The renewal of the monastery life in Vyšší Brod

God in any case is the Lord of history. In 1990, after the political change in Czechoslovakia, the last two Czech Fathers, Xaver and Ivo, were allowed to return to the monastery and to gradually to resume monastic life. At that time, Father Maurus still lived in Rein, Father Paulinus in Lilienfeld and Father Kanisius and Father Frowin in Bavaria. Because of their old age and poor health these four were not able to return and they died soon after. The new start was, in every sense, really unique and wonderful. The monastery could not be populated by a complete community of monks, the actual community remained paralyzed and ineffective, while the present-day Czech government is not interested in monastic life and rather stifles the monks economically. Despite this, a small young monastic community was able to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the Cistercian Order in 1998.

This community struggles for a true monastic life in Vyšší Brod and looks for ways to strengthen that life. This renewal has been made considerably easier by material help from Austria. In the end, before the Lord, what is essential, it is not the existence of the monastery building and the legal character of the monastery, but how much the monks’ lives lead to the sanctity and the praise of God.