Postel Things to Do

A must do for sure is a visit to this monastery special for their beer and famous for their Äbdij"cheeese.

In the summer its great for a day out, take a long walk in the woods and visit the Äbdij Postel", which has a restaurant and a terrace where you can have some great tasting beer.
and opposite there are many "Friteskotten"-

The shop of the monastery is opened from Monday till friday from 10.00- 12.00hrs
& form 14.00-18.00hrs.
Saturday & Sunday: 10.00-18.00hrs.

The herb gardens were established in 1994 and have become an important source of income for the abbey since. Right from the start the growing of ginseng was of big importance but there are other herbs too. Products made from these herbs are available in the shop.

I had to restrain myself not to run directly to the church. It's an interesting one, wityh traces of several different architectural styles. The church dates from the 12th century and originally was in Romanesque style, which is still especially noticeable at the choir. The nave has had some changes in Gothic style, the side-aisles have windows in a non-descript style while the tower is in Baroque style. Unfortunately vandals have carved their names in the old stone walls. I wish people would stop doing that, it's so childish. Why do some people want a monument to their own stupidness?

The church is open should you like to take a look inside. Only do not enter when a mass is going on.

After the French were beaten definately at Waterloo, religious life returned to the abbey. Here a summery of the abts (abbey leader) with their leading period, since the return:
J. de Kort (1872-1890) made again a living abbey after it was abondanned.
Herman Jozef Herstraets (1890-1926) restores many buildings
Hugo Bennebroek (1926-1951) sees the community grow over a hundred and changes the liturgical demands (1930). Farms are added and new bells are placed. In 1937 he starts missionarywork in the Congo from which the bisdom Lolo appears.
Gregorius Waterschoot (1951-1985) takes care of extensions in library, guesthouses (tourists), contactcentre and pastory. New farmhouses are built, among which the dairy"factory". In Kinshasa (now Zaïre) he founds a monastry.
Petrus Broeckx (1985-1997) continuous the restorations that have to be done permanently and replaces the belss again. Lots of interior adaption and care. The monastry in Kinshasa is getting complete independance.

Norbertine (or Preamonstratenser) order has been founded in 1121 at Prémontré (F) by Saint Norbert of Gennep (NL) following the principles of Saint Augustine. The Postel monastry is founded even before 1138 by the abbey of Floreffe (near Namur) with as main tasks: care of the soul, singing prayers (the choir is founded in 1140), refuge for travellers (Postel used to be at an important junction), cultivation of the area, care for the poor.
In 1618 the monastry becomes an abbey with the help of Archduke and ducess Albrecht and Isabella. This leads to an enormous extension in buildings, but therefor decades later difficult times start (independance-war of the lowlands, warfare and discrimination of Catholics during the reformation). In 1797 the French invade and close down the monastry. The property falls to the state that sells if of in parts. In 1847 the Norbertines return and slowly behold the whole of the abbey again.

The inside of the Postel abbey church is small, yet dazzling with beautiful colours that shine through the glass-in-lead windows. The interior is dark and open, but narrow. The church is not that huge as a cathedral. The wooden benches invite to sit down and make you gaze around to the saints on statues and the shrineworks behind the altar. Still, the windows are attracting the most of your attention, especially on a sunny day, when the light seems to sparkle around through the hall.

The Norbertine Monchs are every day in a ritual in which the prayer stands on a most important place. Besides that prayers are done with many occasion and activities, the morning, afternoon and evening prayers are collective and done in the centre of the Postel abbey, the church. At the entrance a note for visitors:
This churchbuilding is the house of God
and the heart of the abbey
Please, honour this place
where the Lord is always present
in his holiest form
* wear appropriate clothing
* keep dogs outside
* don't make noise
* do not eat and drink
* do not leave trash in nor around the church
During messes no tourism!

Messes are: weekdays sundays
Morningprayer 6:45 6:45
Afternoonprayer (mess) 11:30 10:00
Eveningprayer 18:00 18:00

All prayers are public, the abbey society appreciates your praying attendence. At Saturday there is a mess for "outsiders"at 19:00 hours.

If you wish to confess, do not hesitate to ring the bell at the entrance of the abbey, the abbey gatekeeper will notify a confess father.

The abbey of Postel is a collection of several buildings that were built through several centuries. Therefor the styles and architectural are various, which however doesn;t mean that the abbey is a garbage of them. No, it is a wonderful belnded mixture of them and a lust for the eye. Especially the mix between the Roman-Rhineland church with the Renaissance bell tower are two of the greatest attractions within the abbey. The Norbertiner monchs have created the bulk of the buildings themselves, which is an amazing achievement.