On July 2nd, three monks, formerly of the famed Abbey of Le Barroux, have established a new monastic house within Italy, where the usus antiquior will exclusively be celebrated. Their new house is in Villatalla, Prelà, in the hinterland of the Diocese of Albenga-Imperia in Liguria (Northern Italy). On the Feast of the Visitation of the BVM, Dom Jehan (who was with Dom Calvet since 1970) and his two confrères from Le Barroux were received in the village by the Provost of the area, the mayor and all the faithful. They were formally installed in the old canonry close to the parish church of the village, which is now called the Benedictine House of St. Catherine of Siena (casa di Santa Caterina da Siena) with sung Vespers. They will offer Holy Mass in the Extraordinary Form every day (10 am on Sundays, 9:30 am on weekdays, with Terce preceding at 9:15, sung Vespers every day at 6 pm).
They were welcomed into the diocese of Albenga-Imperia by its Bishop, Mons. Mario Oliveri, who apparently has been very accomodating to religious communities which has helped to bring about a situation in which even the smallest parishes of the diocese today have one or more priests in residence, which is very rare even in Italy these days. Interestingly, Mons. Oliveri is a member of the Roman Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.
See more (in Italian) here and here.
