Oblates of the Hermits of Mercy of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
There are those who desire to show solidarity with our life but cannot commit to our prayer schedule or to the vowed life. For these souls we have the path of an Oblate.
An Oblate shares in the spiritual blessings as the monastics in this community and is in every way part of our Carmelite family but do not take vows.
What is an Oblate?
Oblates are Christian men and women who share a spiritual bond with the hermit/monks
of the Hermits of Mercy of Our Lady of Mount Carmel as a special part of our community.
Their affiliation and partnership spreads Carmelite spirituality into the secular world and
provides a strong foundation and support for individual spiritual growth.
They are bonded in prayer, love and commitment,becoming partners in the prayer and works
of our community.
To make ‘Oblation’ is to offer oneself to God’s service in a particular way with a particular community. Oblates seek to offer themselves more fully to Christ and to the Church by following the wisdom of the Rule of Saint Albert. Although written over 800 years ago as a guide to living as communities, Saint Albert's Rule applies the teachings of Jesus, as found in the Gospels, to everyday life.
The Oblation, unlike the vows taken by religious who live a chaste life in community, expresses the spirit of the monastic life in a way that is appropriate for men and women living in the world.
Oblates do not take vows or live in a monastery. They continue to live in the world while striving eagerly to live out the values of the Gospel. By their Oblation, they promise to seek God and to grow in love with the one who loves us more than we can ever know or expect.
This allows the Oblate to live life more intensely through the principles of the Rule of Saint Albert in partnership with the vowed members of the Hermits of Mercy of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Oblates may be single or married lay people or secular clergy who are not affiliated with any other Religious Community. Whatever their state in life, through their Oblation, promise to live according to the spirit of the Rule, they commit themselves to seek God above all things and to prefer Christ to all else in the ordinary circumstances of their lives.
This commitment is meant not only to enhance their personal spirituality but also to help them become better witnesses of Christ by word and example in the midst of the secular world.
Unlike members of ‘third orders’ or ‘associates’, Oblates do not adhere to distinct rule of their own, but rather
promise to “dedicate themselves to the service of God and neighbor according to the Rule of Saint Albert, insofar as their state in life permits” (ceremony of Oblation). This promise involves a personal commitment to nurture the specific values contained in the Rule and to make some time in one’s schedule for the Daily Office and Holy Reading.
* Once invested with the scapular, the Oblate is entitled to the promises made to St Simon Stock, when Our Lady appeared to him and gave him the Brown Scapular.
A person who desires to be an Oblate must have repeated contact with the Formator and arrange for a visit. After their visit and a formal meeting with the formator, the aspirant may decide to petition to become an Oblate. An Oblate lives on their own, has a prayer affiliation with the community but has no vote in community matters. They as the other members are totally self supporting. Once received as an Oblate (by the Bishop) they are invested with the Brown Scapular.
Prayer Requirements:
- Attendance at Mass (or church services) at least once /week.
- Pray five (5) decades of the Rosary as well as the Chaplet of Mercy daily
- Pray the Short Office for Oblates daily ( listed further down the page)
- Mental Prayer (meditation) for a minimum of three and a half (3 1/2) hours a week. Example - a person can do the following: This can be broken up over two 15 minute periods each day (15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes each evening) to total 3 1/2 hours for the week.
Ministry:
- A ministry of mercy (service) either as an employee or on a volunteer basis
A quarterly e-mail (March, June , September, December) report of development in:
- Prayer Life (how you are making progress, any difficulties etc)
- Carmelite Reading Reflection ( you will be given a Carmelite bibliography and a selection from it to read)
- Ministry (what you are doing and how things are going)
- Personal interests (whatever you wish to comment upon in this area)
An Oblate may attend our jurisdictional gathering which is usually held in March each year- to build community. This gathering is on a voluntary basis for Oblate members.
If interested contact Frater Robert-Julian at Phillbob1@aol.com
Short Office of the Oblates
This is recited in the following manner, twice a day, in union with the monks and nuns of monasteries throughout the world: They pray seven times a day. "Seven times a day I have given praise to Thee."
We require this to be prayed once in the morning and once in the evening, daily.
One could pray the Rosary after the Office either in the Morning or evening as well as the Chaplet of Mercy. There are other prayers listed that one can use as part of their Office or can use during reflection (meditation) periods.
V. O God, come to my assistance.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
V. Glory be to the Father, etc.
R. As it was in the beginning, etc.
Psalm 117 (Morning Prayer)
Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples.
For great is his love toward us,
and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.
Psalm 134 (Evening Prayer)
Behold, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the LORD.
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD.
The LORD that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.
V. Glory be to the Father, etc.
R. As it was in the beginning, etc.
V. Let us praise the Lord.
R. and give Him thanks.
V. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.
R. And may perpetual light shine upon them. Amen
Morning Offering
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ I will begin this day. I thank you, Lord, for having preserved me during the night. I will do my best to make all I do today pleasing to You and in accordance with Your will. My dear mother Mary, watch over me this day. My Guardian Angel, take care of me. St. Joseph and all you saints of God, pray for me a sinner.
Morning Offering According to St. Gertrude
O Lord, my God, for Thy sake I resolve to perform all my actions, whether exterior or interior, purely for Thy glory and for the salvation of the whole world, with such intention and in such a manner as Thou dost desire and enjoin, and in union with that love wherewith Thy Son came down from heaven and wrought the work of our salvation, especially during His Passion. Wherefore I entirely disclaim all merit, all reward and grace which I might otherwise hope to obtain by these actions, that I may offer to Thee, my God, a pure sacrifice of praise, and give Thee a proof of my love. Amen
Evening Prayer
Recommendation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
O sweetest Heart of Jesus, to Thee I commend my body and my soul this night, that they may calmly rest in Thee. And as I cannot praise my God while I sleep, do Thou deign to supply my lack of service, and for every beating of my heart give praise to the Most Holy Trinity on my behalf; receive into Thyself every breath I draw, and offer them all to God as glowing sparks of Divine love. Amen
Prayer of St. Gertrude the Great
Dictated by Our Lord to Release 1,000 Souls from Purgatory
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the Church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen
Prayer for Renewing the Spirit of St. Teresa in the Order of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
Holy Mary, come to the relief of the distressed; help the faint-hearted; comfort the sorrowful; pray for the people; plead for the clergy; intercede for the friars,monks and hermits; entreat for the nuns; may all who honor thy holy Name experience thy protection.
St. Teresa of Jesus, our holy mother, and guide of friars, monks, hermits and nuns, pray for us and for our salvation.
V. Convert us, O God of strength.
R. Show us Thy Face and we shall be saved.
Let Us Pray
Stir up, O Lord, in Thy Church the spirit wherewith our holy Mother Saint Teresa of Jesus, reformer of Carmel, was animated, that filled with the same, we may study to love what she loved and to practice what she taught. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord, perseverance in Thy holy service, that the people serving Thee in our days may increase both in merit and in number. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Oblates are Christian men and women who share a spiritual bond with the hermit/monks
of the Hermits of Mercy of Our Lady of Mount Carmel as a special part of our community.
Their affiliation and partnership spreads Carmelite spirituality into the secular world and
provides a strong foundation and support for individual spiritual growth.
They are bonded in prayer, love and commitment,becoming partners in the prayer and works
of our community.
To make ‘Oblation’ is to offer oneself to God’s service in a particular way with a particular community. Oblates seek to offer themselves more fully to Christ and to the Church by following the wisdom of the Rule of Saint Albert. Although written over 800 years ago as a guide to living as communities, Saint Albert's Rule applies the teachings of Jesus, as found in the Gospels, to everyday life.
The Oblation, unlike the vows taken by religious who live a chaste life in community, expresses the spirit of the monastic life in a way that is appropriate for men and women living in the world.
Oblates do not take vows or live in a monastery. They continue to live in the world while striving eagerly to live out the values of the Gospel. By their Oblation, they promise to seek God and to grow in love with the one who loves us more than we can ever know or expect.
This allows the Oblate to live life more intensely through the principles of the Rule of Saint Albert in partnership with the vowed members of the Hermits of Mercy of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Oblates may be single or married lay people or secular clergy who are not affiliated with any other Religious Community. Whatever their state in life, through their Oblation, promise to live according to the spirit of the Rule, they commit themselves to seek God above all things and to prefer Christ to all else in the ordinary circumstances of their lives.
This commitment is meant not only to enhance their personal spirituality but also to help them become better witnesses of Christ by word and example in the midst of the secular world.
Unlike members of ‘third orders’ or ‘associates’, Oblates do not adhere to distinct rule of their own, but rather
promise to “dedicate themselves to the service of God and neighbor according to the Rule of Saint Albert, insofar as their state in life permits” (ceremony of Oblation). This promise involves a personal commitment to nurture the specific values contained in the Rule and to make some time in one’s schedule for the Daily Office and Holy Reading.
* Once invested with the scapular, the Oblate is entitled to the promises made to St Simon Stock, when Our Lady appeared to him and gave him the Brown Scapular.
- “Take this Scapular, it shall be a sign of salvation, a protection in danger and a pledge of peace. Whosoever dies wearing this Scapular shall not suffer eternal fire.” This is Mary’s promise made July 16, 1251 to Saint Simon Stock.
- One of the great mysteries of our time is that the majority of Catholics either ignores, or has entirely forgotten this Heavenly promise of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Our Lady further says: “Wear the Scapular devoutly and perseveringly. It is my garment. To be clothed in it means you are continually thinking of me, and I in turn, am always thinking of you and helping you to secure eternal life.”
A person who desires to be an Oblate must have repeated contact with the Formator and arrange for a visit. After their visit and a formal meeting with the formator, the aspirant may decide to petition to become an Oblate. An Oblate lives on their own, has a prayer affiliation with the community but has no vote in community matters. They as the other members are totally self supporting. Once received as an Oblate (by the Bishop) they are invested with the Brown Scapular.
Prayer Requirements:
- Attendance at Mass (or church services) at least once /week.
- Pray five (5) decades of the Rosary as well as the Chaplet of Mercy daily
- Pray the Short Office for Oblates daily ( listed further down the page)
- Mental Prayer (meditation) for a minimum of three and a half (3 1/2) hours a week. Example - a person can do the following: This can be broken up over two 15 minute periods each day (15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes each evening) to total 3 1/2 hours for the week.
Ministry:
- A ministry of mercy (service) either as an employee or on a volunteer basis
A quarterly e-mail (March, June , September, December) report of development in:
- Prayer Life (how you are making progress, any difficulties etc)
- Carmelite Reading Reflection ( you will be given a Carmelite bibliography and a selection from it to read)
- Ministry (what you are doing and how things are going)
- Personal interests (whatever you wish to comment upon in this area)
An Oblate may attend our jurisdictional gathering which is usually held in March each year- to build community. This gathering is on a voluntary basis for Oblate members.
If interested contact Frater Robert-Julian at Phillbob1@aol.com
Short Office of the Oblates
This is recited in the following manner, twice a day, in union with the monks and nuns of monasteries throughout the world: They pray seven times a day. "Seven times a day I have given praise to Thee."
We require this to be prayed once in the morning and once in the evening, daily.
One could pray the Rosary after the Office either in the Morning or evening as well as the Chaplet of Mercy. There are other prayers listed that one can use as part of their Office or can use during reflection (meditation) periods.
V. O God, come to my assistance.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
V. Glory be to the Father, etc.
R. As it was in the beginning, etc.
Psalm 117 (Morning Prayer)
Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples.
For great is his love toward us,
and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.
Psalm 134 (Evening Prayer)
Behold, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the LORD.
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD.
The LORD that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.
V. Glory be to the Father, etc.
R. As it was in the beginning, etc.
V. Let us praise the Lord.
R. and give Him thanks.
V. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.
R. And may perpetual light shine upon them. Amen
Morning Offering
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ I will begin this day. I thank you, Lord, for having preserved me during the night. I will do my best to make all I do today pleasing to You and in accordance with Your will. My dear mother Mary, watch over me this day. My Guardian Angel, take care of me. St. Joseph and all you saints of God, pray for me a sinner.
Morning Offering According to St. Gertrude
O Lord, my God, for Thy sake I resolve to perform all my actions, whether exterior or interior, purely for Thy glory and for the salvation of the whole world, with such intention and in such a manner as Thou dost desire and enjoin, and in union with that love wherewith Thy Son came down from heaven and wrought the work of our salvation, especially during His Passion. Wherefore I entirely disclaim all merit, all reward and grace which I might otherwise hope to obtain by these actions, that I may offer to Thee, my God, a pure sacrifice of praise, and give Thee a proof of my love. Amen
Evening Prayer
Recommendation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
O sweetest Heart of Jesus, to Thee I commend my body and my soul this night, that they may calmly rest in Thee. And as I cannot praise my God while I sleep, do Thou deign to supply my lack of service, and for every beating of my heart give praise to the Most Holy Trinity on my behalf; receive into Thyself every breath I draw, and offer them all to God as glowing sparks of Divine love. Amen
Prayer of St. Gertrude the Great
Dictated by Our Lord to Release 1,000 Souls from Purgatory
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the Church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen
Prayer for Renewing the Spirit of St. Teresa in the Order of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
Holy Mary, come to the relief of the distressed; help the faint-hearted; comfort the sorrowful; pray for the people; plead for the clergy; intercede for the friars,monks and hermits; entreat for the nuns; may all who honor thy holy Name experience thy protection.
St. Teresa of Jesus, our holy mother, and guide of friars, monks, hermits and nuns, pray for us and for our salvation.
V. Convert us, O God of strength.
R. Show us Thy Face and we shall be saved.
Let Us Pray
Stir up, O Lord, in Thy Church the spirit wherewith our holy Mother Saint Teresa of Jesus, reformer of Carmel, was animated, that filled with the same, we may study to love what she loved and to practice what she taught. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord, perseverance in Thy holy service, that the people serving Thee in our days may increase both in merit and in number. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
