Benedictine [Oblate Reading List]

from the website of St. Andrew's Abbey in Valyermo, CA

www.valyermo.com/obl-con.html

THE FORMATION of the OBLATE is ongoing throughout life. During their oblate novitiate they are guided in the practice of contemplative prayer and Lectio Divina by their oblate director; they are additionally expected to study in some depth the following texts:

1) The Holy Scriptures
2) The Rule of St. Benedict: in the workbook, Preferring Christ, by Norvene Vest (Source Books), or in the RB 80 edition (Collegeville, 1980)
3) The Life and Miracles of St. Benedict by Pope St. Gregory I (Collegeville or St. Bede's Press)

ADDITIONAL TEXTS which are very helpful and which should be read under the guidance of the oblate director include:

1) The Lives and Sayings of the Desert Fathers: (The Wisdom of the Desert, Thomas Merton, New Directions, 1960; The Desert Fathers, Helen Waddell, Ann Arbor 1966; The Sayings of the Desert Fathers, Benedicta Ward. Cistercian Pub., 1975; The Lives of the Desert Fathers, Norman Russell, Cist. Pub., 1981)
2) The Institutes and Conferences of John Cassian: (Both Institutes and Conferences - Erdmans, 1982; Select Conferences only - Westminster, 1958; or Paulist, 1985)
3) Seeking God, the Way of St. Benedict by Esther de Waal (Collegeville, 1984)