Carmel of the Holy Mother of God at Lectoure

Carmel de la Sainte Mère de Dieu à Lectoure

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The History of our Monastery

On September 8th 1623, at the suggestion of the Lord Mayor Antoine de Roquelaure, M. Marie de la Trinité, Marie de Sevin, Prioress at Toulouse, founded the Carmel of the Holy Mother of God at Lectoure. She had been educated as a novice in Paris by Anne of Jesus and Anne of Bartholomew, two nuns very close to Saint Teresa of Avila.

In 1793, the 27 sisters were expelled and the monastery became first a school and then a jail. In 1836, thanks to King Charles X the two nuns who survived the Revolution bought the monastery back, and it subsequently achieved legal status. It was recognised by the government in 1901. Thus the Carmelite Order remained in the same place as it was founded and was named after the Holy Mother of God.

The monastery today

As St Teresa said, “We are ‘13 poor girls’ endeavouring to live out the great hopes that the Madre wanted to find in the hearts of her sisters”.

Our Carmelite Order is built right against the fortifications of a small quiet town with a cathedral and a rich religious history. The place is peace-filled and charming but don’t ask it to be functional… We have a simple liturgy in French and some workshops (liturgical vestments, the manufacture of altar breads, canning). There is no hospitality, just one bedroom for a priest or a woman seeking a possible vocation for the religious life.

Special features of our monastery

We are linked with the private school of Saint Joseph of Lectoure… Once a week a group of pupils attend our mass in the morning.

Lectoure City is on the route to St James of Compostela. Our church is open to the pilgrims who come to pray and attend our services.

About

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  • Federation : Toulouse-Bordeaux
  • Diocese : Auch
  • Ecclesiastical Province : Toulouse

Contact our monastery

Carmel de  la Sainte Mère de Dieu
14, rue Marès
32 700 LECTOURE

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