Caulmont : A guided tour of the Chapel

The Chapel was developed in the old orange grove in the house's grounds. Which was, by chance, facing towards Jerusalem like most of the old churches (see the map of distances on the alter table under the cloth).

The aim was to create a place in which every person whatever their denomination would feel welcomed and comfortable. Twenty volunteers set to work using 46 tons of concrete, 600 metres of wire, 200 kilos of paint, a ton of plaster, and 1500 metres of thread in 70 days. With the help of around a hundred friends who donated generously to the cause, our 'house of prayer' was built and was consecrated in September 1979.

The bell in its rustic framework was a gift as « a call to prayer for God's people ».

Service times :

12.30 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Every day,
except Wednesday.

The wheat from the neighbouring fields and the dried grasses in a homemade vase are signs of work and the sharing of bread. With the wheat comes the grass or, as the Gospel says, 'where there are good seeds, there are also bad seeds'. The harvesting is not for us to do, the Lord is the only one who has that role.

The fisherman's net is from Fécamp- in the gospels, the net is a sign of faith. Jesus said to Simon : « Push the boat out into deep water and cast out your nets'. Simon said: Master, we have been trying to fish all night and have not caught anything, but if you say so I will cast out the nets. And they caught such a great quantity of fish, that their nets broke »(Lc 5.4-7). (Luke 5, 4-7). The net in Mark's gospel is what the men left behind to follow Jesus. Simon, Andrew, James and John all left their nets to go with the Lord. Here at Caulmont we invite you to leave your nets behind and follow Him.

The candlestick with its 7 branches is a symbol of the faith of Israel which reminds the Church of its roots.

The icon is a symbol of the faith of the Orthodox churches, which are not highly represented in this region.

The visitors book, in which people can write their comments or prayers, can be used by those who cannot come to the communal prayers or those who prefer not to pray out loud. They can use this book to note their reflections.

The floor and the stools are made of the same material .You are free to sit or to kneel. Everyone is welcome. Our prayer is a time of reflection and stillness.

Through the tinted windows you can see the beautiful Normandy countryside. We follow the rhythm of the farming calendar, from the sowing of the seeds to the time of the harvest. Inside and outside, our work and our prayers follow the call of St Benedict to « Pray and work so that Christ reigns in your lives ».

The light: the chapel is illuminated every day by the sun from the East side to the West. By night, the 14 lamps light up the chapel. They represent the 14 stations of the cross of Christ and lead to the light of the large empty cross.

The cross was designed during Christmas 1970 by a member of the commune. It was inspired by guests' ideas and suggestions. For some it represents a crossroads, for others it resembles open, welcoming arms… others could see movement in its form, as if the cross was dancing. It was then cut out in wood. Christ's body was not put on it, so we can celebrate the fact that death has been conquered and remember the joy and glory of the resurrection. Our light radiates from the cross, and this light remains lit at all times.

The candle represents the flames of Pentecost, the burning bush, the Light of the world: the candle is a sign of the Light that shines in the darkness, which is Life, as John tells us in his Gospel. May this light shine in the lives of all men and women and save the world from death.

The bouquet of flowers : prayer is a time of stillness and also of celebration. The flowers are normally a gift or have been picked from our grounds- we rarely buy them. They symbolise our dependence on the gifts of others and remind us of times of celebration.

The lectern, on which the Bible is placed, comes from Africa. It was a seat for an African chief from which he would speak to his people. Here, it carries the words of our "chief": God. Hand-made from one large piece of wood, it reminds us of other cultures and other horizons; that God calls us to universal prayer and fellowship.

The Bible is in an ecumenical translation, a sign of the possibilities for unity between God's people. The text uses French which is meaningful to all.