Dominican Monastery Huissen

Once stood Slot te Huissen, nowadays the former Dominican monastery stands here, which is now used as a reflection center.

The Slot te Huissen or Kasteel te Huissen, also referred to as Kleefse burcht was until 1722 a castle in what was then Kleefse Huissen, now located in the Gelderland municipality of Lingewaard. Because the toll function was moved to Emmerik by the count of Kleef, the castle fell into decay and was eventually demolished. The Dominican monastery was built on the remnants of the main castle. 

In the middle of the 8th century, a hill called the "Hazenberg" was started to be raised as protection against water. At the end of the 11th century, a tuff stone round tower with a ring wall was built on this hill. Next to this round tower, a rectangular residential tower, probably from the 10th century, existed on the second hill; this was called the "Danenburgh", "Dannenberg" or "Danenborgh". 

The oldest part of the Dominican monastery dates back to the Middle Ages and is part of a Kleefse Burcht that was then located in Huissen. In the mid-19th century, the novitiate (training for newly entered monks) and the theology training were established here. From the 1960s onwards, the formation work became increasingly important and the monastery became a place of attraction for individuals and groups seeking depth and reflection. In December 2020, ownership of the monastery was transferred to the Stichting Dominicanenklooster Huissen. They continue the activities and the existence of the monastery in the spirit of the Dominicans. The old castle moat is still visible around the monastery.

The spirit of the Dominicans is, however, still very much present in the monastery. It finds its roots in 1216 when the Order of Preachers (Ordo Praedicatorum) was founded by Dominic de Guzman. During a journey through the Cathar region in southern France, he came to the insight that through a solid knowledge of faith and transfer, people could be won back to the Catholic faith. Dominican spirituality is founded on four pillars: the formation of a community, maintaining prayer and contemplation (reflection and observation), study, and finally preaching. Today, the Dominican family consists of brothers, cloister sisters, active sisters, and lay Dominicans. In 1858, the Dominicans established the Convent of the Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, the current Dominican monastery.
For the foundation, a country house from the early 19th century was purchased. The architect Pierre Cuypers expanded the existing country house with two wings and a chapel, so that the house could be used as a fully functioning monastery. The novitiate, the school for newly entered young monks, was located in the monastery, and it soon became the mother monastery for the Dominicans in the Netherlands. The monastery was sold by the order in 2021. However, the work of the Dominican monastery, the reflection center that operates from the Dominican tradition and spirituality, continues as usual.

This also means continuing the daily prayers. The daily rhythm in the monastery:
08:00 Morning service (Lauds)
08:30 Breakfast
10:00 Eucharistic celebration with the monastery choir (Sunday)
12:10 Afternoon service (on weekdays)
12:30 Lunch
17:30 Dinner
18:30 Evening service (Vespers)
(on Tuesday and Friday with Eucharist)
On Sunday, there is a Eucharistic celebration at 10:00 am. In the garden of the monastery, there is a labyrinth (to the left of the chapel).
Everyone is warmly welcome to the services!

It is possible to stay overnight in the monastery.

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