O
OraLabora
Guest
A few days ago our friend TimothyH put up a thread about his recent retreat at a Trappist abbey; he included some beautiful and evocative photos. Unfortunately the thread was hijacked by a couple of posters and it had to be removed by the moderators. It occurred to me that the contribution of monastic life to Catholic tradition and the propagation of the faith is something that many CAF members may like to know more about. Hence this thread, where I encourage folks who have experience of monasteries around the world post their pictures and some background about the monasteries, who they are, what they do etc. I’ll start the ball rolling with the monastery to which I am attached as oblate, Saint-Benoît-du-Lac on lake Memphramagog in Quebec’s Eastern Townships.
I respectfully request that this thread stay on topic, that is monasticism as it relates to traditional Catholicism; by “traditional” I understand a living tradition, that is not just EF liturgy, etc. I would also ask that people refrain from criticizing individual communities or individual religious that can be identified either explicitly or implicitly. Any attempts to derail the thread will be summarily reported to the moderators. Similarly any criticism that can be identified as directed to a specific community or individuals either implicitly or explicitly will be reported. I apologize for having to state this up front but the previous thread by Tim spiralled out of control as the unfortunate result of the intervention of a couple of posters.
Getting back to my abbey, it was founded on Dec. 4th 1912 as a simple priory by the Benedictine monks of St. Wandrille in France (Normandy) as they escaped the religious persecution in France at the time. In 1928 it was elevated to a conventual priory, and in 1952 finally achieved the status of abbey. The first abbey was a wooden structure (a “fire trap” according to some older monks); the new stone abbey construction started in 1939, directed by a French architect and monk, Dom Bellot (who also designed the dome of St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal Quarr abbey in the UK etc.). The guest wing was built in the 50s under Dom Côté, a student of Dom Bellot. The last major construction was the conventual chapel (church) that was consecrated on Dec. 4, 1994.
I was first attracted to the abbey by the beautiful liturgy, all in the Ordinary Form. It is as if the abbey read and analyzed Sacrosanctum Concilium line by line, and proceeded to apply it. The Mass Propers and Ordinary are in Latin Gregorian chant (with the odd Greek and Hebrew word tossed in as we all know!), the rest is in vernacular (in this case) French plainchant, including chanted readings. The only thing not chanted on Sundays is the homily. The Divine Office follows a modern post-Vatican II schema (Schema “B” designed by Notker Flüglister in the '60s) that prays all 150 psalms in one week as specified in the Rule of St. Benedict. Lauds and Vespers are entirely in Latin Gregorian chant except for the intercessions which are in French; the other hours are in French plainchant with Latin hymns and Marian antiphon at Compline. The monks meet 7 times a day in choir to celebrate the liturgy (Vigils, Lauds, Terce, Mass, Sext+None, Vespers and Compline) as verse 164 in psalm 118 specifies: “Seven times a day I will proclaim your praise…”. Their liturgy exemplifies how the modern post-Vatican II liturgy can be kept true to tradition with chant, incense, processions, etc.
Also true to the Rule, the monks live off the products of their work. In this instance, an award-winning cheese factory, apple orchards, an apple cider factory, and maple syrup production. There are 30 odd monks living at the abbey with a high average age (68) so prayers for vocations are most welcome! There is a handful of monks in their mid-30s and early 40s. So the cheese factory in particular depends on lay employees.
These monks are contemplative in nature, belonging to the Solesmes congregation.
View of Lake Memphremagog and Owl’s Head from abbey grounds:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Abbey%20Grounds_zpsat5kvwez.jpg
Conventual church:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Abbey%20Church_zpszypaamel.jpg
Sanctuary & altar:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Sanctuary_zpsvcndd7zd.jpg
Monks’ choir:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Monks%20choir_zpsxq0qqf2u.jpg
[to be continued]
I respectfully request that this thread stay on topic, that is monasticism as it relates to traditional Catholicism; by “traditional” I understand a living tradition, that is not just EF liturgy, etc. I would also ask that people refrain from criticizing individual communities or individual religious that can be identified either explicitly or implicitly. Any attempts to derail the thread will be summarily reported to the moderators. Similarly any criticism that can be identified as directed to a specific community or individuals either implicitly or explicitly will be reported. I apologize for having to state this up front but the previous thread by Tim spiralled out of control as the unfortunate result of the intervention of a couple of posters.
Getting back to my abbey, it was founded on Dec. 4th 1912 as a simple priory by the Benedictine monks of St. Wandrille in France (Normandy) as they escaped the religious persecution in France at the time. In 1928 it was elevated to a conventual priory, and in 1952 finally achieved the status of abbey. The first abbey was a wooden structure (a “fire trap” according to some older monks); the new stone abbey construction started in 1939, directed by a French architect and monk, Dom Bellot (who also designed the dome of St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal Quarr abbey in the UK etc.). The guest wing was built in the 50s under Dom Côté, a student of Dom Bellot. The last major construction was the conventual chapel (church) that was consecrated on Dec. 4, 1994.
I was first attracted to the abbey by the beautiful liturgy, all in the Ordinary Form. It is as if the abbey read and analyzed Sacrosanctum Concilium line by line, and proceeded to apply it. The Mass Propers and Ordinary are in Latin Gregorian chant (with the odd Greek and Hebrew word tossed in as we all know!), the rest is in vernacular (in this case) French plainchant, including chanted readings. The only thing not chanted on Sundays is the homily. The Divine Office follows a modern post-Vatican II schema (Schema “B” designed by Notker Flüglister in the '60s) that prays all 150 psalms in one week as specified in the Rule of St. Benedict. Lauds and Vespers are entirely in Latin Gregorian chant except for the intercessions which are in French; the other hours are in French plainchant with Latin hymns and Marian antiphon at Compline. The monks meet 7 times a day in choir to celebrate the liturgy (Vigils, Lauds, Terce, Mass, Sext+None, Vespers and Compline) as verse 164 in psalm 118 specifies: “Seven times a day I will proclaim your praise…”. Their liturgy exemplifies how the modern post-Vatican II liturgy can be kept true to tradition with chant, incense, processions, etc.
Also true to the Rule, the monks live off the products of their work. In this instance, an award-winning cheese factory, apple orchards, an apple cider factory, and maple syrup production. There are 30 odd monks living at the abbey with a high average age (68) so prayers for vocations are most welcome! There is a handful of monks in their mid-30s and early 40s. So the cheese factory in particular depends on lay employees.
These monks are contemplative in nature, belonging to the Solesmes congregation.
View of Lake Memphremagog and Owl’s Head from abbey grounds:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Abbey%20Grounds_zpsat5kvwez.jpg
Conventual church:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Abbey%20Church_zpszypaamel.jpg
Sanctuary & altar:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Sanctuary_zpsvcndd7zd.jpg
Monks’ choir:
i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/Monks%20choir_zpsxq0qqf2u.jpg
[to be continued]
.