Mont Des Cats

Godewaersvelde, France / Male

Location

Official nameAbbaye Sainte-Marie-du-Mont
Number11
  • Mont Des Cats0
  • Mont Des Cats1
  • Mont Des Cats2
  • Mont Des Cats3

Contact Information

Telephone[33] (3) 28 43 83 60
Community emailcommunaute.montdescats@wanadoo.fr
Business emailfromagerie.montdescats@wanadoo.fr
Websitewww.abbaye-montdescats.com
SuperiorDom Bernard-Marie van Caloen Sup. ad nutum 2021, Abbé 2023

Other Information

Juridical statusAbbey
DioceseArchidioecesis Insulensis (Lille)
OCSO regionCNE
OriginsFounded by N.-D. du Gard in 1826. Raised to the rank of abbey 1847.
History
  • The abbey of St. Marie-du-Mont, founded by O.L. of Gard, near Amiens, had the abbot of Sept-Fons as Father Immediate because that is where Gard was transferred with its abbot: to the former site of the abbey of O.L. of Saint-Lieu Sept-Fons. It seems that Mont-des-Cats was never canonically raised to the status of priory as it is done today. Nevertheless, its first superiors all had the title “prior” (1826-1847), only one of whom was regularly elected. All the others were named by the abbot of Gard (father immediate) and given the authority he deemed appropriate.
  • The name, originally Our Lady of Mont des Cattes (Montis Cattorum), was changed to St. Marie du Mont in the same decree (Art. 3) by which his Eminence Cardinal Giraud, archbishop of Cambrai, acting under the authority granted to him by Pius IX, raised the monstery to the rank of abbey (29 December 1847).
  • 1898, 20 June: Consecration of the church. It was later destroyed during an aerial bombardment in 1940. It was repaired and consecrated 30 August 1950.
  • 1901: Refuge at Watou (Belgium) from 1 May 1901 to October 1934.
  • 1902: Refuge at Feluy (Belgium), 24 November 1901 to late September 1912.
  • Note. At both of these refuges there were never more than a few monks of Mont-des-Cats in residence. The abbey of Mont-des-Cats was continuously occupied by at least a few of its monks with the abbot at their head.
  • 1905: Dom Sebastien Vandermarliere, fifth abbot of Mont-des-Cats, was named father immediate of O.L. of la Fille-Dieu (Switzerland), simply taking charge of an existing monastery.
  • 1958, January: Dom Achille goes to Madagascar with two monks, Fr. Firmin and Fr. Guillaume, with a view to preparing a foundation in the diocese of Fianaranstoa. The Definitory gives its permission in May, 1958. More monks leave for Madagascar in October 1958 and January 1959.
Father immediateGard/Sept-Fons until 1972: Tamié thereafter
Daughter housesTilburg; Frattochie; Maromby; Fille-Dieu. Belval.
Past superiors
  • Marie-Joseph MATTON — Prieur — 26/01/1826 – ?/01/1827
  • Bernard DAL — Prieur — ?/01/1827 – 09/11/1827
  • François-Marie van LANGENDONCK — Prieur — 09/11/1827 – ?/ ?/1831
  • Nil van HOEKE — Prieur — ?/ ?/1831 – ?/01/1835
  • Désiré de REN — Prieur — ?/01/1835 – ?/ ?/1836
  • Augustin MOREAU — Prieur elect — ?/ ?/1836 – ?/02/1838
  • Athanase ITSWEIRE — Prieur — — ?/01/1839 – 30/06/1847
  • Dominique LACAES — Abbé — 30/06/1847 – 05/01/1883
  • Sebastien WYART — Abbé — 30/01/1883 – 15/06/1889 —
  • Jerome PARENT — Abbé — 15/06/1889 – 22/01/1906
  • Bernard RICHEBE — Abbé — 16/02/1906 – 01/03/1919
  • Sebastien VANDERMARLIÈRE — Abbé — 23/04/1919 – 07/09/1940
  • Achille NIVESSE — Sup. ad nutum — 13/09/1940 – 15/05/1945
  • Achille NIVESSE — Abbé — 15/05/1945 – 03/12/1962
  • André LOUF — Abbé — 10/01/1963 –
  • Guillaume JEDRZEJCZAK — Abbé — 18/12/1997 – 20/08/2009
  • Jacques DE LESALLE— Abbé — 2010 – 2016
  • Marc-André DI PÉA— Abbé — 2016 – 30/08/2021
Work/incomeCheese factory
Guest facilities30 rooms (9 double)
TransportationGare destinataire : Hazebrouck, 16 km.
FoundationsTilburg (1880); Catacombs/Frattocchie (1884); Watou, Belgium (refuge, 1901-1934); Feluy, Belgium (refuge, 1902-1912); Maromby (1958)
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