Monastery of the Immaculate Conception at Craon

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The History of Our Monastery

The monastery of the Benedictines of Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament of Craon is part of the large Benedictine family that goes back to St Benedict of Nursia and his Rule (Vth-VIth century). In the XVIIth century, Mother Mectilde de Bar (1614–1698) was the foundress of this new branch of the Order of St Benedict, which was founded to give importance to the Eucharist through perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The community of Craon was established in 1829 when Mother St Louis de Gonzague (Délié de Cossé Brissac), Prioress of the Benedictines of Rouen at the time, was able to acquire a former Dominican convent (built at the end of the XVIIth century) with a view to making a foundation.

The Monastery today

Our community still lives in this attractive setting which is well adapted to monastic life. The XIXth century church, which was completely renovated in 2008, is open all day for the prayer of the Divine Office, sung seven times daily (psalms in French), as well as for part of the night for adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Mass is usually celebrated at 9 a.m. after the office of Terce, Vespers is at 6.p.m.

The reception area is open every day after Mass (except Thursday) from 11.00-12.30 in the afternoons from 3.00–5.00 p.m. Altar breads and religious objects produced in the monastery are on sale. We also have a small guest house for those wishing to share our prayer and our times of adoration day and night.

Text of our Foundress, Mother Mechtilde de Bar

 “It is through the ministry of Mary that we enter into the holiness of interior life. Just as Jesus presents us to the Father, Mary presents us to Jesus. ‘No one can come to my Father except through me’ says Our Lord in the Gospel. And no-one can go to Jesus unless our very holy Mother takes him there. Renew your devotion, your praise and your respect in this place to the adorable Virgin.
You saw his star and you came to adore Him. But for how long and to what extent should we adore ? At all times of our life and with all our being… adoration needs to be perpetual because the same God that we adore in the Blessed Sacrament is continually present to us in all places. We must adore him in spirit and in truth : in spirit by holy interior recollection, in truth by ensuring that through our fidelity all our exercises become continual adoration. Draw deeply from God a reservoir of confidence and ask his pardon for the insult that you have commit in resisting his goodness. He is less offended by a sin than by the defiance of his mercy.
See yourself always as a little ball of wax in the hand of God, to be shaped according to his good pleasure. A child in the arms of his Father fears nothing : your soul and your whole being are surrounded by God. Rest in his immensity as in a place of safety and his gentle and loving providence will provide you with all your needs, his grace will strengthen you and his love draw you to Himself.”

About

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  • Federation : Saint Sacrement
  • Diocese : Laval
  • Ecclesiastical province : Rennes

Contact our monastery

Monastère de l’Immaculée Conception
15, rue de la Libération
B.P. 26
53400 CRAON