Ghent (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The 1700s Ghent’s Carmelite monastery needs €800,000 for urgent renovations. Father Paul Du Bois says it’s vital for training priests. Herita helps raise funds to modernise and preserve it.
The Ghent Patersgang monastery, a very old place, needs a lot of renovation. Officials mentioned that it’s in really bad shape and doesn’t meet modern standards anymore. The electricity system is so bad that it had to be shut down.
According to the fathers of the Carmelite monastery in Ghent, the monastery is a place where people live and learn about religion, and they need to raise 800,000 euros to make it safe and up-to-date.
They want to turn the old rooms into 9 modern ones, each with an attached bathroom. They mentioned that this isn’t just about fixing the building, it’s about making sure the monastery can keep helping people for many years to come.
The renovation is necessary to keep up with modern standards,”
Says Father Paul Du Bois.
Will Ghent’s Patersgang monastery get the needed €800K?
The Carmelites want to use the renovated monastery to help train priests. They think the updated space will be a good place for religious education. But they don’t have enough money to do all the work. They mentioned that the monastery is very old, and keeping it in good shape is expensive.
The Carmelites are working with a group called Herita to get the money. Herita will help them raise the money. Officials mentioned that this partnership will help keep the monastery’s history alive while making it modern.
The Patersgang is a special part of the monastery, mostly for the monks, but sometimes open to visitors on tours. Father Paul Du Bois, speaking for the Carmelites, said they’re sad they can’t let people see this part because it’s in such bad shape.
He mentioned that many years ago, over 20 monks lived there, showing how big and important the monastery is. The Carmelites want to fix up the Patersgang and share it with people again, but right now they’re embarrassed about how it looks and can’t show it off until it’s renovated.
The monastery has rooms for guests. There are also special rooms where people can experience monastic life firsthand. Officials mentioned that these rooms are closed right now because the monks are living in them.
The Carmelite monastery is an old structure, constructed in the 1700s. It consists of various components, such as areas used by the monks as their residence, a walled garden, and a hermitage. The monks have occupied the various components of the monastery for centuries.
The hermitage is a quiet spot where monks can go to be by themselves and focus on their faith. Officials mentioned that people can visit the monastery, but some parts are closed.
