1910 The First Fire and a Call to War
Simpler times lead the world into a war that changes humanity. A group of Monks are called to do their duty for their country despite their spiritual beliefs. The metaphor of their first Monastery burning down is a sign of scourge of war. How would you feel if you were called to war and didn’t believe in it?
Notes:
1. Dom Jean Marie Chouteau from Bellefontaine supervised the building of
the first monastery.
2. The original gatehouse was once owned by the Sisters of Misercordia as a home for unwed mothers known as “La Creche en St. Norbert”. It was bought by Mr. Robert in 1912 and moved to the gate location.
3. The original monastery building caught fire in 1912 when a plating stove of a monk who was trained in France to make jewelry overheated the chimney outlet it was attached to and blew out. The smoke caused the monk to run out of the room and the building caught fire. It was immediately rebuilt, and the porch was added in mid 30’s.
From the Archive of Our lady of
the Prairies Abbey, Holland Manitoba
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