Includes bibliographical references (p. 383-388) and index.

First part: childhood and youth (1912-1935) -- A family during the war -- Roots -- The beautiful lady from Evreux -- Return to Belgium -- College years -- The priest's troop -- Jean's stubbornness manifests itself for the first time -- A career all mapped out -- London -- In the 'second lancers' -- The accident -- The decision -- The trip to the Orient -- You shall leave your father and your mother -- Second part: Trappist at Scourmont and Caldey (1935-1955) -- The Abbey of Our Lady of Scourmont and Dom Anselme Le Bail -- Novitiate -- A military interlude -- Ora et labora -- Student in Rome -- Under German occupation -- The Luftwaffe -- In Bethany with the farm brothers -- Gestapo -- After the war -- In Caldey with Dom Anselme -- Master of novices -- Love lost for lady poverty -- Father, Father, why have you abandoned me? -- Crossing the desert -- To Dom Anselme, for the fulfillment of long-held hopes -- Paris -- Languages and cultures of India -- Caldey -- Nothing is working out -- Providential intervention -- Farewells -- Third part: India, foundation, and taking root (1955-1968) -- Elephanta -- A little detour to Ranchi -- Shantivanam, the forest of peace -- Dazzling Syriac experience -- Farewell to Monchanin -- The prodigal son and motherhouse -- Pushpagiri -- The mountain fallen from the sky -- Rain and wind, bless the Lord -- Gropings in the darkness -- Turning point : pilot-village and Indo-Swiss project -- A community of brothers -- That all may be one : the separated brethren -- In pursuit of the Penqitho -- The evolution of the Catholic Church -- A modern agricultural enterprise -- Among the mountain people -- The liturgical project -- Monastic vesture -- Visitors and early friends -- Growth crisis -- Fourth part: Kurisumala Ashram, its influence (1968-1988) -- An interrupted sabbatical year -- To the Himalayas -- First foundation : Shantivanam -- Encounter with Hinduism -- Congress in Bangkok -- The community at the beginning of the 1970s -- A second foundation : Thirumalai -- Gheeta Bhavan -- Around the world -- The operation -- Shantivanam emancipated -- Prayer with the harp of the spirit -- Silver jubilee -- Fifth part: fulfillment (1988-2001) -- A visit from the Lord -- Slow apprenticeship of rest -- Cistercian approaches -- Albano -- Incorporation into the Cistercian Order -- Lourdes : Dom Francis Mahieu-Acharya -- At the gates of Sheol -- All is blessing -- Epilogue.