Growing Traditional Abbey of Wisques Elects Abbot

(Paris) In October 2013, the re-colonization of the Benedictine Abbey of Wisques by the old Rite Benedictine monks of Fontgombault has taken place. After a transitional period, Wisques became an independent abbey again. Last Sunday a new abbot was elected.

After the clear-cutting of the French Revolution  Benedictine monastic life slowly returned to France. The Abbey of St. Paul of Wisques was founded in 1889. The monks were expelled in 1901 by anti-Catholic laws yet again and found refuge in the Netherlands. In 1920 they managed to return.

Wisques followed the liturgical reform in 1970 and introduced the new rite. The youth did not materialize. Although in 2009 there were still 14 monks in the monastery,  the "youngest" was already 72 years old. For 25 years no novice had come. The community could therefore choose no more abbots. The Abbot of Solesmes appointed an administrator. Thus began the search for a solution that was found in Fontgombault.

The new rite led to the end of the Abbey - The old Rite makes  it new

With the approval of Bishop Jean-Paul Jaeger of Arras, the abandoned convent was transferred to the old Rite Benedictine monastery Of Our Lady of Fontgombault. This had not implemented the liturgical reform of the late 60s and enjoys numerous vocations.

Early in 2013 the first monks came from Fontgombault to Wisques. They held to the traditional rite and the old Divine Office. The experience has been very positive. Since October 2013, the old Rite convent has 18 monks. Since that moment,  Wisques is suffragan of the the Abbey of Fontgombault. Their abbot, Dom Jean Pateau, was also administrator of Wisques.

After a transition period an abbatial election had taken place on Sunday, April 3. Dom Philippe de Montauzan, the sixth abbot of Wisques and first since the old ritual repopulation. He has held the position of Prior since 2013. De Montauzan was previously novice master of the Abbey Fontgombault. The repopulation of Wisques took place under his leadership.

The blessing of the new abbot will be held this coming June 4th.

Wisques is located in the extreme north-east of France near the Belgian border. The Dutch town name is Wizeke (place of Wico). The area belonged in the 18th century to the German or Dutch-speaking area. The French-Dutch language border is still barely ten kilometers east of Wisques.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi

Image: Grafica.Kulo / Abbaye Saint-Paul Wisque

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

AMDG

Benedictine Abbey of Wisques Returns Back to Traditional Rite -- Colonization From Fontgambault with Bishop of Arras’ Approval

(Paris) The Bishop of Arras, Boulogne and Saint-Omer, Jean-Paul Jaeger and the Abbot Dom Jean Pateau of the Benedictine Abbey of Notre-Dame de Fontgombault, have sealed the takeover of the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Paul at Wisques. The Benedictine Abbey of Wisques is being repopulated by monks from Fontgambault at the end of the year. Thus this will also allow that this Abbey will return to the extraordinary form of the Roman rite.

As previously reported , a group of monks from Fontgombault has already spent several weeks in January at Wisques to consider making a takeover concrete. The main point of consideration are difficulties in  ensuring the survival of the Abbey of Saint Paul Wisques by its own power. The average age of the monks in Wisques is more than 75 years.

The abbey was founded in the second half of the 19th Century by Fontgombault. For this reason Fontgombault now been asked to ensure  with monks there the continued existence of the Abbey of Wisques and start with a new beginning of the abbey. Towards the end of the year monks from the Abbey Fontgombault will colonize and form a new convent with 18 monks, such as the website of the diocese of Arras, Saint-Omer Boulanger has announced. The new convent will elect its own abbot and prior.

The Abbey of Wisques thus joins the ranks of the monasteries of a tradition in which the  Holy Mass and the whole Divine Office,  the entire liturgy will be maintained in the traditional form and Gregorian Chant.

Link katholisches….

French Abbey to be Resettled by Monks from Fontgambault

ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem meam

(Wisque)  The Abbey of St. Paul, belonging to the Congregation of Solemes in the 300 population village of Wisque (about 200 km West of Brussels) will be settled by monks from the traditional Abbey of Fontgambault in central France.  This was reported by the website of Wisques Abbey.

The Abbey was founded by monks from the Abbey of Solesmes in 1889 and had at the time, 60 monks.  Yet in the last years, the number of new entrants had stopped and then many monks died,  then the Abbey was about to close.  A similar fate in the Diocese of Arras befell the Cistercian Abbey of Belval.

Since the 7th of January there are 4 monks from the Abbey of Fontgambault in Wisque,  so that they can say the traditional Office as well as support their practical concerns.  The Abbey operates its own ceramic atelier (art studio).

Several new monks are expected from Fontgambault at the end of the year.

Source... Katholisches...