Le Barroux

Dom Gérard, the first Abbot of the Monastery of St. Madeleine of Le Barroux, has stepped down. Fr. Louis-Marie, prior of the foundation of Sainte-Marie de la Garde, was elected to replace him on November 25. A marked rejuvenation has thus been accomplished, since the new Abbot is not yet 35. Having entered the novitiate in 1990, he was ordained 3 years ago. This rejuvenation extends over several superiors, since the new prior of La Garde has been a priest for just one year and that of the Abbey of Le Barroux for two.

A for Dom Gérard, after having achieved a beautiful work of monastic restoration, at the end of the 20th century, his separation for the alleged "schism" of Archbishop Lefebvre led him to make more and more concessions on the Mass. During a talk he gave in Rome, on October 24 1998, on the 10th anniversary of the Motu proprio Ecclesia Dei adflicta, in the presence of cardinal Ratzinger, he said:

"The scandal of division must cease, to be replaced by concord, dialog and unity. It was in this spirit of peace and communion, that, on April 27 1995, I agreed to concelebrate with the Holy Father, wishing to show by this, that all of us who campaign to keep the ancient Missal, believe in the validity and orthodoxy of the new rite." Thus the New Mass is now accepted within the walls of the Abbey.