October 8, 2010
Benedictine Oblates received in Oct. 26 meeting in Ferdinand
The Sisters of St. Benedict received two candidates into the Oblates of St. Benedict program, Sept. 26, during an Ob-late meeting at Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand.
Benedictine Sister Kristine Anne Harpenau, prioress of the Ferdinand monastery, presided at a Rite of Reception during which Phyllis Schmits from Holy Cross Church in Fort Branch and Mary Cheshire from St. Clement Church in Boonville were enrolled as Oblate candidates.
During their year of preparation for becoming professed Oblates, these candidates, ac-companied by Benedictine Sisters Eileen Reckelhoff and Donna Marie Herr, will study the Rule of St. Benedict and Benedictine spirituality.
Oblates of St. Benedict are men and women from all walks of life who associate with a Benedictine community in order to enrich their spiritual lives, using the Rule of Benedict as a guide. Their affiliation with that community helps them incorporate Benedictine values into their family life, places of work and civic and social activities. For 1,500 years, the Rule of Benedict, a masterpiece of spiritual wisdom, has offered a way to seek and discover God in the ordinary circumstances of life.
Persons interested in learning more about the Benedictine Oblate program are invited to visit the Sisters of St. Benedict web site at www.thedome.org/oblates or call (812) 367-1411 to talk with one of the sisters on the Oblate Leadership Team: Sisters Kathy Bilskie, Mary Victor Kercher or Barbara Ann Offerman.