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Premonstratensians

{{short description|Roman Catholic order founded in 1120}}

{{redirect|White Canons|the White Friars|Carmelites|the White Monks|Cistercians}}

{{Infobox organization

|name = Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré

|native_name = Candidus et Canonicus Ordo Praemonstratensis

|native_name_lang = la

|image = COA Premonstratensians.svg

|image_border =

|size = 200px

|alt = Shield of the Premonstratensians

|caption = Shield of the Premonstratensians

|map =

|msize =

|malt =

|mcaption =

|abbreviation = OPraem

|formation = 1120

|extinction =

|type = Catholic religious order

|status =

|purpose =

|headquarters = Viale Giotto, 27, 00153
Rome, Italy

|location = Worldwide

|coords = {{coord|41|52|44.07|N|12|29|19.39|E|type:landmark_scale:10000_region:IT|display=inline,title}}

|region_served = Worldwide

|membership = 1600+ (2024)https://premontre.org/

|language =

|leader_title = Abbot General

|leader_name = Josef Wouters

|main_organ = General Chapter

|parent_organization =

|affiliations = Catholic Church

|num_staff =

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|website = {{url|http://www.premontre.org/}}

|remarks =

}}

The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré ({{Langx|la|Candidus et Canonicus Ordo Praemonstratensis}}), also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines and, in Britain and Ireland, as the White Canons (from the colour of their habit), is a religious order of canons regular in the Catholic Church. They were founded in Prémontré near Laon in 1120 by Norbert of Xanten, who later became Archbishop of Magdeburg. Premonstratensians are designated by O.Praem (Ordo Praemonstratensis) following their name. They are part of the Augustinian tradition.

Norbert was a friend of Bernard of Clairvaux and 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12387b.htm|title=CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Premonstratensian Canons|website=www.newadvent.org|access-date=2020-04-24}} 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 Ancient Diocese of Laon, in Picardy, 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.norbertines.org/our_history_xanten.html|title=Saint Norbert of Xanten History at Saint Norbert Abbey in De Pere, Wisconsin|work=norbertines.org|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131106082558/http://www.norbertines.org/our_history_xanten.html|archive-date=2013-11-06}}

File:Rüti - Ortsmuseum - Kloster - Prämostratenser-Habit IMG 5172.JPG of a Premonstratensian, former Rüti Monastery]]

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. In time, mitigations and relaxations emerged, and these gave rise to reforms and semi-independent congregations within the Order.

The Norbertines arrived in England about 1143, first at Newhouse in Lincoln, England; 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.{{Cite web |url=http://www.snc.edu/communications/magazine/2009v41n3/cns.html |title=Staley, Tony. "Home to a Living History", St. Norbert College Magazine, Fall 2009 |access-date=2013-06-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402160359/http://www.snc.edu/communications/magazine/2009v41n3/cns.html |archive-date=2015-04-02 |url-status=dead }}

By the beginning of the nineteenth century the order had become almost extinct, only eight houses surviving, all in the Habsburg monarchy.{{EB1911|wstitle=Premonstratensians|inline=1}} However, there was something of a resurgence, and at the start of the twentieth century there were 20 monasteries and 1000 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 arrived in the United States of America to minister to Belgian immigrants in northern Wisconsin. De Pere, Wisconsin became the site of the first Norbertine Abbey in the new world.

By their nature as canons regular the Premonstratensians have always engaged in pastoral work of various kinds, including what would now be called retreat centres (nearly everywhere), and care for pilgrims (as at Conques) and, like many religious houses, have often run schools on a variety of scales (Averbode Abbey, Berne Abbey, United States, Australia). In order to support themselves, the different communities have down the centuries, and in modern times, operated small-scale manual activities (SME) such as printing (Averbode Abbey, Tongerlo Abbey, Berne Abbey), farming (Kinshasa, Ireland, Postel Abbey), forestry (Schlägl Abbey, Geras Abbey, Slovakia), and cheese-making (Postel Abbey). They have also entered agreements with breweries (Tongerlo Abbey, Postel Abbey, Park Abbey, Leffe, Grimbergen) and undertaken artistic bookbinding (in Oosterhout).{{cite web|url=http://www.abbaye-de-leffe.be/|title=Abbaye Notre-Dame de Leffe|author=Abbaye Notre-Dame de Leffe|work=abbaye-de-leffe.be}} Other activities have included the running of an astronomical observatory (Mira, Grimbergen).

In 2015, there were some 1000 male and 200 female members of the Order.{{cite web|url=http://www.premontre.org/chapter/cat/welcome/who-are-the-premonstratensians/|title=Who are the Premonstratensians?|work=premontre.org|access-date=2013-06-16|archive-date=2016-03-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160302232054/http://www.premontre.org/chapter/cat/welcome/who-are-the-premonstratensians|url-status=dead}}

The Feast of All Norbertine Saints and Blesseds is celebrated internally on November 13.{{cite web |url=http://www.norbertines.org/norbertine_associates_calendar.html |title=Norbertine Associate Calendar at Norbertines of Saint Norbert Abbey in de Pere, Wisconsin |access-date=2015-11-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117025833/http://www.norbertines.org/norbertine_associates_calendar.html |archive-date=2015-11-17 }}

The Norbertines have also had a major presence in the area of Green Bay, Wisconsin, owning WBAY television and radio stations until the mid-1970s. The Norbertines ran two local boys high schools until 1990 and still run four local schools in De Pere and Green Bay. Among these schools is St. Norbert College, the only Norbertine higher education institution in the world.{{cite news|url=https://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/in-depth/news/2020/12/03/st-norbert-abbey-paid-former-student-who-reported-priest-sex-abuse/6186892002/|title=First came sex abuse allegations at the abbey. Then secret payments. Then a suicide.|first=Haley|last=Demiller|publisher=Green Bay Gazette|date=December 3, 2020|access-date=December 14, 2020}}

Canonesses

File:JRKRUK 20130606 NORBERTANKI IMBRAMOWICE IMG 9376.jpg, Poland]]

The Order has several abbeys of women who, though technically called canonesses, follow 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,{{fact|date=December 2024}} 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 Premonstratensians even had a few double monasteries,{{Cite web|url=http://www.premontresisters.com/|title=Premontre Sisters - Norbertine Sisters in the World - Premonstratensian Orders - Life of Saint Norbert - Rule of St. Augustine|website=www.premontresisters.com|access-date=2020-04-24}} 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 with a community of canons.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}

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 Virgin Mary in each of its abbeys and priories.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}

Structure

Since Norbertine abbeys (and most priories) are autonomous, practices and apostolates are different, depending on the needs of the local Church. Some houses are contemplative in character whilst others are highly active in pastoral ministry. However, each is guided by the Rule of Saint Augustine and the Constitutions established by the General Chapter, which is held every six years.

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.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}

Abbeys

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 the USA.

There are seven circaries (Premonstratensian term for an ecclesiastical province[http://www.dict.cc/english-german/circary+%5BPremonstratensian+equivalent+to+a+monastic+province%5D.html 'circary' definition], dict.cc English-German Dictionary.):{{cite web|url=http://www.premontre.org/chapter/cat/places/|title=Places|work=premontre.org|access-date=2015-07-19|archive-date=2015-06-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150612015732/http://www.premontre.org/chapter/cat/places|url-status=dead}}

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Anglica Circary

  • St Norbert Priory, Queens Park, Perth, Australia
  • Priory of Our Lady of Sorrows, Peckham, England{{cite web |url= http://www.praemonstratensis.co.uk/ |title=St. Philip's Priory, Chelmsford. |work=praemonstratensis.co.uk |year=2012 |access-date=19 July 2012}}
  • Holy Trinity Abbey, Kilnacrott, Ireland
  • St. Norbert Abbey, De Pere, Wisconsin
  • Holy Spirit House of Studies, Chicago
  • Daylesford Abbey, Paoli, Pennsylvania, USA{{cite web |url=http://www.daylesford.org/Home.aspx |title=Daylesford Abbey |work=daylesford.org |year=2010 |access-date=19 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120718150040/http://www.daylesford.org/home.aspx |archive-date=18 July 2012 }}
  • Immaculate Conception Priory, Middletown, Delaware, USA
  • St. Michael's Abbey, California, USA{{cite web|url=https://stmichaelsabbey.com/|title=St. Michael's Abbey of the Norbertine Fathers|work=St. Michael's Abbey |access-date=14 Sep 2023}}
  • Corpus Christi Priory
  • Norbertine Canonesses of the Bethlehem Priory of St. Joseph, California, USA
  • Santa Maria de la Vid Abbey, New Mexico, USA{{cite web |url= http://www.norbertinecommunity.org/ |title=Welcome to the Norbertine Community of New Mexico! |work=norbertinecommunity.org |year=2012 |access-date=19 July 2012}}
  • St.Norbert Abbey, Jamtara, Jabalpur (M.P), India
  • St. Norbert Priory, Indara, India
  • St. Norbert Priory, Mumbai, India
  • St. Norbert Study House, Nagpur, India
  • Norbertine Study House, Pune, India
  • Canonry of Verapoly, Kerala, India
  • Canonry of Manathawady, India
  • St. Norbert's Priory, Cape Town, South Africa
  • St. Norbert Priory, Tamil Nadu, India

Bohemica Circary

  • Nová Říše Monastery, Czech Republic
  • Strahov Monastery, Czech Republic[http://www.strahovskyklaster.cz/webmagazine/home.asp?idk=257 Royal Canonry of Premonstratensians at Strahov]
  • Canonry in Holíč Slovakia
  • Teplá Abbey, Czech Republic[{{official|https://klastertepla.cz/ Klaster Tepla}}
  • Želiv Abbey, Czech Republic
  • Jasov Monastery, Slovakia{{cite web |url= http://slovakia-travelguide.info/jasov.html |title=Jasov - Slovakia - Slovakia travel guide |work=slovakia-travelguide.info |year=2012 |access-date=19 July 2012}}

Brabantica Circary

  • Averbode Abbey, Belgium
  • Vejle, Denmark
  • Brasschaat Priory, Belgium
  • Grimbergen Abbey, Belgium{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/belgian-abbey-raises-brewery-ashes-after-200-years-2021-05-27/|title=Belgian abbey raises brewery from ashes after 200 years|newspaper=Reuters |date=27 May 2021 |last1=Blenkinsop |first1=Philip }}
  • Park Abbey, Belgium
  • Postel Abbey, Belgium[https://www.abdijpostel.be/ Abdij van Postel]
  • Tongerlo Abbey, Belgium
  • Parroquia San Pablo, Chiguayante, Chile
  • Berne Abbey, The Netherlands[http://www.abdijvanberne.nl/ Berne Abbey] {{in lang|nl}}
  • Priory of Essenburgh, Hierden
  • Priory ‘De Schans’, Tilburg

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Gallica Circary

  • Priory La Cambre, Brussels
  • Abbaye Notre-Dame de Leffe, Dinant
  • St. Joseph's Priory, Saint-Constant, Canada
  • Abbey of St. Michael, Frigolet, France[http://www.frigolet.com/ Frigolet Abbey]
  • Abbey of St. Martin, Mondaye, France
  • Priory of St. Foy, Conques, France
  • Prieuré Notre-Dame des Neiges, Laloubère, France
  • La Lucerne Abbey
  • Priory of Our Lady of the Assumption, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

Germanica Circary

  • Hamborn Abbey, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
  • Premomonstratensian Priory in Magdeburg
  • Speinshart Abbey, Bavaria
  • Windberg Abbey, Bavaria
  • Roggenburg Abbey, Bavaria
  • Stift Geras, Austria{{cite web |url=http://www.stiftgeras.at/en/gemeinschaft.html |title=Stift Geras | community |work=stiftgeras.at |year=2011 |access-date=19 July 2012 |archive-date=14 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111114235839/http://www.stiftgeras.at/en/gemeinschaft.html |url-status=dead }}
  • Stift Schlägl, Austria
  • Stift Wilten, Tyrol{{cite web |url= http://www.stift-wilten.at/ |title=Startseite - Prämonstratenser Chorherren Stift Wilten, Innsbruck |work=stift-wilten.at |year=2012 |access-date=19 July 2012}}{{in lang|de}}

Hungarica Circary

Portuguesa Circary

  • Priory of St. Norbert, Itinga, Brazil
  • Priory of Natal
  • Pfarre Gatterhölzl, Vienna, Austria
  • St Norbert Abbey, Jaú, Brazil
  • Parish of São Paulo
  • Montes Claros Priory
  • Mirabela, priory parish
  • Casa de Contagem

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=Discontinued=

{{More citations needed section|date=June 2021}}

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Notable members

=Norbertine saints=

Norbertines celebrate "all Norbertine Saints and Blesseds" on November 13.{{Cite web |url=https://www.norbertines.org/about-us/norbertine-saints-blesseds/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=2017-06-05 |archive-date=2018-02-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180203183102/https://www.norbertines.org/about-us/norbertine-saints-blesseds/ |url-status=dead }}

  • Hermann Joseph von Steinfeld (feast day May 24)
  • Norbert (died 1134, feast day June 6)
  • Adrian and James of Middleburg, martyrs (died 1572, feast day July 9)
  • Evermode of Ratzeburg (died 1178, feast day February 17)
  • Frederick of Hallum (or of Mariengaarde) (died 1175, feast day February 4)
  • Gilbert of Neuffontaines (or of Cappenberg) (died 1152, feast day October 26)
  • Godfrey of Cappenberg (died 1127, feast day January 14)
  • Isfrid (Isfried) of Ratzeburg (died 1204, feast day June 15),
  • Ludolph of Ratzeburg (died 1250, feast day April 16)
  • Siard of Mariengaarde (died 1230, feast day November 14)

==Norbertine Blesseds==

Norbertine Blesseds include:

  • Beatrice of Engelport (died 1275, feast day March 12/13)
  • Bronislava of Poland (or of Zwierzniec) (died 1259, feast day August 30)
  • Gerlach of Valkenburg (died 1172, feast day January 5)
  • Gertrude of Aldenberg (Altenburg), Abbess (died 1297, feast day August 13)
  • Hugh of Fosse (died 1164, feast day February 10)
  • Hroznata of Teplá (died 1217, feast day July 14)
  • Jakob Kern of Geras (died 1924, feast day October 20)
  • Oda of Bonne Rivreuille (died 1158, feast day April 20)
  • Peter-Adrian Toulorge of Blanchelande, Martyr (died 1793, feast day October 13)
  • Ricvera of Clastres (died 1136, feast day October 29)

Education

{{More citations needed section|date=June 2021}}

St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin, United States, is the only institution of higher education sponsored by the Order. Elsewhere they also sponsor/operate schools or serve in pastoral care capacities at parish schools.

Schools founded or sponsored by the order include:

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."{{cite news|work=Daily Mirror|date=23 June 2015|title=Brendan Smyth: Paedophile priest told doctor he may have sexually abused hundreds of children|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/brendan-smyth-paedophile-priest-told-5932125}}{{cite news|work=The Irish News|date=23 June 2015|title=Warning before paedophile priest's ordination ignored|url=http://www.irishnews.com/news/warning-before-paedophile-priest-s-ordination-ignored-1466501|access-date=2015-06-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150623234529/http://www.irishnews.com/news/warning-before-paedophile-priest-s-ordination-ignored-1466501|archive-date=2015-06-23|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|work=BBC|date=15 March 2010|title=Profile of Father Brendan Smyth|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/8567868.stm}} Reviewers of the case agree that there was a deliberate plot to conceal Smyth's behaviour, incompetence by his superiors at Kilnacrott Abbey.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}

See also

References

;Notes

{{Reflist}}

;Bibliography

{{Refbegin}}

  • Wolfgang Grassl, Culture of Place: An Intellectual Profile of the Premonstratensian Order. Nordhausen: Bautz, 2012.

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External links

{{Commons category|Members of the Premonstratensian Order}}

  • [http://www.premontre.org/ Premonstratensian Home Page]
  • [http://www.norbert.wa.edu.au/ St Norbert College, Catholic Secondary School in the Norbertine Tradition)]
  • [http://www.snc.edu St. Norbert College - Private Catholic College (Norbertine Tradition)]
  • [http://www.archmereacademy.com Archmere Academy - Catholic School in the Norbertine Tradition]
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20170926115645/http://archmere-alumni.org/ Archmere Alumni Association]
  • [http://www.abbeynews.com The website for St. Michael's Abbey of the Norbertine Fathers in Silverado, California]
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20070108034035/http://www.norbertines.co.uk/ The website of the Norbertine Community of Our Lady of England Priory, Storrington, West Sussex, UK]
  • [http://www.praemonstratensis.co.uk Norbertines of Chelmsford, UK]
  • [http://www.snc.edu/cns/ Center for Norbertine Studies, St. Norbert College, De Pere, Wisconsin]

{{Catholic religious orders}}

{{Authority control}}

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Category:1120 establishments in Europe

Category:Religious organizations established in the 1120s

Category:Christian religious orders established in the 12th century