Home > The History > Rebirth of the religious life
Passing from legacy to legacy, the Abbey was finally bought by Henry Collard, who resold it a few days later (on 29 November 1902), by means of a document drawn up before the notary Alfred Laurent of Dinant, to the Premonstratensian canons of Frigolet near Avignon. They were expecting to be expelled from France under the Combes law, which prohibited communities without “social usefulness” to own landed property. They sought refuge in Leffe in mid-April, 1903. Unfortunately, the buildings were not at all ready to receive them. Large-scale works were undertaken, particularly with the help of the Bishop of Namur, Right Reverend Thomas-Louis Heylen, himself a Premonstratensian and formerly abbot of Tongerlo.
“On arrival, we put all our ardour into organising the house in order to make it habitable, since we arrived at a real demolition and building transformation site ... When the community was more or less accommodated, we dreamt about building a chapel. Until then, we contented ourselves with a big room, beautiful enough, but not adequate for the celebration of our solemn masses and most importantly, for the reception of the faithful. The north aisle of the ancient Abbey church which was then a huge barn, was chosen for conversion into a chapel ... The beautiful paintings by Mignard, which we had taken out of the woodwork of the church of Maria Adjutrix would certainly have disappeared after our departure from Frigolet. The stalls of the former chapel of St. Michael which followed us, furnished the choir ... Moreover, we had sent for our entire sacristy, its ornaments and sacred vessels which we had prevented from being confiscated and hidden with a devout family in Maillane, which had carefully guarded them. The Belgian government exempted them from Customs duties ... The ancient barn of Leffe disappeared and, decked and ornamented like a bride, it had become a house of God” (A. CHAIX, Order of the Premonstratenians, “The Premonstratensian priests of Frigolet in exile”, Le petit messager, 1966.)
The canons restored the buildings and housed a new Abbey church in the barn built in 1710 by the abbot Perpète Renson.
[updated on the 28.10.05]
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