The abbey of Sainte-Madeleine du Barroux also known as Le Barroux Abbey is a
traditionalist Benedictine
, image = Medalla San Benito.PNG
, caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
, abbreviation = OSB
, formation =
, motto = (English: 'Pray and Work')
, foun ...
abbey
An abbey is a type of monastery used by members of a religious order under the governance of an abbot or abbess. Abbeys provide a complex of buildings and land for religious activities, work, and housing of Christian monks and nuns.
The con ...
located in
Le Barroux
Le Barroux (; oc, Lo Barós) is a village and commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. It had a population of 629 in 2017.
History
Its current name derives from the Latin ''Albaruff ...
,
Vaucluse
Vaucluse (; oc, Vauclusa, label= Provençal or ) is a department in the southeastern French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. It had a population of 561,469 as of 2019.[France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...]
. It was founded in 1978 by Dom
Gérard Calvet
Dom Gérard Calvet (18 November 1927 – 28 February 2008) was a French Catholic abbot and founder of the Sainte Madeleine du Barroux abbey in Le Barroux, France. He was considered to be an important figure in contemporary Catholic traditionalism ...
while the current abbot is Dom Louis-Marie de Geyer d’Orth.
The liturgy is celebrated according to the pre-1970 Roman Missal (
Tridentine Mass
The Tridentine Mass, also known as the Traditional Latin Mass or Traditional Rite, is the liturgy of Mass in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church that appears in typical editions of the Roman Missal published from 1570 to 1962. Celebrated almo ...
). The
Divine Office of the monastery is streamed daily.
History
Before the current abbey was consecrated a group of men, led by Dom Gérard Calvet, founded a small community of Benedictine monks in the Chapel of
St. Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene (sometimes called Mary of Magdala, or simply the Magdalene or the Madeleine) was a woman who, according to the four canonical gospels, traveled with Jesus as one of his followers and was a witness to his crucifixion and
resurre ...
in the
Vaucluse
Vaucluse (; oc, Vauclusa, label= Provençal or ) is a department in the southeastern French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. It had a population of 561,469 as of 2019.[Second Vatican Council
The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the , or , was the 21st ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. The council met in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome for four periods (or sessions), each lasting between 8 and ...]
, he founded the abbey as a way to continue the traditional practice and life of the Benedictine Monks and the
traditional liturgy of the Catholic Church. In 1979 a female branch was founded, the .
[ In 1986 the community numbered 53 monks.][
Initially supportive of the Lefebvrist movement, they made a break with it in the aftermath of the ]Écône consecrations
The Écône consecrations were a set of episcopal consecrations that took place in Écône, Switzerland, on 30 June 1988. They were performed by Catholic Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre and Bishop Antonio de Castro Mayer, and the bishops who were con ...
and the subsequent excommunications of archbishop Marcel Lefebvre
Marcel François Marie Joseph Lefebvre (; 29 November 1905 – 25 March 1991) was a French Catholic archbishop who greatly influenced modern traditional Catholicism. In 1970, he founded the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), a community to tra ...
and the consecrated bishops. On July 25, 1988 after a period of negotiations the monks were relieved of their sanctions and reconciled with the Holy See
The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of R ...
, while still being authorized to use the pre-concillar liturgy in accordance with the ''motu proprio
In law, ''motu proprio'' (Latin for "on his own impulse") describes an official act taken without a formal request from another party. Some jurisdictions use the term ''sua sponte'' for the same concept.
In Catholic canon law, it refers to a ...
'' ''Ecclesia Dei
''Ecclesia Dei'' is the document Pope John Paul II issued on 2 July 1988 in reaction to the Ecône consecrations, in which four priests of the Society of Saint Pius X were ordained as bishops despite an express prohibition by the Holy See. The ...
'' issued by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
the day after the excommunications.[ On June 18, 1989 the monastery was accorded canonical status][ and on July 2 it was elevated to the rank of Abbey, with Dom Gerard Calvet as its first Abbot.][ The Abbey was consecrated on October 2, 1989 by Cardinal ]Édouard Gagnon
Édouard Gagnon, PSS, OC (15 January 1918 – 25 August 2007) was a Canadian Roman Catholic cardinal and President of the Pontifical Council for the Family for 16 years, from 1974 to 1990. He became a cardinal on 25 May 1985.
Biography
Édoua ...
.[
On September 24, 1995, Cardinal Ratzinger, then prefect for the ]Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) is the oldest among the departments of the Roman Curia. Its seat is the Palace of the Holy Office in Rome. It was founded to defend the Catholic Church from heresy and is the body responsible ...
, visited the monastery and celebrated Mass. On November 21, 2002 eight of the almost 70 monks left the Abbey to found the in Saint-Pierre-de-Clairac.[ Dom Gerard resigned as Abbot on November 25, 2003 and Dom Louis-Marie was chosen to replace him. On February 28, 2008 Dom Gerard died due to ]brain stroke
A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functio ...
. On September 25, 2008, the Abbey became part of the Benedictine Confederation of the Order of St Benedict.[
In 2008 several monks left Le Barroux to make a new foundation in Villatalla, Imperia Province, ]Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
.[
As of May 2014 the Abbey had 57 members, including 26 priests, 1 ]deacon
A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian churches, such as the Catholic Chur ...
, 21 brothers, 1 student, 1 temporarily professed and 5 novices
A novice is a person who has entered a religious order and is under probation, before taking vows. A ''novice'' can also refer to a person (or animal e.g. racehorse) who is entering a profession with no prior experience.
Religion Buddhism
...
, with 44 being the average age.[
]
Community
The monastery has its own mill, which is used to produce olive oil. The monks also produce lavender, wine and bread in their own bakery.[ The Abbey produces wine jointly with local winemakers in a traditional manner.][
The monks offer spiritual retreats, as well as individual spiritual guidance. The Abbey has a hotel to accommodate the guests.][
In order to enable oblates and other faithful to connect to the liturgical life of the monastery more closely, the monks began broadcasting their daily round of the Divine Office online. The recordings are available on the Abbey’s website and via a phone app.][
]
Gallery
File:Sainte madelaine du Barroux - arrivée, by JM Rosier.jpg, Another view of the Abbey
File:Sainte madelaine du Barroux - cloitre privé, by JM Rosier.jpg, The cloister
A cloister (from Latin ''claustrum'', "enclosure") is a covered walk, open gallery, or open arcade running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth. The attachment of a cloister to a cathedral or church, commonly against a ...
File:Sainte madelaine du Barroux - refectoire, by JM Rosier.jpg, The refectory
A refectory (also frater, frater house, fratery) is a dining room, especially in monasteries, boarding schools and academic institutions. One of the places the term is most often used today is in graduate seminaries. The name derives from the Lat ...
Resources
Official site of the Abbey
* The Divine Office is streamed daily o
iTunes
an
** Previous recordings are archived at https://archive.org/details/barroux
*Documentary
Watchmen of the Night
' about the daily life of the monks at Le Barroux Abbey (French with English subtitles)
*
References
{{Authority control
Buildings and structures in Vaucluse
Benedictine monasteries in France
Communities using the Tridentine Mass
Christian organizations established in 1980
1980 establishments in France