Mont des Cats

Location

Official Name Abbaye Sainte-Marie-du-Mont

11

Country France

City Godewaersvelde

Postcode F-59270

Contact Information

Telephone [33] (3) 28 43 83 60

Community Email [email protected]

Business Email [email protected]

Website www.abbaye-montdescats.com

Superior Dom Bernard-Marie van Caloen Sup. ad nutum 2021, Abbé 2023

Other Information

Juridical Status Abbey

Diocese Archidioecesis Insulensis (Lille)

OCSO Region CNE

Founded/Restored 1826

Origins

Founded by N.-D. du Gard in 1826.  Raised to the rank of abbey 1847.

History

The abbey of St. Marie-du-Mont, founded by O.L. of Gard, near Amiens, had the abbot of Sept-Fons as Father Immediate because that is where Gard was transferred with its abbot: to the former site of the abbey of O.L. of Saint-Lieu Sept-Fons. It seems that Mont-des-Cats was never canonically raised to the status of priory as it is done today.  Nevertheless, its first superiors all had the title “prior” (1826-1847), only one of whom was regularly elected.  All the others were named by the abbot of Gard (father immediate) and given the authority he deemed appropriate.

The name, originally Our Lady of Mont des Cattes (Montis Cattorum), was changed to St. Marie du Mont in the same decree (Art. 3) by which his Eminence Cardinal Giraud, archbishop of Cambrai, acting under the authority granted to him by Pius IX, raised the monstery to the rank of abbey (29 December 1847).

1898, 20 June: Consecration of the church.  It was later destroyed during an aerial bombardment in 1940.  It was repaired and consecrated 30 August 1950.

1901: Refuge at Watou (Belgium) from 1 May 1901 to October 1934.

1902: Refuge at Feluy (Belgium), 24 November 1901 to late September 1912.

Note.  At both of these refuges there were never more than a few monks of Mont-des-Cats in residence.  The abbey of Mont-des-Cats was continuously occupied by at least a few of its monks with the abbot at their head.

1905: Dom Sebastien Vandermarliere, fifth abbot of Mont-des-Cats, was named father immediate of O.L. of la Fille-Dieu (Switzerland), simply taking charge of an existing monastery.

1958, January: Dom Achille goes to Madagascar with two monks, Fr. Firmin and Fr. Guillaume, with a view to preparing a foundation in the diocese of Fianaranstoa.  The Definitory gives its permission in May, 1958.  More monks leave for Madagascar in October 1958 and January 1959.

Foundations

Tilburg (1880); Catacombs/Frattocchie (1884); Watou, Belgium (refuge, 1901-1934); Feluy, Belgium (refuge, 1902-1912); Maromby (1958)

Father Immediate

Gard/Sept-Fons until 1972: Tamié thereafter

Daughter Houses

Tilburg; Frattochie; Maromby; Fille-Dieu.
Belval.

Past Superiors

Marie-Joseph MATTON — Prieur — 26/01/1826 – ?/01/1827
Bernard DAL — Prieur —  ?/01/1827 – 09/11/1827
François-Marie van LANGENDONCK — Prieur — 09/11/1827 – ?/ ?/1831
Nil van HOEKE — Prieur —  ?/ ?/1831 – ?/01/1835
Désiré de REN — Prieur — ?/01/1835 – ?/ ?/1836
Augustin MOREAU — Prieur elect — ?/ ?/1836 – ?/02/1838
Athanase ITSWEIRE — Prieur — — ?/01/1839 – 30/06/1847
Dominique LACAES — Abbé — 30/06/1847 – 05/01/1883
Sebastien WYART — Abbé — 30/01/1883 – 15/06/1889 —
Jerome PARENT — Abbé — 15/06/1889 – 22/01/1906
Bernard RICHEBE — Abbé — 16/02/1906 – 01/03/1919
Sebastien VANDERMARLIÈRE — Abbé — 23/04/1919 – 07/09/1940
Achille NIVESSE — Sup. ad nutum — 13/09/1940 – 15/05/1945
Achille NIVESSE — Abbé — 15/05/1945 – 03/12/1962
André LOUF — Abbé — 10/01/1963 –
Guillaume JEDRZEJCZAK — Abbé — 18/12/1997 – 20/08/2009
Jacques DE LESALLE— Abbé — 2010 – 2016
Marc-André DI PÉA— Abbé — 2016 – 30/08/2021

Work and Sources of Income

Cheese factory

Guest Facilities

30 rooms (9 double)

Transportation

Gare destinataire : Hazebrouck, 16 km.

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