The life of a Norbertine Canon can vary in the apostolate he engages, but the priority of the daily Divine Office and Mass is a key to the vocation.

Norbertine abbeys are autonomus, so they manifest liturgical priority in different ways.  At St. Michael’s the daily liturgy occupies a large portion of each day. All 7 canonical hours of the Office are sung in their entirety each day, and there is a daily Holy Hour and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament every day. On a normal day, priests and seminarians spend 3 hours in choir. This time increases on feasts and solemnities.

Gregorian Chant

Gregorian Chant is the musical patrimony of the Roman Catholic Church, and it is far from a monolithic entity.  Within the Latin tradition there are many different types of chant, Mozorabic (from Spain), Ambrosian (from Milan) as well as several different types of chant that sprang up from within religious orders. The Carthusians, Norbertines, Cistercians, Dominicans and Carmelites all have their own books of chant repertoire. While there is substantial overlap between these traditions, each “dialect” is different, and provides a richness to the Church’s tradition.

The Norbertine chants show influences as widely varied as the order’s dissemination within the world during the High Middle Ages. There are influences from the Church at Jerusalem as well as many Gallican traits.

Premonstratensian (Norbertine) Traditions

Before the sweeping changes in the liturgy made at Vatican II, the Norbertine Order had its own manner of celebrating the Office and Mass. Liturgists debate whether this was a Rite or merely a usage, but the fact remains that many elements of the Premonstratensian liturgy (especially surrounding the ceremonial of Holy Week) were radically different from the Roman Rite.

St. Michael’s Abbey has preserved many of these elements in its present liturgy, and regards these Norbertine elements as part of our rich heritage, meant to be fostered and passed from one generation to the next.

» Vocations