Cécile Bruyère
Encyclopedia
Madame Cécile Bruyère was the first abbess of St. Cecilia's Abbey, Solesmes
(Abbaye Sainte-Cécile de Solesmes) and a follower of Dom Prosper Guéranger in the revival of Benedictine spirituality in 19th century France
.
. Her family lived at Sablé-sur-Sarthe
.
She was sent to Dom Prosper Guéranger, founder of Solesmes Abbey and the reviver of the French Benedictine tradition, to be prepared for her first communion
, and became his spiritual daughter. In 1866, with Dom Guéranger's support, she founded the first women's house within his French Benedictine Congregation (now the Solesmes Congregation
). The new nunnery was dedicated to Saint Cecilia
(Sainte Cécile) because of Dom Guéranger's devotion to her. Jenny Bruyère herself as a child had always desired to be called by that name, after her maternal grand-mother. She took the name Cécile as her Confirmation name in 1858, and kept the same name in religious life.
Although St. Cecilia's was still only a priory, Cécile Bruyère was named abbess of the new foundation at the age of 24 by Pope Pius IX
on 20 June 1870. This may have been a gesture of thanks towards Dom Guéranger for his great support to the Pope at the First Vatican Council
in favour of the recently proclaimed dogma of Papal infallibility
.
Mother Cécile, with the support of Dom Guéranger, wrote the nunnery's constitutions, which were influential beyond her own nunnery. Of especial note are the re-establishment of the office of abbess with its symbols (the ring, the pectoral cross
and the crozier), and of the long-forgotten rite of the consecration of virgins.
Her nuns, in accordance with the thought of Dom Guéranger and the Congregation he established, learned Latin
and Gregorian chant
, which was altogether exceptional at that time. This remains the practice of the abbey and of the Solesmes Congregation
.
The French anti-religious laws of the early 20th century forced the whole community into exile in England, to the forerunner of the present St. Cecilia's Abbey
, Ryde
,on the Isle of Wight
, where on 18 March 1909 Mother Cécile died. When the community was at last able to return to Solesmes, in 1921, her body was also transported and re-buried there.
in the religious life in developing the specific grace arising from the sacrament of baptism
.
St. Cecilia's Abbey, Solesmes
St. Cecilia's Abbey, Solesmes is a Benedictine nunnery founded in 1866 by Dom Prosper Guéranger, the restorer of Benedictine life in France after the destruction of the revolution...
(Abbaye Sainte-Cécile de Solesmes) and a follower of Dom Prosper Guéranger in the revival of Benedictine spirituality in 19th century France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Life
She was born as Jeanne-Henriette Bruyère (and went by Jenny), the grand-daughter of the architect and engineer Louis Bruyère and the architect Jacques-Marie HuvéJacques-Marie Huvé
Jacques-Marie Huvé was a French architect who practiced in Paris, working in a neoclassical manner that he refined working in the atelier of Percier and Fontaine, Napoleon's chief architects....
. Her family lived at Sablé-sur-Sarthe
Sablé-sur-Sarthe
Sablé-sur-Sarthe, commonly referred to as Sablé, is a commune in the Sarthe department in the Pays de la Loire region in west France.-Geography:...
.
She was sent to Dom Prosper Guéranger, founder of Solesmes Abbey and the reviver of the French Benedictine tradition, to be prepared for her first communion
First Communion
The First Communion, or First Holy Communion, is a Catholic Church ceremony. It is the colloquial name for a person's first reception of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. Catholics believe this event to be very important, as the Eucharist is one of the central focuses of the Catholic Church...
, and became his spiritual daughter. In 1866, with Dom Guéranger's support, she founded the first women's house within his French Benedictine Congregation (now the Solesmes Congregation
Solesmes Congregation
The Solesmes Congregation of the Benedictine Confederation was founded in 1837 by Pope Gregory XVI as the French Benedictine Congregation, with the newly reopened monastery of Solesmes Abbey under Dom Prosper Guéranger at its head. The Congregation's first nunnery was St...
). The new nunnery was dedicated to Saint Cecilia
Saint Cecilia
Saint Cecilia is the patroness of musicians and Church music because as she was dying she sang to God. It is also written that as the musicians played at her wedding she "sang in her heart to the Lord". St. Cecilia was an only child. Her feast day is celebrated in the Roman Catholic, Anglican,...
(Sainte Cécile) because of Dom Guéranger's devotion to her. Jenny Bruyère herself as a child had always desired to be called by that name, after her maternal grand-mother. She took the name Cécile as her Confirmation name in 1858, and kept the same name in religious life.
Although St. Cecilia's was still only a priory, Cécile Bruyère was named abbess of the new foundation at the age of 24 by Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
on 20 June 1870. This may have been a gesture of thanks towards Dom Guéranger for his great support to the Pope at the First Vatican Council
First Vatican Council
The First Vatican Council was convoked by Pope Pius IX on 29 June 1868, after a period of planning and preparation that began on 6 December 1864. This twentieth ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church, held three centuries after the Council of Trent, opened on 8 December 1869 and adjourned...
in favour of the recently proclaimed dogma of Papal infallibility
Papal infallibility
Papal infallibility is a dogma of the Catholic Church which states that, by action of the Holy Spirit, the Pope is preserved from even the possibility of error when in his official capacity he solemnly declares or promulgates to the universal Church a dogmatic teaching on faith or morals...
.
Mother Cécile, with the support of Dom Guéranger, wrote the nunnery's constitutions, which were influential beyond her own nunnery. Of especial note are the re-establishment of the office of abbess with its symbols (the ring, the pectoral cross
Pectoral cross
A pectoral cross or pectorale is a cross, usually relatively large, suspended from the neck by a cord or chain that reaches well down the chest. It is worn by the clergy as an indication of their position, and is different from the small crosses worn on necklaces by many Christians, which have no...
and the crozier), and of the long-forgotten rite of the consecration of virgins.
Her nuns, in accordance with the thought of Dom Guéranger and the Congregation he established, learned Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
and Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic liturgical music within Western Christianity that accompanied the celebration of Mass and other ritual services...
, which was altogether exceptional at that time. This remains the practice of the abbey and of the Solesmes Congregation
Solesmes Congregation
The Solesmes Congregation of the Benedictine Confederation was founded in 1837 by Pope Gregory XVI as the French Benedictine Congregation, with the newly reopened monastery of Solesmes Abbey under Dom Prosper Guéranger at its head. The Congregation's first nunnery was St...
.
The French anti-religious laws of the early 20th century forced the whole community into exile in England, to the forerunner of the present St. Cecilia's Abbey
St Cecilia's Abbey, Ryde
St Cecilia's Abbey, Ryde is an abbey of Benedictine nuns in the Isle of Wight, England....
, Ryde
Ryde
Ryde is a British seaside town, civil parish and the most populous town and urban area on the Isle of Wight, with a population of approximately 30,000. It is situated on the north-east coast. The town grew in size as a seaside resort following the joining of the villages of Upper Ryde and Lower...
,on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, where on 18 March 1909 Mother Cécile died. When the community was at last able to return to Solesmes, in 1921, her body was also transported and re-buried there.
Works
Mother Cécile's spiritual thought and teaching, entirely inherited from Dom Guéranger but presented with the benefit of many years' experience in Benedictine life and meditation, is well summarised in her book La vie spirituelle et l'oraison, d'après la Sainte Ecriture et la tradition monastique, reprinted many times and translated into several languages. In this she explains the primary importance of the liturgyLiturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
in the religious life in developing the specific grace arising from the sacrament of baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
.
Sources
- La vie spirituelle et l'oraison, ISBN 2-85274-085-0
- Solesmes Abbey website: foundation of St. Cecilia's Abbey