Blessed Jan van Ruysbroeck
Jan was born in Ruysbroeck in Brabant in 1293. It seems that most important person in Jan's childhood, was not his father, about whom almost nothing known or his mother, who later became a Beguine, but his uncle, Jan Hinckaert, a wealthy and worldly canon of St. Gudula, a collegiate church in Brussels. There Rusybroeck received his education and decided as a young man to become a priest. He was ordained in 1317 at the age of 24 and became a curate at St. Gedula. Ten year later, his uncle underwent a profound conversion. He desired to dedicated himself to the pursuit of holiness. In this he was joined by Rusybroeck and a young canon, Francis de Coundenberg. At first they attempted to live a simple common life near St. Gedula. It failed.
So, he, his uncle and Franz left Brussels to found what shortly became the Congregation of the Canons Regular of Groenendaal ("Green Valley") in 1343. The duke of Brabant, who was a friend of de Coundenberg, gave them a hermitage on the condition that they pray for his beloved deceased wife. For 40 years Rusybroeck lived there, serving as the prior for many of those years. He undertook his literary activities throughout this period as well as teaching and directing many in the spiritual life. Moreover he took great interest in the formation of novices and younger members of his flourishing community. His renown as a mystic attracted many visitors including Gerhard Groote, the founder of the influential Devotio Moderna movement. In his final years he received many special graces and enjoyed deep contemplative prayer. In 1381 he died at 89 years old, spending 64 of them as a faithful priest of Jesus Christ.
Later the Groenendaal Congregation joined the Canons Regular of the Congregation of Windesheim, which was founded by some of Groote's followers.
Jan was born in Ruysbroeck in Brabant in 1293. It seems that most important person in Jan's childhood, was not his father, about whom almost nothing known or his mother, who later became a Beguine, but his uncle, Jan Hinckaert, a wealthy and worldly canon of St. Gudula, a collegiate church in Brussels. There Rusybroeck received his education and decided as a young man to become a priest. He was ordained in 1317 at the age of 24 and became a curate at St. Gedula. Ten year later, his uncle underwent a profound conversion. He desired to dedicated himself to the pursuit of holiness. In this he was joined by Rusybroeck and a young canon, Francis de Coundenberg. At first they attempted to live a simple common life near St. Gedula. It failed.
So, he, his uncle and Franz left Brussels to found what shortly became the Congregation of the Canons Regular of Groenendaal ("Green Valley") in 1343. The duke of Brabant, who was a friend of de Coundenberg, gave them a hermitage on the condition that they pray for his beloved deceased wife. For 40 years Rusybroeck lived there, serving as the prior for many of those years. He undertook his literary activities throughout this period as well as teaching and directing many in the spiritual life. Moreover he took great interest in the formation of novices and younger members of his flourishing community. His renown as a mystic attracted many visitors including Gerhard Groote, the founder of the influential Devotio Moderna movement. In his final years he received many special graces and enjoyed deep contemplative prayer. In 1381 he died at 89 years old, spending 64 of them as a faithful priest of Jesus Christ.
Later the Groenendaal Congregation joined the Canons Regular of the Congregation of Windesheim, which was founded by some of Groote's followers.
Blessed Jan van Ruysbroeck
Jan was born in Ruysbroeck in Brabant in 1293. It seems that most important person in Jan's childhood, was not his father, about whom almost nothing known or his mother, who later became a Beguine, but his uncle, Jan Hinckaert, a wealthy and worldly canon of St. Gudula, a collegiate church in Brussels. There Rusybroeck received his education and decided as a young man to become a priest. He was ordained in 1317 at the age of 24 and became a curate at St. Gedula. Ten year later, his uncle underwent a profound conversion. He desired to dedicated himself to the pursuit of holiness. In this he was joined by Rusybroeck and a young canon, Francis de Coundenberg. At first they attempted to live a simple common life near St. Gedula. It failed.
So, he, his uncle and Franz left Brussels to found what shortly became the Congregation of the Canons Regular of Groenendaal ("Green Valley") in 1343. The duke of Brabant, who was a friend of de Coundenberg, gave them a hermitage on the condition that they pray for his beloved deceased wife. For 40 years Rusybroeck lived there, serving as the prior for many of those years. He undertook his literary activities throughout this period as well as teaching and directing many in the spiritual life. Moreover he took great interest in the formation of novices and younger members of his flourishing community. His renown as a mystic attracted many visitors including Gerhard Groote, the founder of the influential Devotio Moderna movement. In his final years he received many special graces and enjoyed deep contemplative prayer. In 1381 he died at 89 years old, spending 64 of them as a faithful priest of Jesus Christ.
Later the Groenendaal Congregation joined the Canons Regular of the Congregation of Windesheim, which was founded by some of Groote's followers.
Jan was born in Ruysbroeck in Brabant in 1293. It seems that most important person in Jan's childhood, was not his father, about whom almost nothing known or his mother, who later became a Beguine, but his uncle, Jan Hinckaert, a wealthy and worldly canon of St. Gudula, a collegiate church in Brussels. There Rusybroeck received his education and decided as a young man to become a priest. He was ordained in 1317 at the age of 24 and became a curate at St. Gedula. Ten year later, his uncle underwent a profound conversion. He desired to dedicated himself to the pursuit of holiness. In this he was joined by Rusybroeck and a young canon, Francis de Coundenberg. At first they attempted to live a simple common life near St. Gedula. It failed.
So, he, his uncle and Franz left Brussels to found what shortly became the Congregation of the Canons Regular of Groenendaal ("Green Valley") in 1343. The duke of Brabant, who was a friend of de Coundenberg, gave them a hermitage on the condition that they pray for his beloved deceased wife. For 40 years Rusybroeck lived there, serving as the prior for many of those years. He undertook his literary activities throughout this period as well as teaching and directing many in the spiritual life. Moreover he took great interest in the formation of novices and younger members of his flourishing community. His renown as a mystic attracted many visitors including Gerhard Groote, the founder of the influential Devotio Moderna movement. In his final years he received many special graces and enjoyed deep contemplative prayer. In 1381 he died at 89 years old, spending 64 of them as a faithful priest of Jesus Christ.
Later the Groenendaal Congregation joined the Canons Regular of the Congregation of Windesheim, which was founded by some of Groote's followers.
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