Events, Elections and Appointments | March-April
Abbot Primate Jeremias shares short excerpts of Confederation news.
Notes from the Aventine | March-April
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.
Strategic Planning: The Principals
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.
Sant’Anselmo Hosts Monastic Symposium on Wisdom
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.
Beyond Self-Interest: The True Meaning of Discipleship for Monks
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.
Fortaleza Monastery Joins the Benedictine Congregation of Brazil
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.
Art from Behind Bars: Finding Hope “Between Here and There”
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.
Lessons from the Desert: Abbot Gregory Polan’s Parting Insights
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."
A Liturgical Tune-Up: Abbot Alban Riley on Reforming the Benedictine Calendar
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.
Crowdsource Research Appeal: Dom Gregory de Wit OSB
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.