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"Today the concept of truth is viewed with suspicion, because truth is identified with violence. Over history there have, unfortunately, been episodes when people sought to defend the truth with violence. But they are two contrasting realities. Truth cannot be imposed with means other than itself! Truth can only come with its own light. Yet, we need truth. ... Without truth we are blind in the world, we have no path to follow. The great gift of Christ was that He enabled us to see the face of God".Pope Benedict xvi, February 24th, 2012

The Church is ecumenical, catholic, God-human, ageless, and it is therefore a blasphemy—an unpardonable blasphemy against Christ and against the Holy Ghost—to turn the Church into a national institution, to narrow her down to petty, transient, time-bound aspirations and ways of doing things. Her purpose is beyond nationality, ecumenical, all-embracing: to unite all men in Christ, all without exception to nation or race or social strata. - St Justin Popovitch

Wednesday 7 September 2011

THE MONASTIC FAMILY OF BETHLEHEM (NUNS)

NUNS


MONASTERY OF OUR LADY OF THE GLORY OF GOD
LES MONTSVOIRONS

The Monastery of Notre Dame de la Gloire de Dieu was founded in 1967 almost on the very top of a mountain that looks down over Lake Leman.  Although the monastery is in France, part of the lake is in Switzerland, and Geneva and Lausanne are also on the lake.   The Bishop of Geneva, St Francis de Sales, established a community of hermits where the sisters now are.   

The monastery is centred on adoration, and the liturgy, while belonging to the Latin Rite, shows a strong Byzantine influence,
The sisters paint icons, and this is an example of one from their chapel.   Orthodox icon painters have helped in their instruction.
This is a view from the monastery
The night office is shown below.
Like the monks, the nuns live a solitary life for most of the time, praying and working alone with God.

MONASTERY OF OUR LADY OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD. IN PARIS
This is an exceptional monastery because it is in a big city, and the Divine Office and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament are shared with the public.   Nevertheless, the nuns manage to live a solitary life, even in these circumstances.

THE MONASTERY OF OUR LADY OF BETHLEHEM

You can recognise the Orthodox influence in the purpose built chapel of the monastery just outside of Paris. It is here that the laity who have associated themselves with the congregation go to share the solitude of the nuns

THE MONASTERY OF OUR LADY OF UNITY

Some twenty nuns live here where Mgr F. Portal, friend of Cardinal Mercier and of Lord Halifax, lies buried in the crypt.

THE MONASTERY OF OUR LADY OF BUISSON ARDENT
CORRIERE DE CHARTREUSE

Founded in 1973 in an area full of the spirit of St Bruno, they opened a guest house so that men and women can share in the solitude in the holy place.


THE MONASTERY OF OUR LADY OF PITY

There are many more monasteries of women,  twenty eight in all, in France, Belgium, Spain, Italy, USA in Livingstone, New York State and Quebec.   There are 500 nuns, mostly French speaking, and they will soon be founding a monastery in Algeria.  I am only giving photos of some monasteries, all of them in France.

1 comment:

Emma Berry said...

Beautiful! Thank you for this post-I am wanting to visit the sisters this summer for discernment purposes. Do you have any advice for how I could go about doing this?? Thank you! My email is: ummitsemma@aol.com

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