Order of Port Royal - a short description
Ecumenical Cistercian Congregation of Port Royal
Our Community began in France The Order of Port Royal is a monastic community which began with the French Cistercian convent of Port Royal. The original Convent was founded in 1204 and dissolved in the year 1705. The remnants of the convent moved to the Netherlands receiving assistance from the Bishop of Utrecht.
Twentieth Century Hungarian Restoration In the 1930’s the Christ Catholic Bishop of Hungary, +Thomas Fehervary, revived the Order. In 1946 the Order was canonically reconstituted with 2 newly erected convents.
The Order in Germany: The Old Catholics A German branch emerged in the 1950’s shepherded by the Old-Catholic pastor of Münster/Bielefeld, Max Rademacher. He was supported by a group of Old-Catholics who wished to reintroduce monasticism and contemplative spirituality in their church. However, this idea did not find acceptance with church leadership. In 1962 Max Rademacher was consecrated by +Thomas Fehervary and assumed the office of Abbot Bishop.
Autocephaly of the German branch In 1964 the German branch separated from the Diocese of the Old-Catholics in Germany. This was viewed as a necessary step on the way to a full expression of the original Cistercian ideal. In 1967, Max Rademacher was received in the Roman -Catholic church. The office of Abbot remained vacant from 1967 - 1990. During that period the order was managed provisionally by the Convent. By 1990 the membership had declined drastically —primarily from the deaths of professed religious. In 1990, the last surviving priest, Dom Peter Falk, convened the remaining members of the Convent to determine whether the order should be dissolved or reconstituted. It was decided that renewal should be attempted.
The 1990 Renewal In 1990 the reconstituted order unanimously elected Dom Peter Falk to the office of Abbot. In 2002 Dom +Peter resigned for Health Reasons, Dom +Klaus OPR, the Abbot of St. Severin was unanimously elected and installed as his Successor the same year. From 2004 till 2010 the Order had rejoined the Old Catholic Church, but this Alliance again proofed unsuccessful, so that the Order once again regained its full Independence. The Order is now under its own Synod : “The Christian Catholic Synod of Port Royal”.
International branches Today the order has branches in Germany, France, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Cameroon and the US. We have abbeys in Germany, Haiti and France as well as a Priory in USA. In Cameroon and the USA the Order is under the Protection of respected Anglican Bishops. Addresses GERMANY: Abbot + Klaus D. Schlapps
OPR USA: Priorat St.Anthony of the Desert Prior Dom Nelson Koscheski OPR
FRANCE: ABBAYE DE MARIE REINE
GUADELOUPE : Rissime Père Dom Xavier du Rosaire
HAÏTI : Rissime Père Dom Jean Bertin Bien-Aimé
EN HERMITAGE : R.P. Dom GABRIEL de l’Annonciation.(MAIRE)
CAMEROUN : R.Père Prieur Dom BEDE DE LA NATIVITE Further information can be ordered through above addresses.
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