In late 2022, eight energetic nuns from the Cistercian Abbey of Boulaur
in France arrived to breathe new life into the Notre-Dame des Neiges
Abbey in the Ardèche mountains. According to LeSalonBeige.fr (31 July),
they have grown to 12 nuns.
The monastery was founded in 1850 by
Trappist monks. It once hosted Saint Charles de Foucauld, who began his
monastic journey there in 1890.
The monastery survived a fire in 1912 and the end of its wine production in the 2000s.
However,
the monastery fell silent after its last monks left in December 2021.
The ageing Trappist monks then handed it over to the nuns from Boulaur.
Boulaur
itself had once come close to closure. In 1979, with only five sisters
remaining, the monastery asked the Cistercian Abbot General for the permission
to pray to a certain Claire de Castelbajac, who was known locally for
her holiness. He agreed — temporarily. Soon after, new vocations arrived
and the closure was averted. Since then, Claire de Castelbajac has been
closely associated with Boulaur, where her tomb now lies.
The
monastery in Boulaur now has around two dozen nuns with an average age
of 45. Due to its growth, Boulaur reopened the old Cistercian abbey of
Sainte-Marie de Rieunette in 1998.
The nuns wear the traditional
habit and follow traditional Cistercian liturgical customs, such as
making deep bows and singing Gregorian chant, but use the Novus Ordo
missal.
Notre-Dame des Neiges is their second foundation.
To
earn money, these nuns started producing eco-friendly cleaning products
and soaps using local herbs. They also cultivate a 150-hectare farm and
maintain a vegetable garden. Furthermore, they run a guesthouse for
hikers and pilgrims.
In an attempt to raise their profile, they publish pictures and videos of their daily lives on social media.
#newsTgpltccxcn