NEWS
of the Benedictine Confederation
and the Cistercian Family

On March 1, 2026, Brother Toussaints Mwenyezi made solemn profession at Mokoto Abbey (Dem. Rep. of the Congo). Brother Toussaints was born in 1991 in Matanda, DRC; he entered Mokoto in 2020 and made first profession in 2023. ocso.org

After the death of Mother Mechthild, M. Lucia Kienzler was appointed Prioress Administrator of the Cistercian Monastery of St. Joseph in Thyrnau (Germany). May God bless her service for the benefit of her community. ocist.org

The community of Brialmont (Belgium) has been aware for some time of its situation of fragility. The superior, M. Marie-Pascale Dran, and the sisters, with the help of the Father Immediate (Dom Xavier Frisque13, superior ad nutum of Orval) and the Commission for the future, after serious consideration, have judged that it is not possible for the community to recover from this situation, and that it must be closed. The Abbot General and his Council have followed the situation

On February 11, 2026, Dom Malachias Huijink, abbot of Echt and Father Immediate ad interim of Nunraw, (Scotland) appointed Fr. Benedict Okakpu , monk of Nsugbe, as superior ad nutum of Nunraw. Dom Benedict was born in Abatete, Nigeria in 1966. He was a diocesan priest in Onitsha, Nigeria before entered the community of Nsugbe in 2006, where he made his solemn profession in 2012. This appointment brings to an end the service of Dom Mark Caira, abbot of Nunraw from 2009 and su

On February 13, 2026, Sister Maria Caritas Pham Thi Sen made solemn profession at the monastery of Our Lady of Imari (Japan). Sister Caritas was born in 1992 in Vinh (Vietnam); she entered Imari in 2014 and made first profession in 2019. ocso.org https://www.imari-trappistines.org/

The monastic community and the metropolitan city of Turin are celebrating the 1,300th anniversary of the founding of Novalesa Abbey (Italy). It was on 30 January 726, in the middle of winter, when Abbone launched the foundation of the abbey: 1300 years have passed, and the Benedictine monastery has experienced periods of varying importance in the history of the Alps, until 1972, when the province of Turin bought it from Convitto Umberto I in order to prevent it from falling i

The monastic community of São Geraldo Abbey in São Paulo, Brazil, has elected Dom Geraldo González y Lima, OSB, as its fourth abbot. The election took place on 15 January 2026, coinciding with the liturgical memorial of Saints Maurus and Placid, the first disciples of Saint Benedict. Dom Geraldo succeeds to the abbatial chair of this community, a member of the Hungarian Congregation, after two decades of distinguished service to the wider confederation in Rome. Born in Hava

On 31 January 2026, under the chairmanship of the Abbot General and in the presence of the superiors of the Congregation of the Immaculate Conception, the community of Lérins (France) elected Dom Jean-Marie Gervais as its new abbot. Dom Gervais thus becomes president of the Congregation of the Immaculate Conception. Born in 1960, Father Jean-Marie entered the monastery of Lérins in 1981 and has held various positions of responsibility in the service of monastic life. In 1997

On behalf of the Benedictine Confederation, Abbot Primate Jeremias Schröder congratulates Bishop Manuel Nin Güell on his appointment as Exarch of the Territorial Abbey of Grottaferrata. Grottaferrata is the only monastery of the Order of Basilian Monks in Italy. It is a territorial abbey and an exarchical monastery—that is, the superior holds episcopal rank. The monks follow the Rule of Saint Basil the Great, who was greatly admired and quoted by Saint Benedict. Pope Leo XIII

On 12 and 13 January 2026, the Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat in Manila (Philippines) celebrated the centenary of the consecration of its abbey church. The solemn Mass on Tuesday 13 January was presided over by the Abbot President, Father Ignaci M. Fossas. https://www.benedettinisublacensicassinesi.org/ https://montserratmanila.org/

On January 25, 2026, the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle, Sister Agata Sidoti made solemn profession at the monastery of Vitorchiano (Italy). Sister Agata was born in 1993 in Rome (Italy); she entered Vitorchiano in 2017 and made first profession in 2021. ocso.org

On 15 January 2026, the community of Mepkin (Diocese of Charleston, South Carolina, USA) elected Dom Gerard Jonas Palmares as abbot for a six-year term. Dom Gerard was born in 1964 in Lipa City (Philippines). He was was ordained a priest in the Philippines in 1991 before entered Mepkin in 2010, where he made his solemn profession in 2017. ocso.org

On January 10, 2026, Sister Marie-Marthe Cogan made solemn profession at the monastery of N.-D. de La Coudre (France). Sister Marie-Marthe was born in 1976 in Angers (France); she entered Laval in 2018 and made first profession in 2020. ocso.org

On December 28, 2025, Feast of the Holy Family, Brother Godric Hathorn made solemn profession at the monastery of Gethsemani (United States). Brother Godric was born in 1975 in Gulfport, Mississippi (United States). He entered Gethsemani in 2019 and made his first profession in 2021. ocso.org https://monks.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

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 November 01, 2025, Solemnity of All Saints, Brother Ismael Lasanta Vanhoutteghem made solemn profession at the monastery of Cardeña (Spain). Brother Ismael was born in 1995 in Madrid (Spain). He entered Cardeña in 2020 and made his first profession in 2022. ocso.org https://www.cardena.org/

The General Chapter of September 2025 asked for a special visitation at the community of Rochefort (vote 42). This visitation was carried out and, on the recommendation of the visitors, the Abbot General with the consent of his Council suspended the exercise of autonomy of the community of Rochefort and appointed Dom Xavier Frisque , superior ad nutum of Orval, as monastic commissary of Rochefort. This nomination became effective on 28 October, 2025. Dom Xavier was born in 1