It is hard to imagine that religious figures were once a visible part of daily life in the Netherlands. Of course, it depended on where you were in the country, as some regions had few or no Catholics or other religious orders. But it wasn’t that long ago that this presence was still taken for granted. My mother attended a school run by nuns (sisters) in Apeldoorn, and Jan went to a secondary school in Raalte with a rector who was a priest and two other priests as teachers. Nowadays, monasteries and monks or nuns often only make the news in connection with cases of child abuse. But there is more to tell. What we want to know, is where have the sisters gone? It is estimated that three to five monasteries close every year (in addition to 50 to 100 churches). This is a consequence of declining and changing religious engagement in society, an aging population, and the high costs of maintaining monastery complexes. There are numerous examples, both in the Netherlands and abroad, of monasteries being repurposed after the religious orders have left them. Interestingly, some individuals remain in their monasteries, though their numbers are very small.
Let us begin by saying something about churches and monasteries. The construction of churches increased as Christianity spread throughout Europe. This process started as early as the early Middle Ages, with missionaries like Willibrord (7th century) and Boniface (8th century), who introduced Christianity to the Netherlands and Belgium. During the Middle Ages, hundreds of churches were founded in the Netherlands, particularly between the 10th and 15th centuries. The church played a central role in daily life, and virtually every village or town had a church. These churches were established with the support of local nobility and monastic orders such as the Benedictines and Norbertines.
With the spread of Christianity, the number of monasteries also increased. Monasteries in rural areas grew into self-sufficient villages with their own farms, bakeries, tailor shops, and sometimes developed into large abbeys with extensive landholdings. It's helpful to clarify the difference between monasteries and abbeys. A monastery is a general term for a building or complex where monks (men) or nuns (women, also called sisters) live to devote themselves to a religious life. The head of a monastery is usually called a prior/prioress (for a priory) or mother superior (or general superior), depending on the order and the type of community. Not all monasteries are independent; some fall under the authority of a larger institution. An abbey, on the other hand, is a specific type of monastery that is fully independent and led by an abbot (for men) or an abbess (for women). Abbeys were often significant landowners and played an essential role in the local economy. They also served as centres of education, art, and science. The abbot or abbess held extensive authority, both religious and administrative, and represented the abbey to the outside world. All abbeys are monasteries, but not all monasteries are abbeys. There is also a distinction between a monastic order and a congregation. Congregations were generally founded after 1550. Members of a monastic order take solemn vows, renounce personal possessions after joining, and are under the direct authority of the pope. Members of a congregation take simple vows.
Monastics dedicate their lives to God and religion. They do this by living in silence, peace, and contemplation within a community. They reside apart, secluded from the outside world. These communities are contemplative, meaning monastics lead a reflective life under the rules of a monastic order. Many apostolic congregations were established in the 19th century. Members of these congregations do not remain behind monastery walls but actively engage in society through their apostolic activities, often working outside the monastery. Monastics are bound by a rule specific to their order, which governs aspects of daily monastic life and spiritual practice. These rules generally call for a life of obedience, chastity, and poverty focused on God. Additionally, there are congregational rules regarding fixed prayer times, daily routines, meals, and the steps one has to take to become a nun. The foundations of these rules were laid by saints such as Augustine (354–430), Benedict (480–547), Francis (1181–1226), and Dominic (1170–1221). Monastic orders are named after the rules of the saint they follow. The largest groups include Augustinians (and Norbertines), Benedictines (and Trappists), followed later by Franciscans (and Poor Clares) and Dominicans. The latter two are mendicant orders, usually located in cities, as they owned no land and lived off donations and small compensations. This has resulted in a ’cloud’ of different monastic orders and congregations. In 2021, the Brabant province declared it the ‘Brabant Monastery Year’. In the book published for this occasion (Bindboek Ons Kloosterpad), an attempt was made to document as many monasteries and congregations as possible. Apparently, this task is not so simple.
In the Middle Ages, a growing group of monastics began to oppose the wealth of rural abbeys in the Netherlands. They formed mendicant orders and chose a humble existence in cities. The first urban monastery was founded by the Franciscans in ’s-Hertogenbosch in 1228. Many monasteries were established in relatively poor areas, such as the northern regions of Friesland and Groningen. With the rise of cities, many monastics settled there due to dire poverty that led to distressing situations. There is an excellent interactive monastery map created by Koen Goudriaan from the Free University in Amsterdam. At one point, there were 700 monasteries in the Netherlands, but by 1600, only 75 remained. The oldest existing monastery in the Netherlands is Sint Agatha, which also serves as an archive for monasteries. The map allows users to see where monasteries were located between the years 700 and 1800. Different colors and symbols distinguish the various orders.
In the 16th century, the Reformation took place, and monastic communities were banned. In some parts of the country, Catholic enclaves existed, such as Gemert, Ravenstein, Megen, and Uden, which were not under Protestant rule. Goudriaan explains: “Princes Maurits and Frederik Hendrik were strongly Protestant but also wanted to be good landlords for the people and occasionally allowed monasteries to remain. For example, the Crosiers of Sint Agatha in Cuijk survived because the House of Orange protected them.” The impact of the Reformation is clearly visible on the interactive monastery maps.
It was not until 1840 that monastic life was permitted again, following the repeal of the monastic decree by King William II. After the restoration of the episcopal hierarchy in 1853, Catholics became visible in society again and built their own churches. The number of monastics grew exponentially. They cultivated the land, cared for the sick, elderly, widows, and orphans, taught children and adults to read and write, and prayed multiple times a day. The 19th century saw a new golden age of monastic life, which lasted until about 1960. However, the turbulent 1960s brought significant changes to monasteries. It was a time of cultural upheaval in families, politics, universities, and the church. Young people led protest movements, older generations lost authority, and a sexual revolution was underway. Among religious communities, this era—beginning between 1961 and 1964—brought more freedom, fewer rules, and a deeper focus on personal faith. By the late 1960s, this shift led to confusion and, for some monastics, a crisis of faith and identity. The book Freedom & Confusion (2022), based on the exhibition of the same name at Museum Krona in Uden, provides a detailed account of this period. An increasing number of monastics left the monasteries, and new recruits dwindled—a trend that has continued into the 21st century.
To our surprise, in September 2020, a monastery unexpectedly became the centre of attention—thanks to social media—with a request for help in selling wine. The Norbertine monastery of St-Catharinadal in Oosterhout has been producing wine since 2018. Their first harvest yielded 11,000 bottles. The second year’s harvest skyrocketed to 55,000 bottles. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, their usual sales channels disappeared, leaving them with 20,000 unsold bottles. With the help of the platform Breda Maakt Mij Blij (Breda Makes Me Happy) and a social media campaign, the remaining bottles were sold in no time. Few people questioned why the sisters were growing wine—a rare endeavor in the Netherlands, and even more so by religious communities. The explanation lies in the sisters’ decision to seek new sources of income to preserve and revitalise the religious and cultural heritage of St-Catharinadal.
The community of Norbertine sisters at St-Catharinadal dates to the 13th century. The Norbertine Order was founded by Norbertus, who was born around 1080 in Gennep, near Nijmegen. He came from a noble and wealthy family but renounced his possessions and set out to preach the Christian faith, following the teachings of Augustine. During his pilgrimage through Europe, he reached northern France, where a bishop granted him a piece of land near Prémontré. There, he founded a monastery, and in 1121, the Order of Prémontré was established. By the 12th century, the order had nearly 500 monasteries, with fifty in what are now the Netherlands and Belgium. These monasteries were often founded by local nobles and rulers who used them to enhance their power and wealth.
The Norbertine monastery of St-Catharinadal was established around 1270 in the hamlet of Vroenhout near Wouw in West Brabant. On July 6, Lord and Lady of Breda, Arnold van Leuven and his wife Elisabeth, took the monastery under their protection and obligated their heirs to do the same. In 1288, West Brabant experienced severe flooding, and the sisters were granted permission to move to Breda. From a temporary shelter, they began building a new monastery just outside the city walls (now known as Kloosterkazerne). The complex was completed in 1308.
Approximately twenty sisters lived in the convent. They came from wealthy families and brought a dowry upon their entry, sufficient to support them during their life in the convent. In 1461, a significant reform of the convent was initiated by the Lord of Breda with the pope’s approval. The sisters were required to strictly follow the rules and remain within the convent walls. They were subjected to a life of silence (silentium) and lived as cloistered nuns. The expansion of the city beyond its walls and the Reformation brought the convent to its lowest point in 1621 when only one sister remained, before numbers increased again. Prince Frederick Henry of Orange allowed the convent to remain if the sisters voluntarily relocated to another place within the ‘Barony of Breda.’ The provost found a castle with a moat and surrounding lands called ‘De Blauwe Camer’ in Oosterhout, then a small village. The castle got its name from the blue wall in the room to the left of the castle tower. In 1647, the sisters moved to their new location.
The sisters oversaw the construction of two new convent wings to serve as their living quarters. Under Protestant rule, building a chapel was prohibited, so the sisters worshiped in a wide convent corridor. The lands enabled them to live self-sufficiently, with a farm, vegetable garden, and herb garden. During the French occupation (1795-1810), church and state were separated, leading to the closure of most convents. St. Catharinadal escaped this measure by utilising the provision that women’s convents actively caring for the sick, needy, homeless, and orphans were allowed to continue. A school for poor girls was established, where the sisters taught from behind bars. In 1811, permission was granted to build the first church. The school was closed in 1852 as it was no longer necessary for the convent’s survival.
During the second half of the 19th century, the freedom of religion brought about a flourishing of Catholic life in the southern Netherlands. built a new, much larger church in neo-Gothic style. The old church was converted into a chapter house (meeting room) and a convent hall (recreation room and living room). Between 1910 and 1930, the number of sisters grew to 60, leading to new constructions and renovations between 1924 and 1930. This created a closed convent courtyard on the grounds. During this golden era, two new convents from France established themselves in Oosterhout: in 1901, the , and in 1907, the . This led to the name ‘the Holy Triangle.’ St. Paul’s Abbey closed its doors in 2006 and is now owned by ‘Chemin Neuf,’ an apostolic faith community with an ecumenical Christian foundation.
Following the Second Vatican Council, St-Catharinadal chose to abolish the cloister (strict confinement behind walls) and the vow of silence and removed the bars. Other rules were also relaxed; for example, services were held in Dutch instead of Latin. Besides praying and singing, the sisters began dedicating more time to paid work to generate income. Dowries were no longer sufficient to cover their living costs. The sisters started a bookbinding workshop, primarily for the restoration of antique books and Bibles. They trained at the restoration studio of the Bavarian State Library in Munich. Due to the damage to churches and libraries in the Netherlands during World War II, restoration orders poured in. The art studio had three departments: antique book conservation, calligraphy, and leatherworking.
From 1955 to 1964, the monastery underwent restoration, partially funded by subsidies. Much of the plasterwork was removed, making the historical layers of the buildings more visible. The second church showed significant structural deficiencies. In 1966, a new (third) church was completed. It was constructed using as much material from the old church as possible. The design of the new church harmonized with the existing buildings and reflected the contemporary spirit of the time, fostering more interaction with the outside world. The art studio also restored its own library, which subsequently led to the construction of an archive in 1978 and a library with reading and study areas in 1989. In 1971, the monastery was designated a national monument.
Across the Netherlands, the number of religious communities in monasteries declined, including at St-Catharinadal. During the 20th century, the community averaged 20 to 25 sisters, but after 1965, the numbers dwindled due to natural attrition and fewer new entrants. This decline led to the closure of the art studio in 2010, leaving the sisters reliant on their pensions as their sole source of income. In 2014, the congregation developed a future plan based on the following principles: maintaining the monastic life of silence and prayer, retaining ownership of the lands and buildings of St-Catharinadal, and ensuring that any new activities align with the historical character of the site and the principles of social responsibility. On their website they call themselves a house of light, hospitality and culture and also have guestrooms.
This vision gave rise to the idea of a vineyard, inspired by the Gospel of John: “I am the vine; you are the branches.” The St-Catharinadomein Foundation was established to ensure that new initiatives would not jeopardise the community’s continuity. Financing for the vineyard, the winery, and the shop was secured through a loan from the Province of North Brabant (via the Heritage Factory program). The 7.5 hectare vineyard was planted in the spring of 2015, partly within the monastery walls and partly on adjacent land, making it one of the largest vineyards in the Netherlands. The sisters chose grape varieties suitable for northern climates: Chardonnay, Gamay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir. A vineyard requires a great deal of work, and the sisters take responsibility while also partnering with local social work organisations.
The wines and information about the monastery’s heritage are available in the St-Catharinadal shop and at the restaurant Wijnhuis De Blauwe Camer, located in the former cow stable. Additionally, St-Catharinadal participates in the h3h biennale, established in 2015 by the Stichting Kunst in de Heilige Driehoek (Art in the Holy Triangle Foundation), which grew out of the Stichting De Heilige Driehoek. The foundation works to preserve, enhance, and future-proof the unique character of the Holy Triangle area. The h3h biennale serves as an inspiring platform for contemporary artists, aiming to contribute to the area's recognition and preservation.
The 2025 h3h biennale will take place from 21 June to 3 August. Nanda Janssen, the curator of this edition, shared her perspective on the event:
“This piece of earth in Oosterhout is rich with meaning. It is supported by three religious communities that not only preserve the unique, heritage-filled landscape and its beautiful buildings but also imbue it with spirit. The religious context adds tremendous value. The three monastic communities and the values they embody offer endless inspiration for an art exhibition. Both art and religion seek to give meaning to our place under the sun and to what it means to be human. Both pause to reflect on life, offering direction and depth. My intent is to connect this with the confusing times we are living in and, where possible, provide new ideas and perspectives.”
There are more sisters with remarkable stories about how they are dealing with their future and their heritage. At one of these convents, I had the privilege of playing a role, and it is one of the most beautiful projects I have ever had the opportunity to work on. This concerns the Congregation of Saint Catherine of Siena, Dominican Sisters of Voorschoten at Huize Bijdorp. Quite a mouthful. This is a much younger apostolic congregation and therefore quite different from the Saint-Catharinadal Monastery. But this congregation, too, can no longer sustain itself financially due to aging and has embarked on a new path for its future.
This congregation owes its existence to Sisters Lucia and Elisabeth Pinkers from Rotterdam. Lucia, born in 1808 in Maastricht, and her younger sister Elisabeth, born in 1812 in Liège, moved with their Catholic merchant family to Rotterdam in 1814. In the seclusion of their Catholic household, the Pinkers sisters learned religion, reading, writing, and especially needlework from their parents. They had both an eye and a heart for the poverty and inequality in society and wanted to make a difference. In the Netherlands, there was no motherhouse to join due to French domination. In 1835, they decided to ‘start on their own’ in two rented rooms above a bakery on Keizerstraat in Rotterdam. Their parents supported them financially, and they slept at home at night. They taught fifteen children needlework and religion simultaneously, with fifteen chairs, footstools, sewing boxes, and a lamp. They also cared for the sick in the neighborhood. In 1836, Father Raken appointed Lucia and Elisabeth as tertiaries (Third Order Sisters) of St. Dominic.
Due to lack of space, the sisters moved to their parental home near the market in 1839. The upper floor was used as a sewing room and prayer chapel. With four sisters, they accommodated 50 children. As president of the Board for the Poor and Orphans of the Steiger Church in Rotterdam, Father Raken convinced the wealthy Louise Harings (later Mrs. Gitte) to purchase and donate a house to the sisters. On May 24, 1841, the house was blessed and dedicated to Saint Catherine of Siena. At the time, the episcopal hierarchy (1853) had not yet been restored in the Netherlands, and the sisters were under the direct leadership of the Provincial of the Dominican Order. In 1876, Lucia Kervel, widow of Mr. Johannes Fredericus Farensbach, a wealthy tobacco planter in Java, offered her villa for sale: Huize Bijdorp. Her husband, a devout Catholic, had passed away in Lourdes. The widow attached two conditions to the sale: the institution had to be named ‘Our Lady of Lourdes’ and the living room in the mansion had to remain unchanged.
The history of this Estate dates to the Middle Ages. Leiden’s orphanage records include a map from 1622 depicting the Bijdorp Estate. The elongated property already had its current shape, bordered by the Heerweg (Veurseweg) and the Vliet canal. The front part of the property was arable land, and the back part was pasture. The farmstead was likely situated on a sandy ridge between these two sections. The gate, still standing on Veurseweg, is dated between 1697 and 1700, based on the coat of arms and monograms of Johan de Bije and his wife. The intertwined letters J.B. and A.O. can be seen in the ironwork of the gate. After several ownership changes, Johannes Farensbach purchased Huize Bijdorp.
It is unclear what renovations the sisters undertook when converting the mansion into a convent in 1876. Chronicles of the congregation show that initially, only the main rooms were adapted for use as a convent, school, and boarding house. The sisters occupied a modest portion of the building. The existing living room of Johannes Farensbach was left unchanged as agreed. At Huize Bijdorp, the sisters initially focused on district nursing and teaching needlework. In April 1888, Huize Bijdorp became the motherhouse of the congregation. The novitiate (housing for new entrants) and administration moved to Voorschoten. Since then, all sisters have joined the congregation at Huize Bijdorp, totaling 1,395. In 1938, the congregation peaked at 864 sisters. All sisters are commemorated on the monument for the entrants in the hall of Huize Bijdorp. They have their own burial ground on their estate.
The congregation expanded, resulting in multiple convents and schools across the country and in the Dutch Antilles, totaling 38 establishments. This growth also led to various construction activities on the Huize Bijdorp estate, including a chapel (1894–1895) and a new laundry building (1925). The existing structures on the property, such as the farmhouse, cow shed, bakery, orangery, orchard, and vegetable garden, were effectively utilised by this self-sustaining community. In January 1937, the superior general presented plans for an expansion for the secondary girls' school (MMS), including a gymnasium/theatre hall, dormitory rooms for boarders, and a refectory (dining hall). The existing boarding school building, with classrooms on the ground floor and a dormitory above, was completely modernised.
The outbreak of World War II meant that Huize Bijdorp had to accommodate 350 soldiers from the Dutch army. The Germans subsequently chose the new boarding house as their headquarters because it was a relatively self-sufficient part of the building. The night of 22 July 1942, brought further disaster in the form of a raging fire in the new boarding house, caused by a German soldier smoking in bed. Reports indicated that the 19th century boarding house could not be completely preserved. In 1943, the sisters had to leave the convent as it was entirely requisitioned for the accommodation of approximately 500 personnel. Huize Bijdorp was liberated on April 1, 1945. The convent was not only partially burned but also worn down and heavily polluted. The complex needed renovation, and the new boarding house was rebuilt between 1946 and 1948.
The 1960s also left their mark on Huize Bijdorp. The habit was adjusted to a style just below the knees and was later only worn during special occasions. The educational system was restructured, and many schools were merged. In 1972, the MMS closed its doors. This prompted a renovation of the new boarding house into individual rooms for the sisters. The old boarding house remained in use as a subsidiary location of the St. Lucas College until 1984. After that, the building was left vacant. The novitiate was repurposed as a retirement home for elderly sisters called ‘Oud Bijdorp’ between 1973 and 1975.
In March 2018, the Congregation Board organised a study day. This led to a religious compass for the future of Huize Bijdorp. The congregation would be completed, meaning they would not accept new sisters, and they would not leave Huize Bijdorp. However, they wanted to take care of their religious and cultural heritage, which required funding to make this possible. They began discussions with the municipality. Initially, this did not go smoothly, as the municipality intended to grant Huize Bijdorp the status of a municipal monument, insisting that all green areas should remain green. This left the congregation with little room to secure their future. They decided to work together with the municipality to find common ground. This turned out to be the core values for the future of Huize Bijdorp, reflecting the characteristics of the area: meaning, presence, young and old, nature, and security.
Before moving forward with a plan, historical research into the garden and architecture was conducted. These reports are available for public viewing on the Heritage Foundation's website. A clear foundation was established for deciding what should be preserved. Collaboration took place with the municipality and a group consisting of tenants, users, stakeholders, and interested parties. This led to a framework document outlining the main structure for the area. Subsequently, a spatial concept was sought for the development of Huize Bijdorp that honored both the cultural and historical values and the Estate's biotope, as well as the Nature Network Netherlands. A renewed Estate was chosen, both in vision, function, and form. Concentrating the buildings around the old mansion was a logical approach. The shape of the current main building was mirrored to create a large convent courtyard with a new view toward the Vliet. This was achieved by demolishing all the extensions built in the 20th century (new boarding house, administration wing, Haagdorp).
All these matters were recorded in the zoning plan, to be managed by the Congregation. Why would their want to manage this? Many other congregations sell their location, move elsewhere, and leave it to the market to determine what happens at that site. These sisters wanted to exert as much influence as possible on the future because it is their legacy and because they still form part of that future for some time. To safeguard this legacy, a Heritage Foundation has been established to represent the interests of the sisters in the subsequent process. The Heritage Foundation also ensures that all outbuildings are restored. It is important to note that the pope had to grant permission for the sale (in leasehold), which ultimately succeeded. Through a careful bidding process, the investor De Vrije Blick was chosen. This leaseholder has the right to retain and use the lands and buildings for 30 years. Ownership will only transfer at the end of the leasehold period.
As at January 2025, the first outbuildings, the vegetable garden walls, and the coppice hedges have already been restored. The sisters have left their familiar apartment to temporarily live in the novitiate, allowing demolition of some parts of the buildings to begin. The program includes ample space for people with lower incomes or those needing care. The buildings being renovated will eventually provide space for 50 care places and eight mid-range apartments. The new construction adjacent to the existing buildings will house 113 residences (apartments), of which 28 will be for care, 44 for the social sector, and the remainder in the mid-range and high-end segments. In the park forest, 11 homes for sale will be built, and there will also be housing in the former laundry. Within the existing buildings, including the chapel, there will be space for social functions. The management of the grounds is handled by a farmer who has been doing this for years, in collaboration with many volunteers. The sisters hope that a new community will emerge with the new residents on the new estate, where people can connect through the core values. The sisters have ensured that this beautiful estate can be a safe place for many, where one can be oneself, with space for meaning and for others. I had the privilege of writing a booklet about the history of the Congregation at Huize Bijdorp. The park is expected to open to visitors in 2026. Signs with QR codes will provide insights into the Estate’s history and direct visitors to an exhibition space in the building. You might even encounter one of the sisters, as that is where they still remain.
2025
