When he revived monastic life at Solesmes on 11 July 1833, Dom Guéranger sought to breathe new life into the Benedictine contemplative life—a true treasure for the Church—by making the celebration of the liturgy and study the priorities for his monks, balanced by family life and separation from the world.
The community grew rapidly from the very beginning, so the buildings of the Maurist priory soon became too small to accommodate all the monks. Successive abbots ensured that the buildings were expanded accordingly, despite the inevitable difficulties of all kinds: financial difficulties; the expulsion of the community in 1880 and 1882, during which time it had to live in various houses in the village of Solesmes and the surrounding area; then exile in England from 1901 to 1922; and the two world wars…
The monastery’s influence also experienced a growth unprecedented until then. Over 150 years, Solesmes founded twelve new communities, including Saint-Martin de Ligugé, restored in 1853, and Sainte-Madeleine de Marseille, founded in 1865. Nine of these are still active today. These communities in turn established their own offshoots, making the abbey in the Sarthe region the head of a congregation now spread across three continents. The abbey’s influence was also bolstered by the work carried out by the monks: publications in religious studies, the revival of Gregorian chant, sacred art, and so on.
This spiritual heritage has been revitalised by the contributions of the Second Vatican Council. With the Church’s endorsement of its contemplative focus and its commitment to celebrating the liturgy in Latin and Gregorian chant, the community—almost two centuries after its foundation—continues to lead the Benedictine life in accordance with the unique charism of its founder.
