“My late husband, Anthony, and I have had a deep commitment to the formation of priests. Priests courageously go out and evangelize. I’m not able to do the work however I can facilitate their ministry. When it came time to take a required minimum distribution, I learned that I could make a qualified charitable distribution directly from my IRA to support the formation of priests. I felt like I was benefiting in two ways. First, I can help Oblate in their mission and second, I am able to avoid income taxes on the distribution. This was a win-win for me. I feel fortunate to be able to help those who have given their lives to the service of others.

We decided to include Oblate in our estate plans because of our personal dealings with its faculty and staff, its warm hospitality for all, and its long history of serving others in a positive Catholic-directed fashion. We found the mission of Oblate to be consistent with our own hopes. What Oblate held to be important, we too held to be important. Oblate we believed would be, long after we were gone, the best steward to use what we could give to realize the future.

I love the Spirituality offerings and have brought my bible study groups to lectures. I support Oblate because it has transformed my life and the lives of others.

Studying Spirituality at Oblate has been special because the program here is the "lineage holder" of the academic discipline of spirituality, a mature and growing field that is able to meet the contemporary moment. Because of the spirituality program's emphasis on interdisciplinarity, or "spirituality and...", I have been able to grow as a scholar-practitioner of Classical Chinese Medicine by practically, intellectually, and intuitively weaving the models of interconnectedness and relationality inherent in Christian spirituality with the Daoist concept of Oneness, yin and yang, and the ten thousand things.

The Master's in Spirituality at OST has helped me recognize my own spiritual journey; it has made me more aware of how to walk intentionally in finding God in the present moment.Furthermore, this program has enhanced my ability to serve as a spiritual director, allowing me to better support anyone who wishes to grow in their relationship with God and embrace the fruits of that friendship.

As a student at Oblate School of Theology, I am blessed to be a part of a community of people; scholars, students, religious, laity, men and women who take their commitment to the Christian mission as a force for good in the world, as well as their own personal, spiritual, and professional growth. I can say with confidence that OST made many of my most significant spiritual and professional milestones possible.

I chose Oblate School of Theology (OST) for a number of reasons. First, it is the only school in the United States that offers a PhD in Spirituality which I envision as a critical framework to integrate, teach, mentor, research, and publish in the Roman Catholic spiritual tradition in tandem with my lifelong experience in healthcare and leadership. Secondly, my undergraduate degree was obtained at Niagara University, a Vincentian school whose mission embraces serving the worlds poor. The Oblates of Mary Immaculate share this mission making study at OST a natural integration of charisms while providing a spiritual home.  Thirdly, OST offers the unique opportunity to study with some of the most accomplished and respected scholars in the academic discipline of spirituality testifying to the quality of the school’s  educational offerings.

OST is a great hub for intellectual and personal encounter, I was very pleased to find a small and yet diverse and rich community open to the exploration of new avenues for theology, spirituality, philosophy and Christian life, and at the same time well rooted in the continuous dialogue with the riches inherited from Christian tradition.

The choice to study at OST has been a Spirit-influenced endeavor. The PhD in Spirituality program is unique, and frankly, the Spirituality discipline suits me, particularly at this stage of its development, because the frontier is still relatively open. As an inherently interdisciplinary field of study, bridges are still being built between different elements of theology and the social sciences (and others). I enjoy having the liberty to "range around" and find connections among the different fields.

I find that I am drawn to more times of silence and the graces of the Forest Dweller journey continue to emerge when I least expect them. My awareness of the presence of God in people and nature is richer and deeper and often I just gaze on what surrounds me with eyes or intentional love and gratitude. I am learning to hold all things lightly. I have grown in my capacity to let go.