Presentation of the programme

 

 

Observantiae

 

 

 

 

 

 

               Today, September 14, 2002, Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross and for us, here, at Rome, at the MGM, a day for the Cistercian Family, each of you has received a booklet, with the Observantiae programme.  Today we have arrived at the end of a rather long road, rich with so much collaboration, before, during and after the writing of the 16 papers that make up this program.

  

The whole represents, according to the translations, between 160 and 180 pages. But each of the 16 papers will be quickly pardoned for its quantity of pages, for they are all of good quality.  There are 6 translations at this time, awaiting the translation in Japanese to be finished.  The text is available in French, English, Spanish, Italian, Dutch and German.

  

You have just received your booklet.  The photo on the cover was taken in front of the historical Library of Cîteaux: it shows a monk in his cowl, dialoguing with a novice on the path of our living tradition, in a beautiful morning light, image of movement, of strength, of shadow and of light…

 

The program, presented in the introduction by Dom Bernardo, has three parts, preceded by a very savoury preface, filled with Cistercian sap, which makes it possible to discover the sense and the profound value of all that follows.

 

Prologue: by Fr. Placide Vernet of Cîteaux “to familiarize us with the word “Observances” and make the connection with the Programme “Exordium””: a journey through the Rule of St. Benedict and several sermons of Saint Bernard, notably those on the Gospel of the marriage feast at Cana.  The six water jars that will be changed into wine at the wedding celebration are…the observances!

 

1^st part: from the 13^th to the 16^th century:

“Necessary adaptations in a desired continuity”:

 

• The Cistercian Expansion in the 12^th and 13^th Centuries: by Fr. Francisco Rafael de Pascual, of Viaceli.  This part essentially speaks of the expansion of the monasteries of nuns, their connections with the monasteries of monks, their spiritual life and their observances.

• Continuity and Reforms from the 12^th to the 15^th Centuries: by Fr. Placide of Cîteaux, with the study of the Bull “Fulgens sicut stella” and the Articles of Paris in 1494.  These are followed by several examples of local reforms of the 15^th century: Holland, Flanders, northern Germany and Hungary.

• The Cistercian Congregations in the Iberian Peninsula: by Fr. Francisco Rafael.  These are the congregations of Castille, Aragon and Navarre and the Congregation of Portugal (Alcobaça).

• The History of the Cistercian Congregation of Upper Germania: by Dom Kassian Lauterer, of Mehrerau.  The historical development of this Congregation evolves across the history of the Swiss Cistercian Congregation, and the Swiss-German Congregation.

 

2^nd part: 17^th to the 18^th century: 

“Reformers seeking an authentic renewal”:

 

• Birth of the Strict Observance: by Sr. Marie-Paule Bart of the Bernardines of Esquermes in Peruwelz.  This paper grapples with the situation of the Cistercian Order during the epoch of the Commendium, the evolution to the epoch of the Council of Trent, the College of Saint Bernard, the Feuillants, the birth, properly speaking, of the Strict Observance, the battle of the Observances and the Apostolic Constitution “In suprema” in 1666.

• A Generation of Women Reformers: by Mr. Alain Guerrier, member of ARCCIS (Francophone Association for the Spreading of Cistercian Culture).  This unit traces the portrait of four “little” abbesses, all born in 1591: Jeanne de Courcelle de Pourlan, Abbess of Tart, Françoise of Nérestang, Abbess of Mégemont and then of  Bénisson-Dieu, Angélique Arnauld, Abbess of Port-Royal and Louyse Perrucard de Ballon, Foundress of the Reformed Bernardines of Savoie.  What they had in common is quite simple, they were “abbesses” at a very early age, and each one led with a firm hand a movement of quite extensive reform for their time.

• Port-Royal: by Sr. Marie-Dominique Seguin of Grâce-Dieu.  In this unit one can follow the genesis of a reform, its influence thanks to the energy of Mother Angélique Arnaud, the relations of Port-Royal with the Cistercian Order.

• The Bernardines of Switzerland: by Sr. Marie-Bénédicte Lattion, from the monastery of Géronde.  The tradition of Cîteaux is perceptible through all the adaptations begun by Mother Louise de Ballon.

• Abbot de Rancé and La Trappe in the 17^th Century: by Br. Bernard Duymentz of La Trappe.  Several stages mark the biography of Rancé, from his youth, to his conversion, the beginning of his monastic life, his progressive commitment in defence of the Strict Observance and finally the influence of Rancé and his reform of La Trappe.  An appendix drawn up by Mother Marie-Ange Picon of Grâce-Dieu briefly retraces the relations of Port-Royal with Rancé.

• The Cistercian Life in the Century of the Enlightenment: the 18^th century: by Dom Marie-Gerard.  From central and eastern Europe, one can follow the effects of “Josephism”, the diminishment in the number of monks in certain monasteries of France, the polemic regarding the austerities of the monks of La Trappe, but also the fervour of certain reformed monasteries, on the eve of the suppression of religious Orders by the Revolution.

 

3^rd part: 18^th and 19^th centuries:

“Growing diversity in an often heroic fidelity” :

 

• French Monasticism during the Revolution, the Saga of Dom Augustine de Lestrange: by Dom Marie-Gérard.  Beginning with La Valsainte, one can follow the traces of the Monastic Odyssey, the return and the attempts of reimplantation of the Cistercian life with the very strong influence of La Trappe.  One can also find here, the history of Cistercian monasticism in Britain and Ireland.

• The Bernardines of Esquermes: by Sr. Mary-Colette Jordan, of the monastery of Bernardines in Hyning.  How, beginning with three communities and three determined prioresses, these Cistercians spent themselves in order to live in continuity with the Order, sometimes violently opposed by the Church.

• The Cistercian Congregations in Italy: by Sr. Anna-Maria Caneva of Vitorchiano.  Beginning in the 15^th century and the foundation of the Congregation of Saint Bernard, we go through difficulties and oppositions, quarrels and renewal, suppressions and finally extinction of monasteries by successive political regimes. Rebirth follows in the 19^th century which comes to a bad end with the hatred of Napoleon but is finally restored  by the drawing up of new Constitutions and the union of the representatives of the three Trappist observances: Westmalle, Sept-Fons and Melleray.

• The Cistercian Congregations of the 19^th Century: by Dom Marie-Gérard.  Here are found the congregations of the Iberian peninsula and those in German-speaking countries. The birth of a specific congregation is included, that of the Congregation of Sénaque, presented by Fr. Jean-Marie Gervais of Sénaque.

• The 19^th Century and the Cistercian-Trappists: by Dom Marie-Gérard.  Beginning with the heritage of “Lestrangism” one sees the evolution of two congregations: one in France and one in Belgium, then the division of the French Trappists into two congregations between 1847 and 1892 and the fusion into an autonomous Order in 1892.

• Several Foundations outside of Europe in the 19^th Century: by Fr. Etienne Goutagny, of O.L. of Dombes.  Foundations of Staouéli at Marianhill, of O.L. of Phare at O.L. of Saint Joseph in the Congo,  touching on O.L. of Iles, O.L. of Consolation, Latroun and Akbès, several distant implantations are mentioned, leaving the door open  for continuing of the Program. 

 

In fact, the “Observantiae” Program deliberately ended with the 19^th century and does not treat the life of the Cistercian Family in the 20^th century.  This would be too great a section of history.  It would be better to leave something to be desired and not to discourage those who will already have much to do with what has been realized here.

 

What is interesting about this work, besides its strictly informative interest, is , as you have been able to notice in passing, the composition of the team of its writers all of whom are from the Cistercian Family, including lay associates.  The team is international, (at least European!) and includes monks and nuns, always with competence and good will, a pedagogical sense, dynamism and motivation.  Without forgetting all the translators, numerous and competent, although almost always anonymous.  They are also to be thanked!

 

As Dom Bernardo said in his introduction, this program was conceived particularly for the brothers and sisters of our communities, for whom this part of the history of this Cistercian Family is still little known.  It was not conceived for the erudite, the experts.  It does not contain notes nor illustrations or even maps.

 

On the other hand, almost every unit has an appendix where several questions are asked in simple terms to help reflection and appropriation of the elements in the unit.  The general bibliography is common to the entire program.  It contains only major works, available in several languages.

 

The booklets are at the disposal of the capitulants, one for each community.  They have been put together with a binding easy to handle and which opens to allow each community to make copies if it so desires.

  

Thank you to Dom Bernardo for having had the idea for this program. The first booklets have been well received by those who read them, and we must not forget the brothers and sisters who did the pedagogical proof-reading to verify the clarity of expression and the unity of the program itself.

 

               The fruits will be proper to each community, to each reader, but what is certain is that each one will be plunged into an authentic Cistercian current that will make him/her experience the Fidelity of God and His Love, which extends from age to age as far as us, united here today.

 

                                                  Sr Marie-Pascale Dran, Chambarand, Central Secretary for Formation.

 

 

 

The Program Observantiae, in its various translations, is available on the page :

 

 

 

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