Swiss Benedictine Federation
The Swiss Benedictine Federation (also Federation of Benedictine Sisters in Switzerland ) is the name given to the legally independent federations of Swiss Benedictine Sisters gathered in a joint federation chapter . These represent the female equivalent of the Swiss Benedictine Congregation of Monks founded in 1602. The federation consists of eleven monasteries in Switzerland , two monasteries in Germany and a dependent monastery in Cameroon .
history
There have been Benedictine monasteries in Switzerland for centuries, the most important of which was the Fraumünster prince abbey (founded in 853, abolished in the Reformation in 1524 ). Some monasteries were so-called double monasteries , like the Einsiedeln Abbey and Fahr Monastery to this day. In addition, the Fischingen Monastery and the Engelberg Monastery were initially double monasteries, with the women's convent of the former being (soon) abolished and that of the latter being relocated to Sarnen in 1615. In keeping with the Benedictine tradition, however, the autonomy of a monastery was of great importance, which is why the women's monasteries were largely independent.
In the course of the 19th century, in particular, new Benedictine monasteries emerged alongside the old nunneries, who tried to combine contemplation with apostolic works , but still wanted to adhere to the monastic tradition of the Benedictine order.
On November 21, 1950, Pope Pius XII. the apostolic constitution " Sponsa Christi ", in which he called for independent women's convents to be united in federations. The new guidelines from Rome were first examined by the Swiss Benedictine Congregation, which considered it the most obvious thing to do to integrate the nunnery into the congregation of monks. This variant also met with unanimous approval from the nuns' monasteries. As this would have become exempt , however, the approval of Rome could not be expected, which is why the project had to be abandoned.
As a result, the then five nunneries (Müstair, Hermetschwil-Habsthal, Sarnen, Fahr and Seedorf) decided unanimously to found a federation of nunneries in 1962, whereby the question arose how the relationship to the Benedictine sister monasteries (then Melchtal, Maria Rickenbach , Ofteringen, Wikon, Au, Glattburg). This was due in particular to the fact that Benedictine life in the old nunneries and the younger sister monasteries hardly differed: the whole monastic choir prayer was performed in both directions and both nunneries (Fahr, Sarnen) and sister monasteries (Melchtal, Maria Rickenbach) ran schools or volunteered as teachers.
In 1965 the superiors of all Swiss Benedictine monasteries met for the first time , and it became clear that a single federation was desired. After an initial request to Rome as to whether such a union would be possible in a single federation had been answered positively, a draft of the Constitutions was submitted to the Vatican in 1968. Contrary to expectations, this was rejected. Despite the intervention of the Swiss Benedictine monks, the planned constitutions were finally rejected by the Religious Congregation in 1971 and a merger in just one federation "because of the difference in nature, structure and purpose of the two groups" (scope of the church prayer, type of vows and enclosure etc.) declared impossible.
The Benedictine nuns then submitted identical constitutions to the Vatican, which, however, were only accepted after corrections were made. As a result, two separate federations were established (see below), which, however, meet in a common federation chapter and only separate for separately prescribed matters such as elections. The Swiss Benedictine Sisters consequently act as the Swiss Benedictine Federation. Both federations are under the protection of " Our Lady of the Annunciation" with the patronage on March 25th.
Federation of nunneries (Foederatio Helvetica)
The Federation of Nunnery Monasteries of the Order of Saint Benedict in Switzerland was established by decree of April 21, 1976, with its statutes initially being approved for seven years and then finally in 1985 .
The current head is Sr. M. Pia Habermacher OSB, Abbess of Sarnen.
Members
Mustair Monastery
The St. Johann monastery was founded in the 8th century and has been inhabited by Benedictine women since the 12th century. The monastery complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site . The abbot of Disentis acts as a church superior as the delegate of the bishop of Chur .
Mustair Monastery
St. Johan monastery church
Choir room
-_Clostra_San_Jon_(Kloster_St_Johann).jpg)
Hermetschwil Monastery
The St. Martin Abbey in Hermetschwil originally belonged as a women's convent to what was then the double monastery of Muri.In the 12th century, the nuns were moved to Hermetschwil and then lifted several times, for example in the monastery dispute and in the Kulturkampf , due to which the nuns had to flee to Habsthal in 1876. However, they bought back parts of the monastery complex in 1878 and since 1985 (after the monastery article was abolished ) an abbess has been running the monastery again. The abbot of Muri-Gries is Ordinarius religiosus .
St. Martin Abbey, Hermetschwil
Sarnen Monastery
The St. Andreas monastery in Sarnen goes back to the original Engelberg double monastery, which was founded around 1120. In 1615 the convent was moved to Sarnen. In 1906 the monastery Sarnen in the US founded the Monastery of St. Gertrude in Cottonwood, Idaho , which soon became independent, and in 1938 the Priory of St. Benoît in Mbouda-Babete (Cameroon), which till today canonically belongs dependent priory of Benedictine Abbey Sarnen. The abbot of Engelberg is Ordinarius religiosus .
Fahr Monastery
The Fahr Monastery was founded in 1130 and, together with Einsiedeln, represents the only remaining double monastery in the world. The Abbot of Einsiedeln is also Abbot of Fahr, which makes Fahr's legal situation unique: Fahr Monastery is the only women's monastery belonging to the Benedictine Confederation is legally a member as such.
Fahr Monastery
Seedorf Monastery
The St. Lazarus Abbey was originally founded as a monastery of the Order of Lazarus , in 1559 nuns from Claro were called to Seedorf. An abbess presides over the monastery. The abbot of Einsiedeln is Ordinarius religiosus .
Seedorf Monastery
Au monastery
The Au monastery was originally a sister monastery , but was converted into a nunnery by decree of June 7, 1983. In 1984 the monastery was elevated to the status of an abbey, with the superiors holding the title of prioress to this day. As former sisters, the nuns in the Au monastery practice perpetual adoration, which was common to all Benedictine sister monasteries in Switzerland. The abbot of Einsiedeln is Ordinarius religiosus .
Au monastery
Glattburg Monastery
The St. Gallenberg Monastery on the Glattburg was a sister monastery . It was established in 1781 by the St. Gallen Monastery on the Glattburg, converted into a nunnery in 1978 and elevated to an abbey in 1984. The Abbot of Einsiedeln is a delegate of the Bishop of St. Gallen .
St. Gallenberg Abbey
Habsthal Abbey (Germany)
The monastery Have valley was settled in 1892 by nuns from the monastery Hermetschwil which had to give up their home monastery. After the so-called monastery article was abolished, the majority of the Habsthal convent in exile moved back to Hermetschwil. Habsthal Monastery became an independent priory, while the abbess took her seat back in the mother monastery. The abbot of Muri-Gries is Ordinarius religiosus .
Habsthal Monastery
Federation of sister monasteries (Foederatio sororum Benedictinarum Helvetiae)
The federation of Benedictine sister monasteries in Switzerland was established by decree of February 24, 1975 and was finally approved in 1986. In 1978 this Federation of Benedictine Sisters was officially aggregated into the Benedictine Confederation . Eternal adoration is common to all sister monasteries, as well as the former sister monasteries that were converted into nunneries .
The current head is Sr. M. Daniela Bieri OSB, Prioress of Melchtal.
Members
Melchtal Monastery
The monastery of St. Niklaus von Flüe in Melchtal was founded in 1866 as a worship monastery . In 1868 the sisters took over the Regula Benedicti . For many years, the Melchtal Abbey maintained the Melchtal Institute , a girls' school whose building was taken over by the Juvenat Foundation in 2017. The St. Martin Monastery (now: Rapid City ) founded by Melchtal in the United States in 1889 has been independent since 1900. The abbot of Engelberg is the delegate of the bishop of Chur. The Melchtal sisters moved to the Benedictine Center Sarnen in 2019, see below.
St. Niklaus von Flüe Monastery, Melchtal
Maria-Rickenbach Monastery
The Maria-Rickenbach monastery was founded in 1869 and still exists today. The abbot of Engelberg is the delegate of the bishop of Chur.
Maria-Rickenbach Monastery
Ofteringen Monastery (Germany)
The Marienburg Abbey in Ofteringen was founded in 1862 by Sabina Schneider and is located in the Archdiocese of Freiburg . The Archbishop of Freiburg is responsible for the church.
Marienburg Abbey, Ofteringen
Wikon Monastery
The Wikon Monastery was founded in 1891. The Abbot of Engelberg is a delegate of the Bishop of Basel . The sisters from Wikon moved to the Benedictine Center Sarnen in 2019.
Further monasteries in Switzerland and subsidiary foundations in the USA
Monasteries in Switzerland
Two other Benedictine monasteries in Switzerland do not belong - for different reasons - to the Swiss Benedictine Federation, but are historically or factually closely linked to the Federation.
Monastero Santa Maria Assunta, Claro
The Monastero Santa Maria Assunta (Monastery of the Assumption of Mary in Heaven ) in Claro , Ticino , founded in 1490, does not belong to the (German-speaking) Swiss Benedictine Federation, primarily for linguistic reasons, and is a single monastery of the Benedictine Confederation. The Claro Monastery, however, sent the first Benedictine women to today's member monastery Seedorf (see above), which is why it is at least historically closely linked to the Federation.
Monastero Santa Maria Assunta, Claro
Heiligkreuz Monastery, Cham
The Heiligkreuz monastery goes back to the Baldegger sisters who came to Cham in 1857 and founded a school. In 1862 the branch became independent. In 1892 the sisters in Cham adopted the Benedictine Rule and joined the Olivetan Congregation , which is why they are called Olivetan Benedictine Sisters . In 1953, the Cham Benedictine Sisters sent sisters to Busan in South Korea . Founded in Korea, which today includes several hundred sisters, the Heiligkreuz Monastery forms the federation of the Olivetan Benedictine Sisters of the Holy Cross of Cham and Busan . The Cham monastery sends two representatives each, who take part as guests in the joint federation chapter of the Swiss Benedictine Federation.
Heiligkreuz Monastery, Cham
Subsidiaries founded in the USA and relationships with Swiss monasteries
The monasteries Maria-Rickenbach, Melchtal and Sarnen founded new monasteries in the United States in the 19th century. All daughter monasteries in the USA are sister monasteries, regardless of the type of Swiss mother monastery. The subsidiary foundations (today) differ from the Swiss founding monasteries mostly only externally significantly in that the majority of the US Benedictine women do not wear a habit . In addition, choral prayer was severely restricted in the USA compared to the Swiss monasteries of origin. For example, in Yankton, founded by Maria-Rickenbach, there are two more prayers in the choir ( Morning Prayer, Evenig Prayer ), while in the mother monastery at least the Laudes , the noon shore , the Vespers and the Compline are prayed. The Swiss Benedictine monasteries then go traditional on the so-shortened choral prayer out by (besides the usual, as a minimum in Switzerland prayers as Lauds, Noon, Vespers and Compline) about the third party or the third and the Vigil. In doing so, they stick to the traditional choir prayer, which the Benedictine women have always had.
Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration)
The Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration now form their own federation of sisters. The Federation's main monastery is the Clyde Monastery , which was founded in 1874 by the Swiss monastery Maria-Rickenbach.
Federation of St. Gertrude
This federation of Benedictine sisters refers to roots from the Swiss monasteries Maria-Rickenbach, Sarnen and Melchtal as well as from the German monastery Eichstätt.
Among the monasteries, the following were founded directly by members of the Swiss Benedictine Federation:
- Yankton Monastery, 1874 by Maria-Rickenbach
- St. Martin Monastery, 1889 from Melchtal
- Monastery of St. Gertrude von Sarnen
Recent developments
Decline in vocations
In the second half of the 20th century, there was a sharp decline in vocations to religious life in Switzerland . This is related to the ever advancing secularization . In the past, mainly Franciscan monasteries were closed due to this decline , such as the Capuchin convents Wattwil and Appenzell, the Franciscan convent Solothurn and various convents of the Capuchin brothers (including Appenzell, Solothurn, Stans, Zug and various others).
The Benedictine nuns, who belong to the contemplative orders, experienced a decrease from 327 to 110 sisters between 1991 and 2017, i.e. a loss of 217 sisters and a decrease in the total proportion of contemplative women religious from 33 to 29 percent, whereby they remain numerically the largest monastic religious community . Even if the decline in the monastic orders of women remained more moderate than in the communities of apostolic life , it was decisive.
Sarnen Benedictine Center
Under the impression of their steadily decreasing number and dwindling resources, the conventuals of the monasteries Sarnen, Melchtal and Wikon decided to take an unprecedented step for Benedictine women by collecting their convents in the Benedictine Center Sarnen , actively supported by the St. Anna sisters and were supported by the Ora et labora foundation . This is located on the area of St. Andreas Abbey, which was extensively restored and rebuilt for the implementation of the project for 15 million francs. The Benedictine nuns of Melchtal and Wikon gave up their ancestral monasteries.
On March 7, 2019, the Benedictine nuns of Melchtal left their monastery and moved to Sarnen, with great sympathy from the local population. The Benedictine nuns of Wikon could already be welcomed in Sarnen with friends.
The opening ceremony of the Benedictine Center on June 24, 2019 was attended by 1,800 people, the interest of the population was already great in advance.
The three communities remain canonically independent and continue to be led by their superiors. In the future, the Benedictine Center will also be open to other Benedictine women's communities.
Vultum Dei quaerer e and Cor orans
With Vultum Dei quaerere and Cor orans, Pope Francis resp. the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and for Societies of Apostolic Life new directives, some of which are in tension with Benedictine law . It remains to be seen what effects these norms - such as No. 45 Cor orans , according to which an autonomous monastery loses the right to elect its superior if there are only 5 sisters with solemn profession - on the Swiss Benedictine Federation.
literature
- Swiss Benedictine Sisters, Monasteries, History, Tasks, 1980
- Helvetia Sacra III / 1: Early monasteries, the Benedictines in Switzerland, 3 volumes, 1986 (especially pp. 171–230: Brigitte Degler-Spengler, The Swiss Benedictine Sisters in Modern Times)
- Statutes of the Federation of Benedictine Monasteries in Switzerland, 1987
- Constitutions of the Benedictine nunneries belonging to the Federation of Benedictine nunneries in Switzerland, 1987
- Statutes of the Benedictine sister monasteries in Switzerland, 1987
- Constitutions of the Benedictine monasteries that belong to the Federation of Benedictine Sisters of Switzerland, 1987
- Spirituality of the Swiss Federated Benedictine Sisters, 1990
- Bösch, Leonhard: The founding of the federations of Swiss Benedictine monasteries 1951–1991; 1993
- Directory of members / Swiss Benedictine Federation, ed. on behalf of the united chapter of the Federation of Benedictine Nunnery Monasteries of Switzerland and the Federation of Benedictine Nunnery Monasteries of Switzerland. 1978-1999. - Einsiedeln: Kälin, 1978–1999
Web links
- Joint appearance of the Swiss Benedictine Congregation and the Swiss Benedictine Federation
- Swiss Benedictine Federation at orden-online.de
Individual evidence
- ^ Benedictines in Germany: Federation of Benedictine Sisters in Switzerland. Retrieved January 22, 2019 .
- ↑ Swiss Benedictines: The monasteries of the Benedictine women. Retrieved January 22, 2019 .
- ^ OSB Atlas (Directory of Benedictine Monasteries): Saint Benoït Priory, Mbounda. Retrieved January 28, 2019 .
- ↑ Fahr Monastery: double monastery. Retrieved January 22, 2019 .
- ^ Benno Schildknecht: Fischingen (monastery). In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland . January 19, 2005 , accessed February 1, 2019 .
- ↑ Urban Hodel, Rolf De Kegel: Engelberg (monastery). In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland . March 31, 2011 , accessed January 22, 2019 .
- ^ Rolf De Kegel: St. Andreas. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland . January 11, 2011 , accessed January 22, 2019 .
- ^ Benedictine communities in Switzerland: 400 years of the Swiss Benedictine Congregation 1602-2002 . S. 51 .
- ↑ a b Benedictine communities in Switzerland: 400 years of the Swiss Benedictine Congregation 1602-2002 . S. S 51, section 2 .
- ↑ kath.ch: Swiss Benedictine new with Secretary General. Retrieved January 22, 2019 .
- ↑ Benedictines: Welcome. Retrieved January 22, 2019 .
- ↑ Marco Jorio : Exceptional Article. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland . July 20, 2008 , accessed January 22, 2019 .
- ^ Sarnen women's monastery: history. Retrieved January 28, 2019 .
- ^ Monastery Au: Contact. Retrieved January 22, 2019 .
- ↑ Benedictine Communities in Switzerland: 400 Years of the Swiss Benedictine Congregation 1602 - 2002 . S. P 52 .
- ↑ Juvenat Foundation, Melchtal: History. Retrieved January 28, 2019 .
- ↑ St. Martin's Monastery: History. Retrieved January 22, 2019 .
- ↑ Wikon Monastery. Retrieved January 22, 2019 .
- ^ Monastero di Claro: Il monastero. Retrieved January 28, 2019 .
- ^ OSB Atlas (directory of the Benedictine monasteries): Monastero di Claro. Retrieved January 28, 2019 .
- ↑ OSB Atlas (Directory of Benedictine Monasteries): Federation of Olivetan Benedictine Sisters of the Holy Cross of Cham and Busan. Retrieved January 28, 2019 .
- ^ Benedictine communities in Switzerland: 400 years of the Swiss Benedictine Congregation 1602-2002 . S. 53 .
- ^ Yankton Benedictines: Joy Us in Prayer. Retrieved January 28, 2019 .
- ^ Monastery Maria-Rickenbach: Monastery life. Retrieved January 28, 2019 .
- ↑ Melchtal Monastery: Daily structure. Retrieved January 28, 2019 .
- ↑ Fahr Monastery: The Benedictine Day. Retrieved January 28, 2019 .
- ^ OSB Atlas (Directory of Benedictine Monasteries): Federation of Eternal Adoration of Clyde. Retrieved January 28, 2019 .
- ^ Clyde Monastery: History. Retrieved January 28, 2019 .
- ^ Federation of St. Gertrude: Member Monasteries. Retrieved January 28, 2019 .
- ^ Yankton Benedictines: Our History. Retrieved January 28, 2019 .
- ↑ Melchtal Monastery: Sisters. Retrieved January 28, 2019 .
- ↑ kipa: Capuchin women give up the monastery in Wattwil. In: kath.ch. August 25, 10, accessed September 8, 2019 .
- ↑ Silvia Minder: The nuns die away from the monasteries. In: Tagblatt. July 30, 2008, accessed September 8, 2019 .
- ↑ Matthias Herren: Last friar leaves Appenzell. In: NZZ. August 7, 2011, accessed September 8, 2019 .
- ↑ What to do with a house without brothers? In: NZZ. March 27, 2004, accessed September 8, 2019 .
- ^ Farewell to the Capuchins from Stans. In: NZZ. July 30, 2004, accessed September 8, 2019 .
- ↑ Church statistics : Order of women. In: Swiss Pastoral Sociological Institute SPI. Retrieved September 8, 2019 .
- ↑ Sarnen Benedictine Center. In: Ora et labora foundation. Retrieved September 8, 2019 .
- ↑ Realization and financing. In: Ora et labora foundation. Retrieved September 8, 2019 .
- ^ Romano Cuonz: Farewell and tears of joy for Melchtal sisters. In: Lucerne newspaper. March 9, 2019, accessed September 8, 2019 .
- ↑ The sisters have definitely left the Marienburg in Wikon. In: Zofinger Tagblatt. Retrieved September 8, 2019 .
- ↑ 1800 people went to the monastery in Sarnen. In: Lucerne newspaper. June 24, 2019, accessed September 8, 2019 .