Annonciade Monastery at Grentheville

Monastery Saint-Paul de la Croix at Croisy-sur-Eure

Posted in Annonciades, Diocese of Bayeux-Lisieux, Ecclesiastical province of Rouen

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History of monastery

August 6, 1975 : the first founding sisters arrived in Brucourt from Thiais. The canonical erection was signed on 4 March 1992. The first elections were held on 31 July 1992. This first settlement in Normandy will last 40 years.

However, in 2011, due to the lack of vocations and the average age of the sisters, they asked to give up their autonomy to be affiliated with the monastery of Thiais. This step begins with a reshuffling of the community : four sisters leave for Thiais while they are replaced by three sisters from the latter community as well as two sisters from Menton, which revitalizes this first foundation in Thiais. A project was born : that of a union with the apostolic sisters of Heverlee, as it had been lived in Menton. This plan could not be implemented in Brucourt. An opportunity arose when the buildings in Grentheville, the former home of the elderly priests of the diocese, were taken over. After two years of work, the two monastic and apostolic communities moved into their new premises in late November 2015.

After ten years of affiliation and the expansion of the community due to the arrival of five sisters from Villeneuve-sur-Lot in 2019, a request for autonomy is being considered. Mother Ancelle of Thiais and the new Bishop of Bayeux-Lisieux, Monsignor Jacques Habert, were in favour and supported the request. Autonomy was granted by the Holy See on May 18, 2021. The community could organize its first elections: they were held on June 20, 2021, and here are the results :

– Mother Ancelle: Sister Marie de la Croix
– Assistant : Sister Marguerite Marie
– Counselors: Sister Marie Laurence and Sister Marie Maximilien

For this journey that begins in fidelity to the past and hope in the future, Magnificat !

The monastery today

The monastery of the Annonciade in Grentheville has the original vocation of having contemplative and apostolic Annonciades living in the same place and organizing together the services and the monastic reception. The chapel can hold 180 seats. It was dedicated on 7 February 2016. The guest house has 25 rooms with a capacity of 30 beds and rooms for disabled people. An elevator, conference rooms, an oratory and a large refectory for guests have been arranged as well as a parking space. The shop offers monastic products and a bookshop.

Special features of our monastery

The contemplative and apostolic Annonciades are branches of the same family founded by Saint Jeanne de France (Joan of France ?) in 1502. This experience already carried out in Menton for 12 years has proved to be complementary and happy. The monastery’s intention is to create a spiritual center that will make known the Marian and evangelical spirituality of Saint Jeanne de France (Joan of France ?): like the Virgin Mary, to do the joy of God.

6 propositions de retraites spirituelles accompagnées selon la spiritualité de Saint François de Sales, en France, Belgique et Suisse. Deux monastères accueillent en France cette retraite cet été – Voir les News.
6 jours de retraite, du jeudi 27 juillet au mercredi 2 août 2023, avec Monseigneur Pierre-Marie Carré, Archevêque émérite de Montpellier, Ancien vice-président de la CEF, chez les Annonciades de Grentheville – Voir les News.