Monastic Family of Bethlehem, of the Assumption of the Virgin and of Saint Bruno

The Monastic Family of Bethlehem, of the Assumption of the Virgin and of Saint Bruno – or simply known as Monastic Brothers of Bethlehem and Monastic Sisters of Bethlehem – is a Roman Catholic institute of consecrated life that practices the Carthusian spirituality and was founded through the inspiration of a small group of French pilgrims on November 1, 1950, at St. Peter's Square, following the promulgation of the dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven. The Monastic Sisters were founded in France, soon after, and the Monastic Brothers in 1976.

Charism


The charism of the communities of the Monastic Family of Bethlehem, of the Assumption of the Virgin and of Saint Bruno consists in listening to the Gospel with the Blessed Virgin Mary in the heart of the Catholic Church, in love, in solitude, through liturgical life, study, work and poverty. In order to fulfill this vocation more perfectly, the Monasteries of Bethlehem receive Saint Bruno's fatherhood and his wisdom of life.

Controversies
Since 2015, the monastic family of Bethlehem has been the object of a canonical visitation led by Fr. Jean Quris, former Deputy Secretary General of the Bishops' Conference of France and by Sister Geneviève Barrière, a Benedictine nun, who was the abbess of Jouarre from 2007 to 2014. This visitation followed the "dysfunctions" which arose in certain communities and a lack of distinction between the internal and external fora.

Election of a new prioress general
Sister Emmanuel (née Rose Armelle Marie Claude Lorenchet de Montjamont) was appointed prioress general of the Monastic Family of Bethlehem by the Congregation of Religious Of the Holy See in February 2017, following the resignation as prioress general of Sister Isabelle, herself succor of the community's founder, Sister Marie.

The new prioress general, Sister Emmanuel, is assisted by 5 sisters as her official advisers, and by two apostolic visitors: Father Jean Quris, a priest of the diocese of Angers and episcopal vicar for consecrated life, and Mother Geneviève Barrière, former Abbess of Jouarre. The role of the apostolic visitors consists of remaining in close contact with the prioress general and her permanent advisers so as to ensure the implementation of the recommendations of the Roman Dicastery and the renewal of the Constitutions, with a view to preparing a future general chapter to vote on the new constitutions text and in the election of a prioress general.

Presence in the world


The first community of Monastic Sisters of Bethlehem began in 1951. The first community of Monastic Brothers of Bethlehem (or Monks) was founded in 1976, in the Chartreuse Mountains. The Monastic Family of Bethlehem presently numbers more than 670 members, of which more than 600 nuns and some 70 monks. They live in 30 nunneries and 4 monasteries of brothers located in 15 different nations. The Monastic Family of Bethlehem also includes Lay Associates, Companions and Friends, all of whom contribute to its life.

The monasteries of the Monastic Brothers of Bethlehem

 * 1976 🇫🇷 – Monastère de l'Assomption Notre-Dame – Currière-en-Chartreuse, Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse (Diocese of Grenoble-Vienne)
 * 1989 🇮🇹 – Monastero dell'Assunta Incoronata – Monte Corona, Umbertide (Archdiocese of Perugia-Città della Pieve)
 * 1999 🇮🇱 – Monastère de Notre-Dame de Maranatha – Beit Shemesh (Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem)
 * 2005 🇮🇱 – Monastère de Lavra Netofa – Lavra Netofa, Deir Hanna (Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem)

The monasteries of the Monastic Sisters of Bethlehem

 * 1967 🇫🇷 – Monastère de Notre-Dame de la Gloire-Dieu – Les Montvoirons, Boëge (Diocese of Annecy)
 * 1968 🇫🇷 – Monastère de Notre-Dame de la Présence de Dieu, Paris (Archdiocese of Paris)
 * 1970 🇫🇷 – Monastère de Notre-Dame de Bethléem - Poligny, Seine-et-Marne (Diocese of Meaux)
 * 1971 🇫🇷 – Monastère de Notre-Dame de l'Unité – Pugny (Diocese of Chambéry)
 * 1974 🇫🇷 – Monastère de Notre-Dame du Buisson Ardent – Currier-en-Chartreuse, Saint-Laurent-du-Pont (Diocese of Grenoble-Vienne)
 * 1977 🇫🇷 – Monastère de Notre-Dame de Pitié – Mougères, Caux, Hérault (Archdiocese of Montpellier)
 * 1978 🇫🇷 – Monastère de Notre-Dame du Torrent de Vie – Le Thoronet (Diocese of Fréjus-Toulon)
 * 1981 🇮🇹 – Monastero della Madonna del Deserto – Monte Camporeggiano, Gubbio (Diocese of Gubbio)
 * 1982 🇫🇷 – Monastère de Notre-Dame d’Adoration – Le Val Saint Benoît, Épinac (Diocese of Autun)
 * 1982 🇫🇷 – Monastère de Notre-Dame de Clémence – La Verne, Collobrières (Diocese of Fréjus-Toulon)
 * 1985 🇮🇱 – Monastère de Notre-Dame de l'Assomption – The Mother House, Beit Shemesh (Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem)
 * 1985 🇦🇹 – Kloster Maria im Paradies – Kinderalm, Sankt Veit im Pongau (Archdiocese of Salzburg)
 * 1985 🇪🇸 – Monasterio de Santa María Reina – Villanueva de Sigena (Diocese of Barbastro-Monzòn)
 * 1987 🇺🇸 – Monastery of Bethlehem – Our Lady of Lourdes – Camp Road, Livingston Manor, Sullivan County, New York (Archdiocese of New York)
 * 1988 🇫🇷 – Monastère de l'Assunta Gloriosa – Sari (Diocese of Ajaccio)
 * 1991 🇫🇷 – Monastère de Notre-Dame du Saint Désert en Chartreuse, Saint-Laurent-du-Pont (Diocese of Grenoble-Vienne)
 * 1991 🇩🇪 – Kloster Marienheide - Wollstein (Diocese of Fulda)
 * 1992 🇦🇷 – Monasterio de Santa María en la Santisima Trinidad - Merlo (Diocese of San Luis)
 * 1993 🇨🇦 – Monastère de Sainte Marie Reine des coeurs – Chertsey, Quebec (Diocese of Joliette)
 * 1994 🇱🇹 – Monastère de Notre-Dame de l'Aurore – Paparčiai, Kaišiadorys District Municipality (Diocese of Kaišiadorys)
 * 1998 🇵🇱 – Monaster Najświętszej Dziewicy na Pustyni – Szemud (Archdiocese of Gdańsk)
 * 1998 🇫🇷 – Monastère du Désert de l'Immaculée – Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre (Diocese of Tarbes-et-Lourdes)
 * 1999 🇧🇪 – Monastère de Notre-Dame du Fiat – Zutendaal (Diocese of Hasselt)
 * 1999 – Monasterio de Santa María del Paraiso – Casilla (Diocese of Valparaíso)
 * 2002 🇪🇸 – Monasterio de la Cartuja Nuestra Senora de la Defension – Jerez de la Frontera (Diocese of Cadiz y Ceuta)
 * 2004 🇨🇾 – Monastery of Bethlehem, of the Assumption of the Virgin, and of Saint Bruno – Paphos (Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem)
 * 2006 🇮🇱 – Monastère de Lavra Netofa – Lavra Netofa, Deir Hanna (Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem)
 * 2009 🇮🇱 – Sanctuaire Notre-Dame de Palestine – Beit Shemesh (Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem)
 * 2011 🇲🇽 – Monasterio de las Monjas de Belén – Los Hornos, Valle de Vázquez, Tlaquiltenango (Diocese of Cuernavaca)
 * 2013 – Mosteiro de Nossa Senhora do Rosário – Couço, Coruche (Archdiocese of Evora)