Come and help French cloisters! Why do they close? :'(

[Bebekoualy]

Hello everybody! Yep, I’m French.

Quite hard… Such a… disChristianitized (I coined that word! lol) country!

I’m saying that because we’ve got great Saints… St Bernard, St Therese of Lisieux, St Bernadette Soubirous, Ste Catherine Labouré, but…

Catholic Faith is soooo unpopular…
Especially **CONTEMPLATIVE **life. There isn’t revitalization… I mean… I see many many cloisters close… for ever, and sisters scatter… How sad!

You know, it makes me weep, and weep, and weep… so much that I ain’t got the strength to go on praying for my country.

I’m undergoing a very great suffering. I have the great fear that my beloved monastery (a French one, in the south) closes. I’m saying that because the sisters are getting old, and they don’t cope with technology, and young people aren’t interested at all…

What to do but cry??

 

[BarbaraTherese]

I’m undergoing a very great suffering. I have the great fear that my beloved monastery (a French one, in the south) closes. I’m saying that because the sisters are getting old, and they don’t cope with technology, and young people aren’t interested at all…

Hello Bebekoualy…The situation is very much the same here in Australia. Trust in The Lord - He knows what He is doing and be in Peace …even when it seems He doesn’t …

The Carmelite Monastery with which I have very close connections is dying out also as the nuns are all now quite elderly and I cannot recall the last time they had a postulant who stayed and I have known them very closely indeed now for over 25yrs.

It is all very sad…but then when I think of the dreadful scandals in The Church involving crimes against children - there is much prayer and penance to be done both inside and outside of our cloisters…by all without exception and with a willing heart for all involuntary penances and sufferings.

It is a very sad and difficult time humanly indeed.

Barb

,

 

[odubhghail]

But when I visited the city of Lisieux, I had seen lots of joy and life among parishioners, and new communities, such as the Community of the New Alliance and New Road. As an American writer, Mark Twain, stated, the rumours of my death are greatly exaggerated. There were, at the Carmel of Lisieux, two professions of vows, though it is true that one sister was Canadian and the other Rwandan.
However, there are in France two religious communities founded since 1970, who are growing: the Monastic Fraternities of Jerusalem, and the Community of St. John.
There are in France a large number of religious from the developing world; perhaps these people will re evangelize the oldest daughter of the Church.
N’ayez pas peur (Jean-Paul II).

 

[wina]

However, there are in France two religious communities founded since 1970, who are growing: the Monastic Fraternities of Jerusalem, and the Community of St. John.
(Jean-Paul II).

I know one Indonesian has joined in Monastic Fraternities of Jerusalem, and my friend wants to join too but he still learns about their mission and vision and tries to find French teacher

 

[Cloisters]

Hello everybody! Yep, I’m French.

Quite hard… Such a… disChristianitized (I coined that word! lol) country!

I’m saying that because we’ve got great Saints… St Bernard, St Therese of Lisieux, St Bernadette Soubirous, Ste Catherine Labouré, but…

Catholic Faith is soooo unpopular…
Especially **CONTEMPLATIVE **life. There isn’t revitalization… I mean… I see many many cloisters close… for ever, and sisters scatter… How sad!

You know, it makes me weep, and weep, and weep… so much that I ain’t got the strength to go on praying for my country.

I’m undergoing a very great suffering. I have the great fear that my beloved monastery (a French one, in the south) closes. I’m saying that because the sisters are getting old, and they don’t cope with technology, and young people aren’t interested at all…

What to do but cry??

That’s why Cloister Outreach exists.

cloisters.tripod.com/
cloisteroutreach.blogspot.com

You could help us by emailing us links for French cloisters.

You can also join your prayers to those of our emerging charism, the Reparatrix Anchoresses of Our Lady of the Cloister. We can use all the (prayer) help we can get!

cloisters.tripod.com/cloisterites/
reparatrixanchoresses.blogspot.com/

Blessings,
Cloisters

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hello everybody! Yep, I’m French.

Quite hard… Such a… disChristianitized (I coined that word! lol) country!

I’m saying that because we’ve got great Saints… St Bernard, St Therese of Lisieux, St Bernadette Soubirous, Ste Catherine Labouré, but…

Catholic Faith is soooo unpopular…
Especially **CONTEMPLATIVE **life. There isn’t revitalization… I mean… I see many many cloisters close… for ever, and sisters scatter… How sad!

You know, it makes me weep, and weep, and weep… so much that I ain’t got the strength to go on praying for my country.

I’m undergoing a very great suffering. I have the great fear that my beloved monastery (a French one, in the south) closes. I’m saying that because the sisters are getting old, and they don’t cope with technology, and young people aren’t interested at all…

What to do but cry??

You asked for correction. You said “ain’t got”. Not expected from a French person, as it is a (admittedly very old) English slang usage. Amusing to see a French person say it. But okay.

I do not understand European de-Christianization myself. Not in France or elsewhere, but it’s uneniable. My wife’s people came mostly from Alsace (some from Baden, but that’s in the neighborhood, right?). They were German speakers. They had tremendous faith and mostly still do. I have no reason to believe things are any different in Alsace now than in the rest of France.

I have seen a lot of theories about it; disillusionment with all things due to the world wars, corruption due to socialism, inability to raise families due to excessive taxation, perceived Church complicity with the state in the past. Lots of things. But I still don’t understand it. As a European, why do you think the faith is so weak in Western Europe? While we in the U.S. certainly lament the dissidence within the Catholic faith here, it seems very much less pervasive than it does there.

What is your understanding about it?

 

[John_Augustine]

Catholic Faith is soooo unpopular…
Especially **CONTEMPLATIVE **life. There isn’t revitalization… I mean… I see many many cloisters close… for ever, and sisters scatter… How sad!

C’est la vie en Europe…

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Originally Posted by Bebekoualy forums.catholic-questions.org/images/buttons_cab/viewpost.gif
Catholic Faith is soooo unpopular…
*Especially **CONTEMPLATIVE ***life. There isn’t revitalization… I mean… I see many many cloisters close… for ever, and sisters scatter… How sad!

C’est la vie en Europe…

Not only happening in Europe, but here in Australia also. Although I dont think it is an event accomplished as it were…rather it is something in process and it may go either way. My very real and living hope and prayer is that is contemplative life will be revived all over the world. Although the dying out of the especially it seems contemplative orders at this point seems to be dreadfully real at this point. It still is not the end and there may be revitalization at some future point and I feel that this will be so! Contemplative life and living is essential to the life of The Church…it is intrinsic to it.

Here in Australia there are slow signs of life and a young novice flow into those contemplative orders that have modernized their way of contemplative life in accord with their founder’s charism and also modernized their habit…while retaining a form of habit or visible sign of consecration. All as instructed by The Holy Father and Vatican2. Obedience is a great virtue bringing immense blessings.

The Lord knows what He is about and undoubtedly we are in a process of purgation and purification…and much needed! It is The Lord who steers and captains, navigates, the ship.

“And the gates of Hell shall not prevail”. Alleluia Amen!

.

 

[Tepeyac]

However, there are in France two religious communities founded since 1970, who are growing: the Monastic Fraternities of Jerusalem, and the Community of St. John.
There are in France a large number of religious from the developing world; perhaps these people will re evangelize the oldest daughter of the Church.
N’ayez pas peur (Jean-Paul II).

Here’s the website (in French) for the Fraternities of Jerusalem:
Portail des Fraternités de Jérusalem

Short page on wikipedia about them (in English):
Monastic Fraternities of Jerusalem

Celebrating Vespers in Paris:

Vespers - Fraternity of Jerusalem

They have a comunity in Vézelay (website in French): La Basilique de Vézelay

Here’s the website for the Community of St. John:
La Communauté St. Jean

Here’s their U.S. website:
The Community of St. John

There is another growing, contemplative order founded in France: the Monastic Familiy of Bethlehem and the Assumption and St. Bruno. A couple of youtube clips about them:

Amidst the Mystery - Chant from the Sisters of Bethlehem

The Monastic Brothers of Bethlehem and the Assumption, pt. 1

Here is a wikipedia page in French about them:

Famille monastique de Bethléem, de l’Assomption de la Vierge et de saint Bruno

One can try and use Bablefish for a translation to English. Prayers for you, Bebekoualy

 

[Bebekoualy]

wina
I know one Indonesian has joined in Monastic Fraternities of Jerusalem, and my friend wants to join too but he still learns about their mission and vision and tries to find French teacher

I could help your friend. I love helping English speakers with French.

Ridgerunner
You asked for correction. You said “ain’t got”. Not expected from a French person, as it is a (admittedly very old) English slang usage. Amusing to see a French person say it. But okay.

I do not understand European de-Christianization myself. Not in France or elsewhere, but it’s undeniable. My wife’s people came mostly from Alsace (some from Baden, but that’s in the neighbourhood, right?). They were German speakers. They had tremendous faith and mostly still do. I have no reason to believe things are any different in Alsace now than in the rest of France.

I have seen a lot of theories about it; disillusionment with all things due to the world wars, corruption due to socialism, inability to raise families due to excessive taxation, perceived Church complicity with the state in the past. Lots of things. But I still don’t understand it. As a European, why do you think the faith is so weak in Western Europe? While we in the U.S. certainly lament the dissidence within the Catholic faith here, it seems very much less pervasive than it does there.

What is your understanding about it?

You’re all right “ain’t got” isn’t standard English and I learnt it at University. It’s also specifically American, not British. I had no reason to use that, but I did so cause I was quite upset when I wrote the message and I didn’t want to restrain from expressing my feelings the way words came to my mind.
I met several people in Alsace, and they’re good Christians because, I bet, there’s Germany very close and they are churchgoers and so on. It’s influence. But in the South, it’s awful… nearly no faith at all…
Actually, I don’t know why this lack of interest… Certainly because of World War II… and maybe because of the arrival of the Muslims. I’m saying that because people don’t believe Jesus is God, but he’s a Prophet, or nothing. Some others don’t trust the Pope, mainly because of what he says about contraception etc. There was an event in May, 1968 (“mai 68” in French) when many young people in high schools etc rebelled against their teachers, any form of authority, and there, the Church really lost its place. Since then… nearly no faith… and it… “stinks” to go to church (sorry about the expression. I’ve no other word. That’s the way you are seen here.)

BarbaraTherese, I didn’t know it was the same in Australia. I’m quite worried about my Monastery, now that you told me about your own one which can’t manage to have one vocation. I think it’s a matter of modernization.

Tepeyac, thanks for the links! I have heard about these communities, but I don’t know what would happen without contemplative communities… we wouldn’t manage! we need constant prayers… :bowdown:

 

[odubhghail]

Thanks, but I don’t need the English translation.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

I

BarbaraTherese, I didn’t know it was the same in Australia. I’m quite worried about my Monastery, now that you told me about your own one which can’t manage to have one vocation. I think it’s a matter of modernization.

Hi Bebekoualy:thumbsup: …Firstly “aint got” is very Australian

The situation on the surface looks absolutely dire here and we do have our prophets of gloom…but people of Faith see all things at all times through the eyes of Faith and what our Faith does tell us.

The Holy Father certainly instructed religious including monastic to modernize their way of life including the habit - and it was not optional. I have the quote here if you would like it.
Some religious houses went too far I think, way too far and almost or even did, abandon what religious life is intrinsically all about. Others did not go far enough, refusing to do what the Holy Father asked.
Certainly there is a mid ground where the life as it was is not abandoned altogether - it is brought up to date - but still very much recognizable and experienced as it once was without the extremes that no longer had application in our times outside of huge pious and mental gymnastics. These modernized houses do seem to be the religious and monastic lifestyles that attract young vocations.

The Church cannot survive without a contemplative life and since The Lord has assured us that “the gates of Hell shall not prevail” I am very personally sure that religious life in all its aspects, including the contemplative, will survive. It may appear to be under threat and even in places perhaps die out. There will be revival and renewal at some future point, I am totally personally very confident. Always in The Church there will be those called to give themselves totally to contemplative living in a religious community and setting and if nothing is available, then I am sure they will form groups and make it available.

Barb

 

[odubhghail]

Have to concur with Barbara Therese. The gates of Hell will not prevail. If one reads Church history, one can see the number of times the Church was saved after a close shave with oblivion-for example, the Battle of Lepanto. I think, after the 1968 generation came to power, there was an ABC (anything but Christianity) mentality in France operating in all social infrastructure, allowing, for example, large numbers of non Christian immigrants to settle in urban areas, and at the same time attempts to erase any Christian references regarding France’s heritage. The European constitution, which was never ratified by any member state, erased everything between the Enlightenment and the classical world. Its author, I believe, was Valery Giscard d’Estaing, a Freemason.
The damage done to the Church in the 19th and 20th centuries, particularly in France, by freemasonry (en Francais: fremaconerie?) cannot be understated.
Nonetheless, there is still an undercurrent of faith in the pilgrim towns and cities, and the shrines at Lisieux, Lourdes, rue du Bac, Paray le Monial, and Chartres will, as the song says, go on and on.

 

[wina]

I could help your friend. I love helping English speakers with French.

Well, my friend is not native English speaker but his English is very good and I think much better than me

But how can my friend asks your help to teach him French?

 

[Trilor]

I hear that the Benedictine abbeys of Le Barroux (sp?) and Fontgombault(sp?) are growing and healthy.

 

[Tepeyac]

Thanks, but I don’t need the English translation.

You’re very welcome, but I gave the link to Bablefish because the links are meant for everyone who reads this thread, and not everyone can read French.

 

[Cloisters]

Ever hear of the Annonciades of St. Joan of Valois?

pagesperso-orange.fr/annonciade/anglais/welcome.htm

There’s also the Victimes of the Sacred Heart (today is First Friday). They don’t have a website, though.

Blessings,
Cloisters

 

[HOLYHEARTS]

Yes, the monasteries who use the 1962 Liturgy now approved
for all, not only the Ecclesia Dei communities, are flourishing.

 

[odubhghail]

Have a look at the following website: service-des-moniales.cef.fr. Not a few of the communities look quite alive and vibrant. Some cloisters may be closing, but there are many on this site, which is linked to the main site of the episcopal conference of France. Whenever I visit the website of the Church in France, www.cef.fr, I always come away with the sense that these people know what they are doing, why and how they are called, and that they are on fire with God.
MOO, of course.

 

[1234]

All religious communities need a strong presence on the web, including frequently updated websites with News and Vocations features and email newsletters and lots of photos, blogs, videos, anything that’s appropriate to their charism----Carthusians have only websites and the occasional good movie (Into Great Silence) or book.

It is sad to ready of dying, elderly congregations with no web presence. I feel that their laity and associates have let them down, in addition to any who may have entered and left.

Perhaps those French posters in this thread can help out congregations in trouble in France by helping them form a website, for starters.