Mother Gertrude de Maissin
1914-2005

After 18 years of the contemplative monastic life in a Benedictine abbey in the district of Paris, Mother Gertrude de Maissin, O.S.B. was elected Prioress in 1956, and remained in this office until 1969. The wind of the Council blew on the communities, and that devastating storm did not spare her. Rome sent an Apostolic Delegate to ask her to resign, and to remove her for some time from her monastery. It was thus that she spent a year with the Benedictines of Lisieux, and two years at the abbey of Kergonan, before being allowed, in 1972, to return to her community as a simple professed religious. That was the start of a long fight of trying to resist the conciliar reforms and to preserve the Mass of St Pius V, the integrity of the Divine Office, Latin, Gregorian chant, grilles on the choir and parlour, etc… But the situation deteriorated and forced her to leave the monastery.

Some monasteries received Mother Prioress. Alas, they, one after another, accepted the reforms of the council, and each time she had to move on. It was thus that having passed almost a year in a Benedictine abbey near Orleans, she finally—and provisionally—went to Paris where she became a ‘parishioner’ of St Nicholas, and met Monsignor Ducaud-Bourget, to whom she explained her situation and asked him the question which she had not been able to answer: to defend tradition, should she found a monastery? Mgr Ducaud-Bourget warmly encouraged her and advised her to consult Mgr Lefebvre. The Archbishop encouraged her to make a foundation, and showed her great kindness, but he said that he was not willing or able to be occupied with other foundations besides those of the Fraternity. She would now have to find a place for a foundation, which would not be easy.

A property was purchased at Lamairé, a village of Deux-Sèvres, thanks to some friends, and on 10 May 1980 the Monastery of Our Lady of Toute Confiance was officially founded. The first taking of the habit in 1981, and the first temporary vows in 1983 were celebrated by Mgr Lefebvre, who, until his death, always supported Mother Gertrude.

After 67 years of life consecrated to God and of fidelity to Tradition, the Lord called her to Himself on 20 November. On 10 November she gathered all her strength to do the Mandatum of Catherine, her last postulant. She received Extreme Unction in the presence of the community. She was heard to murmur, while semi-conscious, “Help me… Jesus… My God… Save me” The day of 19th Saturday and the beginning of that night were agitated, then she slept until Sunday. There was not an agony, properly speaking, but she fell asleep during the twelfth decade of the Rosary (the Ascension), which a Sister recited with her. All those who had met and known her were struck by her humility and her charity, her kindness and her love of her neighbour.†

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