One third of French monasteries have closed since 2007, a new study has revealed, but no community celebrating the liturgy exclusively in Latin has closed.
In an interview with the publication La Vie, sociologist Isabelle Jonveaux of the University of Fribourg previewed the results of her wide-ranging study of French monastic closures which revealed that communities that celebrate the liturgy exclusively in Latin have withstood the trend of closure.
Jonveaux focused her research exclusively on Catholic monasteries with contemplative orders in France from 2007 to 2026, finding that about 30 per cent had closed. Women’s monasteries, of which there are more in France, were more affected at 32 per cent compared to 21 per cent of men’s monasteries.
