iterer
PRICE THREEPENCE.
PERTH, SATURDA Y, AUGUST 17, 1935.
NO. 2,888.
HISTORIC ABBEY OF MONTSERRAT Folanded Througia Miraculous image ARRIVAL OF LORD ABBOT MARCET, O.S.B. secretary, is a member of the Montserrat Community and has considerable fame abroad as an architect. The historic Monastery of Montserrat is one of the most glorious landmarks in the long and splendid history of the BeneIts foundation dictine Order. was due to the miraculous discovery of a statue of Our Lady and the Child Jesus—one of the numerous "Black Virgins" for which Spain is celebrated, and which so captured the poetic fancy of G. K. Chesterton. The Saints are said to have died, and in many cases to have lived, "in The the odour of sanctity." sense of the phrase is usually accepted as allegorical, though in
From the chapel that was built about it to contain it, a convent grew up and about the year 976 this was enlarged and converted into a Benedictine Monastery, which became celebrated throughout the world. In 1835 the Monastery suffered spoliation and suppression, but except for this one calamity it has endured through almost a thousand years renowned for its sanctity, learning and art treasures. B., t above all else, the monks of Montserrat have venerated their own great Patroness and Foundress, Our Lady of MontThroughout all Spain serrat. She is revered but by none more than the Catalonians. This devotion at the Monastery of
RT. REV. DR. CATALAN, O.S.B.
lions. In September, 1881, it was solemnly crckvned by Pope Leo XIII., who sent a crown ' Thirty miles to the northfrom Rome for that purpose. The west of Barcelona in Spain, rises "ex votos" offerings of numbera lery remarkable mountain of less pilgrims—a large and varied grey conglomerate, 24 miles in array—ornament the! shrine. circumference, and at its loftiest This was, too, the memorable point San Geronimo), a little altar upon which St. Ignatius more than 4,000 feet in height. Loyola laid his sword and placFrom the comparative lowness ing himself under the protection of the surrounding district, ana of the Virgin, began a new life. from its extraordinary configuraThrough the ages this Monastion, it is a conspicuous object tery has sheltered in holy seclufor many miles around. The sion many an eminent Spaniard mountain consists of jagged pinwho, weary of the deceits and nacles and spires rise abruptly emptin ess of the world, felt from the base of the mass, which drawn to end his days in prayer, is cleft with many crevasses, and penance and study in the sanctuabounds with steep precipices. ary of the Virgin. The many It is the Mons serratus of the caves with which the great Romans, the Monte Serrado of Mount is honeycombed have the Spaniards, and is thus named' been too, the hermitages of either in allusion to its jagged many saintly recluses. appearance, like the teeth of a Learning has also flourished saw, or because the eastern face abundantly in this historic spot. is split, as if sawn—which ocThe monks, "like true sons of curred, say the Spanish legends, THE MONASTERY AT MONTSERRAT. St. Benedict, have always kept at the time of the Crucifixion, in the forefront of the liturgical when the rocks were rent." movement," and have exerted a Crowning this noble rock is the many authenicated cases this Montserrat, writes a Benedictine powerful influence by their writhistoric henomenon has been literally Father, "is the heart and centre Monastery of St. Jer- p ings on Scriptural, ascetic, musiWhich activities." the their literally all of was It to. ttested a ome, whose present distinguishcal and The ed Lord Abbot arrived in this odour of sanctity accompanied fact is confirmed by the master- Biblical scientific subjects. Museum they decorate the have that paintings ly to built led that sounds S tate on heavenly by up is one of the richest in the Tuesday. His Lorddiscovery, in a cave, of the "Camarin"—a kind of hall, in ship, the Rt. Rev. w orld, and their ever-expanding Antonio Maria the miraculous where the church the Gondemar, the 0.S.B., in fulfilment of s acred image by l ibrary is one of the most extenimage of the Blessed Virgin is his duties Vich, in 880. as Provincial of the B ishop of sive in the Order. addition there is After the traIn enthroned. A ccording to the beautiful Spanish Province of the Benedic- dition of Monserrat. this image the famous "Escolania," dating s acred image of Our Lady, this tines, has made this long voyage This is the greatest treasure the to carved from the 13th. century. conduct the Canonical visita- of Our Lady had been Monastery possesses. small altar of 40 choir some is a and Evangelist. tion of the bv St. Luke. the Abbey Nullius 01 To the veneration of Our trained are who the by boys, about Barcelona to brought New Norcia, as was prescribed by the year 30 A.D. by St. Peter. monks in the singing of liturgi- Lady, which signalises the reliCanon Law. His Lordship, who Moorish invasion in cal music and interpret it with gious life of Montserrat, we have is accompanied by Rev. Father With thevenerated statue was rare skill. a similar curious counterpart in Gus, the 0.S.B., was met at Fre- 717 mantle by the taken to Montserrat and conceal- Montserrat vies with the shrines New Norcia, where, behind the Right Rev. Dr. Catalan ed in the cave where Gondemar of the whole Catholic world as High Altar in the Monks' Choir, New , 0.S.B., Lord Abbot of f ound it one hundred and sixty- a place of pilgrimage. Over hangs the Madonna seared with FathersNorcia the Benedictine three years later, Gondemar re- 100,000 pilgrims come annually the flames which it is said to UbaCh, Placid, Philip, solved to take -the image back to honour the Lady of Montser- have averted during a menacing Brother ildephosus, n The image is small and bush fire in the days of Bishop S• B• with him to Manresa, but, so the rat. party left by car for New in wood, "regularly hand- Salvado. So the great traditions carved on spot Norcia on story runs, from a certain Wednesday, where the mountain the statue declined some, but the colour of a ne- of Western monachism are carthe will spend some tour Provincial or five to be moved. So it was accepted gress," and magnificently orna- ried on in the Old 'World and in ceeding to weeks before pro- as a sign from heaven and the mented with robes and jewels. the New. These monasteries A stone cross Many kings and high ecclesias- c ontinue to be not only "houses other parts the Philippines and image remained. of his territory. but near the Monastery of Montser- tics have made pilgrimage to of prayer," strongholds V ery Rev. to-day marks the traditional this shrine, while the Catalon- against the decay of culture rat Father who Gusi. 'companies the Lord Abbot as spot where the image lodged. ians must he numbered in mil- whic4 threatens our modern age. RT. REV. A. M, MARCET, O.S.B.
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