Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance (Trappists)
INFORMATION BULLETIN 144
Easter Season, 2002
Elenchus Changes
Called by the Lord
Bulletin 142 - Bulletin 143I. Preparation for the General Chapters
The Minutes of the Law Commission's meeting at Belval, the last week of January, include as Appendixes most of the Working Papers written in preparation for the meeting of the General Chapters in September.The General Booklet for the MGM 2002 will be sent to all the monasteries of the Order within a few weeks. Besides the composition and agenda of each of the 15 commissions, the booklet will contain the text of all working papers, even those which have already appeared in the report of the Law Commission. As suggested during the meeting of the Central Commissions in 2001, one printed copy of this booklet, and a diskette with an electronic copy in the three main languages of the Order, will be sent to all the houses. For additional printed copies, please contact the Secretariat of the Generalate, whose e-mail address is ocsoroma@ocso.org .
The first House Reports have already reached the Generalate. The others should arrive by May 1. They can be sent in any language and, if possible, on a floppy disk or by e-mail. For more details, see Information Bulletin 143.
There are several houses that still have not returned their sheet of statistics for the "Blue Book" being prepared for the MGM. They should do so as soon as possible, otherwise the old information will be used.
II. MonasteriesMarija Zvijezda (Mariastern) [27]
On February 14, 2002, Dom Bruno Gooskens, Abbot of Mariawald and Father Immediate, appointed Brother PHILIPPE VANNESTE as Superior ad nutum of the monastery of Marija Zvijezda in Bosnia. Dom Philippe replaces Dom Nivard Volkmer, who so generously fulfilled this service until he was 82 years old.
Dom Philippe was born in Tourcoing, near Lille, France, in 1954 and entered the Abbey of Mont-des-Cats in 1977. He made solemn profession in 1983 and was cellarer for six years before going to Maromby, in Madagascar, in 1998 to oversee the building of their church. The completion of this building project has let Dom Philippe accept this new service in behalf of our community in Bosnia.Acey [28]
Dom Hervé Briand, born in 1927, presented his resignation to the Abbot General because of his age. It was accepted and became effective on March 1, 2002. Dom Hervé had been Superior ad nutum from 1984 to 1986, then Abbot of Acey starting in 1986, becoming president of the Central Europe regional conference. He was also active in the "Foundation for Monasteries" as well as coordinator of the Order's historical journal, Cîteaux.
On the same day the Father Immediate, Dom André of Aiguebelle, having consulting the brothers of Acey and with the necessary permissions, named Father GEORGES GUINAND, monk of Aiguebelle, as Superior ad nutum of Acey. Dom Georges was born in 1930 at Saint-Ètienne (Loire), France. Ordained in 1956 as a priest for the diocese of Valence, he entered Aiguebelle in 1979 and made his solemn profession in 1984. He then served his community as novice master, chaplain at Blauvac, guestmaster, subprior and librarian. At the time of his appointment as Superior of Acey, he had been prior at Aiguebelle since 1999.Guimaras [83]
On February 28, 2002, at the end of the six-year term of Dom Filomeno Cinco as Abbot of Our Lady of the Philippines, on the island of Guimaras in that country, the Father Immediate, Dom Mark Scott, Abbot of Ava, having consulted the conventual chapter and with permission of the Abbot General, postponed the abbatial election in order to name a Superior ad nutum. On the same day he named Dom JOHN EUDES BAMBERGER for this service. Dom John Eudes was born in Latonia, Kentucky, U.S.A., in 1926 and entered Gethsemani Abbey in 1950. He was Abbot of Genesee Abbey, a daughter house of Gethsemani, from 1971 to 2001 (see Information Bulletin 142).Kurisumala [96]
After the passing away of Dom Francis Acharya (see below), Swami YESUDAS THELLIYIL was elected second Abbot of Kurisumala Ashram, in the state of Kerala, India, on March 18, 2002, for a six-year term. Dom Yesudas was born in Punjar, Kerala, in 1940, entering Kurisumala in 1964. He made solemn profession in 1975 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1978. Prior to his election as Abbot, he served his community as cellarer and subprior.Bon Conseil [16*]
On January 31, 2002, the community of Notre-Dame du Bon Conseil moved from their monastery at Saint-Romuald, across the St. Lawrence River from the city of Québec, Canada, to a smaller, newly built monastery in the town of St Benoît Labre, not far away. Another part of the community lives together in a nearby home for senior religious. The sisters had been at Saint-Romuald since the foundation of the monastery in 1902. Their new address can be found in the Elenchus Monasteriorum 2002 and on the corresponding page of the Order's website: Directory of Nuns' Monasteries, under "Bon Conseil".Brecht (Nazareth) [28*]
On February 28, 2002, at the end of the second six-year term of Mother Kirsten Butaye, Sister BEATRIJS PEETERS was elected Abbess of Nazareth for a six-year term. Mother Beatrijs was born at Nylen, Belgium, in 1944, entered Nazareth in 1969 and made her solemn profession in 1975. She was supbrioress of the community at the time of her election.El Encuentro [47*]
On February 25, 2002, Mother AURORA CHAVEZ FARIAS was elected second Abbess of the Monastery of El Encuentro, near Ciudad Hidalgo, Michoacán, México, for a term of six years. Mother Aurora was born in Tirapuato, in the state of Guanajuato, in 1953. After several years as an active religious sister, she entered El Encuentro in 1983 and made her solemn profession in 1989. She served her community as subprioress, then prioress and novice director, before being named Superior ad nutum last year.Sujong [59*]
On March 16, 2002, Sister JOSEPH CHANG was named Superior ad nutum of the Titular Priory of Sujong in South Korea. Mother Josepha was born in Taegu, South Korea, in 1958. She entered the Abbey of Tenshien, in Japan, in 1984 and made her solemn profession there in 1991. That same year she took part in Tenshien's foundation at Sujong, the Order's first house in Korea. She was novice director from 1993 to 1999 and subprioress for the two following years.Makkiyad [65*]
During the first week of February, 2002, Sister MARTINA SURJOSEPUTRO was appointed Superior of Makkiyad, in Kerala, India. She was named to this service by Mother Paul Smets, Abbess of Soleilmont, Belgium, founding house of Makkiyad. Mother Martina was born in Surabaya, Indonesia, in 1943. After studying in the U.S.A., she taught English in her native country before entering Cistercian life in 1980 at Vitorchiano, Italy. She made solemn profession in 1986 and was one of the foundresses of Gedono, in Indonesia, in 1987, changing her vow of stability to that house in 1994 when it became a simple priory. After serving her community as cellarer, director of young professed and then subprioress, she was asked in 2001 to help the young foundation at Makkiyad. Her appointment as Superior comes after several months of residence there.
Dombes [24] - Tel. and Fax: [33] (4) 90.61.76.13
Bamenda [79]
- Fax: [871]
762-945-179
[Open: 3.00 - 18.00 (6 PM)]
See
Bamenda's new e-mail
address in: OCSO E-mail
Directory.
Saint-Sauveur [97]
(now their only number:) - Tél.: [961]
(9) 925.264
See Saint-Sauveur's new e-mail
address in: OCSO E-mail
Directory.
Soleilmont [21*] (an extra dot:) - E-mail: sol.comm.@compaqnet.be
Juigalpa [68*] - Tel.: [505] 849-2788
Kikolo,
Annex House of Huambo - Tel:
[244] (91) 510.476
(p.62 of the Elenchus)
IV. CALLED BY THE LORD
The Lord has called to himself the following members of the Order:
Sept-Fons (08)
On March 14, 2002,
Father GUILLAUME Berthon, jubilarian,
passed away in a nursing home in Nouméa, on New Caledonia in the South
Pacific Ocean. He was born in Bourges, France, in 1913 and entered Sept-Fons
in 1932, making solemn profession in 1938. After his ordination to the
priesthood in 1939, he served the community as novice master, then prior,
before being chaplain at Ubexy for two years in the 1960's. In 1970 he went
to Sept-Fons' foundation on New Caledonia. Because of his advanced age, he
remained there even after the foundation was closed in 2001.
Marija Zvijezda (27)
On February 14, 2002,
Brother IZIDOR Penca, jubilarian.
He was born at Rzisce, Slovenia, in 1912 and entered Marija Zvijezda in
Bosnia, in 1929, where is younger brother, Tiburce, followed him in 1934.
Brother Izidor made his solemn profession in 1938. He worked in an engine
factory under the communist government until 1974, when he was able to reach
the monastery of Engelszell, Austria. He stayed there until 1990, when he
returned to Marija Zvijezda.
Oka (31)
On February 5, 2002,
Brother FABIEN Lanoix, jubilarian.
He was born in Saint-Ligouri, Québec, Canada, in 1910 and entered Oka in
1937. He made solemn profession in 1942.
Kurisumala (96)
On January 31, 2002,
Dom FRANCIS Mahieu Acharya,
jubilarian, abbot and founder of Kurisumala Ashram in Kerala, India. He was born in Ypres, Belgium, in 1912 and
entered the Abbey of Scourmont in 1935, making his solemn profession in
1940. He was ordained to the priesthood a year later and served as novice
master from 1946 to 1949.
After a short time as novice master in Scourmont’s
daughter house of Caldey in Wales, he obtained in 1955 the necessary
permissions to go to India with a view to establishing Christian monastic
life there in company with two Benedictines: Fathers Henri Le Saux and
Bede Griffiths. When he saw the need of becoming an Indian citizen, he
took an Indian last name: Acharya, meaning Master. He passed away two weeks after his 90th
birthday.
The monastery of Kurisumala was established in 1957 as
a diocesan monastery of the Syro-Malankar Rite under the Bishop of
Tiruvalla. It was incorporated into the O.C.S.O. in 1998 as an autonomous
abbey. Dom Francis was the oldest acting abbot in the Order
and an inspired pioneer of Christian monasticism in the ancient cultures
of Asia. For a recent biography, see: Marthe Mahieu,
Kurisumala: Francis Mahieu Acharya (Scourmont, 2001, 388 pp.).
Ubexy (06*)
On March 25, 2002,
Sister MARIA Rentsch. Born in
Mainz, Germany, in 1919, she entered Ubexy in 1969 and made her solemn
profession in 1977.
Whitland (18*)
On March 14, 2002,
Mother CATHERINE Priest, Abbess
emerita. She was born in Manchester, England, in 1931 and entered the
monastery at Stapehill in 1955, making her solemn profession in 1960. After
several years as prioress, then novice director, she was elected Abbess in
1980. Through many difficulties she led the community in its process of
relocation to Whitland, in South Wales, which took place in 1991. Her final
abbatial term came to an end in September, 2001.
Igny (23*)
On January 27, 2002,
Sister MARIE-ROBERT Longin. She
was born in Dijon, France, in 1913, entered Igny in 1954 and made her solemn
profession in 1959.
Tulebras (38*)
On January 7, 2002,
Sister PAZ Sanz Llorente, jubilarian.
She was born in Peronil del Campo in the province of Soria, Spain, in 1918 and entered
Cistercian life at Alloz in 1943.
After making solemn profession in 1948, she went to help Tulebras in 1962
and changed her stability four years later.
Redwoods (40*)
On February 1, 2002,
Mother MYRIAM Dardenne, Abbess
emerita, passed away in Belgium, where she was assisting her elderly sister.
She was born in Jamoigne, near Namur, Belgium, in 1920 and entered Nazareth
(Brecht) in 1953, making her solemn profession there in 1958. She was
postulated as Abbess in 1960, but resigned in 1962 in order to lead the
foundation of Redwoods Monastery, made by Nazareth in California, U.S.A.
When Redwoods became autonomous in 1964, Mother Myriam changed her stability
to her new community and was elected its first Abbess. She was the Superior
of Redwoods until she resigned in 1989, having been Abbess for 16 of these
25 years.
El Encuentro (47*)
On February 15, 2002,
Sister BENEDICTA Alliot Marouzé, jubilarian.
She was born in Wassingy (Aisne), France, in 1914 and entered Cistercian
life at Belval in 1941. Because of poor health she changed to La Fille-Dieu
in Switzerland during the time of her temporary vows and made solemn
profession there in 1950. When the Mexican monastery of El Encuentro was
being founded by Ubexy, she was invited to join it and thus changed her
stability, first to Ubexy in 1972, then to El Encuentro in 1979.
Armenteira (60*)
On March 16, 2002,
Mother ARACELI Itúrbide, Titular Prioress. She
was born
in Villava, in the province of Navarra, Spain, in 1941 and entered the
community of Alloz in 1960 as a lay sister. She changed to the choir during
her novitiate and made solemn profession in 1968. She was prioress from 1980
to 1982 then, in 1989, she became the founding superior of Armenteira, in
Galicia, Spain. In 1993, when the foundation became autonomous, Mother
Araceli changed her stability and was elected as its Titular Prioress. In
1999 Armenteira became a Major Priory and she was reelected for an
unrestricted term of office. She passed away unexpectedly as a result of
complications during a routine surgical operation.
We commend each one of them to the prayers of all the brothers and sisters of the Order.
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