To this day, Western Christian culture is characterized by the Rule of Saint Benedict. Benedict encourages and guides us to live a true Christian life, with Christ as the model and prototype. Even believers outside the monastery find inspiration and guidance for their lives in these teachings.
Those who wish to consciously live a Benedictine life outside of a monastery can connect with the order and the monks and nuns through the practice of oblation. This public act involves the individual dedicating their life to God with the intention of leading a life in accordance with the spirit and teachings of the Rule of Benedict.
The Benedictine oblation is not a diminished form of monasticism; rather, it provides a means for individuals to consciously and deliberately live as Christians in the world, remaining faithful to their baptism and embracing the spirit of the Rule of Benedict. The oblation is open to all Roman Catholic Christians—women and men, married and unmarried, laypeople and clergy alike.
