Sant’Anselmo, the Pontifical Athenaeum and Benedictine college of the same name, learned today that our lecturer and confrere, Fr. Dr. Mauritius Wilde OSB, has been appointed by the Holy See as the new Abbot of Maria Laach. We congratulate the new abbot and also the community of Maria Laach. From 2016 to 2025, Fr. Mauritius served as prior of our house community of more than 100 monks, students, and professors.

Abbot Mauritius is 59 years old. He comes from Münsterschwarzach Abbey in Franconia, which belongs to the Congregation of Missionary Benedictines of Saint Ottilien. Before his service in Rome, he was prior in the United States and director of the well-regarded Vier-Türme-Verlag in Münsterschwarzach.

For the Abbey of Maria Laach, member of the Beuronese Congregation, the appointment of Abbot Mauritius marks the end of several years of exceptional circumstances. Most recently, Bishop Gregor Maria Hanke OSB of Eichstätt and Abbot Barnabas Bögle OSB of Ettal were responsible for the abbey as apostolic visitors.

Abbot Jeremias Schröder OSB, Abbot Primate of the Benedictine Confederation, commented on the appointment: “For us at Sant’Anselmo this is a loss. But we are also glad that the important Abbey of Maria Laach is now receiving regular leadership again and can begin a new chapter in its monastic history. We thank all those who have cared for Maria Laach in recent years for their efforts, and we wish the new abbot and his confreres God’s blessing!”