Home > Premonstratensians > The nobertin life in Leffe
The first of our church’s apostolic goals consists in promoting this unity in Christ, within as without. Saint Augustine teaches us: the communion of our communities must be overabundant in charity that extends to all men.
In exercising apostolic activity, we do not all have the same function: “For as in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another” (Rom. 12,4-5). Our pastoral activity must, therefore, be collegial.
In choosing the forms of its apostolate, the canonry takes into account the most urgent necessities of the Church and of the contemporary world. For our communities, although they work essentially in the dioceses where they are located, must also be ready to serve the universal Church. Since its origins, our Order has been marked by the missionary spirit of Saint Norbert.
The mission of our churches does not consist only in spreading to man the good word of Christ and of bringing His grace, but also in ensuring the penetration of the evangelical spirit in society so as to bring it to its perfection: thus it is our task to contribute to building the human community in Charity. Engaging in contemporary debates, at the risk of cross-questioning and of raising doubts, is to trust in God and believe that His Word is truly liberating and that it can transfigure all that it touches.
The canonical profession of the Premonstratensians calls on them to combine closely action and contemplation in the service of a Church. Inside the abbey, they occupy themselves with celebrating the divine office and with various exercises belonging to a life of contemplation, combining their pastoral ministry with these spiritual practices. The ministry may assume different forms, the administration of parishes being the most frequent. The parish ministry is, in fact, the most frequently noted characteristic of the Norbertine institution, but we do not say its principal objective, still less its only objective. Father Norbert Calmels, a former abbot-general was able to write: “The Premonstratensians are not born to parish priesthood. Some engage in preaching, others acquire professorships, others still engage in scientific research ... Engaging in the most varied pursuits, they all live according to the spirit of their Founder and are attached to their Order by both visible and invisible bonds ... It is not the priest who wishes to return to the world who is best suited to the ministry, but rather one who wanted to live in the silence of his cell. All them refer the choice to the wisdom of the abbot; this then is no longer a commitment of an individual, but becomes that of the monastery ... which demonstrates the originality of St. Norbert and bears the imprint of his genius”. These conclusions find application and confirmation in the past of the Abbey of Leffe as well much as in its present practices. A particular canon who holds a monastic office, is sent to a parish. A particular parish priest is recalled to exercise the office of prior, provisor or master of novices. The majority of abbots are invested with their office after having exercised a parish ministry and move quite naturally from their presbyteries to the abbacy of Leffe, having thus gained experience of the lives of their religious either in the monastery or in the outside ministry.
[updated on the 04.11.05]
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Glass works
In the XIXth century, the Abbey was converted into a glass works; furnaces and a manufacturing shop were set up in the ruins of the church, workmens’ families were accommodated in a part of the monastery. (read more)
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