Foundation and exile The monastery of Saint Benoît d'En Calcat was founded in 1890 together with the monastery of Sainte Scholastique de Dourgne and both were granted the status of abbey in 1896. Though many men entered the monastery, the growth was ended by the
Associations Bill of 1901. The monastic community was
forced to leave France in 1903 and lived then for a few years in Paramon and then in
Besalu before they were allowed to return in 1918. Though they were not living in France, 33 of the 45 monks were mobilised to fight in the French army during the
First World War and 10 monks were killed. After returning to En-Calcat in 1918, the monastery thrived and attracted many famous people.
Maxime Jacob, a French composer and Jewish convert to Catholicism, became monk at the monastery in 1929 and was for many years the chief organist. A friend of Maxime, the painter Guy de Chaunac-Lanzac, entered the monastery in 1930 and became a priest in 1937. He became famous for his tapestries which were exhibited internationally and died at the monastery in 1997.
Robert Schuman stayed at the monastery between 1942 and 1944 where he followed the
liturgical hours.
Post-war period and foundations Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, later
pope John XXIII, went for his annual retreat to the monastery in November 1948.
Lambert Beauduin, a pioneer in the European liturgical revival and proponent for ecumenism between Christian churches, was sent to the monastery due to his controversial ideas and influenced many monks here, staying until 1951. As the monastic community grew, it send out some monks to revive the priory of Madiran which was later transferred to
Tournay. In 1952, upon receiving an invitation from the
archbishop of Rabat to found a monastery in Morocco, the monastery sent 20 monks which founded the
monastery of Toumliline. In 1961, the monastery founded the
Abbaye de l'Ascension in Dzogbégan, Togo. The pianist
Thierry de Brunhoff entered the monastery in 1974.
21st century As of February 2023, the community has around 40 monks and has been led since the death of Père Abbé Emmanuel Roques in February 2021 by Brother Columba Jennesson who acts as Prior-Administrator. The monastery is known for producing zithers known as
psaltérion which are used among others by the
Society of the Precious Blood. The monastery participates in the
Dialogue Interreligieux Monastique and as such has hosted Zen monks and nuns in its premises. ==Abbots==