NEWS
of the Benedictine Confederation
and the Cistercian Family

Some new training projects financially supported by AIM are presented on the website: https://www.aimintl.org/en/our-projects/category-formation You can support AIM's actions in communities by making a donation via the ‘Support us’ tab at the top right of the pages. AIM can only help communities thanks to the donations it receives from religious communities and benefactors. Thank you for your support.

There is a fraudulent email circulating that uses the Abbot General’s name to solicit money. One such email address is bernarduspeeters@outlook.com. We do not know which other email addresses may be used by these scammers. Please do not respond to such emails. The only genuine email address used by the Abbot General is the one published in the restricted area of the website OCSO. ocso.org

On December 13, 2025, Memorial of St. Lucy, Virgin and Martyr, Sister Clarisse-Marie Tovalou made solemn profession at the monastery of L’Étoile Notre-Dame (Benin). Sister Clarisse-Marie Tovalou was born in 1982 in Cotonou (Benin). She entered L’Étoile Notre-Dame in 2017 and made first profession in 2021. ocso.org

Dear brothers and sisters, dear friends, This AIM newsletter announces internal developments within AIM: new statutes, new committees, etc., as well as some news from the communities. Two projects supported by AIM are presented to demonstrate its concrete support for the communities. Newsletters on the website: https://www.aimintl.org/en/communication/newsletters

Letter from Dom M.-G. Lepori, Cistercian Abbot General, for Christmas: ocist.org

On December 8, 2025, The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Sister Ilaria Cerra made solemn profession at the monastery of Vitorchiano (Italy). Sister Ilaria Cerra was born in 1991 in Salerno (Italy). She entered Vitorchiano in 2016 and made first profession in 2020. ocso.org https://www.trappistevitorchiano.it/

The community of Notre-Dame de Lérins Abbey is going through an important stage in its life and entrusts itself to the prayers of the entire Order. After 27 years as abbot and upon reaching the age of 70, Abbot Dom Vladimir Gaudrat , president of the Congregation of Cistercians of the Immaculate Conception, submitted his resignation to the Father Abbot General during his regular visit. The latter accepted it. The election of the new abbot will take place at the end of January

The 104th Assembly of Major Superiors was held in Rome from 26 to 28 November 2025. The theme of the assembly was: ‘Connected Faith: Living Prayer in the Digital Age’. All documents are available on the USG website: https://www.usgroma.org/en/