NEWS
of the Benedictine Confederation
and the Cistercian Family

On November 24th, 2025 during a solemn Mass, celebrated by the Most Reverend Bishop Lee, the diocesan bishop, and in the presence of Dom Francisco Yoshimoto Kunihiko, Abbot of Phare and Father Immediate, the simple priory of Sujong (Rep. of Korea) was officialy elevated as an abbey , according to the decision of the General Chapter 2025. Mother Emmanuel Hong was elected the first Abbess of the Community on 26th November 2025 for a term of six years. Mother Emmanuel was born

Mother Paola Pavoletti, abbess of Humocaro (Archdiocese of Barquisimeto, Venezuela) since 2008, having reached the retirement age mentioned in ST 40.A of the Constitutions, presented her resignation to the Abbot General. The Abbot General, with the consent of his Council, accepted the resignation, which became effective on 1 November 2025. On 22 November 2025, the community elected Sister Sonia Timaure Rodríguez as abbess for a six-year term. Mother Sonia was born in 1964 i

On 7 Oktober 2025,  Mother Pascale Fourmentin  completed her six-year term as Abbess of Arnhem (Diocese of Utraiectensis, in The Netherlands). On the same day, she was re-elected Abbess of the Community for an indefinite term. ocso.org https://abdijkoningsoord.org/

On 30 September 2025, Mother Katharina Michiels completed her six-year term as Abbess of Nazareth (Diocese of Antwerp, Belgium). On the same day, she was re-elected Abbess of the Community for a new six-year term. ocso.org

On August 17, 2025, Mother Maria Francesca Righi completed her term of six years as Abbess of Valserena (Diocese of Volterra, Italy). On the same day, Mother Maria Francesca was re-elected Abbess of the Community for a new six-year term. ocso.org https://www.valserena.it/

On 10 July 2025, at the end of her second abbatial term, Mother Hortense Mituga was re-elected Abbess of Clarté-Dieu (Archdiocese of...

Mother Alberica Ueno Chiaki, abbess of Imari (Diocese of Fukuoka, Japan) since 2023, reached the age of retirement mentioned in ST 40.A...

On 31 May 2025, Mother Marie Fahy completed her fourth six-year term as Abbess of Glencairn (Diocese of Waterford and Lismore, Ireland)....

Communication concerning the Pontifical Commissariation of the Monastery of Saints Gervasius and Protasius in San Giacomo di Veglia,...

Following the resignation of Mother Marianne Zürcher (elected Abbess on 13 June 2011), on Tuesday 25 March 2025, in the presence of Dom...

On February 12, 2025 the community of Frauenthal (Switzerland) elected Sr. Bede Berg as their new abbess. Let us thank God for this...

On 11th February 2025, at the end of her first abbatial mandate, Mother Sofia Millican was re-elected Abbess of Mount St. Mary’s Abbey,...

On 1st January 2025, at the end of her fifth abbatial mandate, Mother María Marcenaro was re-elected Abbess of the Hinojo monastery...

The community of Mariastern-Gwiggen elected Sr. Maria-Stella Krimmel OCist as their 8th Abbess on September 8, 2024....