Oblates of Saint Benedict
Get to know the world of the Benedictine Oblate, a way of life with the Gospel as guide.
When gratitude for God’s loving care finds expression in the offering of oneself.
Let them prefer nothing whatever to Christ and may he bring us all together into everlasting life.
Rule of Benedict, Chapter 72
How, then, shall we live?
Christians have been asking this question for millennia. Benedictine Oblates are laypersons who, after prayerful consideration, have chosen to live their faith with guidance from the Rule of Saint Benedict as they are able, given their life circumstances. They affiliate with a Benedictine monastery and join in an active partnership with the vowed monastics of that monastery. People from all Christian traditions are welcome.
Oblates are everyday people with jobs, families, and other responsibilities. They come from a variety of faith traditions. In today’s hectic, changing world, being an oblate offers a rich spiritual connection to the stability and wisdom of an established monastic community. By their commitment to the Rule of Benedict, oblates benefit from an ancient spiritual tradition that has led countless other monastics and oblates to holiness. Just as a candidate for the monastery is tested to see whether s/he “truly seeks God” (RB 58), so also those who become oblates are committed above all else to seek God.
The Rule of Saint Benedict, the Liturgy of the Hours, Lectio Divina — these are some of the components of Benedictine Spirituality that nurture and support the oblate’s daily seeking of God. While daily prayer, reflection, and the study of Scripture and the Rule are central to the life of a Benedictine Oblate, Oblates are not required to follow a specific set of devotional exercises. They do, however, promise to pursue a life of holiness and the practice of Christian service.
Learn MoreThe first step in exploring life as an Oblate of Saint Benedict is to meet us and experience firsthand our community and the Benedictine approach to Christian growth. Hospitality is a core characteristic, or “charism,” of Benedictines, so you can expect a warm welcome.
Generally speaking, a newcomer meets with the nearest group for a year as an Inquirer, during which they are encouraged to learn about Benedictine life and to participate fully in worship, study, and community. If after some time they choose to deepen their commitment, they may request acceptance as a Novice.
Novices spend at least two years delving more deeply into Saint Benedict’s application of Christ’s teachings and his precepts for Christian living. Each Novice is paired with a spiritual companion. After a time of preparation, Novices may finalize their commitment by making a formal Act of Oblation. They are then welcomed as Benedictine Oblates joined in faith and works with the Benedictine Sisters of Virginia.
Oblates associated with the Benedictine Sisters of Virginia participate as they are able in one of three Virginia-based groups, called Deaneries. These are associations of Oblates, Novices, and Inquirers that meet monthly from September to May to worship, explore Benedictine topics, and enjoy community. The groups are located in Bristow, Richmond, and Bedford.
Learn MoreOblate directors
Katherine Frick, OblSB, KatherineFrick@hotmail.com
Sister Kathy Persson, OSB, kpersson@osbva.org
Deans
Meg Kermon – meg_kermon@hotmail.com
Annie McEntee, OblSB – Richmond – annie.mcentee.oblsb@gmail.com
John Kowalski, OblSB – Bedford – jk6872@gmail.com
Here are the meeting schedules of our three deaneries:
2025-2026 BEDFORD MEETING SCHEDULE
Here is info about the members of our Oblate Advisory Council (OAC). This council advises and assists the oblate directors and the prioress.
Benedictine Spirituality and the Oblate Tradition
Benedictine spirituality is, first of all, Gospel centered. The Rule of Saint Benedict provides a guide for living well the command of Jesus to love God and love neighbor. In a Benedictine monastery one should find prayer, study, hospitality, deep listening, moderation, peace, respect for all people and good stewardship of the earth and its resources.
Benedictine Oblates strive to put into practice the meaning of the Latin word from which “oblate” is derived: oblatus, or “one offered up.” This “offering up” of oneself takes many forms:
- We seek to integrate prayer and devotional study into our lives, as reflected in the Benedictine motto: Ora et labora, literally “prayer and work.”
- We seek to witness to the Gospel in our everyday lives by reflecting Christ’s love and humility.
- We seek to live lives of simplicity, moderation, discipline, peace, and Christian joy.
- We seek to develop a practice of servanthood through service and hospitality.
- We seek God in the private sanctity of silence as well as in the common witness of group worship.
Living by Rule of St. Benedict guides me with living the gospel message more deeply and it gives me the support of monastic community that surrounds me.
The Rule of Saint Benedict
The Rule of Benedict is an ancient document stemming from the 6th century. In a Prologue and 73 chapters, it takes us on a journey of discovering deep echoes of wisdom…
A Reader's Version of the Rule of St. Benedict in Inclusive Language
The Rule of St. Benedict in English
Lectio Divina
Lectio Divina is an ancient practice of Benedictine personal prayer…
The Liturgy of Hours
Praying the pslams throughout the day, is the “Opus Dei” – our work of praising God unceasingly.
Resources on Prayer
Oblate Deaneries
The Bedford Deanery
Bedford Virginia is nestled at the foot of the Blue Ridge mountains and is home to the Bedford Deanery. Bedford is centrally located between Roanoke and Lynchburg. Oblates and those seeking to learn more about the Benedictine way of life gather on the second Saturday of each month from September through May. We also have a summer retreat in July and a social event in August. We gather for Morning Prayer, Mid-Day Prayer, book study, faith sharing, and to steep ourselves in the Rule of Benedict. We discern how God is calling us to live the Benedictine motto of Ora et Labora-Prayer and Work, in our families, faith communities, and hometown. Members of all Christian faith traditions are welcome. We meet at Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church, 1307 Oakwood Street, Bedford, VA. Please contact our Dean, John Kowalski obl.SB (jk6872@gmail.com) if you would like to learn more about the Benedictine way of life and possibly attend a meeting.
John and his wife Val made their oblations in 2012. Val entered into eternal life in 2013. He is the retired director of the Roanoke Valley Governor’s School for Science and Technology. John is a member of Our Lady of Nazareth Catholic Church in Roanoke where he serves as a Eucharistic minister and a member of the RCIA team. He also brings Communion to several homebound parishioners. He enjoys traveling and had the opportunity to visit Norcia, Subiaco, and Monte Casino, as well as, attending the 2017 International Benedictine Oblate Congress in Rome.
The Bristow Deanery
The Bristow Oblate Deanery meets on the second Saturday of the month (September – May) at the home monastery of the Benedictine Sisters of Virginia, Saint Benedict Monastery, in Bristow (about 15 minutes from Manassas). Meetings are held in the Multipurpose Room from 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM, and all are welcome. The Oblates pray Morning and Midday Prayer with the Sisters in Immaculate Conception Chapel before and after the meetings, and many RSVP to join the Sisters for lunch in the monastery dining room. Formation Classes are held for candidates and novices after lunch. Contact Meg Kermon, Bristow Dean, at meg_kermon@hotmail.com if you have any questions, or to let us know you’d like to join us so we can welcome you to our Benedictine home!
Meg Kermon has been an Oblate since 2015, and has both worked and volunteered for BEACON, the sisters’ ministry in English literacy for adults. Meg graduated from the University of Notre Dame and Washington University in St. Louis, spending her career in software engineering. She has three children and some furry family members, along with volunteering for a local animal rescue. She also practices tai chi and yoga. Praying the psalms and the balance between the spiritual and the practical attracted her to Benedictine spirituality.
The Richmond Deanery
The Richmond Oblate Deanery is a wonderful community of lay Benedictines who meet monthly to share their insights and lived experience of the Rule of Benedict. The group meets on the second Saturday of the month at Mary, Mother of the Church Abbey in Goochland on the outskirts of Richmond. The group begins with morning prayer in the Abbey Chapel, followed by a period of faith sharing and prayerful reflection. Members participate in actively serving our Oblate community as God calls forth their gifts and talents. If you live in the Richmond area and are interested in learning more about becoming a Benedictine Oblate, please contact our Dean, Annie McEntee at annie.mcentee.oblsb@gmail.com
Annie grew up in Richmond, Virginia. She began her college education with drama at the University of Richmond and then Catholic University, followed by studies in theology at Loyola University and Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary. In 2010 she made promises as an Oblate of the Monastery of Saint Benedict in Bristow, Virginia. She offers spiritual direction and is the Dean of the Richmond Oblate group and chair of the Oblate Advisory Council.
Our Oblate Community is supported and organized by our Oblate Advisory Council.
Testimonials
I became an Oblate because I realized that was the kind of person I wanted to be, and I wanted the support of the Benedictine Sisters Community to continue to grow closer to God.
By praying the Morning and Evening Liturgy of the Hours every day, I truly feel the Lord’s presence in my life. His presence influences me in all my thoughts and deeds. Being an Oblate and able to participate in our meetings makes me want to be a better person. It has strengthened my faith in so many ways.
Being an Oblate with its disciplines and community life guides me in answering the daily question: “How can I serve?”
