Kathleen Bronagh Weller OblSB


Last evening at the Service of Saturday Vigils I spoke my final vows as an Oblate of Saint John's Abbey, in Collegeville, Minnesota. After my fellow candidates and I answered the appropriate I do's the Abbot's turned to the monks and asked them if they intend to welcome us into their community. With their affirmation, the Abbot handed each of us a copy of our vows and invited us to the altar individually, where the director of the Oblates Fr. Michael Kwatera stood with a pen at ready. We signed our vows as an act of worship. After the service, we gathered for a banquet of celebration.
My thoughts this weekend have been about divine serendipity. The choices that led to this night did not have this moment as a goal-rather I feel I was being drawn to it by an invisible hand. Surely I listened and was open, but the events were like crossing a swiftly running stream by jumping from one rock to another. I wasn't looking to the other side as much as just looking for the surest place to put my foot to keep me from falling in!

I had a conversation immediately before the service with Katherine, an Anglican clergywoman from Canada, who has been an oblate at Saint John's for over 20 years. In the course of our conversation, she said that her experience is that she didn't realize at the beginning, what being an oblate would mean in her life and her ministry. I hope I can say the same thing 20 years from now.

I find now that in crossing the river not only did I not fall in--but I arrived at a pleasant place of peace and beauty. Saint John's is one of three places in the world I experience as a 'thin place' where God's Presence is more palpable than anywhere else. I am so very grateful to God, for each sure stone that led me here. [Some of them didn't look so promising at the moment I stepped on them!] I am so very blessed.

As part of the ritual of joining the Benedictine community, we are invited to take a new name like the monks do in their formation and ordination. I'll tell you more about Bronagh soon. BLESSINGS AND PEACE, THE CELTIC MONK

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