St. Willibrord Priory
The Order of St. Willibrord is a Christian ecumenical religious order of oblates and associates dedicated to a life of contemplation, study and teaching.
MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the Order is open to all baptized Christians who profess the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed, including clergy and laity, married or celibate. There are two classes of the Order: 1) Oblate Brothers are those clergy and lay members of the Order who have made a Promise of Obedience in the Order. Oblate Brothers may be married or celibate, living in community or alone. 2) Associate members include clergy and lay members who have been invested into the Confraternity of the Priory of St. Willibrord.
All Members of the Order commit to living according to the Rule and Charism of the Order, in fraternal charity and contributing some of their talents and wealth to the Order in a spirit of Christian detachment at the service of God and for the benefit of the Priory.
SPIRITUALITY AND RULE
Since St. Willibrord was himself a Benedictine monk, the spiritual life of the Order is founded upon the Rule of St. Benedict and the venerable Benedictine tradition.
CHARISM AND MISSION
As a community of scholars, the Order of St. Willibrord is particularly devoted to an intellectual life that aspires to the contemplation of God and engagement with the modern world. As such, most of the members of the Order are scholars, professors and teachers, teaching in colleges, universities, seminaries and high schools.
FORMATION
The stages of formation for candidates commences with a year of Postulancy, followed by two years of Novitiate, which always begins on the Feast of St. Willibrord, November 7th, when the Postulant is received and the Novice receives the Habit of the Order. At the completion of Novitiate, some men may be called to become an Oblate Brother of the Order by making a Promise of Obedience to the Prior. After a period of three to six years (which may be spent in education or apostolate), an Oblate Brother is permitted to make Solemn Profession, becoming a member of the Chapter.
GOVERNANCE
The Order of St. Willibrord is a brotherhood of oblates governed by the Prior, assisted by the Chapter General, in accordance with its constitutional charter.
On September 15, 2018, the Order of St. Willibrord was recognized as a Religious Order by our Episcopal Patron, His Grace, The Most Rev. Lamido A. Buba, Dean of the Church of Nigeria, Archbishop of Kaduna Province and Bishop of Wusasa of the Church of Nigeria of the Anglican Communion.
Inspired by the 1931 Bonn Agreement between Anglicans and Old-Catholics, it is the only religious order in the worldwide Anglican Communion that exists as an ecclesial expression of the full Communion between Anglican and Old-Catholics.
His Grace, The Most Rev. Dr. Lamido A. Buba
Episcopal Patron of the Order
The Rt. Rev. Rodney R. Michel
Episcopal Visitor
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Craig J. N. de Paulo
Prior
