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Et Reliqua
Sermons and Reflections from the Deanery
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Membership of the Guild
Join the Oblates
Do you feel as though God is calling you to a higher purpose in life? If so, you are invited to become an Oblate of the Guild of St. Peter ad Vincula.
Our Oblates are moved by the desire for greater perfection by means of their special devotion to our Holy Mother Church and her traditional faith, values, and particularly liturgy. By participating in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and recitation of the Divine Office, our Oblates offer themselves to God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and our holy patron St. Peter. By these means, they strive to lead a more perfect Christian life in the world according to the spirit of the Rule of the Guild.
- Join a growing spiritual family
- Decide the extent of your participation
- Monthly Mass offered for your intentions
- Monthly Requiem offered for your loved ones
- Discounts at our online bookstore
Who Can Be An Oblate?
Priests
Any Roman Catholic priest may become a Priest Oblate of the Guild of St. Peter ad Vincula. Your membership of any other religious order, confraternity, or society does not exclude you from being an Oblate of the Guild, and the Rule of the Oblates should in no way interfere with your existing vows or apostolate. You are entitled to the full benefits accorded to the lay oblates, including those of the monthly Missae pro Populo celebrated by the Guild Priests, and the intentions for your departed loved ones in our Monthly Requiems.
Religious
If you are a member of an existing religious community, you may become a Religious Oblate of the Guild of St. Peter ad Vincula. Your membership of any other religious order, confraternity, or society does not exclude you from being an Oblate of the Guild, and the Rule of the Oblates should in no way interfere with your existing vows or religious life. You are entitled to the full benefits accorded to the lay oblates, including those of the monthly Missae pro Populo celebrated by the Guild Priests, and the intentions for your departed loved ones in our Monthly Requiems.
LAITY
Any Roman Catholic, 15 years old or more, may become a Lay Oblate of the Guild of St. Peter ad Vincula. Your membership of any other religious community, whether as a Third Order member or Oblate, does not disqualify you from becoming an Oblate of the Guild. Any spiritual duties required by your membership of another religious group are accepted as fulfilling similar requirements by the Guild.
How CAN i Become an Oblate?
To become an Oblate of the Guild of St. Peter ad Vincula, the candidate first applies for admission as a postulant. An application form will be made available on this webpage shortly.
Postulancy
In return for a nominal fee, the postulant will receive a Guild Medal, and a copy of our Handbook for Oblates. He should use the handbook to familiarize himself with the Rule of the Guild, particularly as it pertains to the Oblates. The Postulant should take special care to fulfill the criteria required for induction as a novice. The Dean of Chapter will evaluate the Postulant based on these criteria, which include but are not necessarily limited to the postulant’s evaluation of his ability to recite some or all of the Divine Office, his admission to the Guild of All Souls, and the daily recitation of the Guild Prayer of Restoration. The period of postulancy may be reduced or extended at the discretion of the Dean. After a period of about three months spent as a postulant, the candidate may be received as a novice and be invested with the medal of the Guild.
Novitiate
The Novitiate is a twelve-month period of preparation for the Final Oblation. During this year, the novice will be evaluated to ensure he is fulfilling the criteria required for admission. These shall include but not be limited to the novice’s willingness to observe the obligations incumbent upon him, as listed in Article 7.3 of the Rule, especially the daily recitation of the Guild Prayer of Restoration and of some form of liturgical prayer as described in the handbook (at least the Short Office for Oblates), the support of the Guild through financial and other means, the supply of Mass intentions, and general willingness to cooperate with any specific requests from the Dean of Chapter.
FINAL OBLATION
A year after his investiture, the Oblate Novice shall receive a final evaluation by the Dean. If approved, he shall then be invited to make his final Act of Oblation in the presence of a priest of the Guild, or any other priest delegated by the Guild. The Oblation is renewed annually, either privately or in a special ceremony conducted in a Guild Mission or Priory, on November 21, the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple, which is the special feast of the Oblates. The Oblate should be committed to the recitation of some or all of the Divine Office as described in the Handbook, insofar as he is able and depending on his own personal duties of life.
Benefits of the Oblate
1. You are part of a movement
The struggle to maintain one’s Faith in a world that is so against us can be discouraging. We sometimes wonder if there is any hope for the future of the Church. After all we are so few, and there are so many divisions amongst those who wish to preserve the Faith and Sacraments. The Guild of St. Peter ad Vincula is part of the resistance movement that provides exactly what you’re looking for—a haven of unity that is determined not to permit the ravages of modernism to destroy all we hold most dear, and yet that is at peace within itself. Find the solace of belonging to an ever-growing movement to restore the Church—there is strength in numbers! Be a part of the resistance movement that continues in charity to follow God’s will amidst the chaos and desolation and incessant empty bickering of the modern post-conciliar world. We welcome our Oblates not to a debating society or religious club. We welcome you to a true spiritual family, recognizing you as brothers and sisters, children together of our Holy Mother the Church whose spiritual health and vitality we will struggle together to restore.
2. You decide the extent of your participation.
Our Oblates come from all walks of life. But if you’re a member of the Catholic Church and wish to make her whole again, it doesn’t matter whether you are a housewife, student, truck driver, lawyer, or priest. Each has his own role to play, and you are equally welcome to join our ranks. We understand though, that you all have duties of life that vary considerably in the amount of time you can spare for the work to restore the Church. You also have different talents that you can apply to this work. Through spiritual direction and practical advice, we can help you choose how much and what kind of work you are able to lend to the common effort. Ultimately the decision is yours, and we will never pressure you into more than you wish to do. While we stress the importance of liturgical prayer we provide many options to the Oblate that will satisfy your responsibilities of membership, and nothing is ever binding under pain of sin. You can increase or decrease your participation at any time without permission, and we always aim to provide the kind of flexibility that allows our Oblates to find their own level of comfort, while at the same time providing them with the challenge to show their generosity of spirit.
3. Missa pro Populo
On a specific day every month, the priests of the Guild are instructed to offer a Missa pro Populo, or Mass for the People. The priests of the Guild of St. Peter ad Vincula offer this Mass for the intention of all the members of the Guild and their families, including of course our Oblates. Your membership will entitle you to the benefits of these Masses that are said by each of our priests every month.
4. Monthly Requiem
The graces of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass are also extended to your dear departed. As an Oblate you are expected to join the Guild of All Souls and submit a list of all the faithful departed you wish to have remembered in the Requiem Mass that the priests of the Guild offer every month. This ensures firstly that all your departed loved ones receive the graces of as many monthly Requiems as we have Priests in the Guild, and then, when our own time comes to face the judgment of God, we too may be assured of the prayers of the Guild.
Duties of the Oblate
PRAYER
- The daily Guld Prayer of Restoration.
- Liturgical prayer. This shall be recited daily, and may range from the full Roman Divine Office to the simple Short Office for Oblates contained in the Handbook. You should consult with your Director on the fulfillment of this requirement. While we encourage our Oblates to pray the liturgy as much as their duties in life permit, they are nevertheless free to choose their own level.
- Other prayers and devotions. These are listed in the Constitutions for Oblates, but are basically the same requirements incumbent on all the faithful. We merely ask that our Oblates are diligent in their observance.
PARTICIPATION
- Oblates participate in the apostolate of the Guild by observing the Rule and Calendar.
- If you have talents that can be put to use by the priests of the Guild in their apostolate, you may be asked to assist them. You are never obliged to do so, however, but should at least seriously consider their request for help.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
- Your application for membership includes a stipend of $40.00 payable to the Guild of St. Peter ad Vincula, 6397 Holloway Drive, Liberty Township, OH 45044. Once this stipend is received you will be sent a Guild Medal and a copy of the Handbook for Oblates.
- There are no further financial requirements. However, in the spirit of the Church’s commandment to support the clergy, you are encouraged to provide Mass stipends and other donations as your financial abilities permit. You should consider the basic minimum to be a regular $20.00 contribution to the Mass Stipends for the monthly Requiem Masses of the Guild of All Souls.
- We welcome any financial assistance you can afford to provide. You may discuss with your Director other contributions, including bequests, one-time or automatically recurring financial contributions, and donation of services or property, for the support of your Priory or Mission.