On Wednesday, September 23 20026, the XXII Ordinary Synod of the Cistercian Order began with the Votive Mass of the Holy Spirit, presided over by the Abbot General, Dom Mauro Giuseppe Lepori. The theme of the Synod is “Truly seeking God: ad quid venisti? Living our vocation in truth.” It aims to assess the current situation in order to help prepare for the upcoming General Chapter and to reflect on the future of the Order, seeking viable paths forward. We invoke the Holy Spir

By Abbot President Javier Aparicio Suarez, Ottilien Congregation Once a year, the Abbot Primate convenes all the Presidents of the Benedictine Confederation for the Synod. This last week we met in a rather different setting from Sant’Anselmo: at the Benedictine Monastery of Gihindamuyaga in Rwanda, of the Annunciation Congregation. Perhaps the familiar expression primus inter pares could be slightly adapted for the occasion: “Primas… inter pares.” Primas is also the title tra