Benedictus van Haeften
Encyclopedia
Benedictus van Haeften Provost of Affligem Abbey and famous writer of religious works.
Haeften commissioned Rubens
and De Crayer
to decorate the church and the monastery in Affligem.
writer, provost of the Monastery of Afflighem, Belgium
. He was born in Utrecht, 1588, and died 31 July 1648, at Spa, Belgium
, where he had gone to recover his health.
After studying philosophy and theology at the Catholic University of Leuven
, he entered the Benedictine Abbey of Afflighem
in 1609, took solemn vows
on 14 May 1611, and was ordained priest in 1613. He then returned to Leuven to continue his theological studies, but was recalled to his monastery when he was about to receive the licentiate in theology
.
In 1616 he became prior
, and in 1618 Matthias Hovius, Archbishop of Mechlin
, who was at the same time Abbot
of Afflighem, appointed him provost
of his monastery. Afflighem at the time belonged to the Bursfeld Union, and under the prudent direction of van Haeften was in a flourishing condition.
Jacob Boonen, who had succeeded Hovius as archbishop and abbot in 1620, desired to join the monastery to the new Congregation of St. Vannes, in Lorraine, which had a stricter constitution than Bursfeld. After some hesitation, van Haeften agreed to the change, and on 18 October 1627, began his novitiate
under the direction of a monk of the Congregation of Lorraine. Together with eight of his monks, he made confession according to the new reform on 25 October 1628, and founded the Belgian Congregation of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin. The new reform enjoined perpetual abstinence, daily rising at two o'clock in the morning, and manual labour
joined with study. The new congregation was of short duration. Archbishop of Mechlin brought about its dissolution in 1654.
Van Haeften is the author of a learned and painstaking work of monastic researches in the life and rule of St. Benedict
.
Haeften commissioned Rubens
Rubens
Rubens is often used to refer to Peter Paul Rubens , the Flemish artist.Rubens may also refer to:- People :Family name* Paul Rubens Rubens is often used to refer to Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), the Flemish artist.Rubens may also refer to:- People :Family name* Paul Rubens (composer) Rubens is...
and De Crayer
Caspar de Crayer
Gaspar de Crayer , sometimes called Gaspard or Caspar de Crayer was a Flemish painter.Crayer was born in Antwerp. He learned the art of painting from Michael Coxcie. He matriculated in the Guild of St Luke at Brussels in 1607, resided in the capital of Brabant till after 1660, and finally settled...
to decorate the church and the monastery in Affligem.
Biography
Van Haeften was a BenedictineBenedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
writer, provost of the Monastery of Afflighem, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. He was born in Utrecht, 1588, and died 31 July 1648, at Spa, Belgium
Spa, Belgium
Spa is a municipality of Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Province of Liège. It is situated in a valley in the Ardennes mountain chain, some southeast of Liège, and southwest of Aachen. As of 1 January 2006, Spa had a total population of 10,543...
, where he had gone to recover his health.
After studying philosophy and theology at the Catholic University of Leuven
Catholic University of Leuven
The Catholic University of Leuven, or of Louvain, was the largest, oldest and most prominent university in Belgium. The university was founded in 1425 as the University of Leuven by John IV, Duke of Brabant and approved by a Papal bull by Pope Martin V.During France's occupation of Belgium in the...
, he entered the Benedictine Abbey of Afflighem
Affligem Abbey
Affligem Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in the municipality of Affligem, Flemish Brabant, Belgium, twelve miles to the north-west of Brussels...
in 1609, took solemn vows
Simple vow
In Roman Catholic canon law, a simple vow is any vow, public or private, individual or collective, concerned with an action or with abstaining from an action, if that vow has not been recognized by the Church as a solemn vow....
on 14 May 1611, and was ordained priest in 1613. He then returned to Leuven to continue his theological studies, but was recalled to his monastery when he was about to receive the licentiate in theology
Licentiate in Theology
The Licentiate of Theology or the Licence in Theology is a theological qualification commonly awarded for ordinands and laymen studying theology in the United Kingdom, Malta, Canada, Australia and New Zealand...
.
In 1616 he became prior
Prior
Prior is an ecclesiastical title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier, first', with several notable uses.-Monastic superiors:A Prior is a monastic superior, usually lower in rank than an Abbot. In the Rule of St...
, and in 1618 Matthias Hovius, Archbishop of Mechlin
Archbishopric of Mechelen-Brussel
Mechelen-Brussels is the Roman Catholic Primatial See in Belgium. It is also the name of the Ecclesiastical Province governed by the Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels, which covers the whole of Belgium...
, who was at the same time Abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
of Afflighem, appointed him provost
Provost (religion)
A provost is a senior official in a number of Christian churches.-Historical Development:The word praepositus was originally applied to any ecclesiastical ruler or dignitary...
of his monastery. Afflighem at the time belonged to the Bursfeld Union, and under the prudent direction of van Haeften was in a flourishing condition.
Jacob Boonen, who had succeeded Hovius as archbishop and abbot in 1620, desired to join the monastery to the new Congregation of St. Vannes, in Lorraine, which had a stricter constitution than Bursfeld. After some hesitation, van Haeften agreed to the change, and on 18 October 1627, began his novitiate
Novitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....
under the direction of a monk of the Congregation of Lorraine. Together with eight of his monks, he made confession according to the new reform on 25 October 1628, and founded the Belgian Congregation of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin. The new reform enjoined perpetual abstinence, daily rising at two o'clock in the morning, and manual labour
Manual labour
Manual labour , manual or manual work is physical work done by people, most especially in contrast to that done by machines, and also to that done by working animals...
joined with study. The new congregation was of short duration. Archbishop of Mechlin brought about its dissolution in 1654.
Van Haeften is the author of a learned and painstaking work of monastic researches in the life and rule of St. Benedict
Rule of St Benedict
The Rule of Saint Benedict is a book of precepts written by St. Benedict of Nursia for monks living communally under the authority of an abbot. Since about the 7th century it has also been adopted by communities of women...
.