The abbey of the Grace God, nestled in a valley of the plateau of Vercel near Chaux-les-Passavant (Doubs), was founded in 1139 by the mother branch of Morimond, one of the most fruitful Cistercian abbeys. Its church, built around 1145-1150, today adopts a rectangular plan whose nave and its collaterals are the oldest remains. The abbey enjoyed long prosperity before being sold as a national good at the Revolution. After an industrial period, it was bought in 1844 by the Trappists of Val-Sainte-Marie, who restored its monastic character. Abandoned at the beginning of the twentieth century, it returned to a religious vocation in 1927 with the installation of Cistercian nuns, present until 2009.
Since the 2010s, the abbey has been inhabited by the Community of Missionary Workers of the Immaculate, a society of apostolic life attached to Carmel. Faithful to their vocation, they have made this place a centre of religious and theological formation, enriched by practical modules such as management, cooking or organization, and a space of spiritual and social outreach open to the world.
The abbey remains above all a place of spiritual welcome: the celebration of Masses, the liturgy of hours and adoration are the rhythm of daily life. She also receives retirees, Scouts and youth groups in preparation for the sacraments, as well as parishioners for catechesis or music activities. In this peaceful setting, conducive to healing, it is possible to live individual or family stays, to share a time of silence, prayer or conviviality. Thus, the Grace God pursues its mission: to offer a place where formation, spirituality and hospitality combine, in the continuity of its Cistercian heritage.
