NEWS
of the Benedictine Confederation
and the Cistercian Family

On June 7, 2026, we celebrated with joy and great thanksgiving the opening of the jubilee year of our monastery. In this jubilee, we mark 75 years since the transfer of the Abbey of Hardehausen to Brazil, in Itatinga — a milestone completed on May 28 — as well as the 100th anniversary of the restoration of the Abbey of Hardehausen, which we will complete on the same date next year. Representatives from several houses were present: the Abbey of Itaporanga, Itararé, Campo Grand

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

June 12, 2026 The Roman Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life has approved the request to affiliate the Cistercian Priory of St. Mary at Helfta with the Cistercian Abbey of Seligenthal in Landshut, thereby attaching the Helfta community to the Seligenthal community. ocist.org https://www.ocist.org/ocist/images/pdf/HelftaAffiliation.pdf

The InterMonasteries Alliance is expanding In 2025, the AIM updated its ecclesiastical statutes by broadening its partnerships and emphasising the reality of a structure shared by the three major orders that follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. In line with these changes, the AIM is embarking on a significant turning point in its development, adopting new civil statutes, a new name and a new visual identity to promote its identity, highlight its international dimension, and uni

On June 13, 2026, Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Sister Marie Madeleine Beverly made solemn profession at the Mississippi Abbey (USA). Sister Madeleine was born in Jacksonville, Florida, USA in 1989; she entered Mississippi in 2018 and made first profession in 2021. ocso.org

On June 13, 2026, Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Brother Kenneth Hessemer made solemn profession at the monastery of Spencer (United States). Brother Kenneth was born in 1989 in Rahway, New Jersey (United States). He entered Spencer in 2020 and made his first profession in 2023. ocso.org

On Wednesday 10 June 2026, the Benedictine Abbey of Montserrat welcomed Pope Leo XIV, 44 years after the visit of Pope Saint John Paul II. Nearly 8,000 people were present and took part in the recitation of the Rosary, focusing on the Glorious Mysteries, traditionally meditated upon on Wednesdays. Pope Leo XIV was welcomed by 1,200 children from various Christian schools in Catalonia, to the sound of the monastery’s ceaseless bells. After speaking with the children, the Pope

June 8, 2026: A strong earthquake struck the southern Philippines at around 7:30 a.m. local time today. Our monastery in Matutum has been affected. According to Mother Giovana, the sisters are safe. Please keep the sisters and all the people in the region in your prayers. ocso.org

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