Summarium

 La Petite Chartreuse monastery is dedicated to the ancient form of the wholly contemplative monastic life, affording the safety of the common life necessary for women religious, while maintaining the contemplative union with God made possible in solitary prayer. This marvelous synthesis of coenobitical life with eremitical life is largely forgotten in modernity, yet it was the first form of monastic life founded in the west, for example, at Liguge, France by St. Martin de Tours in the 4th century. In the 6th century, the early foundations of the Order of St. Benedict mitigated the Psalter to once a week incorporating Gregorian chants, but still allowed for the solitary prayer of his monks and nuns. The Order of Carthusians at La Grande Chartreuse in the early 12th century re-established the importance of the eremitical element of monastic life, without losing any of the richness of its liturgical chant or life in common. The community at La Petite Chartreuse are moniales eremitici (female monastic hermits or “hermit nuns”) consecrated to and in imitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mediatrix of All Graces. As “little mediatrixes” the hidden contemplative prayer of the nuns acts invisibly as a channel of grace to the whole world. The Divine Office according to the Rite of St. Benedict, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, private monastic vows, nocturnal Holy Hours of reparation, and union with God in solitary prayer are fundamental elements. Under the patrons of the diocese and of monastic life, St. Martin de Tours, and St. Louis, King of France, the nuns follow a strict observance of silence, solitude, separation from the world (enclosure), sacred study, manual labor, austerity of life, and fraternal charity.  Scroll Down for details and hororium...