Continuing this series on the renewal of traditional Benedictine religious life, today I want to highlight the Monastery of Jouques, located near Aix-en-Provence in France.
Jouques Nuns
Jouques is the most successful by far of the traditional monasteries of Benedictine nuns with the Extraordinary Form mass and full traditional chant Office, certainly in terms of vocations.
The monastery was founded in 1967, and achieved abbey status in 1981. It has around 60 nuns, and generally has several novices and postulants. Their founding abbess retired last year, and her successor, Mother Teresa Dardaine, received the abbaliale blessing in June 2011. The monastery supports itself through the sale of its products.
It has also made two foundations.
The first, the Monastery of Rosans, located in the hautes-Alpes region of France, achieved abbey status in 2002.
The third is in Benin in Africa.
Please do keep these wonderful nuns in your prayers.
Novena Prayer
O glorious St. Benedict, sublime model of all virtues, pure vessel of God's grace! Behold me, humbly kneeling at thy feet. I implore thy loving heart to pray for me before the throne of God. To thee I have recourse in all the dangers which daily surround me. Shield me against my enemies, inspire me to imitate thee in all things. May thy blessing be with me always, so that I may shun whatever God forbids and avoid the occasions of sin.
Graciously obtain for me from God those favors and graces of which I stand so much in need, in the trials, miseries and afflictions of life. Thy heart was always so full of love, compassion, and mercy toward those who were afflicted or troubled in any way. Thou didst never dismiss without consolation and assistance anyone who had recourse to thee. I therefore invoke thy powerful intercession, in the confident hope that thou wilt hear my prayers and obtain for me the special grace and favor I so earnestly implore (mention your intentions here), if it be for the greater glory of God and the welfare of my soul.
Help me, O great St. Benedict, to live and die as a faithful child of God, to be ever submissive to His holy will, and to attain the eternal happiness of heaven. Amen.
[For the special intention (Magnificat antiphon of the feast): O pattern of heavenly life, our guide and teacher Benedict, whose soul is now rejoicing with Christ in heaven: protect thy flock, dear shepherd, and by thy holy prayer support them; and with thyself as leader showing that brightened way, make them enter the heavens.]
2 comments:
Hello,
I am interested in learning more about Jouques and Rosans. I do not know French, do you know if the nuns speak any English?
Thanks, and God Bless,
Lisa
Yes some do. If you want to contact them to visit, you would have no difficulty I think; if you were considering entering there though you would need to learn french first!
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