NEWS
of the Benedictine Confederation
and the Cistercian Family

For several years, the Cistercian community of Bellefontaine (France) has been questioning its future. Initially, it sought to adapt its community premises to accommodate a smaller number of brothers, but over time it realised that the brothers could not continue to live alone on this 19th-century property covering 120 hectares, which had become too large for a small group of monks whose average age had reached 80. So it explored the possibility of partnering with association

Attention: An email is in circulation, purporting to come from a bishop in Ireland; it names the Abbot General and members of his Council and seeks money for sisters in Tanzania. This is a scam; please do not respond to it. ocso.org

On 7 Oktober 2025,  Mother Pascale Fourmentin  completed her six-year term as Abbess of Arnhem (Diocese of Utraiectensis, in The...

On 30 September 2025, Mother Katharina Michiels completed her six-year term as Abbess of Nazareth (Diocese of Antwerp, Belgium). On the...

The General Chapter of the Trappist Order will take place at the General House from 3 to 24 September 2025. Let us pray for our brothers...

On August 23, 2025, Sister Clotilde Gennet made solemn profession at the monastery of N.-D. de La Coudre (France). Sister Clotilde was...

On August 20, 2025, Solemnity of Saint Bernard, Sister Jitka Pacíková made solemn profession at the monastery of Naši Paní (Czech Rep.)....

On August 18, 2025, Brother Alberic Henry made solemn profession at the monastery of Gethsemani (USA). Brother Alberic was born in 1975...

On August 15, 2025, Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Brother, Stefano Santini made solemn profession at the...

On August 17, 2025, Mother Maria Francesca Righi completed her term of six years as Abbess of Valserena (Diocese of Volterra, Italy). On...

On July 26, 2025, Brother Fabrice Ahandessi and Brother Gontran-Marie Koudenou made solemn profession at the monastery of Kokoubou...

On August 09, 2025, Feast of Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Sister Anne-Elisabeth Janicot made solemn profession at the monastery...

During the fire in April 2025, thanks to the determined efforts of the firefighters, the fire was stopped 2 meters from the abbey...

On August 6, 2025, Feast of the Transfiguration, Brother Juan Martín Godoy Villasante made solemn profession at the monastery of Paraíso...

On 06 August 2025, the community of Guimaras (Diocese of Jaro, Philippines) elected Dom Kevin John Lipasan as abbot for a six-year term....

https://ocso.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/newsletter-GC-03-EN.pdf

M. Kathy de Vico, abbess of O.L. of Redwoods (diocese of Santa Rosa, USA) since 2000, presented her resignation to the Abbot General in...

On 26 July 2025, the community of Miraflores (Diocese of Rancagua, Chile) elected Dom Lucas Marckmann Soto as Abbot of the Community for...

On July 25, 2025, Solemnity of Saint James the Apostle, patron of Spain, Brother Pablo María Colmenar Vázquez made solemn profession at...

On July 11, 2025, Solemnity of Saint Benedict, Sister Laurence Gabriella Gauchier made solemn profession at the monastery of Blauvac...