Annual oblate retreat at Minster 2025
I have known Minster since 1974 when I was involved with the L’Arche community nearby, and in 2015 had the great privilege of joining the Minster oblates. I was prompted to start this journey by reading a book called ‘The Oblate Life’ when I was once at Minster on retreat. I felt called to find out more and was delighted eventually to be welcomed in and join people who aspire to follow the Rule of Benedict in their own lives, whilst being particularly connected to the community at Minster Abbey.
Once a year, on the Friday after Easter, we are invited to come to Minster for an annual retreat, and to renew our oblate promises. Recently, when visiting Minster with some long-term L’Arche friends, someone said ‘Isn’t it always, for all of us, just like coming home?’. Arriving each year in the joy of those early Easter days I seem to always have that feeling; the spring flowers are so beautiful nestling among the ancient holy buildings, the liturgies so poignant and joyful, the sisters are so welcoming, and it’s very good to connect with other oblates.
We always have some input during the retreat, either from an outside speaker, or, more recently, mainly from the sisters and from one another. This year we learned about the last days of Etty Hillesum from Sister Aelred (weaving in some profound thoughts about fully living the Loving Kindness of God in each of our present moments, no matter how demanding the circumstances). We were also guided in a meditation from the perspective of a dancer at the Wedding Feast of Cana by Vincent Basil, who has brought several people from the Bible alive for us; always introducing a new aspect of how Jesus connects with us through his particular interactions with these individuals. With Lesley Lucy and Sister Walburga we walked round the grounds of Minster in the spirit of Pope Francis’ Laudato Si, appreciating not only the beauty of the monastic setting, but our need to care for and not harm our precious earth; even the Minster dustbins merited a pause and discussion!
We had an excellent and thought-provoking talk from Philip Boobbyer about spiritual aspects relating to the war between Russia and Ukraine and were privileged to gain additional insights into the topic from Caroline Walton, who is an oblate at a monastery in France. Some of the sisters joined us for a time of Lectio Divina on the Sunday Gospel where it was moving to share reflections on the story of Thomas after the Resurrection, learning how it had touched each person in that particular moment. A particular highlight for me was a focus on Pope Francis’ last encyclical ‘Dilexit Nos’ which Maud Felicity had distilled very sensitively and expertly for us; then facilitating a discussion on the love of Jesus with a combined oblate and sisters group in which our own hearts were deeply opened to one another. The morning after our arrival was the funeral of Pope Francis, so we joined the sisters in their parlour to watch and be part of that.
We usually do a little monastic work on the retreat, and this year took turns to do the cooking for the group. I appreciated a day of silence, when we just attended the liturgies and arranged our own food; I was able to walk to St Augustine’s Cross and the sea, take stock of and begin to integrate gifts from the retreat to help make the transition to returning to daily life. I left full of gratitude for the week and for our oblate mistress, Sister Benedict, who has formed and supported us with so much love and care over the years. Each year I am reminded of leaving the monastery for the station after an earlier retreat week and saying ‘Goodbye Jesus’ as I passed the chapel door, only to hear from my fellow oblate Helen Hild ‘I think He’s going with you’. It can be hard to leave, but comforting to know that we have our monthly meetings to connect, and are closely united with the sisters on this Benedictine path we share with them in our different ways.
Celia Lazarus