Death of Father Martin Neyt

Father Martin Neyt, a monk at Clerlande Monastery (Congregation of the Annunciation, Belgium), passed away during the night of 25 November 2025.

Monk since 1963, he was president of AIM from 1997 to 2013.

Father Martin was appointed president of the AIM in 1997, at a time when the new Abbot Primate, Marcel Rooney, was restructuring the AIM to better adapt it to the international service that this organisation is called upon to provide. His secretary general was Father Jacques Côté (Saint-Benoît-du-Lac, Quebec), followed by Sister Gisela Happ (Eibingen, Germany) (2001-2016); Sister Placid Dolores Luz joined the Secretariat in 2005 (2005-2020).

The Secretariat grew and became an effective tool at the service of the foundations that continued to spring up and develop. Several facets of AIM gradually developed and became organised: the International Team, formation, the newsletter, visits to monasteries, and regional, national and international entities.

50th anniversary of the AIM celebrated at Ligugé Abbey.

Father Martin had the joy of organising the 50th anniversary of the AIM in 2011.

Throughout his time as president of the AIM, Father Martin paid particular attention to the newsletter. Starting with the 2000 issues, the newsletter featured in-depth articles on various monastic themes written by different authors: Lectio, government, formation, as well as chronicles of monasteries and various news items related to monastic life and the life of the Church and the world.

Meeting in 2006 to prepare the AIM Bulletin.

The AIM website was set up under Father Martin's presidency.

The Jean XXIII Centre, founded in 2005 at the monastery of Vanves and now closed, long welcomed nuns for their theological studies in Paris.

The AIM therefore owes a great deal to Father Martin. On the 50th anniversary of the AIM, he wrote:

‘Tie your boat to the ships of your Fathers,’ repeated a Father from Egypt living in Gaza. The challenges of our time cause every monk or nun, every community, to undergo serious trials, specific to the human condition and often amplified by the media of our time: sexual deviance and paedophilia, violence that can lead to genocide, the cruel gap between rich and poor, the export of young vocations to other continents, the temptation to use monasteries for self-fulfilment through studies or other activities, and the appeal of religious status complete the list of deadly sins. Life processes are there to distance oneself from the turmoil of the world, to welcome others in a fair and respectful manner, to transcend the compartmentalised perspectives of social or cultural identity. The trials of communities today are as formidable as those of the past, although very different.

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Building together the Body of Christ and making mutual love a school of service to the Lord are unmistakable signs. But the road is long, and AIM, like the Good Samaritan, accompanies, discerns, takes risks, and constantly recalls the heart of the monastic tradition. The communities have to earn their daily bread, seek guidance and advice from competent people, and work together to sell monastic products. There are many challenges to be met and new tasks to be accomplished: the long journey of self-discovery, right relationships with others, building on a human scale (rather than grandiose and costly projects), welcoming the poor and needy, and supporting the development of the population surrounding the monastery.

Thus, humbly, AIM was created and is developing in a changing world where each community does not choose its context, but seeks to forge its identity as best it can. It is there to contribute to the construction of a new world. Multiplying local contacts, it takes up the first words of the Benedictine Rule: ‘Listen, my son, to the precepts...’. Listening remains essential; it encourages the discovery of others, removes ambiguities and misunderstandings in communication, establishes genuine dialogue, and aims to create an alliance while respecting each person's autonomy.”

May he rest in peace and reap the fruits of his labour.