Kempen and Hageland

Arial view of the Abby

Interiors of the Church

Church entrance

Interiors of the Church

Impressive night view from the courtyard. The Norbertines certainly have taste for art.

History

Averbode Abbey has a rich history which already spans ten centuries. It was founded in 1134 on the initiative of Arnold II, Count of Loon. Its activities soon included agriculture to ensure its sustainability. Over the centuries however, the abbey faced many trials such as looting, fires and the plague. Indeed, in the late 18th century it was even sold and demolished. From the 19th century onwards the abbey began to flourish once more. Monastic life was resumed and it became the hub of many activities such as missionary work and a publishing house. In the 20th century, the Norbertine monks founded different schools. Today Averbode Abbey faces a bright future with a wide range of products and a brand new experience centre.

The Norbertines

The monks at Averbode Abbey belong to the order founded by Saint Norbert. Which is why they are called Norbertines. However, they are also known by several other names. The name Premonstratensians for example refers to Prémontré, the French town where the order was founded in 1121. Their white habit has also earned them the nickname witheren (white men). Like Jesus, the Norbertines’ aim is to spread the gospel in a way that will allow people to draw courage and confidence from it. At the same time they also wish to live the gospel together, as brothers, in a community that offers prays and services. In their lives they strive for unity between community life, prayer and pastoral commitment.

Aerial view of Abby of Tongerlo.

The main entrance to the courtyard

View of the courtyard from the shop

View of the courtyard from the entrance

White facade building with an Emblem reading "Festina lente"

Norbertines at the church during the Vespers

Bell in the barn.

Clock mechanism oin the barn

Da Vinci Museum

View from the entrance of the Museum.

Historical overview

The founding history of the Abbey of the Premonstratiensens of Tongerlo is not entirely clear. Presumably the abbey community was founded around 1130, during the life of Norbertus of Gennep (1084-1134). He founded the order ofPremonstratiensens in 1121, inspired by a an ecclesiastical renewal movement that strongly emphasized poverty, evangelical piety and community life.With the support of the first abbot of the Sint-Michielsabbey in Antwerpen, a double cloister was founded in Tongerlo, probably with the specific help of a few Antwerp Premonstratiensens. The double cloisters had men and women that had chosen the lifestyle of Norbertus and te regulation of Augustinus. Thanks to the donation of a domain by a local squire-Giselbert of Castelré”, later entered as a convert- the abbey community of Tongerlo could rely on a steady material base during the initiation years. Poverty was central in the lifestyle of the original community. Although reality did not permit the stern compliance with the poverty ideals of Norbertus. Within the frame of church reform, initiated by Pope Gregorius VII (1073-1085) numberous lords of domain and domain churches handed over the connected patronage rights and endowments at the ecclesiastical authorities.

Also the Abbey of Tongerlo acquired in the first centuries after its foundation a few parish churches from the area, among them in Tongero, Oevel, Broechem, Oelegem, Wijnegem, Ravels, Poppel, Diest (with the Mariakapel/Chapel of Mary), Alphen, Zundert, Hoogeloon and Tilburg the abbot of Tongerlo had the patronage rights. The transfers brought duties and rights to the abbey. In return of the Tiendenbelasting (Tithes Taxe) (for churches in properties) and the beneficials the Abbey had to take care of the pastoral needs and the maintenance of the parish priest and the buildings. In addition to the parish churches and the patronage rights the abbey also had a few outer courts in among other Eeuwen (Broechem), Kalmthout, Essen, Ierseke, Alphen, Ravels, Vissenaken and Wiekevorst. This formed the base for the larger religious, cultural and economical influence that the Abbey of Tongerlo had on its environment.

In the spirit of Norbertus the Abbey of Tongerlo initiated as a double cloister of men and women. The income of the abbey did not suffice to support the increasing sister community. Shortly after the foundation this was transferred to the outer court at Eeuwen. The convent disappeared in the 13th century. In 1410 the about Jan Geerts founded a new Premonstratiensens sister community in Herentals.

At the end of the 15th and 16th century the Abbey had known a certain prosperity and a large prestige under the abbatiat of Werner van Halleer (1480-1487), Antoon Tsgrooten (1487-1530) and Arnoud Streyters (1530-1560). The abbots engaged numberous architects and artists to rebuild the abbey complex and to embellish it. Although, also Tongerlo could not escape from the broader ecclesiastical and political developments.The Abbey became twice the victim of the batlle in between the Spanish authority and the Calvinists. In an attempt to reinforce the control over the restless areas, the Bishop of ’s Hertogenbosch became the protector of the Spanish rulers and at the early 1560’s he was appointed as Commandatory-abbot of the Abbey of Tongerlo. Until the canons of Tongerlo could buy their freedom against a high price-almost all possessions in Northern-Brabant went lost- this situation caused turmoil and many problems.

The Council of Trente succeded in covering up this abuses and it gave the Premonstratiensens the opportunity to fully express their own identity, piety and spirituality. Under abbot Adriaan Stalpaerts (1608-1629) this new contra-reformist elan got a definite herd.

He was also responsible for the foundation of the Sint-Norbertuscollege, an educational institute for Premonstratiensens from the Brabant abbeys, in Rome. But they were not completely out of danger since the Abbey of Tongerlo had to deal with the protestant threat. In 1637 the canons had to flee the rise of the Calvinists of ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Until 1640 they stayed at their refuge in Mechelen. The Premonstratiensens that were active within the parishes tried to hold their positions. Only with the Peace of Westfalen (1648) peace returned and the abbot Augustinus Wichmans could give attention again to the religious life and the apostolate of his abbey community, with a large concern about the Marian piety and the improvement of the pastoral needs.

Since the second half of the 17th century the Abbey of Tongerlo could breath again. In the 18th century the canons were captivated by scientific research. Numberous of subjects were studied at Tongerlo and in 1773, after the abolishment of the order of Jezuits, the editoral office of the Acta Sanctorium, that was the property of the Bollandists, was taken over by the Abbey.

At the end of the 18th century new problems arrived. Under abbot Godfried Hermans (1780-1799) the Abbey was involved in the Revolution of Brabant (1789). With the financial support of Tongerlo, there were two garrison of the Kempen in the battle against the Austrians. An action that was seen negatively by the Austrian authorities after their recovery. The Abbey was sequestrated. A few years later the French rule caused greater difficulties. In 1796 the 130 canons were driven away from Tongerlo. The abbey buildings became private property and were partly demolished. Only fourty years later, in 1835 the abbey could be re-initiated. There was a new abbey community and in 1838 the Abbey was ecclesiastically restored. The community stayed at a rented castle in Broechem at first, but moved partially to the former abbey buildings in Tongerlo in 1840.In the 19th and 20th century the Abbey of Tongerlo flourished again. In 1948 the number of members had reached a peak of 234 religious people. Also the apostolate functionings were retaken and expanded, also due to the foundation of the Congo mission. The canons were active in the pastoral works and the parishes. In the Abbey itself an eucharist liturgic movement was founded during the Interbellum, translated to the publication of a number of liturgic magazines such as the Algemeen Nederlandsch Eucharistisch Tijdschrift and Het Heilig Misoffer and the people’s missions in Belgium and the Netherlands of father Antoon van Clé.

Shortly after the Second World War another priest of Tongerlo, Werenfried van Straaten, was at the base of Oostpriesterhulp. Meanwhile the Abbey of Tongerlo was fully involved in the missionary and foundational work. In 1889 a first English community of Premonstratiensens was founded in Manchester. Later on the foundation in Crowle and Spalding followed and the take over of priory in Storrington. Since 1898 numberous priests and brothers went to the Uele-mission in Congo. Also in Ireland (Kilnacott) and Canada (Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle/Quebec and later Saint-Constant/Montréal) there were new foundations from the Abbey of Tongerlo. Finally, in 1966 a number of former-missionaries went to Chile, where they founded two new establishments in Chiguayante and Santiago. In Belgian there were priests of Tongerlo at the base of the refoundation of the Leffe Abbey in 1929.

The second Vatican Council (1963-1965) became a milestone in the history of the Abbey of Tongerlo and the Premonstratiensens order. In 1968/1970 new statues were published, as a result of an intense reflection and contemplation. They intended to adjust an age-old tradition to a lifestyle that was in harmony with the spirit of Norbertus and with the changing current circumstances.