Originally published at National Catholic Register
The Catholic Church’s loss of ground seems to have relatively spared monastic life in France. Better still, the country seems to be giving birth to a gradual return of monk-builders, to the point of reviving nostalgic memories of the days of King St. Louis.
After the resurrection of the historic Cistercian barn at Boulaur (southwest France), and the expansion of La Lucerne Abbey in Normandy, it is now the turn of the Benedictine Abbey of Sainte-Marie de la Garde, daughter community of Sainte-Madeleine du Barroux, located in the Diocese of Agen, in southwest France, to embark on a vast and audacious enlargement project.
This initiative undertaken by the Benedictine monks is part of a civilizational reconstruction effort, following a classical architectural model of Romanesque and Cluniac inspiration, destined to stand the test of time.
The first phase of this “Great Hope Project,” launched in May 2023, includes the construction of a cloister, bell tower and living quarters for the monks. It will then extend to the construction of an abbey church and crypt, a hotel complex, a conference hall and an infirmary. This particularly ambitious project for a new “abbey for the 21st century” nevertheless represents a major financial challenge.
