900th Anniversary

This year marks the 900th anniversary since the founding of the Premonstratensian Order, otherwise known as “Norbertines.” St. Norbert inspired a new movement which resulted in the reform of clergy. His way of life included living as a community of priests and brothers, praying and celebrating the Eucharist together, sharing all things in common, and responding to the needs of the church in a local area.

St. Norbert experienced a remarkable conversion in his life after which he left his life as a nobleman to become an itinerate preacher. As he went about the country he preached a message of repentance and conversion, not only to the lay people, but also to priests who had become less disciplined in their lives of prayer and service. Eventually, a bishop asked him to establish a place where others could live a life focused on prayer and ministry. Norbert found a chapel in a secluded valley at Premontre, France. There, in the year 1120, they began a life of ministry and contemplation.

The life of this new community was not monastic, but the people of the time looked at their wool habits and their place of residence and thought they were monks. However, Norbert desired that the members of this new religious movement of priests would go out to the people and invite the people to come to their abbeys. He wanted them to help the people to find holiness. The monks did not seek interaction with the laity. They worked and prayed. They sought their own holiness above all things.

The members of Norbert’s communities were called “canons regular.” A canon is a priest committed to a particular church, or in this case an abbey. The communities follow a rule of life (The Rule of St. Augustine) which made them “regular” or “ruled.” Each man vowed to live in a community (an abbey), and to lead a life of simplicity (poverty), chaste celibacy (not married), and to be obedient to the abbot’s leaderships and that of his successors.

Premonstratensians, or Norbertines, offer ministry to all who come to their abbeys. They celebrate Mass, pray the Divine Office, and offer centers of spiritual renewal for people. Wherever their abbeys are established they discern what kind of ministry is needed in the local church and send men out to respond to those needs. They are pastors, confessors, educators, counselors, social workers, spiritual directors, and more.

Please pray for Norbertines throughout the world this year as we remember and celebrate the 900 years of life and ministry for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Peace, Fr. Andy