NEWS
of the Benedictine Confederation
and the Cistercian Family

The General Chapter of September 2025 voted (Vote 33) in support of the request to the Holy See by Fr. Henri Fouda CSsP, Apostolic Commissary of Koutaba (diocese of Bafoussam, Cameroon) since 2017, to end the regime of Apostolic Commissary in that community. The ad hoc commission which studied the situation of Koutaba further recommended that if the Holy See responded favourably to this request, Fr. Fouda should be appointed monastic commissary of Koutaba, pending the complet

In February 2026 the Abbot General, assisted by M. Fiachra Nutty (abbess of Glencairn), carried out the special visitation at Bethlehem Abbey (Northern Ireland) requested by the General Chapter of September 2025 (vote 49). On 27 February 2026, the Abbot General, with the consent of his Council and in the name of the General Chapter, suspended the exercise of autonomy of the community of Bethlehem and appointed Fr. Joseph Tedesco of Mepkin Abbey as monastic commissary of the c

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

Dom Joseph Wittstock (abbot of Berryville), who has been monastic commissary of New Melleray since December 2024, offered his resignation as monastic commissary of New Melleray. The Abbot General, with the consent of his Council, accepted the resignation, which became effective on 21st October 2025. On the same date, the Abbot General with the consent of his Council appointed Fr Jerome Machar , monk of Genesee, as monastic commissary of New Melleray. Dom Jerome was born in Cl

On 11 February 2025, Mother Marie-Pascale Dran, Abbess of Brialmont (diocese of Liège, Belgium), presented her resignation to the Abbot...

On 27 October 2024, Dom Jean-Marc Chéné, Abbot of Bellefontaine (diocese of Nantes, France), presented his resignation to the Abbot...

On 23 November 2024, at the request of Mother Rebecca Stramoski, abbess of O.L. Mississippi, who currently holds the authority of Father...

On 4 October 2024, at the request of Dom Damien Debaisieux, abbot of Scourmont and Father Immediate of Chimay, the Abbot General and his...