Abbaye Sainte-Madeleine du Barroux

The Benedictine Abbaye Sainte-Madeleine du Barroux was founded in 1970, when Dom Gérard Calvet left the Abbey Notre-Dame de Tournay with the consent of his abbot, wishing to retain the Traditional Latin Mass and the traditional monastic life.  In 1974, ties between Tournay and the new community were severed after Archbishop Lefebvre ordained priests for the growing community.  In 1978, the little community purchased land in the town of Le Barroux and began construction of a Romanesque abbey.  In 1988, relations with Abp. Lefebvre were broken when he consecrated four bishops at Econe.  In 1989, with the approval of the Holy See, the monastery was erected as an Abbey and Dom Gérard was appointed the first Abbot.  Cardinal Mayer consecrated the Abbey in the same year.  In 2008, the Abbey joined the Benedictine Confederation.

The Abbey hosts retreats throughout the year, runs a monastery shop, sells bread, and also streams their offices live and makes them available for download online.  The offices are sung in Gregorian chant according to the Extraordinary Form, and this initiative is supported by Msgr Jean-Pierre Cattenoz, the archbishop of Avignon.

As of late 2014, the monks number 53 at Le Barroux and an additional 16 at a new monastery recently founded between Toulouse and Bordeaux.

Abbaye Sainte-Madeleine
1201 chemin des Rabassières
84330 LE BARROUX
Tél. : +33 (0)4 90 62 56 31
Fax : +33 (0)4 84 50 84 57

Website: http://www.barroux.org/

Liturgical Schedule: http://www.barroux.org/en/heures-des-offices/horaire-des-offices.html

Chanted Office: http://barrouxchant.com/

Le Barroux Member of Benedictine Confederation

by Gregor Kollmorgen

From September 18th to 27th, 2008, the Congress of Benedictine Abbots took place in Rome. In addition to reelecting Dom Notker Wolf as Abbot Primate of the Benedictins for another four year term, the Confoederatio Benedictina Ordinis Sancti Benedicti, the Benedictine Confederation of the Order of Saint Benedict, admitted to its memembership the Abbey of Sainte-Madeleine du Barroux (it also is listed now on the Confederation's website here). The abbey, which is attached to (a slightly modified form of) the usus antiquior, continues to depend from the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei. As the source for this news, the website of the French Bishops' Conference, puts it:

This integration manifests that this community pursues its way of belonging to the normal structures of the Church and of fraternal collaboration with the monasteries of the Benedictine family.

This is very welcome news as it is a sign that the Older Use is becoming a normal part of the life of the Church as it rightfully should be.

(reposted from The New Liturgical Movement)

Ordinations at Le Barroux

Recently, Cardinal Rodé conferred priestly ordinations at the Benedictine Abbey of Le Barroux in France, on the 26th of July.

Here are a few photos, courtesy of The New Liturgical Movement (see the full photo album for more):-

Our Lady of the Annunciation, Le Barroux

The following is a video of the Abbey of Our Lady of the Annunciation, a Benedictine Abbey at Le Barroux in France. It is a traditional monastic congregation, committed to the Extraordinary form of the Roman rite in union with the Holy see.

[click for full size video]

There is also another video, of the installation of the new Abbot, Dom Louise-Marie, January 2004.

Photographs can be found at these links:

• Life of the Monks,
• Aerial photographs,
  
• Ordinations, &
• Albums page

For more information, contact:

• Abbaye Sainte-Madeleine
  F-84330 Le Barroux,
  France
  tel.: +33 (0)4 9062 5631
  www.barroux.org (French)