The Oblates are a group of about 150 lay people who have chosen to associate themselves with the monastic community of Monastery of the Ascension. They are lay people who wish to share in the life of the monks by their presence, retreats and communal prayer, volunteering at the monastery or contributing their talents and serving in other capacity.

After making a decision to become an oblate, one spends a year as a novice, where one observes the Benedictine Rule according to one's state in life: praying the Liturgy of the Hours, making a visit to a monastery for a retreat or a day of prayer. After a year of discernment the oblate novice makes a final oblation, pledging to live the Benedictine spirit in one's life, praying the Liturgy of the Hours, and making an annual retreat.

There are four local Oblate chapters:

• Treasure Valley - meeting takes place at St. Paul's Student Center, Boise University
• Magic Valley - meeting takes place at the Monastery
• Idaho Falls
• Pocatello

During COVID-19 restrictions, all Oblate chapters are currently meeting each month via Zoom. Each group is discussing a different Benedictine text:

• Treasure Valley: Dorothy Day, The Long Loneliness
• Magic Valley: Joan Chittister, Rule of St. Benedict: A Spirituality for the 21st Century
• Idaho Falls: Feiss, Essential Monastic Wisdom
• Pocatello: Feiss et al, Benedictine Reader, 530-1530

For further information contact Fr. Hugh Feiss: (208-761-9389) or hughf@idahomonks.org.