overnight retreat in April. Service to the Abbey and ongoing mutual collaboration with our brother monks also highlight the year to come. 

As always, we welcome inquiries, comments, and questions about Oblate life.  Contact Fr. Albrecht Nyce OSB or any of us.  Check out the Oblate Website (currently undergoing some reconstruction). Click here: https://www.glastonburyabbey.org/index.php/abbey/oblates/

In the spirit of our December Lectio, we wish each and all blessings and shared hope, “that [our] love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception, to discern what is of value…to be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.” (Paul to the Phillipians)

On behalf of the Oblate Steering Committee (OSC), Peace.                             

     Carolyn Carpenter, Karen Casale, Louise Deutsch, Jean McDonald, Jonathan Regan

For inquiries, please email: oblates@glastonburyabbey.org and a Steering Committee member will get back to you. Oblates meet the first Tuesday of every month September through July starting with Compline at 7:15 PM in the church, followed by our 7:30 PM hybrid meeting. The September meeting is the official start of our new year. During Compline, we celebrate new Novice commitments, new Oblates making their Oblation and current Oblates making their yearly renewal.

Oblate Steering Committee 2024-2025:  co-chairs Jean McDonald and Karen Casale. Other OSC members: Carolyn Carpenter, Louise Deutsch, Jonathan Regan.

Oblate Calendar 2024-2025