1843: Aiguebelle founded Staouëli in Algeria.  The monastery lasted until 1904. 

1934: Rajenburg (Délivrance, daughter house of Dombes in Yugoslavia) looks for a refuge in Algeria, south of Medea.

1938. Aiguebelle takes over this foundation and establishes Our Lady of Atlas in Tibhirine.  1988: Our Lady of Atlas opens an annexe house at Fès in Morocco, at the request of the archbishop of Rabat.

1996: Kidnapping of our 7 Brothers, who are murdered on 21 May.  Two Brothers escaped being kidnapped: Fr. Amedée and Fr. Jean-Pierre. Three other Brothers are living in the annexe in Morocco without a superior.

For two and a half years, Fr. Amedée in Algiers ensured a presence of one day a week in the monastery of Tibhirine.  Volunteers arrive from various monasteries of the Order.

1999: January:  During a special Visitation of the Priory of Fès by the Abbot General, Dom Bernardo, and the Father Immediate, Dom André, the following decisions were taken:  the Priory of Our Lady of Atlas will be established definitively in Morocco.  A new community, Our Lady of Tibhirine, pre-foundation of Aiguebelle, comes into being to revive the monastery of Tibhirine.

In March the new community is formed as follows:

Fr. Jean-Claude         French             (Cîteaux)         superior

Fr. Amedée                 Algerian          (Atlas)

Fr. Ventura                 Spanish           (La Oliva)

Fr. Mikaël                  Polish              (Aiguebelle)    Dominican transfer

Br. Francisco              Chilian                        (Aiguebelle)    temporarily professed

 

Challenges

 

The community of Our Lady of Tibhirine is international (an advantage from the point of view of Algeria, which looks on this favourably).  Differences of nationality are a richness and a challenge that can be taken on by a life of close fraternity.

As the only contemplative community in the church in Algeria, it will provide a Christian monastic presence in a Muslim milieu.  The monastery has been well accepted by the local population.

 

The community must engage in an important formation program: monastic formation and learning the Arabic language.  Recruitment presents another challenge.  At the moment we cannot expect to recruit from among the local people.  For the growth of the community we shall have to rely on volunteers coming from elsewhere.

 

When will we be able to restore the monastery to a state where it can receive the community and be able to re-establish it there permanently?  We may reasonably think of October 1999.  We hope to request autonomy at the General Chapter of 2002.