Ottilien Congregation Elects Javier Aparicio Suarez as Abbot President
During an extraordinary General Chapter in Waegwan, Korea, the Congregation of Saint Ottilien elected a new abbot president on 18 January.
Benedictine News and Elections
• New abbot president of Ottilien Congregation
• new abbots of Göttweig and Maredsous abbeys
• new papal appointments, congregations, and commissions.
Read the summaries here.
Fr. Patrick Schöder Elected 66th Abbot of Göttweig Abbey
At the Göttweig Benedictine Abbey, Patrick Schöder OSB was elected 8 January as the new abbot. He succeeds Abbot Columban Luser as the 66th abbot of this historic monastery. Abbot Columban held this office for more than 15 years with prudence, spiritual depth, and foresight.
Père François Lear Elected as Ninth Abbot of Maredsous
The Benedictine monks of Maredsous have elected Père François Lear as their ninth abbot on 19 December 2024, following the decision of Père Abbé Bernard Lorent to assume the presidency of the Alliance for Inter-Monastic Cooperation. Story and video here.
Data Report : OSB Atlas, Oblates, and Largest Monasteries
Fr. Patrick Carter OSB, secretary to the abbot primate, gives us some interesting statistics from OSB Atlas. Story, chart and graphs here.
DIMMID Report from Secretary General Cyprian Consiglio OSB Cam
Newly-installed Secretary General Fr. Cyprian Consiglio OSB Cam, delivers a report on his travels and future plans for DIMMID. Story, links and photos here.
Archabbot Cirill T. Hortobágyi Leads Ecumenical Delegation to Istanbul
Archabbot Cirill T. Hortobágyi OSB, abbot president of the Hungarian Benedictine Congregation and archabbot of Pannonhalma, recently led an ecumenical delegation to Istanbul at the invitation of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. Story, photos and links here.
Fraud Warning
If you receive communications from Benedictines with whom you are not normally in contact, and if they involve money, verify the contact through an abbot president, the CIB, or the abbot primate's office. More details here.
Fr. Boniface Kamushishi elected abbot of Inkamana
On 30 November 2024, Abbot Michael Reepen OSB, Pro-President of the Congregation of Saint Ottilien, wrote to inform us of the election of a new abbot of the community of Inkamana, South Africa. Letter and photos here.
New Corporate Design for Sant’Anselmo
Following a process that started in 2021, Sant'Anselmo has taken a decisive step forward in developing a corporate design that will shape its overall internal and external image. This new design embodies the character the Sant'Anselmo administration wishes to project across all initiatives and communications.