• The election of Pope Leo XIV has stirred pride and hope across the Catholic world, his first message from the Loggia — peace — echoing the Benedictine call to peacemaking. His Peruvian roots and connection to the Benedictine Confederation have deeply moved many, especially in Latin America and at Sant’Anselmo in Rome.

  • Abbot Primate Jeremias shares short excerpts of Confederation news.

  • Fr. Ruberval Monteiro da Silva OSB merges theology and sacred art in his roles at Sant’Anselmo. His work exemplifies the integration of monastic life, academic rigor, and artistic expression.

  • In Burkina Faso, parishes and monasteries face immense challenges due to ongoing violence and displacement. Amid fear and poverty, the Church continues to offer support, prayer and hope.

  • Italian police are seeking help identifying a reliquary of Saint Boniface that may have been stolen from a Benedictine church. Officials invite Benedictine communities to assist in the investigation.

  • Most Reverend Doctor Shamindra Jayawardena OSB has been elected as the new Abbot General of the Sylvestro Benedictine Congregation. This historic election on 28 May 2025 marks him as the first Sri Lankan to hold the position and the General Chapter was held outside Italy for the first time.

  • The Austrian Benedictine Congregation has begun its 400th anniversary celebrations with a pilgrimage to Mariazell Basilica. Abbot Primate Jeremias Schröder led the commemorative Mass, emphasising the enduring relevance of Benedictine life as a hopeful response to contemporary challenges.

  • The Congress of Abbots has approved the admission of Sainte-Marie de la Garde Abbey into the Benedictine Confederation. Founded in 2002 by Abbot Gérard Calvet, the young and growing French community follows the traditional liturgy and monastic life.

  • At the 2024 Congress of Abbots, Abbot General Bernardus Peeters highlighted the urgent need to renew the Cistercian contemplative identity amid global challenges. Emphasising communion, participation, mission and formation, he called for deeper unity, ecological responsibility and inclusive leadership rooted in Christ.

  • Timothy Radcliffe OP addressed the Congress of Abbots with a call to monastic hope, stability and truthfulness in a world marked by crisis, distraction and identity confusion. He urged Benedictines to remain as signs of peace and joy, quietly rooted in worship and the enduring mystery of God.

  • Saint Vincent Archabbey hosted the centenary celebration of Fu Jen University, marking 100 years since its founding in Beijing. Events highlighted the university’s Benedictine origins, academic vision and enduring ties to Chinese culture and the global Church.

  • Pope Leo XIV has taken possession of the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls in a ceremony that included members of the Collegio and Schola of Sant’Anselmo. His homily reflected on the universality of salvation and the urgency of proclaiming the Gospel.

  • Twelve KU Leuven theology students immersed themselves in the rich tapestry of Catholic tradition during a weeklong study trip to Rome. From Vatican institutions to Dominican archives — this was a journey of faith, study, and connection.

  • In a thoughtful exchange between Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter and Abbot Urban Federer, The Rule of Saint Benedict emerges as a vital guide for courageous leadership in modern times.

  • On Monday, 28 April, Abbot Donato Ogliari delivered a meditation to the General Congregation of Cardinals in anticipation of the upcoming papal conclave. His reflection covered the centrality of Christ, the freedom of the Spirit, challenges facing the Church, and the concept of the "upper room" related to communion and synodality. Link to full text in English and Italian here.

  • A new chapter begins at Münsterschwarzach Abbey. Prior Pascal has retired after 12 years, and Br. Jeremia Martin has been appointed as the new prior. Includes a link to an interview between the two on the Münsterschwarzach Abbey web site.

  • On Tuesday 22 April Abbot Primate Jeremias Schröder and the community of the Primatial Abbey of Sant'Anselmo will celebrate Holy Mass for Pope Francis. We will continue to remember Pope Francis in our prayers during the nine-day period of mourning.

  • Abbot Primate Jeremias shares short excerpts of Confederation news.

  • Reflecting on Easter, Abbot Primate Jeremias Schröder shares a story from Pope Gregory's dialogues: for St. Benedict, receiving a visitor was already a kind of Easter. It reminds us that seeing others with openness and welcome can be a form of resurrection in our daily lives.

  • To foster better communication and coordination among the Curia, Atheneum, and College of Sant'Anselmo, Abbot Primate Jeremias initiated the Principals meeting. This quarterly, day-long retreat brings together key leaders offsite for concentrated reflection.

  • The three-day monastic symposium Sapienza: Forma di vita e di pensiero successfully concluded on 10 April at Ateneo Sant’Anselmo. Key presentations from notable presenters such as Cardinal Fernández offered a sapiential consideration of monastic life and thought culminating in a round table on wisdom in monastic observance.

  • Are we truly seeking the interests of Jesus Christ, or are we caught up in our own? Abbot General Mauro-Giuseppe Lepori delivers a pertinent reflection for today's monastic communities.

  • The Monastery of São Bento in Fortaleza is now officially part of the Benedictine Congregation of Brazil. Founded by Dom Beda Pereira de Holanda in 1993, it was previously part of the Diocese of Fortaleza.

  • Can art truly be created without freedom? This exhibition challenges perceptions and offers a glimpse into the strength of the human spirit. Story and opening reception photos here.

  • Abbot Primate Emeritus Gregory wrote: "For Poemen, nothing less than total dependence before God will enable us to see ourselves as we really are. If we have nothing on which to depend, upon which to feel secure, it brings us to a point of seeing ourselves stripped of the things that serve to give us a false meaning of who we are in this world."

  • Abbot Alban Riley is leading the revision of the Benedictine liturgical calendar, much like updating a car's control module to ensure smooth functioning. The proposed changes aim to balance the cycle of feasts and seasons while allowing monasteries flexibility, preserving the Benedictine tradition of prioritizing liturgical seasons over an ever-expanding list of saints.

  • Dom Gregory de Wit, a Benedictine artist, left a profound yet often overlooked legacy through his monumental murals and religious artworks across Europe and the U.S. A 2025 retrospective in Germany aims to document his contributions, with organizers seeking additional information on his lesser-known works. Gallery, story and contact info here.

  • At this year’s BCC meeting, participants shared updates on their communities’ engagement with China and heard insights from experts. The discussion included perspectives from Chinese priests and seminarians, offering a broader view of the Church’s current situation.

  • In this edition of NEXUS, Abbot Primate Jeremias shares his take on some events at Sant’Anselmo and in our Benedictine Confederation. He appreciates a recent letter of the Holy Father and reflects about the places to which we Benedictines are bound.

  • In this article, Abbot Jeremias takes us through six weeks' worth of notable monastic events, from leadership changes to community transitions. This overview both highlights stories in this issue of NEXUS and includes other key developments shaping the Benedictine world at the beginning of 2025.

  • On Ash Wednesday, 5 March, the traditional "stational" liturgy began at 4:30 p.m. in the Basilica of Sant'Anselmo. As Pope Francis recovered from bilateral pneumonia, Cardinal Angelo De Donatis presided over the celebration, leading the penitential procession to the Basilica of Santa Sabina. But why does the procession begin at Sant’Anselmo? In this essay, Fr. Stefan Geiger explains why. Includes video, photos and links.

  • From Gemelli Hospital to Sant'Anselmo, the Pope sent a message to the participants of the training course “Living the Liturgical Action in Fullness”. He kindly sent the text of the speech that he would have delivered in person at the special audience he had granted to the participants of the course. Story, document links and photos here.

  • Abbots from North and Central America gathered at St. Joseph Abbey for their annual workshop, discussing religious life, vocations, and the future of monastic communities.

  • Kylemore Abbey
    Connemara, County Galway, Ireland
    23 February 2025

  • Archabbot Jakob is the 89th abbot and 7th archabbot of St Peter's, which was founded in 696 by Saint Rupert. Photos courtesy of Sant’Anselmo, where Archabbot Jakob studied with the Faculty of Theology during the academic year 2019-20 as part of his baccalaureate program at the University of Salzburg.

  • On Tuesday, 25 February 2025, the community of Seitenstetten Abbey re-elected Abbot Petrus Pilsinger for a second term of office by canonical vote. His new term of office extends until he reaches the age of 70. Story, photos and curriculum vitae here.

  • At a luncheon held on 2 February, Abbot Primate Jeremias expressed profound thanks to Fr. Dorotej as Sant'Anselmo welcomed Fr. Sebastian as the rector of the basilica. Read more about Sebastian’s inspiring path.

  • We are pleased to announce the appointment of Brother Colmán Ó Clabaigh OSB, and Sister Marie Johann Heo OSB, as the new coordinators of the Monastic Formators’ Program.

  • In a message dated 2 January 2025, and published on 30 January 30, Pope Francis commemorated the 150th anniversary of the death of Dom Prosper Guéranger, the founder of the Solesmes Congregation.

  • Sant’Anselmo is delighted to welcome pilgrims visiting during the Holy Year 2025. We are offering guided tours of our historic church, cloister, and other key areas in seven languages. Story and contact information here.

  • On 30 January, Archabbot Luca Fallica of Montecassino appointed Fr. Jordi-Agustí Piqué i Collado OSB, as the new claustral prior of the archabbey. Fr. Jordi was president of Sant’Anselmo’s Pontifical Institute of Liturgy for three terms.

  • "As abbot primate of the Benedictine Confederation and great chancellor of the Pontifical Athenaeum Sant’Anselmo in Rome, I warmly congratulate our rector, Fr. Dr. Bernhard Eckerstorfer OSB, on his election as abbot of the abbey of Kremsmünster in Austria". Continue reading. . .

  • Abbot Primate Jeremias Schröder writes from Korea, where his Congregation is meeting at Waegwan Abbey, reflecting on Pope Francis’ Holy Year of Pilgrimage of Hope. Hope isn’t a gift, he says, but a virtue — a practice we must foster. He urges us to keep our doors open for God’s action in our lives and communities. Read the complete reflection here.

  • During an extraordinary General Chapter in Waegwan, Korea, the Congregation of Saint Ottilien elected a new abbot president on 18 January.

  • • New abbot president of Ottilien Congregation
    • new abbots of Göttweig and Maredsous abbeys
    • new papal appointments, congregations, and commissions.
    Read the summaries here.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Fr. Patrick Carter OSB, secretary to the abbot primate, gives us some interesting statistics from OSB Atlas. Story, chart and graphs here.

  • 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 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.

  • 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.

  • Abbot Primate Jeremias introduces NEXUS, a monthly news bulletin connecting Benedictine communities with updates, resources and necrology notices. It comes out in six languages. The automatic translations still need improvement, please be patient. Recent highlights include insights from the Synod on Synodality and efforts to enhance collaboration within the Benedictine Confederation. As Advent begins, Abbot Jeremias encourages communities to embody hope, the theme for the upcoming Holy Year.

  • These short articles include highlights regarding leadership changes across Benedictine communities, from Scotland to South Africa, with key appointments including Father Simon Piatkowski at Pluscarden Abbey and Abbot Boniface Kamushisi in Inkamana; strategic reviews of organizational structures; and hints of future initiatives such as a new abbot training program.

  • The Catalogus 2025 project introduces a digital platform in collaboration with the Communio Internationalis Benedictinarum (CIB) to streamline information gathering and management. This initiative will assist with Vatican forms, directories, statistics and more, while simplifying the production of the print Catalogus. Updates on progress will be shared as work continues with the Benedictine Confederation and CIB.

  • 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.

  • Shortly after his election in September, Abbot Primate Jeremias Schröder appointed Fr. Brendan Coffey, abbot emeritus of Glenstal Abbey in Murroe, County Limerick, Ireland, as prior of Collegio Sant’Anselmo. Fr. Brendan will assume formal responsibility for his new role on 7 January.

  • Due to political instability, the Theological Study Year in Jerusalem has temporarily relocated to Rome, continuing its program of biblical studies, ecumenism, and interreligious dialogue. Leveraging support from Sant’Anselmo, the program has adapted to a new context while exploring Rome’s rich historical ties to the Holy Land.

  • The 2024 Congress of Abbots called Benedictine communities to become active peacebuilders, beginning within their own monasteries. Inspired by Saint Benedict’s message of reconciliation and Pope Francis’s appeal, the Congress urged a renewed commitment to prayer, hospitality and unity during the coming Holy Year.

Events