November 2025: A Season of Simplicity: What the First Norbertines Teach Us Today

Dear friends,

It may have been a cold, wet, cloudy day in Prémontré, France in 1121 when Saint Norbert and about 30 of his confreres professed their vows for the first time on Christmas Day to establish the Canons Regular of Prémontré, or The Premonstratensians. Think about that first Norbertine Christmas. Was it unfamiliar and strange to many who decided to join Norbert? What kind of lives did they lead before traveling to Prémontré? What or who (Norbert) inspired them to come? We know that some gave up a royal title, wealth, and a comfortable lifestyle, but did others come from more humble beginnings? Some were well-educated, but did others have a little formal education? Were they skilled at any helpful trades - farming, masonry, carpentry? 

This courageous group of ordained men, as well as lay men and women, made the choice to follow Norbert to a remote locale and establish a new community in the style of the apostles - austere, prayerful, and ministerial. They had come to settle in this place within the year, as Norbert spent his first night there in 1120, alone in prayer in a hermit’s chapel dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. During those first few months, in addition to adopting a daily routine of prayer and work, they had to clear forest and fields to plant crops and raise animals, make use of the nearby rivers to fish and establish a water supply, and build lodging and a larger worship space. It was a difficult life, both physically and mentally. 

They would have observed Advent with fasting and penitence, in spite of the physical and emotional strain they were all experiencing. As was the custom in France, the Réveillon (watch) on Christmas Eve culminating in Christmas Mass at midnight, was also most likely celebrated by this new community, with special foods, music, and entertainment. Also, Norbert and his community probably would have known about the custom of creating nativity scenes, with la crèche having originated in 12th-century France, starting as liturgical dramas performed in churches.

WIth the cold, damp and cloudy weather most days in the Normandy region, it would seem that a hearth would be a necessity for warmth, as well as for preparing food. In the 12th century, the Bûche de Noël was a very large, freshly cut tree, laid on the hearth. Wine, oil, and salt were poured over the log while offering prayers and singing Christmas songs. Then the log was set ablaze, using a splinter saved from the previous year's Yule log. It is interesting to think about how Norbert and his new community celebrated all of these Advent and Christmas traditions in secluded Prémontré.

The existence of the Norbertine community 904 years later after that first Christmas together in what I imagine was a pretty rudimentary setting seems miraculous to me, as if the vision of Saint Norbert of reforming and renewing the Catholic Church and the faith of the people, is particularly blessed by God and supported by the work of the Holy Spirit over the centuries. If the Norbertine spiritual movement lasted this long, it must have relevance for every generation. 

The tenets of Norbertine charism that help define the approach to this on-going “ever-green” work have been outlined and discussed by a number of Norbertine scholars over the centuries. I often reference Fr. Bernard Ardura, O.Praem., who, in his book, The Order of Prémontré: History and Spirituality, outlines the essential elements of the apostolic life as understood by Norbert:

These elements were translated by Norbert into a daily way of life, structured by the Rule of Saint Augustine, and having the following parts:

Today, as a Norbertine school, we have adopted many of these daily rituals, beliefs, and traditions into our routines, including prayer and Scripture, as well as general studies, celebrating the liturgical calendar of the Church, especially noting Marian devotions, and welcoming people from diverse backgrounds, particularly reaching out to those who are poor- poor in many ways: in physical resources, in emotional capacity, and in spiritual well-being.

Norbert’s actions to live an austere life in service to others, having come from wealth and nobility, neatly encapsulates his message to us: to live simply and authentically for others. During this season of Advent that precedes our Réveillon Christmas Eve celebrations, let us take the time to think about what motivates us each day, what is truly important to us, and what things get in the way of living our authentic lives. 

It is difficult to be objective with ourselves and our decisions, making a thorough “examination of conscience” and decluttering our thoughts as much as our things. Adam the Scot was a late 12th century Norbertine priest and mystic who wrote about his own spiritual journey and his struggle sometimes in finding God’s purpose and clear path for him in life’s moments. In one essay, he responded to his anger for feeling unjustly accused of wrongdoing by his fellow Norbertine Community members by having the Soul engage in a dialog with Reason:

Reason offers Adam to consider his anger and embarrassment about being wrongly accused and corrected in the context of the crucified two thieves and Jesus. One thief acknowledged his guilt, asked for forgiveness, and was promised Paradise, while the other denied his guilt. And then there is the example of Jesus who did nothing wrong, but suffered and died for us all. Adam asks himself, “Are there not times when I have been like either thief or like Jesus, falsely accused of something, but quietly take the blame? Even those times when I have done nothing wrong and receive blame, it cannot be more painful than Jesus’ torture and crucifixion.” 

Therefore, may we be joyful in the hope of the Resurrection, knowing that, even in our darkest moments and times of despair when we question God’s presence, we must have faith that nothing in this world can separate us from God’s saving love for us. We may have challenges, losses, and sadness in our lives, but we need to keep a watchful eye for the emergence of God’s presence - God’s advent of everlasting peace, joy, and love.