Page 12 - Holyland Magazine - Catholic Edition 2015
P. 12
The Monastery
Brother Olivier is a self-attested simple man. When asked about his choice of Israel,
“It is truly my desire to be there,” I told him,
He is a man who tries, as much as possible, Brother Olivier explained, “When I entered and the Abbot said, ‘OK...’ in ten more days,
to live completely consecrated to God. “This the monastery in Normandy and started
you will be in Israel.” “I was very happy,” Olivier
is my vocation - to seek God, but also to love. my biblical studies. We prayed six times a recalls. He lew to Israel on July 10, 1977.
I want to put the accent, irst of all, on the day, mostly from the Psalms of David. In
love. This is the message of Jesus.” the Psalms, there are words that repeat
Not long ago, Brother Olivier was reading
themselves like, ‘Jerusalem’, ‘Zion,’ ‘Israel’ a book about the ships of refugees leaving
He is quick to say that he is nothing special, and so on. So little by little, I made a link
Europe after the Holocaust. The book
although the multitudes who have met him and between these studies and prayers and the explained that many of them left from the
have come to know him may beg to difer. “I land of Israel. south of France at night, between July 10-
can be what I am, thanks to this community,” 11, 1947. And, exactly 30 years later, Olivier
he said. For many years, I received 10-12,000 As a boy, Olivier watched an American movie came to Israel when he was just 27.
soldiers at the monastery every year. Not many produced in the 1960s called, Exodus,
Abbots and communities would be open
starring Paul Newman and Eva Marie Saint. “I really don’t think there are coincidences in
to this, as it can be rather disturbing to the This ilm birthed a love in his heart for the land life,” he said.
monastic life and culture, but this community and people of Israel. After watching the movie,
has accepted this and it has been a blessing.” he said, “I understood for the irst time, that “I came to Israel with a very open mind and
people could live their life and give something heart. I came to Israel with a lot of innocence
After serving in the French Navy, when Olivier of themselves because of an ideal.” and dreams, and I can tell you that I have
was 23 years old, he started his life as a monk fulilled many. One of my dreams was to
in the northwest of France and served there The community in Abu Ghosh was founded become an Israeli citizen. Today, I’m a very
for ive years in a very special monastery. by the monastery in Normandy, so there is a proud Israeli citizen.”
Although he had visited other monasteries strong link between the two. He said, “I was
including Benedictines, Franciscans and
lucky that the monks in Abu Ghosh wanted To get Israeli citizenship as a non-Jew is nearly
Dominicans, he said, “I very much enjoyed another monk to join them.” The Father Abbott impossible today, but about eleven years ago,
the smile of the Benedictine Monks of Brother Olivier received his Israeli citizenship,
in France called and said that he remembered
Normandy.” I thought, “Someone who can that Brother Olivier had a desire to go to Israel just one day before former First Lady, Laura
smile like this is a good sign from God.” and wondered if he was still interested. Bush, visited Israel.
12
Brother Olivier is a self-attested simple man. When asked about his choice of Israel,
“It is truly my desire to be there,” I told him,
He is a man who tries, as much as possible, Brother Olivier explained, “When I entered and the Abbot said, ‘OK...’ in ten more days,
to live completely consecrated to God. “This the monastery in Normandy and started
you will be in Israel.” “I was very happy,” Olivier
is my vocation - to seek God, but also to love. my biblical studies. We prayed six times a recalls. He lew to Israel on July 10, 1977.
I want to put the accent, irst of all, on the day, mostly from the Psalms of David. In
love. This is the message of Jesus.” the Psalms, there are words that repeat
Not long ago, Brother Olivier was reading
themselves like, ‘Jerusalem’, ‘Zion,’ ‘Israel’ a book about the ships of refugees leaving
He is quick to say that he is nothing special, and so on. So little by little, I made a link
Europe after the Holocaust. The book
although the multitudes who have met him and between these studies and prayers and the explained that many of them left from the
have come to know him may beg to difer. “I land of Israel. south of France at night, between July 10-
can be what I am, thanks to this community,” 11, 1947. And, exactly 30 years later, Olivier
he said. For many years, I received 10-12,000 As a boy, Olivier watched an American movie came to Israel when he was just 27.
soldiers at the monastery every year. Not many produced in the 1960s called, Exodus,
Abbots and communities would be open
starring Paul Newman and Eva Marie Saint. “I really don’t think there are coincidences in
to this, as it can be rather disturbing to the This ilm birthed a love in his heart for the land life,” he said.
monastic life and culture, but this community and people of Israel. After watching the movie,
has accepted this and it has been a blessing.” he said, “I understood for the irst time, that “I came to Israel with a very open mind and
people could live their life and give something heart. I came to Israel with a lot of innocence
After serving in the French Navy, when Olivier of themselves because of an ideal.” and dreams, and I can tell you that I have
was 23 years old, he started his life as a monk fulilled many. One of my dreams was to
in the northwest of France and served there The community in Abu Ghosh was founded become an Israeli citizen. Today, I’m a very
for ive years in a very special monastery. by the monastery in Normandy, so there is a proud Israeli citizen.”
Although he had visited other monasteries strong link between the two. He said, “I was
including Benedictines, Franciscans and
lucky that the monks in Abu Ghosh wanted To get Israeli citizenship as a non-Jew is nearly
Dominicans, he said, “I very much enjoyed another monk to join them.” The Father Abbott impossible today, but about eleven years ago,
the smile of the Benedictine Monks of Brother Olivier received his Israeli citizenship,
in France called and said that he remembered
Normandy.” I thought, “Someone who can that Brother Olivier had a desire to go to Israel just one day before former First Lady, Laura
smile like this is a good sign from God.” and wondered if he was still interested. Bush, visited Israel.
12