BECOMING AN OBLATE
Without becoming monks, men and women from all walks of life can unite themselves to our abbey by a special bond called oblation. Oblation is the promise made by oblates. This promise involves striving towards perfection in the Christian life by drawing inspiration from the Rule of St. Benedict and with support from our abbey. An oblate strives to live in the world according to the spirit of the Rule. Silence, peace, obedience and humility have an important place in an oblate’s spiritual life. Oblates do their best to unite themselves to their monastery’s liturgical prayer. Oblation helps bring their baptismal grace to fruition in the heart of the Church.
The oblation in the Prince of Peace Benedictine Abbey Tigoni started in 2017 with the first 14 oblate candidates being admitted to the novitiate by the then Conventual Prior John Baptist on 1st of July 2017. This comprised of five candidates from Tigoni Abbey and nine from our St. Benedict Ruaraka Parish Community. They were followed later by five more candidates from Nanyuki who entered the novitiate on 23rd of July 2017. The first oblation promises were made on 8th of July 2018 by seventeen oblates including five from Tigoni, nine from Ruaraka and three from Nanyuki Community. Currently, we have 35 active oblates and 1 oblate novice.
We preferably consider candidates from Kenya who are willing to be associated with our Prince of Peace Benedictine Abbey Tigoni. We only consider those with a minimum of Standard Eight academic qualification or its equivalent, and conversant with both written and spoken English and Kiswahili languages. They should be over 20 years of age and mature in character. They must be practicing Catholics who have received all the Sacraments of initiation and are required to avail a recommendation letter from their Parish Priests. They should not be oblates of another monastery.
All those candidates wishing to join the Oblates of our Abbey shall be accepted throughout the year. They join the other oblates during their regular meetings and be taught how to pray the Psalms, the rule of St. Benedict and Lectio Divina. They become integrated into the activities of the Oblate Community. It is during this period that they shall formally make an application to join the novitiate. Suitable candidates for admission to the novitiate are those that have met the required criteria, have aspired for at least six months, portray a mature character and regularly attend and participate in the meetings. After the formation period of one year, the oblate novices present their applications to make the promises. They are evaluated by the Formation Committee and suitable oblate novices shall be allowed to make their promises which normally occurs in January of every year in Tigoni Abbey.
Our oblates hold their meetings and other activities in their respective communities and come together during retreats, oblate celebrations and monastic liturgical celebrations. They are led by their appointed leaders in their respective communities.
Br. Daniel Waweru OSB is the current Director of Oblates.
