St. Gilbert of Sempringham, born c.1089, was the son of Sir Jocelyn, a knight.  Gilbert was deformed, and shunned by everyone, including the household's male servants.  Gilbert's mother, however, was very attentive to him, and as he developed in stature, he grew in holiness as well.  His deformity made him ineligible for knighthood, so he became a priest.

 

During his seminary studies, Gilbert noticed the lack of religious orders for women.  The established orders of men refused to take responsibility for women's branches.  After ordination, and while acting as spiritual director to several young ladies, Gilbert gathered some of them into a monastery, gave them the Rule of St. Benedict, and the Order of Sempringham was born.

 

To attend to the nuns' spiritual needs, Gilbert founded the canons, and gave them the Rule of St. Augustine.  The canons' monastery was next door to that of the nuns, thus introducing the concept of the double monastery.  Extreme measures were taken to keep the nuns and canons apart.  The order expanded to only several houses in England, and one in Scotland--the reason why the Order of Sempringham did not survive the Dissolution.

 

In 1989, the Coordinator of Cloister Outreach--when inspired to open a particular volume of the Catholic Encyclopedia--discovered the Gilbertines and their story.  She thought the order's extinction a pity, and continued to research them.  A voice spoke in her heart, and feeling God the Father's incredible desire for the Gilbertines to be renewed, she heard in spirit the following words:

 

"In response to a materialistic world, the Gilbertines are to console Me with their austerity.  The original Gilbertine Rite will be used.  The canons and nuns will chant the office in monotone, out of  austerity of sound.  The monastery will be a miniature of the original Gilbertine oratory in Sempringham, England.  The original habit will be retained".

 

The Gilbertines wore a black tunic adapted from the Augustinians, and the white cloak of the Cistercians.  The canons will have a white cowl hood, and the nuns will have a white wimple, guimpe, and veil.  The white cloak will be worn only in the oratory.

 

Renewals usually require a somewhat different habit. 

 

Ages: 17 and up.  High school education or equivalent required.