Artisan blackcurrant jelly - Notre Dame des Gardes Abbey

Blackcurrant jelly 450 g
Supplier: Abbey of La Trappe des guards
Ingredients: Blackcurrant (57%), cane sugar.


Average nutritional value per 100g
Energy (kJ) / (kcal): 1161/273
Fat (g): <0.2
of which saturated fatty acids (g): <0.4
Carbohydrates (g): 67.7
of which sugars (g): 66.9
Protein (g): 0.2
Salt (g): 0.02

Net Weight: 450g

Made in France by the sisters, at the Monastery.


The workshop of the sisters of the Notre Dame des Gardes abbey remained very artisanal to safeguard the quality of their jam. While trying to lighten the work by using today's equipment, the sisters work to keep the characteristics of “our grandmothers' jam”: the jam is prepared over two days, with prior maceration of the fruits in sugar. The cooking is done uncovered, without adding gelling agent: this supposes a rigorous choice of fruits since the jam takes with only the pectin contained in the fruit.


Simplicity of Cistercian architecture

Simplicity is recognized as particularly characteristic of Cistercian Romanesque architecture. As someone once said to me: "It is beautiful because it is simple. This simplicity reveals the state of mind and spirit of those who invented it or who still invent it today, but it later had a formative influence on those who live there.

Simplicity and spiritual life

As I just said, this simplicity in architecture is only the outward expression of a reality, of a disposition, of an orientation that the Cistercian monks lived from the inside. A spiritual orientation that still inspires us today.

What is this inner simplicity? It has something to do with unity, unification. It is already present in the simple monk name. (What I say about the monk is of course as true of the nuns as we are!). The meaning of the word monk is "alone". The monk is the man of one purpose, God. Inner simplicity therefore consists in this orientation of the heart towards its end, which is God. I like to emphasize that we are still in a question of love!

Simplicity and complexity

It is interesting to note that what is opposed to simplicity, in our spiritual life as in our external life, is not complexity, but indeed "complication". The universe, as it was created by God, is of extraordinary complexity, but at the same time of great simplicity. A Cistercian architecture is complex but in the truth of things, in functionality, and it finally gives off an impression of deep simplicity because everything is there ordered to its end. What is opposed to simplicity, therefore, is not complexity, but complication. And this is true for everyone, regardless of our kind of life. And the complication, we make it. It is the result of a lack of direction and a lack of unity.

Purpose of simplicity

I have just said that Cistercian architecture gives an impression of great simplicity because everything is there ordered for its purpose. Here I point to the word "ordered". For those of you who are sensitive to Ignatian spirituality, I want to invite you to ring together the invitation to "order" his life and Cistercian simplicity