Saint Bernard sisters from Oudenaarde

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The Saint Bernard Sisters of Oudenaarde are (since around 1200) a small branch of the Cistercian order , which is mainly active in nursing and schooling. Today there are around 20 monasteries in Belgium and Africa .

history

Since the end of the 12th century there was a hospital for the elderly, the sick and travelers in Oudenaarde , which was looked after by nuns and in 1202 received a donation from Baldwin I of Constantinople, Count of Flanders . The nuns lived according to a rule issued in 1224 by Walter von Marvis, Bishop of Tournai (1219–1251). They came into possession of 800 hectares of land and maintained the hospital with the lease money. As part of the abundant founding of women's monasteries in the 13th century, there were attempts from 1232 to add the Cistercian convent De Consilio Beatae Mariae (Moeder van Goede Raad) to the Oudenaarde Hospital , which, however, had to move to Ath and there under the name Maria Refuge ( Refuge Notre-Dame ) continued to exist. The similarity of the way of life led from the 14th century to the fact that the hospital sisters were occasionally assigned to the Cistercian Sisters, but the community insisted on their independence from any congregation and on their own rules, which was also reflected in the naming as "Saint Bernard Sisters" .

From 1566 (conquest of Oudenaarde by the Geusen Jacob Blommaert) to 1582 (reconquest by Alexander Farnese ) the community suffered badly and at times fled to Courtrai . It was endangered again under Emperor Joseph II and by the French Revolution , but was able to hold out. Napoleon Bonaparte officially recognized it in 1810 under the name "Dames de l'Hôpital de Notre-Dame". In 1843, another community was founded in Bassevelde (now part of Assenede ) which, in addition to hospital work, also ran a school for girls in need, as was the case in Oudenaarde in 1848. From this time the name "Saint Bernard women" was naturalized. In 1858 there was talk of the "Ordo Sancti Bernardi Aldenardensis et Basseveldensis".

In 1932 the community reached out to Africa and founded mission stations, in 1932 in Kansi ( Rwanda ), 1936 in Rwamagana (Rwanda), also in 1983 in Chad and 1995 in Burkina Faso . In 1946 the community was affiliated to the Trappist order and called itself "Saint Bernard Cistercian Sisters of Oudenaarde". Noëlla Ghijs is currently superior general.

Monasteries and places of the St. Bernard Sisters in Belgium

  • Moeder van Goede Raad, St.Walburgastraat 9, Oudenaarde
  • Onze Lieve Vrouw van de Vrede, Hoogstraat 8, Oudenaarde
  • Maria, Poort van Gods Genade, Hoogstraat 28a, Oudenaarde (Provincial Office)
  • Maria, Koningin van de Apostelen, Hoogstraat 28b, Oudenaarde
  • Moeder van de Kerk, St.-Jozefsplein 11, Oudenaarde
  • Onze Lieve Vrouw van de Armen, G. Moreaustraat 102, Anderlecht
  • Maria onze Hoop, Keizer karelstraat 127, Gent (Generalate)
  • Morgenster, Frans Ackermanstraat 25, Ghent
  • Onze Lieve Vrouw van de Rozenkrans, Assenedestraat 18, Bassevelde
  • Moeder van de Zee, Koninklijke Baan 18, De Panne
  • Benediktushuis, Emiel Clauslaan 121, Deinze (Astene)
  • Ruach , Apostelhuizen 24, Gent (house in the spirit of Taizé)

Monasteries in Africa

  • Marie Immaculée, Kigali , Rwanda
  • La Vierge des Pauvres, Kamonyi (Kigali), Southern Province (Rwanda)
  • Notre-Dame du Bon Conseil, Kansi ( Butare ), Rwanda
  • Notre-Dame de l'Etoile, Butare, Rwanda
  • Notre-Dame de l'Annonciation, Butare, Rwanda
  • Marie Médiatrice, Munyaga ( Rwamagana ), Rwanda
  • Marie Mère de Dieu, Mbalkabra, Chad
  • Notre-Dame de la Paix, Bao, Chad
  • Notre-Dame de la Providence, Bobo, Burkina Faso

Affiliated monasteries in France and England

See also

literature

  • Noëlla Ghijs, Marita Martens, R. Castelain, G. van Bockstaele, Het Onze-Lieve-Vrouwehospitaal te Oudenaarde en de bewers Bernardinnen. Een bijdrage tot de ontsluiting van 800 years divorced, 1202–2002 . Ghent 2004.
  • Bernard Peugniez , Le Guide Routier de l'Europe cistercienne . Editions du Signe, Strasbourg 2012, pp. 247, 373–375 (inadequately presented).

Web links