Premonstratensians

Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré
Candidus et Canonicus Ordo Praemonstratensis (Latin)

Shield of the Premonstratensians
Abbreviation	O.Praem
Formation	1120
Type	Institute of consecrated life
Headquarters	Viale Giotto, 27, 00153 Rome, Italy
Location	Worldwide
Coordinates	41°52′44.07″N 12°29′19.39″E / 41.8789083°N 12.4887194°ECoordinates: 41°52′44.07″N 12°29′19.39″E / 41.8789083°N 12.4887194°E
Region served	Worldwide
Membership	1300 (2012)[1]
Abbot General	Thomas Handgrätinger
Main organ	General Chapter
Affiliations	Roman Catholic Church
Website	www.premontre.org

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), are a Roman Catholic religious order of canons regular founded in Prémontré near Laon in 1120 by Saint Norbert, who later became Archbishop of Magdeburg. Premonstratensians are designated by O.Praem. (Ordo Praemonstratensis) following their name.

Norbert was a friend of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux and so 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.^[2] 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 Diocese of Laon, in the Picardy province of 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.^[3]

Habit of a Premonstratensian, former Rüti Abbey

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 rivers. In time mitigations and relaxations emerged, and these gave rise to reforms and semi-independent congregations within the Order. The Norbertines came to England about 1143, first at Newhouse in Lincoln, and 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.^[4]

By the beginning of the nineteenth century the order had become almost extinct, only eight houses surviving, all in Austria. However, there was something of a resurgence, and at the start of the twentieth century there were 20 monasteries and 1,000 priests. As of 2005, 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 came to the United States to minister to Belgian immigrants in Northern Wisconsin. DePere became the site of the first Norbertine Abbey in the new world.^[5]

In the twenty-first century, like all canons regular, they follow the Augustinian Rule. In order to “earn their living”, the different communities had, as formerly, to create and operate small industrial activities (SME) such as printing (Averbode, Tongerlo, Berne), farming (Kinshasa, Ireland, Postel), cheese-making (Postel), running schools (Averbode, Berne, USA, Australia), agreements with breweries (Tongerlo, Postel, Park, Leffe, Grimbergen), retreat centres (nearly everywhere), astronomical observatories (Mira, Grimbergen), artistic bookbinding (Oosterhout), forestry (Schlägl, Geras, Slovakia) and pilgrimages (Conques).^[6] According to the Premonstratentian website, there are some 1,000 male and 200 female members of the Order.^[1] The Feast of All Nobertine Saints and Blesseds is celebrated internally on Nov. 13.^[7]

Canonesses

Norbertine canonesses in Imbramowice, Poland. The middle canoness is wearing a rochet, proper to the canonical life.

The Order has several abbeys of women who, though technically called canonesses who followed 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 Premonstratentians even had a few double monasteries 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 a community of canons.

On January 29, 2011, a canonry of the canonesses, the Bethlehem Priory of St. Joseph, was established with the solemn religious profession of the first nine canonesses at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Fresno, California. The priory is located in Tehachapi, California, and by 2013 had grown to 26 members in all.^[8] The community was first founded as a public association of the faithful by the Norbertine canons of St. Michael's Abbey, Orange County, California. It is the first canonry of Norbertine canonesses founded in North America.

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 Blessed Virgin Mary in each of its abbeys and priories.

Structure

As each abbey or priory is autonomous, practices and apostolates differ; some are contemplative in character whilst others are highly active in pastoral ministry. However, each is guided by the Rule of Saint Augustine as well as the Constitutions established by the General Chapter which is held every 6 years. Demonstrating Norbertine unity, 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.

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 USA.^[1]

There are seven circaries:^[9]

• Anglica Circary
• Bohemian Circary
• Brabantica Circary
• Gallica Circary
• Germanica Circary
• Hungarica Circary
• Portuguesa Circary

Notable members

• Robert J. Cornell (1919–2009), Democratic U.S. Congressman from Wisconsin from 1975–1979 and professor of political science at St. Norbert College.
• Prokop Diviš (1698–1765), Czech inventor
• Jean Druys (?–1635), Belgian canon regular and abbot
• Charles-Louis Hugo (1667–1739), French historian and bishop
• St. Hermann Joseph von Steinfeld (1150?–1241), German canon regular and mystic
• Johann Lohel (1549–1622), Bohemian prior who later became archbishop of Prague.
• Brendan Smyth (1927–1997), Roman Catholic priest and prolific child molester.
• Werenfried van Straaten (1913–2003), known for his humanitarian work, particularly as founder of the international Catholic association Aid to the Church in Need.
• Francis Wichmans (1596–1661), Belgian abbot
• Johann Zahn (1631–1707), German canon who wrote on the camera obscura and who invented an early camera.

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.” ^[10][11][12]

Abbeys

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Austria Stift Geras, Lower Austria[13] Stift Griffen, Carinthia, dissolved Stift Pernegg, Lower Austria, dissolved[13] Stift Schlägl, Upper Austria Stift Wilten, Tyrol[14] Australia St Norbert Priory, Queens Park, Perth Belgium Averbode Abbey Bonne-Espérance Abbey Cornillon Abbey Floreffe Abbey Furnes (Veurne) Abbey[15] Grimbergen Abbey Heylissem Abbey Leffe Abbey Park Abbey Postel Abbey Tongerlo Abbey Cyprus Bellapais Abbey Czech Republic Hradisko Monastery near Olomouc Svatý Kopeček near Olomouc Doksany Monastery Monastery Rosa coeli Chotěšov Monastery Milevsko Monastery Nová Říše Monastery Strahov Monastery Teplá Abbey Želiv Abbey Louka Abbey, Znojmo Denmark Børglum Abbey north central Jutland France Ardenne Abbey L'Étanche Abbey, Lorraine Abbey of St John the Baptist, Falaise Cuissy Abbey Frigolet Abbey Abbey of St. Martin, Laon La Lucerne Abbey Moncel Abbey Mondaye Abbey Pont-à-Mousson Abbey Prémontré Abbey Germany All Saints' Abbey, dissolved Hamborn Abbey, North Rhine-Westphalia Lorsch Abbey, dissolved Obermarchtal Abbey, dissolved Pöhlde Abbey, dissolved Schussenried Abbey, dissolved Speinshart Abbey, Bavaria Steingaden Abbey, dissolved Roggenburg Abbey, Bavaria Rot an der Rot Abbey, dissolved Weissenau Abbey, dissolved Windberg Abbey, Bavaria) Hungary Csorna Abbey, Csorna Gödöllő Canonry, Gödöllő Keszthely Abbey, Keszthely Türje Abbey, Türje Jánoshida Abbey, Jánoshida Nyulak-szigete Abbey, Margitsziget, Budapest Csút Abbey, Csút Ócsa Abbey, Ócsa Gyulafirátót Abbey, Gyulafirátót Majk Abbey, Majk Zsámbék Abbey, Zsámbék Árpás Abbey, Árpás

Ireland Annaghdown Abbey Ballineval Abbey Holy Trinity Abbey, Trinity Island, Lough Oughter, Co. Cavan Kilnamanagh Abbey, Abbeytown, Galway Lough Key Abbey Tuam Abbey Holly Trinity Priory, Attymass, Co Mayo Ireland Italy St. Antimo's Abbey, Siena The Netherlands Berne Abbey Norway St. Olav's Abbey, Tønsberg, Tønsberg Poland Imbramowice Żukowo - it was Romania Wooden Monastery, Sibiu, Sibiu Slovakia Premonstratensian Monastery in Jasov[16] Turóc Abbey, Turóc Spain Monastery of Santa María de los Huertos, Los Huertos, Segovia Monastery of Santa María la Real in Aguilar de Campoo, Aguilar de Campoo, Palencia Santa María de La Vid, La Vid y Barrios, Burgos (currently Augustinian) Sweden (Denmark in 12th-13th century) Monastery of Bäckaskog, Skåne (Denmark in the 13th century) Monastery of Östra Tommarp, Skåne (Denmark in the 12th century) Monastery of Övedskloster, Skåne (Denmark in the 12th century) Monastery of Dragsmark, Bohuslän, Sweden (Norway in the 13th century) Monastery of Vä, Scania, Sweden (Denmark in the 12th century) Switzerland Bellelay Abbey (Abbaye de Bellelay), Bellelay Bollingen Priory (Kloster Bollingen), Bollingen Fontaine-André Abbey, Neuchâtel Gottstatt Abbey, Orpund Grandgourt Abbey, Grandgourt Humilimont Abbey, Vuippens-Marsens Lac de Joux Abbey, L'Abbaye Mount Zion Abbey (Stift Berg Sion), Gommiswald Romainmôtier Abbey, Romainmôtier-Envy Rueyres Priory, Chardonne Rüti Abbey (Kloster Rüti) and Rüti Church, Rüti St. Jacob's Abbey im Prättigau, Klosters Transsylvania (Romania) Váradhegyfok Canony, Oradea Brassó Abbey, Brașov Szeben Abbey, Sibiu United Kingdom England Alnwick Abbey, Lincolnshire Barlings Abbey, Lincolnshire Bayham Abbey, East Sussex[17] Beauchief Abbey, Sheffield Beeleigh Abbey, Essex Blanchland Abbey, Northumberland Cockersand Abbey, Lancashire

Coverham Abbey, North Yorkshire Croxton Abbey, Leicestershire Dale Abbey, Derbyshire Durford Abbey, Sussex Easby Abbey, North Yorkshire Egglestone Abbey, County Durham Hagnaby Abbey, Lincolnshire Halesowen Abbey, West Midlands (Formerly Shropshire) Langley Abbey, Norfolk Lavendon Abbey, Buckinghamshire Leiston Abbey, Suffolk Newbo Abbey, Lincolnshire Newhouse Abbey, Lincolnshire Our Lady of England Priory, West Sussex[18] St. Radegund's Abbey, Kent Shap Abbey, Cumbria St. Philip's Priory, Essex (Current house)[19] Sulby Abbey, Northamptonshire Titchfield Abbey, Hampshire Torre Abbey, Devon Tupholme Abbey, Lincolnshire Welbeck Abbey, Nottinghamshire Wendling Abbey, Norfolk West Langdon Abbey, Kent Northern Ireland Carrickfergus Abbey Druim la Croix (White Abbey) Scotland Dercongal Abbey Dryburgh Abbey Fearn Abbey Soulseat Abbey Tongland Abbey Whithorn Priory Wales Talley Abbey ('Abaty Talyllychau') USA St. Norbert Abbey, De Pere, Wisconsin[3] Daylesford Abbey, Paoli, Pennsylvania[5] St. Michael's Abbey, California[20] St. Moses the Black, Jackson, Mississippi[3] Santa Maria de la Vid Abbey, New Mexico[21]

References

Notes

1. "Who are the Premonstratensians?". premontre.org.
2. Geudens, Francis Martin. "Premonstratensian Canons", The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 12. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 16 June 2013
3. "Saint Norbert of Xanten History at Saint Norbert Abbey in De Pere, Wisconsin". norbertines.org.
4. Staley, Tony. "Home to a Living History", St. Norbert College Magazine, Fall 2009
5. "Daylesford Abbey". daylesford.org. 2010. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
6. Abbaye Notre-Dame de Leffe. "Abbaye Notre-Dame de Leffe". abbaye-de-leffe.be.
7. http://www.norbertines.org/norbertine_associates_calendar.html
8. "Norbertine nuns' monastery expansion blessed". catholicworldreport.com.
9. "Places". premontre.org.
10. "Brendan Smyth: Paedophile priest told doctor he may have sexually abused hundreds of children". Daily Mirror. 23 June 2015.
11. "Warning before paedophile priest's ordination ignored". The Irish News. 23 June 2015.
12. "Profile of Father Brendan Smyth". BBC. 15 March 2010.
13. "Stift Geras | community". stiftgeras.at. 2011. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
14. "Startseite - Prämonstratenser Chorherren Stift Wilten, Innsbruck". stift-wilten.at. 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2012.(German)
15. Putte, F. vande & C. Carton (1849). Chronicon et cartularium abbatiae Sancti Nicolai Furnensis, ordinis Premonstratensis (in French). Bruges: VandeCasteele-Werbrouck.
16. "Jasov - Slovakia - Slovakia travel guide". slovakia-travelguide.info. 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
17. "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.
18. "Canons Regular of Prémontré,". norbertines.co.uk. 2011. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
19. "St. Philip's Priory, Chelmsford.". praemonstratensis.co.uk. 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
20. "St. Michael's Abbey of the Norbertine Fathers". St. Michael's Abbey.
21. "Welcome to the Norbertine Community of New Mexico!". norbertinecommunity.org. 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2012.

Bibliography

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Premonstratensians". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
• Hippolyte Helyot, Histoire des ordres réligieux (1714).
• Max Heimbucher, Orden u. Kongregationen (1907), ii. 56.
• Wolfgang Grassl, Culture of Place: An Intellectual Profile of the Premonstratensian Order. Nordhausen: Bautz, 2012.

External links

• Premonstratensian Home Page
• St Norbert College, Catholic Secondary School in the Norbertine Tradition)
• St. Norbert College - Private Catholic College (Norbertine Tradition)
• Archmere Academy - Catholic School in the Norbertine Tradition
• Archmere Alumni Association
• The website for St. Michael's Abbey of the Norbertine Fathers in Silverado, California
• The website of the Norbertine Community of Our Lady of England Priory, Storrington, West Sussex, UK
• Norbertines of Chelmsford, UK
• Center for Norbertine Studies, St. Norbert College, De Pere, Wisconsin