Saturday 29 August 2009

Cistercian Tradition

Regular readers of this blog will recall that the Abbey of Mariawald, the only Abbey of the Order of Cistercium of the Strict Observance (OCSO), that is, the Trappists, in Germany, was granted permission, pursuant to the provisions of Summorum Pontificum to return to the Liturgy and Observances of the Order current in 1963/4 known as the Use of Monte Cistello.


Strangely, this permission is dated 21st November, 2009, on the website of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei. Nice to see the Holy See ahead of the game!


Two video clips of the Gregorian Rite Liturgy in Mariawald have recently been posted on gloria.tv. The first (above) is the Preface and Sanctus. The second (below) is of the Pater Noster and Pax Domini.


There are five Trappist houses for men in Ireland and one in Scotland. None of them have sought or been given permission to revert to the Use of Monte Cistello - nor is it likely that they will. Those houses in Ireland are, in order of foundation, Mount Melleray Abbey (1832), Mount Saint Joseph (1878), New Mellifont Abbey (1938), Our Lady of Bethlehem Abbey (1948), and Bolton Abbey (1965). Sancta Maria Abbey is in Scotland.

There is one Trappistine house for ladies in Ireland, St. Mary's Abbey. It is equally unlikely to seek permission for the Use of Monte Cistello.

6 comments:

Raphaela said...

According to this German page, Mariawald is expecting FOUR new novices this year, with several more likely candidates for next year. Seems that after the return to the old liturgy, there's been a sharp resurgence in vocations to this particular Trappist house.

Anonymous said...

PAX i think
you forgot the biggest one (Trappist) in the British Isles, that is in England. Mt St. Bernards.situated in Charnwood Forest, Leicestershire.
http://www.mountsaintbernard.org/ as well as the Trappist monks in Wales at Caldey Island.
http://www.caldey-island.co.uk/monks.htm

Anonymous said...

ps. all, well most 85%, Trappist Abbeys, particularly in N. America and France, and , to a slightly lesser extent UK and Canada,) are STUCK in a 1977-79 parochial style and understanding, of Liturgy (Eucharist and Divine Office),and expression .

Convenor said...

I did forget England and Wales. I though I was on fsspvocations! Scotland and Ireland, do you see. Thanks for spotting it and providing the links.

Are you sure you're not being too generous to the '69/76 parochial style and understanding?

God bless you!

Anonymous said...

Generous? well i am trying to be nice and civil.. :)

Anonymous said...

Oh, and since we are on Topic, just wanted to mention to pray for the Trappists at Oelenberg.
It is from that Abbey ( on the French/German frontier) that Mariawald was founded, and they are considered becoming the more 'conservative' of Trappists in France, and the Abbot (who is from Venezuala) may be influenced and given impetus and courage from Mariawld? which murmurs tell me is the case... .anyways, they need vocations,(only 14 professed and one novice at the moment), since another more liturgical relaxed Trappist Abbey is only 80 KMs away,and has 2wice the vocations.
http://en.abbaye-oelenberg.com/