The Order's affiliates - Oblates and Associates - are essential to the life of the community.

Our oblates and associates balance the contemplative focus of the Order's semi-enclosed nuns and monks by their active ministry in their parishes and local communities. They are men and women, clergy and lay, married and single, who live under an adaptation of the monastic vows in the world.

Oblates of the Order are persons who are seriously committed to the spiritual and contemplative life and seek the support of a monastic community founded on prayer and the wisdom of Blessed Julian of Norwich. The Oblate rule is fairly demanding, asking the Oblate to pray Morning and Evening Prayer daily, to engage in three hours of Silent Prayer a week, to make a yearly retreat, and to tithe, along with other obligations. Celibacy vows for Oblates are available within the Order. For more information about becoming an oblate of the Order of Julian of Norwich, contact The Rev. Mary Jane Oakland, ObJN, Warden of Oblates. To download a PDF version of the oblate Rule and Commentary, please click the following link: OJN Oblate Rule and Commentary.pdf

Associates of the Order are men and women from many walks of life who share with the Oblates a common desire for a bond with a spiritual community founded on prayer and the wisdom of Julian of Norwich. While still living and working in the secular world, they agree to live under an Associate Rule, which provides a simple framework for prayer and discipline in everyday living. Among other obligations they are asked to pray for the Order daily and to make an annual pledge to the community. For more information about becoming an associate of the Order of Julian of Norwich, contact Lanny Wase, AOJN, Warden of Associates.

As an expression of the shared life that the Members Regular (that is, the monks and nuns), the Oblates, and the Associates create together, the Members Regular use the 1979 Book of Common Prayer as their breviary in their monastic houses. This allows OJN monks and nuns, Oblates, and Associates to be joined together in the same prayers daily.