NEWS
of the Benedictine Confederation
and the Cistercian Family

In accordance with the decision of the Chapter of the Pannonhalma Archabbey, the General Chapter of the Hungarian Benedictine Congregation elevated the Monastery of St. Maurice in Bakonybél to the status of a conventual priory on 29 May 2026. With this decision, the Benedictine monastery in Bakonybél has become an independent member of the Hungarian Benedictine Congregation. On 1 June 2026, the Convent of St. Maurice Monastery elected Father Dr. Izsák Zsolt Baán as its first

On Monday 11 May 2026, the Bishop of Sokodé (Togo), Bishop Célestin-Marie GAOUA, welcomed a group of Benedictine Missionary Sisters from Tutzing. It is with hearts filled with gratitude and hope that we joyfully welcome the opening of our new community of the Benedictine Missionary Sisters of Tutzing in Togo. This new foundation marks an important moment in our missionary journey, as we continue to respond to God’s call to serve, to evangelise and to build communion amongst h

On 22 May 2026, Father Abbot Bernard Lorent Tayart, President of the AIM, was at Chevetogne Abbey to attend the meeting of the Encyclopédie bénédictine. This is a Foundation that provides grants for historical research on the Order of Saint Benedict, in particular to the Revue bénédictine, the journal Mabillon and also the AIM Bulletin. The Abbot of Chevetogne, the Prior of Maredsous and Abbot Bernard represent the Benedictines, alongside researchers from the universities of

A Jubilee for the Entire Benedictine Family In 2029, the family of Orders living according to the Rule of Saint Benedict will celebrate a jubilee of exceptional significance: the 1,500th anniversary of the founding of Monte Cassino, the cradle of Western monastic tradition. This anniversary, commemorated at the initiative of the Benedictine Confederation on the site jubilee.osb.org, invites every community — Benedictine, Cistercian, and Trappist — to renew its fidelity to t

Abbot Bernard Lorent Tayart, President of the AIM, paid a visit to the community of Benedictine nuns at Sant'Agata sui Due Golfi (Sorrento), on the occasion of the First Communion of a young girl whose parents are friends and oblates of the monastery. Abbot Bernard has known the community of nuns since his studies in Rome. The community, currently comprising five sisters, is one of the oldest in Italy (founded in the 9th century). The sisters are highly regarded on the Sorren

Abbot Bernard Lorent Tayart had the opportunity to visit two former Benedictine sites in Belgium and Luxembourg: The former Abbey of Gembloux (Belgium) Founded in the 10th century by Saint Guibert, Gembloux Abbey quickly gained renown thanks to Sigebert, a learned monk of the 11th century known for his many travels. It was a prestigious abbey where the abbots held the title of count: the Count-Abbots of Gembloux. The abbey was suppressed during the French Revolution in 1796.

The international academic conference, “The Testimony of the Monks of Tibhirine,” will take place in Oxford on Tuesday, 30 June, and Wednesday, 1 July 2026. Hosted by the Dominican community at Blackfriars, the event will feature bilingual presentations and film screenings exploring the spiritual legacy of the martyred Algerian monks. https://www.ocso.org/uploads/general-news/documents/ColloqueTibhirine-30ans-Oxford2026-EN.pdf ocso.org

Bulletin 130, 2026 The OCSO General Chapter – The Jubilee of Benedictine Life If you would like to receive the AIM Bulletin by post, please contact us using the contact form: https://www.aimintl.org/en/contact See the articles: https://www.aimintl.org/en/communication/report/130 Contents Editorial Abbot Bernard Lorent Tayart, OSB, President of AIM On the subject of AIM • The New Statutes of AIM Abbot Bernard Lorent Tayart, OSB • Summary of the Financial Report Father

After more than thirty-one years of devoted service in the abbatial office, Dom Isidoro Anguita Fontecha presented his resignation to the Abbot General. With the consent of his Council, the Abbot General accepted the resignation, which took effect on 21 March 2026. On 20 May 2026, the community of Santa María de Huerta (Diocese of Osma-Soria, Spain) elected Fr. Francisco Rivera Jiménez as abbot for a term of six years. Dom Francisco was born in Granada, Spain, in 1979. He ent

On April 25, 2026, Feast of St. Mark, Sister Eve Marie Aragona made solemn profession at the monastery of Crozet (USA). Sister Eve Marie was born in New York in 1979; she entered Crozet, USA in 2018 and made first profession in 2021. ocso.org

Mass on 8 May 2026 at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris (France) to mark the 30th anniversary of the murder of the seven Trappist monks of Thibirine, presided over by Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco, Archbishop of Algiers. Mass on 10 May 2026 at Aiguebelle Abbey (France) to mark the 30th anniversary of the murder of the seven Trappist monks of Thibirine, presided over by Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco, Archbishop of Algiers. ocso.org

On 18 April 2026, the new Benedictine mission center was inaugurated in Dodoma. Rooted in the Gospel and Benedictine spirituality, the mission integrates education, sustainable agriculture and pastoral care to serve the local community. The Benedictine mission continues to unfold across regions and contexts, integrating social, spiritual and pastoral work rooted in the Gospel. In Tanzania, Ndanda Abbey is expanding its presence to meet urgent local needs. On 18 April 2026 the

The Benedictine Confederation has formally opened its global journey towards the 2029 Jubilee, which will mark 1,500 years since the foundation of Montecassino by Saint Benedict in 529. The opening celebration took place on Saturday 25 April in Norcia, the birthplace of Saint Benedict and Saint Scholastica, with the participation of Abbot Primate Jeremias Schröder, Archbishop Renato Boccardo of Spoleto-Norcia, Abbot Benedict Nivakoff of Norcia, 100 monks and nuns from more th

On April 19, 2026, Sister Barnabé Mukawizeyimana made solemn profession at the monastery of Kibungo (Rwanda). Sister Barnabé was born in Zaza, Kibungo (Rwanda) in 1982; she entered Kibungo in 2017 and made first profession in 2022. ocso.org

On April 27, 2026, Feast of St. Rafael Arnáiz Barón, Sister María José Castro Maradiaga made solemn profession at the monastery of Sora (Panama). Sister María José was born in Honduras in 1989; she entered Juigalpa, Nicaragua in 2018 and made first profession there in 2021. When the community had to leave the country, she chose to remain with it in its new home in Panama. ocso.org

Dear Sisters and Brothers, We warmly invite you to a study day organized by the OCist-OCSO Liturgical Commission. Topic: Liturgical inculturation: definitions, guiding principles, models and criteria Speaker: Abbot Olivier-Marie SARR OSB, Abbot of Keur Moussa Abbey in Senegal, Professor at the Pontifical Liturgical Institute of Sant’Anselmo in Rome. Time: 27 July 2026, 8.30 am–12.00 pm and 2.00 pm–5.30 pm (Rome time). Format: Online via ZOOM with simultaneous translation into

Rome, May 4-8, 2026 Topic for the Course: "Behold, I make all things new" (Rev 21 :5) - How can Christ renew all things, and how do we open ourselves to this renewal of our monastic life? Course Program: 11:00-11:15 Chapter of the Abbot General Mauro Giuseppe Lepori, OCist 11:20-12:00 and 12:10-12:45 Fr. Carlo Casalone, SJ, Professor of Moral Theology at the Gregorian University: Digital transition and spirituality 14:30-15:10 and 15:20-16:00 Dr. Nina Sofie Heereman, Profess