Premonstratensians Explained

Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré
Native Name:Candidus et Canonicus Ordo Praemonstratensis
Native Name Lang:la
Size:200px
Abbreviation:OPraem
Formation:1120
Type:Catholic religious order
Headquarters:Viale Giotto, 27, 00153
Rome, Italy
Location:Worldwide
Coords:41.8789°N 12.4887°W
Region Served:Worldwide
Membership:1300 (2012)
Leader Title:Abbot General
Leader Name:Josef Wouters
Main Organ:General Chapter
Affiliations:Catholic Church

The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré, also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines and, in Britain and Ireland, as the White Canons (from the colour of their habit), is a religious order of canons regular of the Catholic Church founded in Prémontré near Laon in 1120 by Norbert of Xanten, who later became Archbishop of Magdeburg. Premonstratensians are designated by OPraem (Ordo Praemonstratensis) following their name.

Norbert was a friend of Bernard of Clairvaux and was largely influenced by the Cistercian ideals as to both the manner of life and the government of his order. As the Premonstratensians are not monks but canons regular, their work often involves preaching and the exercising of pastoral ministry; they frequently serve in parishes close to their abbeys or priories.

History

The order was founded in 1120.[1] Saint Norbert had made various efforts to introduce a strict form of canonical life in various communities of canons in Germany; in 1120 he was working in the now-extinct Ancient Diocese of Laon, in Picardy, northeastern France. There, in a rural place called Prémontré, he and thirteen companions established a monastery to be the cradle of a new order. As they were canons regular, they followed the Rule of St. Augustine, but with supplementary statutes that made their life one of great austerity. Common prayer and celebration of the Eucharist was to be the sustaining dynamic of the community.[2]

In 1126, when the order received papal approbation by Pope Honorius II, there were nine houses; others were established in quick succession throughout western Europe, so that at the middle of the fourteenth century there were some 1,300 monasteries for men and 400 for women. The Norbertines played a predominant part in the conversion of the Wends and the bringing of Christianity to the territories around the Elbe and the Oder. In time, mitigations and relaxations emerged, and these gave rise to reforms and semi-independent congregations within the Order.

The Norbertines arrived in England about 1143, first at Newhouse in Lincoln, England; before the dissolution under Henry VIII there were 35 houses. Soon after their arrival in England, they founded Dryburgh Abbey in the Borders area of Scotland, which was followed by other communities at Whithorn Priory, Dercongal Abbey and Tongland Abbey all in the Borders area, as well as Fearn Abbey in the northern part of the nation. Like most orders they were almost completely devastated by the successive onslaughts of the Reformation, French Revolution, and Napoleon, but then experienced a revival in the 19th century.[3]

By the beginning of the nineteenth century the order had become almost extinct, only eight houses surviving, all in the Habsburg monarchy. However, there was something of a resurgence, and at the start of the twentieth century there were 20 monasteries and 1000 priests., the number of monasteries had increased to nearly 100 and spread to every continent. In 1893, Father Bernard Pennings and two other Norbertines from Berne Abbey arrived in the United States of America to minister to Belgian immigrants in northern Wisconsin. De Pere, Wisconsin became the site of the first Norbertine Abbey in the new world.

By their nature as canons regular the Premonstratensians have always engaged in pastoral work of various kinds, including what would now be called retreat centres (nearly everywhere), and care for pilgrims (as at Conques) and, like many religious houses, have often run schools on a variety of scales (Averbode Abbey, Berne Abbey, United States, Australia). In order to support themselves, the different communities have down the centuries, and in modern times, operated small-scale manual activities (SME) such as printing (Averbode Abbey, Tongerlo Abbey, Berne Abbey), farming (Kinshasa, Ireland, Postel Abbey), forestry (Schlägl Abbey, Geras Abbey, Slovakia), and cheese-making (Postel Abbey). They have also entered agreements with breweries (Tongerlo Abbey, Postel Abbey, Park Abbey, Leffe, Grimbergen) and undertaken artistic bookbinding (in Oosterhout).[4] Other activities have included the running of an astronomical observatory (Mira, Grimbergen).

In 2015 there were some 1000 male and 200 female members of the Order.[5]

The Feast of All Norbertine Saints and Blesseds is celebrated internally on November 13.[6]

The Norbertines have also had a major presence in the area of Green Bay, Wisconsin, owning WBAY television and radio stations until the mid-1970s. The Nobertines ran two local boys high schools until 1990 and still run four local schools in De Pere and Green Bay. Among these schools is St. Norbert College, the only Norbertine higher education institution in the world.[7]

Canonesses

The Order has several abbeys of women who, though technically called canonesses, follow the life of an enclosed religious order and are therefore more commonly termed Norbertine nuns. Like the Norbertine communities for men, those for women are autonomous. Unusually, within the religious communities of the Catholic Church, the Norbertine Order has always seen the spiritual life of the canonesses as being on an equal footing with that of its priests and lay brothers. In the Middle Ages, the Premonstratensians even had a few double monasteries,[8] where men and women lived in cloisters located next to each other as part of the same abbey, the communities demonstrating their unity by sharing the church building. Today, it is common for a foundation of canonesses to have links not only with other canonesses, but also with a community of canons.

Premonstratensian Rite

The Premonstratensians were among the religious orders with their own rite who kept this rite after Pope Pius V suppressed such rites with a continuous tradition of less than two hundred years. The Premonstratensian Rite was especially characterized by a ritual solemnity. The Premonstratensian Rite was also characterized by an emphasis on the Paschal mystery unique among the Latin rites. This was especially seen in the solemnity with which the daily conventional High Mass and office was celebrated during the Easter octave, especially vespers which concluded with a procession to the baptismal font, a practice paralleled among the Latin rites only in similar processions still found in the Ambrosian Rite. Another unique practice of the Premonstratensian Rite was the celebration of a daily votive Mass in honor of the Virgin Mary in each of its abbeys and priories.

Structure

Since Norbertine abbeys (and most priories) are autonomous, practices and apostolates are different, depending on the needs of the local Church. Some houses are contemplative in character whilst others are highly active in pastoral ministry. However, each is guided by the Rule of Saint Augustine and the Constitutions established by the General Chapter, which is held every six years.

The general Chapter includes representatives from both male and female communities. The head of the Order, termed Abbot General, resides in Rome, and he is assisted in his duties by the Definitors (High Council) as well as commissions established for various aspects of the Order's life such as liturgy and inter-abbey communications.

Abbeys

As of 2012, there were Premonstratensian abbeys or priories throughout the world: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the USA.

There are seven circaries (Premonstratensian term for an ecclesiastical province[9]):[10] Anglica Circary

Bohemica Circary

Brabantica Circary

Gallica Circary

Germanica Circary

Hungarica Circary

Portuguesa Circary

Discontinued

Notable members

Norbertine Saints

Norbertine Blesseds include Beatrice of Engelport (+1275, f. Mar. 12/13) Bronislava of Poland (or of Zwierzniec) (+1259, f. Aug. 30), Gerlach of Valkenburg (+1172, Jan. 5), Gertrude of Aldenberg (Altenburg), Abbess (+1297, f. Aug. 13), Hugh of Fosse (+1164, f. Feb. 10), Hroznata of Teplá (+1217, f. Jul. 14), Jakob Kern of Geras (+1924, f. Oct. 20), Oda of Bonne Rivreuille (+1158, f. Apr. 20), Peter-Adrian Toulorge of Blanchelande, Martyr (+1793, f. Oct. 13), and Ricvera of Clastres (+1136, f. Oct. 29).

Norbertines celebrate "all Norbertine Saints and Blesseds" on Nov. 13.[26]

Education

St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin, United States, is the only institution of higher education sponsored by the Order. Elsewhere they also sponsor/operate schools or serve in pastoral care capacities at parish schools.

Schools founded or sponsored by the order include:

Controversies

Northern Ireland's Historical Abuse Inquiry investigated reports that Brendan Smyth, a member of the Norbertine Order, was allowed to continue paedophilia for more than four decades, even after Smyth himself had admitted in 1994, the same year that he was jailed for his crimes, that "Over the years of religious life it could be that I have sexually abused between 50 and 100 children. That number could even be doubled or perhaps even more."[28] [29] [30] Reviewers of the case agree that there was a deliberate plot to conceal Smyth's behaviour, incompetence by his superiors at Kilnacrott Abbey.

See also

References

Notes
  • Bibliography

    • External links

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Premonstratensian Canons. www.newadvent.org. 2020-04-24.
    2. Web site: Saint Norbert of Xanten History at Saint Norbert Abbey in De Pere, Wisconsin. norbertines.org. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131106082558/http://www.norbertines.org/our_history_xanten.html. 2013-11-06.
    3. Web site: Staley, Tony. "Home to a Living History", St. Norbert College Magazine, Fall 2009 . 2013-06-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150402160359/http://www.snc.edu/communications/magazine/2009v41n3/cns.html . 2015-04-02 . dead .
    4. Web site: Abbaye Notre-Dame de Leffe. Abbaye Notre-Dame de Leffe. abbaye-de-leffe.be.
    5. Web site: Who are the Premonstratensians?. premontre.org. 2013-06-16. 2016-03-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20160302232054/http://www.premontre.org/chapter/cat/welcome/who-are-the-premonstratensians. dead.
    6. Web site: Norbertine Associate Calendar at Norbertines of Saint Norbert Abbey in de Pere, Wisconsin . 2015-11-14 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20151117025833/http://www.norbertines.org/norbertine_associates_calendar.html . 2015-11-17 .
    7. News: First came sex abuse allegations at the abbey. Then secret payments. Then a suicide.. Haley. Demiller. Green Bay Gazette. December 3, 2020. December 14, 2020.
    8. Web site: Premontre Sisters - Norbertine Sisters in the World - Premonstratensian Orders - Life of Saint Norbert - Rule of St. Augustine. www.premontresisters.com. 2020-04-24.
    9. http://www.dict.cc/english-german/circary+%5BPremonstratensian+equivalent+to+a+monastic+province%5D.html 'circary' definition
    10. Web site: Places. premontre.org. 2015-07-19. 2015-06-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20150612015732/http://www.premontre.org/chapter/cat/places. dead.
    11. Web site: St. Philip's Priory, Chelmsford. . praemonstratensis.co.uk . 2012 . 19 July 2012.
    12. Web site: Daylesford Abbey . daylesford.org . 2010 . 19 July 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120718150040/http://www.daylesford.org/home.aspx . 18 July 2012 .
    13. Web site: St. Michael's Abbey of the Norbertine Fathers. St. Michael's Abbey . 14 Sep 2023.
    14. Web site: Welcome to the Norbertine Community of New Mexico! . norbertinecommunity.org . 2012 . 19 July 2012.
    15. http://www.strahovskyklaster.cz/webmagazine/home.asp?idk=257 Royal Canonry of Premonstratensians at Strahov
    16. Web site: Jasov - Slovakia - Slovakia travel guide . slovakia-travelguide.info . 2012 . 19 July 2012.
    17. News: Belgian abbey raises brewery from ashes after 200 years. Reuters . 27 May 2021 . Blenkinsop . Philip .
    18. https://www.abdijpostel.be/ Abdij van Postel
    19. http://www.abdijvanberne.nl/ Berne Abbey
    20. http://www.frigolet.com/ Frigolet Abbey
    21. Web site: Stift Geras | community . stiftgeras.at . 2011 . 19 July 2012 . 14 November 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111114235839/http://www.stiftgeras.at/en/gemeinschaft.html . dead .
    22. Web site: Startseite - Prämonstratenser Chorherren Stift Wilten, Innsbruck . stift-wilten.at . 2012 . 19 July 2012.
    23. Book: Chronicon et cartularium abbatiae Sancti Nicolai Furnensis, ordinis Premonstratensis. Putte, F. vande & C. Carton. 1849. VandeCasteele-Werbrouck. Bruges. fr.
    24. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=36598 "Houses of Premonstratensian canons: Abbey of Bayham", A History of the County of Sussex: Volume 2 (1973), pp. 86–89. Date accessed: 16 June 2013.
    25. Web site: Canons Regular of Prémontré . norbertines.co.uk . 2011 . 19 July 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120520125419/http://www.norbertines.co.uk/ . 20 May 2012 .
    26. Web site: Archived copy . 2017-06-05 . 2018-02-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180203183102/https://www.norbertines.org/about-us/norbertine-saints-blesseds/ . dead .
    27. Web site: About Us — History. Cardinal Gracias High School. 11 November 2018.
    28. News: Daily Mirror. 23 June 2015. Brendan Smyth: Paedophile priest told doctor he may have sexually abused hundreds of children.
    29. News: The Irish News. 23 June 2015. Warning before paedophile priest's ordination ignored. 2015-06-23. https://web.archive.org/web/20150623234529/http://www.irishnews.com/news/warning-before-paedophile-priest-s-ordination-ignored-1466501. 2015-06-23. dead.
    30. News: BBC. 15 March 2010. Profile of Father Brendan Smyth.

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