Tidings from Nový Dvůr Ash Wednesday 2026

Ash Wednesday 2026

Dear friends,

9 January 2026 marked the fourth centenary of the birth of Armand Jean le Bouthillier de Rancé, better known as the Abbé de Rancé, reformer of the Abbey of La Trappe in France in the seventeenth century. Born into the noblesse de robe, godson of Cardinal Richelieu, son of the secretary to Queen Marie de Medici… quite a family! His parents steered him toward an ecclesiastical career with the sole aim of preserving the income attached to it. At the age of eleven he was already a canon of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris and commendatory abbot of five monasteries, including La Trappe itself! He moved in the court of the Sun King and indulged in it, until the day when the Duchess of Montbazon, whom he loved sincerely but with whom he lived in an irregular relationship, was carried off by a sudden illness. He was thirty-one. After three years of retreat on his family estate, he visited his Abbey of La Trappe, which had fallen into ruin. He rebuilt it, restored choral prayer, and then received the abbatial blessing in July 1664. He had sold all his possessions and renounced all his benefices. A radical conversion…

The Abbé de Rancé was not a saint. A promoter of the Strict Observance, he was in contact with Dom Eustache de Beaufort, reformer of Sept-Fons at the same period. His past inclined him to shift the emphasis of the Rule of Saint Benedict toward greater penance and greater austerity. At a time when the wealthiest were in danger of losing the sense of a faithful life, he attracted many people who were thirsty for fidelity. Despite certain excessive aspects, he was an instrument of God who enabled many Cistercian monks and nuns to respond to God’s call. A century after his death, the Abbey of La Trappe was strong enough for its monks to pass through the French Revolution and become the ancestors of the “Trappists.” We owe our existence to him. It is encouraging to see that God knows how to make use of imperfect witnesses to accomplish His work. For imperfect we are. May God grant that we be equal to what He expects of us!

It is not a matter for us to go through revolutions… but we are at an important page in our history, and we need you. In eighteen months, we shall celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the foundation of Nový Dvůr. A quarter of a century… Difficulties have not been lacking, but we have much for which to give thanks to God! The founders have grown older, even if their strength remains intact. Our friends too have grown older. We hope you are in good health, but we observe—who would be surprised? —that the average age of our friends increases… by one year every year! We can do nothing about it, nor can you. But since you are convinced that we could not have built the monastery without you, nor maintained it until today, you will understand that I am concerned to form, around the young brothers God has sent us, a group of friends of their own generation. You were there with us when we needed you. They too need to be supported in fulfilling their vocation and in assuming their responsibilities.

Encouraged by the Abbot of Sept-Fons, Dom Thomas, we began already six months ago a long period of reflection in order to reorganize our economic work and to simplify the carrying out of community services, so that each may be able to live his vocation as a monk in peace. This reflection, which will continue for several more months, has already led to two important decisions: I have appointed a new cellarer (responsible for the community’s temporal affairs and the maintenance of the buildings), and a new director of Labora, our company that manages the monastic products we manufacture. Brother Simeon and Brother Klement are both thirty years old! Father Georges, who has borne these responsibilities since the foundation, will support them by overseeing the administrative follow-up of all this. Father Augustin will retain responsibility for the finances of both structures: the monastery and Labora. The founders, who have not fallen short, know that they still have a role to play and are ready to share their experience.

I am enclosing with this letter a form that will help you understand how you can assist us. Small streams make great rivers. If we have many friends, each one will be able, without too much difficulty and according to his or her means, to give us the support we need. In the life of a monk, prayer for the Church and for the world is an absolutely essential task. The counterpart is clear: monks need the Church and those who live in the world in order to accomplish their vocation. This is all the more important for us because not only have the brothers grown older, and our friends grown older… but the monastery buildings have grown older as well! We have before us this year an indispensable restoration of the monastery cloister. And Brother Simeon, our new cellarer, who has been directing restoration projects for several years now, often comes to see me… with a long list of things to be done! You will be informed of all this when we set these projects in motion.

Thank you for your attention, thank you for your friendship, thank you for your prayers! This bond, which I would call “organic,” between the monks and their friends, is something we hold very dear. I believe you do too. Your days are somewhat full, like ours. You will render us an immense service by taking the time to read the enclosed form and to respond to it.

Faithfully, and many thanks in advance!