On 5 September 2025 Pope Leo XIV confirmed the re-election of Fr. Urban Federer, OSB, as ordinary Abbot of the Territorial Abbey of Maria Einsiedeln. The monastic chapter had elected him on 30 August for another 12-year term, a first in the Abbey’s history.
During the celebrations which marked the 50th anniversary of the Abbey Church of Worth Abbey (UK), Abbot Primate Jeremias Schröder OSB spoke to the Catholic Union of Great Britain.
In this Saint Benedict Day edition of NEXUS, the Abbot Primate reflects on recent travels, visits to monasteries, and the broad appeal of the Saint Benedict medal. He shares news of community vitality, a personal coat of arms, and encourages time for rest as summer settles in across the Northern Hemisphere.
Abbot Primate Jeremias shares short excerpts of Confederation news.
The Pontifical Athenaeum Sant’Anselmo announces the appointment of Professor Jákó Örs Fehérváry OSB as its new rector. A monk of Pannonhalma, he will take office on 9 September 2025.
A workshop at Sant’Anselmo in Rome brought together Christian and Buddhist monastics for a shared exploration of contemplative practice. Rooted in mutual respect, the dialogue opened new paths for understanding and spiritual enrichment.
At the 2024 Congress of Abbots, Abbot Primate Jeremias Schröder led a workshop on the evolving recognition of non-ordained monks as major superiors, tracing a decades-long path to the recent papal rescript.
Pope Leo XIV welcomed the newly elected Abbot General and all participants to the General Chapter of the Vallombrosan Congregation on 28 June 2025, urging continued fidelity to Gospel simplicity.
Benedictine congregations worldwide report both challenges and growth, with Asian and African communities thriving whilst Western monasteries face declining numbers. The global confederation maintains 19 diverse congregations spanning six continents. These reports, from 18 of the 19 congregations, span the years 2016 to 2024.
Abbot Mamerto Menapace OSB, monk of the Abbey of Santa María de Los Toldos and former Abbot President of the Congregation of the Holy Cross of the Southern Cone, has died aged 83. His writings and reflections deeply marked the faith of countless Argentinians.
