oblates

Oblates is a term with several related but distinct meanings. In religious contexts, an oblate is a layperson or secular member who aligns with a religious order or congregation and seeks to live its spiritual principles while remaining in ordinary life. Oblates generally commit to regular prayer, participation in the order’s charism, and guidance from spiritual directors, but do not usually take the full monastic or clerical vows. The depth and form of the commitment vary by order, and oblates may wear symbols of their affiliation or follow a rule adapted to lay life. In Benedictine and other monastic traditions, for example, oblates integrate prayer and work into daily life, seeking stability and conversion of life through the guidance of a monastery or spiritual director.

Several orders use the title Oblate in their name. The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) is a prominent example; founded in 1816 by Saint Eugene de Mazenod, its members are priests and brothers who take religious vows and live in mission communities. The name reflects a sense of offering to Mary and to the Church’s missionary service, rather than a purely lay designation.

In astronomy, oblate refers to a shape: an oblate spheroid is a sphere flattened at the poles, so the equatorial diameter exceeds the polar diameter. Planets and stars may be described as oblate due to rotation, with Earth commonly cited as a classic example. Oblateness is quantified by the flattening factor and is distinct from a prolate shape, which is elongated along the rotation axis.

Etymologically, oblate derives from Latin oblatum, meaning “offered,” echoing the notion of dedication or offering associated with the term.