Oblates of St. Benedict – Living the Monastic Rhythm in Prison

Island, trust, grace, friends

Jim Blum, a member of the Oblates of St. Benedict, began operations at My Father’s House in Denver in 2018. After serving 20 years in prison, he was blessed to go home to a welcoming family environment. The home Jim encountered in his newfound freedom was, as he says, much more than simply a physical space. His home provided him an atmosphere of love and support as he reintegrated back into society. Jim realized that not many men coming out of prison have access to this kind of concern and support to help them heal and become productive members of their community. Jim’s is a unique ministry. So is his path to joining the Oblates of St. Benedict.

A Unique Path to Oblation

Born a Catholic but not really practicing the faith, Jim ended up on a path leading to some bad decisions and time in prison. While in prison, he began reading the Bible and experienced a major conversion. Thanks to his grandfather’s support, Jim read voraciously about the Catholic faith and related matters. He went on, while still in prison, to earn a Master’s degree in Theology through correspondence coursework.

At that time, Holy Cross Abbey was still active in the Canon City area, near the site of the state correctional facilities. Jim became acquainted with Fr. Louis Kirby, OSB, from the Abbey, who conducted an active prison ministry there. Fr. Louis showed Jim how to pray the Liturgy of the Hours and provided him and other inmates with guidance and direction. In 2001, Jim made his final Oblation as an Oblate of Holy Cross Abbey. Jim was on fire for the Lord, and he recognized the unique graces available to Oblates of St. Benedict.

Oblates of St. Benedict In Prison

At the time Jim Blum had made his final Oblation, there was only one other prison Oblate. Not long after that, Fr. Louis and his assistants had firmly established the Oblates of St. Benedict within the Colorado prison system. The prison Oblates program then spread to many other states as well. Fr. Louis has since passed on, and in his place, Fr. Matthew Habiger, OSB has taken over. Fr. Matthew is a monk at St. Benedict’s Abbey in Kansas, to where most of the remaining Canon City monks moved after the closing of Holy Cross Abbey. The Oblate program for prisoners stays alive nowadays primarily through correspondence. According to Fr. Matthew, he has the names of nearly 500 inmates in his database, most of whom are still serving their sentences. They are, or have been, in prisons located in 25 states.

The Attraction of Oblation to Men in Prison

Fr. Matthew explains that the Oblate program gives men a foundation for meaning and purpose in their lives. It provides a structure and spiritual discipline in and among the steady stream of chaos that makes up prison life. In fact, many prison Oblates come to see their time in custody as an extended retreat for seeking God, understanding their faith, and getting to know God better. And, the better acquainted one becomes with God, the greater the light God will shed on who a man is as an individual. This can help a person better understand his identity as a son of God, and open himself up to God’s healing, merciful love.

Embracing Benedictine spirituality in their daily lives, inmates enter into a spiritual program characterized by a strong prayer life. This involves praying the Liturgy of the Hours, as well as reading and praying with Scripture. They also read the Catechism of the Catholic Church and other good Catholic books, including the Rule of St. Benedict. Fr. Matthew points out that the Rule is a guide for men in close quarters—within the enclosure of a monastery—and it applies as well to the close quarters these men face. Thus, the Benedictine spirituality becomes woven into the fabric of the men’s lives.

Benedictine Spirituality

Benedictine monks and nuns profess vows of:

  • Conversatio morum—a continual turning to God and away from other things not of God; poverty and chastity are part of conversatio morum
  • Obedience—listening to God’s voice in His word and in superiors
  • Stability—binding in body and spirit to the community where they profess their vows

Oblates of St. Benedict are lay people—men and women—who strive to live according to the spirit of the Rule of St. Benedict in their lay state of life. St. Benedict developed his Rule 1,500 years ago to govern life in the cloister. Today, the Rule still provides principles lay people can use to guide them in their spiritual journey, whether in or out of prison.

Although Oblates do not profess vows, they do embrace continual conversion in their lives, looking for deeper conversion and a closer relationships with Our Lord. Through their prayer, Oblates strive to listen to, and hear, God’s word, and to be obedient to His commands and precepts. Because Oblates of St. Benedict are associated with a particular abbey or monastery, they embrace stability, and they try to live with that same spirit of stability in their local parishes.

Benedictine Rhythm of Life

Benedictines are known for their hospitality charism; St. Benedict devotes the entirety of Chapter 53 of the Rule to the reception of guests. Anyone who has stayed at a Benedictine guest house can confirm that this charism is alive and well today. It’s part of their life and culture. The Benedictine motto, “Ora et Labora”—”Pray and Work,” speaks to the life and culture of Benedictines. I’ve heard it said that “Ora et Labora” is both a spiritual exercise and a discipline. Together, the Benedictine vows, values, discipline and lifestyle create a rhythm of life that aids in one’s interior and exterior life.

Applying Benedictine Culture and Spirituality at Home

Considering all of this, it is no surprise that the prison Oblates program has taken off and continued as robustly as it has. Nor is it a surprise that a man on fire for Jesus, a Benedictine Oblate like Jim Blum, would return to society and establish a home for men who need a little help re-entering society. He’s living the charism of hospitality at his apostolate, My Father’s House. And he’s demonstrating the “good zeal” St. Benedict describes in Chapter 72 of the Rule,

…a good zeal which separates from vices and leads to God and to life everlasting. This zeal, therefore, the brothers should practice with the most fervent love. Thus, they should anticipate one another in honor…

Jim enthusiastically shares his vision for his apostolate when asked about it. He talks of the needs of the men coming there for basic social skills. For example, he’s teaching them how to pick up on social cues, how to communicate effectively, and how to appropriately relate to others. For men who qualify to live there, My Father’s House provides a place to live in community where they can build stability in their lives and strength in the formation of their relationships. As you might expect, the needs seem always greater than the budget available, and Jim welcomes the help of anyone who wishes to support his ministry.

A Call to Action

Jim, prays that others will “…look at those on the fringes of society as people with their own dreams and hopes…” and be open to helping them out. We all have dreams and hopes; each of us can appreciate a helping hand in achieving them. Father Matthew suggests that prayer and other support for transitional programs like the one Jim operates are key elements in helping inmates take the first steps toward their dreams and hopes. He points out, for example, that although inmates have time to read, most have little to no access to books. How can they let the Word of God permeate their hearts if they don’t have access to it? This is just one example of how providing funding for the prison Oblates program or one’s diocesan prison ministry can be an immense aid to these men.

In Chapter 4 of the Rule, St. Benedict advises us, in essence, to carry out the works of mercy. What Fr. Matthew and Jim Blum are doing is just that—carrying out the works of mercy. We have the opportunity to join them and others in doing that right now as well. In these times of societal chaos, isolation and secular despair, we each can make a difference through our prayers and other support of those in need. We can play a part in helping these men realize their dreams and hopes through our sharing of Christ’s merciful love.

“…You must relieve the lot of the poor…go to help the troubled…” Rule of St. Benedict, 4: 14, 18

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5 thoughts on “Oblates of St. Benedict – Living the Monastic Rhythm in Prison”

  1. CHRISTIAN GAMBLIN

    I became a St. Benedictine Oblate while in the Colorado prison time. Originally I was speaking with Father Louis Kirby, OSB, however he went to be with God and Father Matthew Habiger, OSB took the leadership of the prison oblate ministry at St. Benedict’s Abbey. I have found direction, meaning and a purpose in a faith I had abandoned in my teenage years. Volunteering with Jim Blum, at “My Father’s House” gives me a chance to “Give Forward” to all those that have helped me, successfully, re-enter society.

    1. Christian, thanks for reading my post, and for your comment. Congrats to you on your successful re-entry–Praised be Jesus Christ, brother! And thank you for your work with Jim Blum in his apostolate to help others see the Light. Keep up the good work, guided by the Holy Spirit, for the greater glory of God and the salvation of souls. The Lord has a plan for you and you are walking in it. – God bless you – Dom C

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