Bonne-Espérance Abbey 2.68

Bonne-Espérance Abbey was a Premonstratensian abbey that existed from 1130 to the end of the 18th century, located in Vellereille-les-Brayeux in the Walloon municipality of Estinnes, province of Hainaut, Diocese of Tournai, in present-day Belgium.HistoryThe abbey owed its foundation to the conversion of William, the only son and heir of Rainard, the Knight of Croix. William had followed the heretical teaching of Tanchelm, but Norbert of Xanten brought him back to Roman Catholicism. In gratitude his parents, Rainard and Beatrix, gave land to Norbert for the foundation of an abbey at Ramignies, while William followed Norbert to Prémontré. Ramignies having been found unsuitable, Odo, the first abbot, led his young colony to another locality in the neighbourhood."Bonne-Espérance" is French for "good hope". A legend says that when Odo saw the place that became the site of the new abbey, he exclaimed: "Bonæ spei fecisti filios tuos" ("O God, Thou hast made Thy children to be of good hope"). Another explanation of the name is it refers to the veneration here of the statue of Our Lady of Good Hope.The abbey grew and Odo was succeeded by Philip of Harvengt, a significant theological writer. Oda, whose defence of her virginity has been described by Abbot Philip, was a Premonstratensian nun in a subirdinate house at Rivreulle under the direction of the abbot of Bonne-Espérance.