Excerpt from
Benedict in the World: Portraits of Monastic Oblates
Linda Kulzer, O.S.B., and Roberta Bondi, Editors
© The Order of St. Benedict, Inc., Collegeville, Minnesota. All rights reserved. No part of this may be reproduced by any means, without the written permission of The Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota 56321.

Contents
Foreword: On Being a Benedictine Oblate by Roberta Bondi
Introduction by Linda Kulzer, o.s.b.
Monasticism Beyond the Walls by Linda Kulzer, o.s.b.
Carolyn Attneave: Catcher of the Light by Paschal A. Morlino, o.s.b.
Oblate and Heroine: Elena Lucrezia Scholastica Cornaro Piscopia (1646–1684) by Ann Kessler, o.s.b.
Patrick Crowley: Oblate of St. Benedict by Patty Crowley
Faith in Action: The Lives of Patrick and Patricia Crowley by Margaret Colleton
Evelyn Davie’s Dream Deferred by Mary Ruth Coffman, o.s.b.
Prayer and Work in the Light of Dorothy Day by Rita (McClain) Tybor
Eric Dean: Presbyterian Pilgrim by Phyllis K. Thompson
Believing Is Seeing: Frances of Rome, Patron of Benedictine Oblates by Susan Anderson Kerr
Rumer Godden: Oblate Novelist by Catherine Wybourne, o.s.b.
Edith Gurian, Oblate Peter by Mary Anthony Wagner, o.s.b.
Henry II: Monk-King by Hugh Feiss, o.s.b.
On the Road to Emmaus: The Spiritual Journey of Joris-Karl Huysmans by George C. Tunstall
Emerson Hynes: A Vocation to Conversation by Owen Lindblad, o.s.b.
St. Benedict and the Maritains by Lucie R. Johnson, obl.s.b
Walker Percy: The End of His Beginning by Edward J. Dupuy
Faithful to the Very End: Oliver Plunkett, Irish Martyr and Archbishop by Jem Sullivan
Denys Prideaux: The Oblate Abbot by Charles Preble
H. A. Reinhold: Architect of the Liturgical Movement in America by Julia Upton, r.s.m.
Rita Sorg’s Life of Joyful Hope: Remembering the Transfiguration on Tabor by Donald Raila, o.s.b

Introduction
by Linda Kulzer, o.s.b.

In 1994, a friend of mine asked me to recommend a book on the lives of Benedictine oblates. When I could not suggest even one title, this friend, Peg-Emmet Corcoran, asked me to consider putting together such a collection. I was intrigued by this challenge. It seemed to me that oblates have a right to look for support and inspiration in the life stories of others who have loved their oblate journey. I was delighted when Roberta Bondi, an oblate of our monastery (St. Benedict’s, St. Joseph, Minnesota), agreed to be my co-editor. I thank Peg-Emmet for the invitation that has led to this book.

This book begins with an introductory chapter on oblates today and then presents a collection of the life stories of nineteen significant Benedictine oblates. Over a period of two years (1999–2001) nineteen authors have been at work to help make possible this collection of lives of Benedictine oblates. One of the stipulations for inclusion here was that this volume would feature only lives of deceased oblates. Several other writers have indicated to me their hopes for editing a collection on living oblates.

While most of the oblates in this book lived in the time span between 1875 and 2000, some earlier oblates have also been included because of their particular historical significance. St. Henry II, one of the patrons of oblates, was born around 973. St. Frances of Rome, also a patron of oblates, lived from 1384 to 1440. Sir Oliver Plunkett, the Tyburn martyr, was born in 1625. Elena Cornaro, the first woman in the world to be awarded a Ph.D., lived during the late 1600s.

This volume details the lives of eight women oblates, seven men oblates, and two oblate couples. Seventeen of the subjects were Catholic, one was Presbyterian (Eric Dean), and one Anglican (Denys Prideaux). The first oblate chapter features the life of Carolyn Attnaeve, a Native American of the Delaware tribe. Evelyn Davie was an African American convert to Catholicism. She was a charter member of the oblate group of Sacred Heart Convent in Cullman, Alabama.

Dorothy Day, one of the women featured in this book, has been named the most outstanding lay Catholic in the world during the twentieth century. Others who were nominated for this honor were the two oblate couples included in the collection: Patrick and Patricia Crowley and Jacques and Raissa Maritain. Three of the oblates in this collection have works that are listed among “The 100 Best Spiritual Books of the Century.” They are Dorothy Day with Long Loneliness, Raissa Maritain’s Journals, and, Walker Percy’s Lost in the Cosmos.

In looking over the collection of oblates featured here, I find it impressive to note the variety of individuals one meets. I found myself thinking of them under a variety of descriptions. Among a group I might regard as “Oblate Scholars and Teachers” are people like Eric Dean, Jacques and Raissa Maritain, Emerson Hynes, Carolyn Attnaeve, and Elena Cornaro. Patrick and Patty Crowley would certainly be worthy of the title “Oblate Leaders.” There are two chapters on the Crowleys. One is a touching, first-person account of Patrick Crowley’s life by his wife Patty Crowley. A second chapter has been added featuring both Patrick and Patty in order to give additional information about the contributions these two Benedictine oblates have made to the American Catholic world. St. Henry II would also fit well into this category, “Oblate Leaders.”

“Oblate Women and Men of Unusual Courage” is a classification that would describe people like the martyr Oliver Plunkett, Dorothy Day, Evelyn Davie, Denys Prideaux, and Frances of Rome. The accounts of their lives demonstrate impressive heroism. Two persons who seem to fit into the category “Oblate Women of Daily Faithfulness” are Edith Gurion and Rita Sorg. I believe many of us would find this a description to which we aspire. Finally there is a fine group of “Oblate Authors.” Many will recognize Walker Percy, Rumer Godden, H. A Reinhold, and Joris-Karl Huysman. It was Huysman’s novel, The Oblate, which influenced Dorothy Day’s decision to become an oblate.

The chapters have been arranged alphabetically according to the last names of the oblates featured. A glance at the list of the nineteen persons who wrote these life accounts shows thirteen women authors and six men authors. Nine of the persons who contributed these chapters are themselves Benedictine oblates and eight are professed Benedictine monastics. This wonderful mix of both oblates and professed monastics seems very significant. Here they are working together in bringing to light the lives of these lay monastics. I invite you now to proceed to the life stories of these outstanding Benedictine oblates.

Linda Kulzer, o.s.b.