Windesheim

WINDESHEIM. - A Dutch locality near Zwolle (v.), where the Congregation of the Canons Regular of St. Augustine known as that of W. arose.

The great reform movement of the late 14th century, known under the name of Devotio moderna (v.), became fixed as an institution in the organization of the Sisters and Brothers of the Common Life (v.), as well as in the Congregation of the Canons Regular of W. These three ascetic organizations go back to the spiritual and reforming genius of Gerardus Groote (v.), but on different grounds. Groote, toward the end of his life, intended to give a canonically more organic form to the groups of men and women who, animated by his spirit, had formed in various localities of Holland. His desire, if he had it, to subject them to the Rule of St. Augustine, did not take concrete form before his premature death, while many "devout" individuals or groups had attached themselves to some order or congregation already constituted. Floris Radewijns (v.), a faithful friend, around 1581, had gathered in his house at Deventer a nucleus of "devout" persons, recruited particularly among the student youth of Deventer and elsewhere; under the guidance of Radewijns and of Groote they devoted themselves to the interior life and to the apostolate, while they illuminated and copied books. There the animators of the future Congregation of W. were formed, among others J. Vos (v.) of Heusden, J. Brinkerink, and later also Thomas à Kempis. Around 1386 the "devout" Berthold ten Hove had bequeathed a property situated at W.; the premises were arranged to house a community there, and Radewijns sent there his best "devout" men so that they might begin the regular religious life. The bishop of Utrecht, Floris van Wevelinkhoven, permitted them to make their religious profession as Canons Regular of St. Augustine. By the will of Radewijns, they made a kind of novitiate in the convent of that Order at Eemsteyn (near Dordrecht), which had been organized by a brother sent from Groenendaal (v.), Godfried van Wevel, author of the Treatise of the Twelve Virtues long attributed to Ruusbroec; on Sept. 17, 1387, the first solemn profession of the first six "devout" men took place at W. Radewijns, present, named J. Vos first prior and transmitted to him every jurisdiction, while continuing to support the young foundation. The Congregation of W. had an independent existence, but was in intimate relations with the Brothers of the Common Life, despite some clashes between the two tendencies.

The new institution soon spread to other localities, first of all to Zwolle (v.), to form in 1394 or 1395 the "Capitulum Congregationis Canonicorum Windesheimense", to which in 1464 eighty-two houses were affiliated. Under the inspiration of Groote interpreted by Radewijns, the Congregation, following the Rule of St. Augustine, had a spirituality of its own, elaborated by its first priors (J. Vos, Dirk Herxen, etc.) and certain other masters. It is tinged with a somewhat rigoristic asceticism, with a monastic outlook. Around 1400 J. Brinkerink established, alongside the houses of Sisters of the Common Life (the first of which was established in 1382 by Groote himself), female monasteries parallel to the double branch of the "devout". In 1400 the first monastery of Regular Canonesses of St. Augustine was founded at Diepeveen, under the obedience of the Chapter of W. This Congregation soon had various branches in Holland and in Belgium.

Finally, several houses (male and female) of Franciscan Tertiaries were established, in which Brothers and Sisters of the Common Life associated themselves under the Rule of St. Francis, but preserving the bond, moreover a tenuous one, with the Brothers who assumed their spiritual direction. In 1464 more than 100 houses of Tertiaries depended on the Brothers. In the second half of the 15th century, which marked a general decline of the Church, and which saw many Orders make efforts at reform, religious of W. were often invited to bring reform to other Orders or Congregations, also in France and in Germany (v. STANDONCK, etc.). The Congregation of W., which had a vast network of branches in Germany and in the Low Countries (among them Groenendaal, Korsendonck, St. Martin of Louvain), maintained throughout this period an admirable fervor and zeal, despite certain deficiencies. Around 1500 a certain relaxation of religious life can be observed, which is explained in large part by the general factors of disintegration: economic, social, political, moral and religious miseries. The Protestant "reform" deeply shook the Congregation of W., which already in 1522 reacted with energetic measures to circumscribe the contagion. It lost its houses in the north of Holland and of Germany, conquered by Protestantism. The courageous efforts of the general Chapters or of some individual, such as J. Latomus in 1578, could not check the decadence, especially in the last quarter of the 16th century. The decree of Gregory XIII in 1573 provided an important program of reforms, but, for lack of effective means of execution, it could not restore the prosperity of the Order. Only in the 17th century did it take on new momentum (preaching, schools, etc.). The 18th century was a long agony of the Congregation of W., once glorious. It disappeared under the blows of the French Revolution, and in 1802 its last house closed.

Alberto Ampe