This Programme Has Been Written for the Communities of the Cistercian Family

1

Observantiae

Continuity and Reforms

in the Cistercian Family

This programme has been written for the Communities of the Cistercian Family.

and for this purpose, It can be freely copied and translated for this purpose.

For any other use, all rights are reserved.

Rome, September 14th 2002
Observantiae

Continuity and Reforms

in the Cistercian Family

Observantiae: Introduction (Dom Bernardo Olivera) …………… 5

Prologue:

To familiarise ourselves with the word «Observances» and to make the link with the Exordium programme ……………… 9

1° part : Necessary adaptations in a wished for continuation

1. Cistercian development in the 12th and 13th Centuries …………….21

2. Continuity and Reforms from 12th to 15th century ……………… 31

3. The Cistercian Congregations in the Iberian Peninsula……..… 40

4. History of the Cistercian Congregation of Upper Germania……… 47

2° part: Reformers searching an authentic renewal

5.The Birth of the Strict Observance……………………………… 55

6. A generation of Reforming Women…………………… ………… 70

7. Port-Royal………………………………………….………………… 75

8. The Bernardines of Switzerland……….…………………………… 84

9. The Abbot de Rancé and La Trappe in the 17th century……… 90

3° part: Growing diversity in an often heroic fidelity

10.Cistercian Life in the Century of Enlightment (18th century) 101

11.French Monasticism during the Revolution , the saga of Dom

Augustine de Lestrange ……………………………………………105

12.Bernardines of Esquermes…………………………..…………….. 118

13.The Cistercian Congregations in Italy…….…………………….. 126

14.Cistercian Congregations in the 19 th century…….………….. 140

15.The Trappist-Cistercians during the 19 th century……………… 150

16.Cistercian Foundations outside of Europe in the 19 th century. 160

General Bibliography …………………………………………….. 165

OBSERVANTIAE

At the time we were closing the Regional Meeting of FSO at Chambarand, in 1999, I was asked to share my views on the Region. Profiting by this occasion, I threw out a real concrete invitation : that the FSO Region should prepare and offer to the whole Order a program : “Observantiae” as a continuation of “Exordium” , on the occasion of the third centenary of the death of Abbot de Rancé.

Concretely, it would be a question of studying the movements of Reform in the Cistercian Order up to 1892. Everyone would esteem that these centuries cannot be considered as a parenthesis in the history of the Order. But on the one hand, it would not be easy to derive for us, today, the spiritual values and teachings given by the monks, nuns, communities and Congregations of that epoch. Certain people fear that such a research could re-awaken former polemics which, perhaps, were not completely extinct and forgotten.

On the other hand, the benefits of this work were evident enough : it would enlarge the horizons of the movement of the Strict Observance, heal our collective memory, to understand in a more ecumenical manner the Cistercian patrimony, to accept the pluriformity within the same charismatic family.

Thus it is that a group of monks and nuns belonging to different branches of the Cistercian Family, under the direction of the Central Secretary for Formation, met at the Abbey of Tre Fontane , in order to coordinate the work and draw up the diverse units. It is not a question of achieving a work of erudition intended for the experts, but really a serious work of popularization in view of formation.

Today, the fuit of this work is handed over to the communities of the OCSO and to the Cistercian family who desire it. It comprises a prologue and three parts of varying volume :

Prologue : the link between the “Observances” and the origin of Cîteaux

First part (13th to 16th centuries) : Necessary adaptations in a wished for continuation.

Second part (17th to 18th centuries) : Reformers searching an authentic renewal.

Third part (18th to 19th centuries) : Growing diversity in an often heroic fidelity.

Each unity offers doctrinal contents, to which is added a questionnaire in order to help reflection and interior development of the values which are presented. A common bibliography for all the units resumes the most important works in the different languages.

We hope that this “ecumenical” effort of our brothers and sisters will be put to profit in a wise and serious manner by our communities.

A tree without roots has no foundation ; without a trunk, no visibility ; without branches, leaves, flower and fruit, it has no life.

Rome, 14th September 2002, Bernardo Olivera, Abbot General

Observantiae

Prologue

To make the link with the “observances”

and the origin of Cîteaux
PROLOGUE

Unit prepared by Père Placide Vernet, Cîteaux.

To familiarise ourselves with the word ‘Observances’

and to make the link with the Exordium Programme.

On hearing the terms ‘Observance(s)’ and ‘Reform(s)’, is not instinctive to think first of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries? Observances have been the concern of Cistercians from the foundation of the new Monastery, and the story of the Cistercian Family from its beginnings is a story of continuity and reform.

In this unit, we will look successively at three areas:

1. ‘Observance’ in the Rule of St. Benedict.

2. ‘Observing the Rule of our holy Father Benedict’ – the intention of the founders according to the primitive documents.

3. An exemplar of observances – St Bernard.

1. The word OBSERVANCE in the rule of St. Benedict:

In the Rule we find two frequentatives (i.e. words expressing frequent repetition or intensity of action)coming from the root of the verb observare: observantia and observatio.

Observare the verb itself, is found in four places:

- In chapter 7, verse 68, thus at the top of the ladder of humility:

“Through this love, all that he once performed with dread, he will now begin to observe without effort, as though naturally, from habit, no longer out of fear of hell, but out of love for Christ, good habit and delight in virtue.”

This first citing, in the 12th degree of humility, shows in a marvellous way the greatest benefit of the practice of the observances.

- In chapter 58, verse 10, concerning the first petition of the new brother:

“This is the law under which you are choosing to serve. If you observe it, come in. If not, feel free to leave”

It is in the Rule – observe the rule of the community.

- In chapter 65, verse 17: this time concerning the Prior… who is not liked by St. Benedict (the Prior in the Rule did not have the role that our Priors have now):

“…because the more he is set above the rest, the more he should be concerned to keep what the rule commands.”

- In Chapter 73, verse 1, the beginning of the last chapter of the Rule:

“The reason we have written this rule is that, by observing it in monasteries, we can show that we have some degree of virtue, and the beginnings of monastic life.”

Observantia: this word is only found twice, both times in the Prologue:

In verse 21:

“Clothed then with faith and the performance (observantia) of good works, let us set out on this way, with the Gospel for our guide, that we may deserve to see him who has called us to his kingdom.”

In verse 29:

“These people fear the Lord, and do not become elated over their own good deeds (observantia); they judge it is the Lord's power, not their own, that brings about the good in them.”

Observatio : if we omit 7:18, which has no meaning in this respect, all uses of the word observatio and of the word observare concern Lent and the practices of the Rule.

In chapter 3, verse 11: concerning the brother who has the boldness to stray from the Rule and contest the authority of the Abbot:

“However, let the Abbot himself do everything in the fear God and with observance of the Rule.”

In chapter 49, in the title of the chapter: “On the observance of Lent”

In the first verse:

“Although the monk’s life the whole year round should be an observance of Lent, yet because few have this virtue….”

In Chapter 60, verse 9, concerning priests who would like to enter the monastery:

It is possible “…if they promise observance of the Rule and their own stability.”

In chapter 73, it is the title of the chapter:

“of the fact that the observance of the whole of righteousness is not laid down in this Rule.”

In chapter 73, verse 2, we find the concept again:

“But for anyone hastening on to the perfection of monastic life, there are the teachings of the holy Fathers, the observance of which will lead him to the very heights of perfection.”

The rest of the text develops this idea explicitly.

In all these citations, it is a matter on the one hand of observing the Rule, and on the other specifically of the observance of Lent.

- Observing the Rule is a question of carrying out day after day, week after week, season after season, year after year, all the prescriptions of the Rule even when these are in the form of spiritual directives. This is precisely what the last verses of chapter 7 are highlighting.

- The observance of Lent means devoting oneself especially to reading, a timetable which somewhat limits the amount of manual work,and to prolonged fasting until after Vespers. (Chapter 48:14). It includes prayer (prayer with tears), compunction of heart, the addition of something extra to our ordinary efforts – (individual prayer, abstinence from food and drink), depriving one’s body of food, drink, sleep, talking and joking, and waiting for the holy Pasch with the joy of spiritual desire.

2. Observing the Rule of Our Father Saint Benedict

The intention of the Founders of Cîteaux according to the Primitive Documents:

The title ‘Primitive Documents’ clearly expresses the contents of this collection of texts. Only the narrative documents and juridical documents are of interest to us here. The Founders of the New Monastery and their successors in the first half of the 12th century had several opportunities to express their intention. This intention leaves no place for doubt and can be expressed in a few words: “observe the Rule.” This is said in various ways using words derived from the Latin root “observ”. Intentionally, we limit ourselves here to a simple inventory, but the reader is invited to research the context of these citations. In this little overview, we will meet the term ‘observance” or ‘”observance of the Rule” ten times. The expression: “observance of the Holy Rule”prompts our attention.

Exordium of Cîteaux 1,4:

(…) at the same time perceiving that, though one could live there in a holy and respectable manner, this still fell short of their desire and purpose to observe the Rule they had professed. (ipsam quam professi fuerant regulam observari)

Capitular Decisions

XI, 2 – Clothing (...) such as the Rule describes it, they will take care that their cowls are simple, not ornately decorated or pleated ... (sed observandum de cucullis).

X11, 2 – For food, besides what the Rule states, (…) one must take care that the bread (hoc etiam observandum).

Little Exordium of the Monastery of Cîteaux

1, 4: (…) so that (...) they may the more tenaciously love both the place and theobservance of the Holy Rule (locum et obervantiam sanctae Regulae ament)…

III, 6: (…) they were coming to this solitude (…) to carry out their profession by observing theHoly Rule. (professionem suam observantia sanctae Regulae adimplerent.)

XV, 3: So that, directing the whole course of their life by the Rule over the entire tenor of their life, in ecclesiastical as well as in the rest of the observances, they matched or conformed their steps to the footprints traced by the Rule. (tam in ecclesiasticis quam in caeteris observationibus regulae vestigiis sunt adaequati seu conformati).

Charter of Charity:

2,2: Now, however, we desire and we command them, that they observe the Rule of the Blessed Benedict in everything just as it is observed in the New Monastery (regulam beati Benedicti per omnia observent sicut in Novo Monasterio observatur).

7, 2b (…) if something is to be emended or added to in the observance of the Holy Rule or of the Order, let them so ordain it (in observatione sanctae regulae vel Ordinis).

8, 2b (…) that all the abbots from every region are to come to the New Monastery on the day they decide among themselves, and there they are to obey in everything the abbot of that same place and the Chapter in the correction of things amiss and in the observance of the Holy Rule and of the Order. (in observantia sanctae Regulae vel Ordinis obediant per omnia.)

9, 6 But if the abbots of our churches see their mother, that is the say, the New Monastery, growing listless in her holy resolve (.) and swerving from the most straight path of the observance of the Holy Rule. (ab observatione regulae)

3. A Cistercian Exemplar of Observances: St. Bernard:

It is clear that the founders of Cîteaux wanted to observe the Rule of St. Benedict. It is equally clear that this Rule includes the notion of Observances. How did the first generation of Cistercians integrate and express that idea?We need to research what has been written on this subject by the Cistercian Fathers of the 12th Century, especially at the time when the Order was expanding rapidly, and when ‘Cîteaux’ was captivating the Western Christian world. By necessity we will limit ourselves to St. Bernard and to the references given by the Thesaurus of his works on the word observantia; even then, we will only quote a selection.

From the Treatise: On Precept and Dispensation 3:

“…as regards the subject, the precepts of the Rule (regularis institutio) in external matters at least corporales observantiae) - are voluntary at first, but compulsory once he has promised to observe them.”

Excerpts from some letters:

Letter 13, to some Canons Regular who wished to become Cistercians:

“For the sake of a stricter way of life they desired, with the help of God, to transfer from the Institutions of St. Augustine to the observance of St. Benedict.”

Letter 18, to Peter, Cardinal Deacon:

“I remember that I wrote, for the benefit of a friend, (William of St. Thierry) an Apologia where I wrote about the observances of Cluny and our Cistercian observances.”

Letter 277,to Eugene III about the Abbot of Cluny, Peter the Venerable:

“…although it is well known almost from the first instant of assuming office, he reformed his Order in many ways, in the matter, for instance of the observance of fasting, silence, and costly and luxurious clothing.”

Letter 307, to his friend Malachy, Archbishop of Armagh:

“I have sent back to you my very dear son Christian, having instructed him as well as I could in the observances of our Order and I hope that he will keep them with zeal.”

Letter 142, the famous letter to the Monks of Aulps, intentionally quoted last, because the word observance isn’t mentioned:

“Our way of life is an awareness of our need. It is humility, it is poverty freely accepted, obedience, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Our way of life means learning to be silent, exerting ourselves in fasts, vigils prayers. It means working with our hands, and above all clinging to that most excellent way which is love. It means furthermore to advance day by day in these things, and to persevere in them.”

Following the letters, some Sermons:

Sermon 71, 14 on the Song of Songs:

St. Bernard has just said (written): “If my fasting reflects my own self-will, it will not be acceptable to my Bridegroom.” He continues “And the same thing, I feel, must be true not only of fasting but of silence, vigils, prayer, spiritual reading, manual labour, and indeed every detail of the monk’s life, when self-will is found instead of obedience to his masters. Such observances – although good in themselves, are not to be accounted as among the lilies, that is, among the virtues.”

Sermon 2,6 for Pentecost:

“And lest you complain or sorrow at my absence (says Jesus ascended to heaven) I will send you the Spirit, the Paraclete, who will give you the pledge of salvation, the force of life, and the light of knowledge (…) He will give you the force of life, that what is by nature impossible for you will through his grace be made not only possible, but even easy. (cf. RB 7, 12th step.) Thus you will proceed with delight, as ‘in all riches’ in labours, vigils, in hunger and thirst, and in all observances which, unless sweetened with this meal, may seem to be ‘death in the pot’.”

The First Sermon for the Dedication, 5

This sermon is a spiritual commentary on the liturgical rites for the Dedication of a Church: the anointing of the twelve crosses on the walls or pillars and their illumination. This is essential for understanding this teaching:

“Hence it is necessary that the unction of spiritual grace should help our weakness, lubricating with the oil of devotion the cross of our regular observances and of our various penitential practices. For without the cross we cannot follow Christ, and without the sweetening unction, who could support the bitterness of the cross? Here, my brethren you have the reason why so many abhor and flee from penance, because, namely, they see the cross plainly enough, but cannot see the unction. But as for you who have had experience, behold you know, that our cross is truly anointed, that through the grace of the Spirit who helps us, our penance is sweet and delightful, and that our bitterness, as I may say, is become most pleasant. But after anointing us with the unction of grace, Christ surely will not put his candle under a bushel but upon a candlestick, because the hour has come when your light should shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father Who is in heaven.”