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This past week the Austrian Benedictine Congregation held its General Chapter in the Abbey of Göttweig. Göttweig, spectacularly situated on a hill, is sometimes referred to as the Austrian Montecassino. Abbot Columban and his confreres hosted the superiors, delegates and commission members that make up the General Chapter. Abbot Primate Jeremias Schröder was also invited and gave two presentations on the opportunities and challenges which smaller communities offer, and on the changing role of Benedictine congregations. On the last day of the chapter, Abbot Johannes Perkmann of Abtei Michaelbeuern was reelected abbot president, and a new council or “Presidium” was also elected. They will now steer this congregation of 12 abbeys and 2 priories into the future. osb.org Abbot President Johannes and his newly elected council. Les membres du Chapitre de la congrégation autrichienne.

On 22 October 2024, Dom Vedaste Vitchomo, abbot of Mokoto and delegated Father Immediate of Mvanda, appointed Sister Barbara Cacherano d’Osasco as Superior ad nutum of Mvanda (Diocese of Kikwit, Dem. Rep. of Congo). Mother Barbara was born in 1961 in Genova (Italy). She entered Vitorchiano in 1990, made her solemn profession in 1996 and was sent to Mvanda in 2003. At the time of her appointment, she was the bursar of the community. ocso.org

Between 16 and 17 October, around 600 mm of rain fell on the abbey in 36 hours. There was extensive material damage to the site. The shop, the cellars containing all the stocks of our products, and several areas such as the hikers' reception area were badly flooded. 10 cm in the hikers' reception area, 30 cm in the shop, and almost a metre in the cellars. The boilers in all these buildings were submerged in a metre of water, and computer equipment, furniture and many other objects were ruined. On 18 October, the fire brigade was hard at work pumping out the cellars, while friends, employees and workmen were repairing the monastery's drinking water supply, which had been ripped out by torrents of rainwater. You can see more images in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WS-Tjp-RGxc The external damage is considerable, particularly to the forest paths, and the community may have to pay for the entire repair work. Our insurance companies will cover part of the damage, but we are very grateful to anyone who can help us financially to cope with this disaster. You can make a donation on the Fondation des Monastères website by selecting ‘I would like to make a donation to COMMUNAUTE CISTERCIENNE NOTRE DAME DES NEIGES’ via this link: https://don.fondationdesmonasteres.org/soutenir Thank you so much for your help, your friendship and your prayers. We assure you of ours in return. Don't hesitate to write to us at inondation@ndneiges.org if you live nearby and can lend us a hand! https://www.notredamedesneiges.com/

https://ocso.org/2024/10/14/the-general-chapter-newsletter-2025/ ocso.org

After the election of the new Prioress General on October 8, the General Councillors were elected on October 9. The new generalate members are: Sr. Rosann Ocken of Norfolk Priory / USA Sr. Mary Thomas Prado of Manila Priory / Philippines Sr. Katharina Mtitu of Peramiho Priory / Tanzania Sr. Philippa Kwak of Daegu Priory / South Korea Sr. Marie-Therese Brodmann of Tutzing Priory / Germany The newly elected leaders will installed into office in January 2025. osbtutzing.org

On October 12, 2024, Solemnity of Our Lady of the Conception Aparecida, patron saint of Brazil, Brother Tobias Dias Ferraz made solemn profession at the monastery of Novo Mundo (Brazil). Brother Tobias was born in 1987 in Santa Bárbara d’Oeste (Brazil). He entered Novo Mundo in 2018 and made first profession in 2020. https://www.mosteirotrapista.org.br/post/profiss%C3%A3o-solene-de-ir-tobias ocso.org For those who would like to know more about Dom Bernardo Bonowitz: https://www.mosteirotrapista.org.br/post/comunicado-sobre-dom-bernardo

From 23 to 27 September 2024, the OCSO Liturgical Commission and the OCist Liturgical Secretariat met in the Italian monastery of Valserena to work together. The first day was a study day on the topic of "Sacrosanctum Consilium" and "Desiderio Desideravi" under the direction of Prof Pierangelo Muroni (Urbaniana, Sant'Anselmo), in which Abbot General Mauro-Giuseppi Lepori OCist also took part. Photo: Sr. Karla Gonçalves (Wrentham, USA), Fr. Thomas Aquinas Thái Văn Dũng (Phouc Son, VN), Prof. Pierangelo Muroni (Sant’Anselmo, Urbaniana, Guast), Mauro-Giuseppe Lepori OCist (Abbot General OCist, Guast), P. Hugues Chapelain de Seréville (Cîteaux, FRA), Madre Maris Francesca Righi (Abbasse Valserena, ITA, Guest), Sr. Judit Fejérdy (Kismaros, HU), Sr. Patrizia Girolami OCSO (Valserena, ITA), P. Ruben Lacón (Azul, ARG), Fr. Coelestin Nebel (Stiepel, GER). ocist.org

On October 7, 2024, the foundation of Ananda Matha Ashram, Kunnambetta, in the diocese of Calicut (India) was raised to the rank of Simple Priory, in accordance with the decision of the Central Commission, Chile, 2024. On October 11, 2024, Mother Mary-Ann Kiriyanthan Devassy, superior of the community since 2011, was elected the first Titular Prioress of the community. ocso.org

The Conference: "Discovering oneself in the mirror of truth: The degrees of humility and pride of Bernard of Clairvaux" From November 4-8, 2024 , the Monastic Institute of the Faculty of Theology will hold the conference on the occasion of the publication in the Sources Chrétiennes series of Bernard of Clairvaux's treatise on the Degrees of Humility and Pride. The conference, whose theme is "Discovering oneself in the mirror of truth: The degrees of humility and pride of Bernard of Clairvaux", aims to explore the numerous and rich facets of Bernard's treatise from an interdisciplinary, anthropological perspective, psychological and philosophical, as well as theological and spiritual, without forgetting to place it in its historical context. We will also try to identify its literary form and structure, its biblical, patristic and monastic sources, as well as its posterity in Western thought and Christian spirituality. The conference is organized by the Notre-Dame de Cîteaux Abbey, the Institut des Sources Chrétiennes (HiSOMA, UMR 5189, Lyon) and the Pontifical Athenaeum Sant'Anselmo. For info: istituto.monastico@anselmianum.com It is possible to participate in the conference via Zoom. Those who participate in person can listen to the translation in Italian, via Zoom, using their mobile phone. Program https://www.anselmianum.com/it/news/1221-scoprire-se-stessi-nello-specchio-della-verita ocist.org ocso.org

After eleven years as President of AIM, Dom Jean-Pierre Longeat has stepped down. We thank him warmly for his years of commitment: he will have left his mark on AIM through his broad and diverse vision of monastic life, his understanding of the world, his dynamic impetus in meetings and sharing, strengthening AIM not only in financial support for communities but also in fraternal support between communities, creating links between them and offering tools for reflection and discernment to help them live better and meet the challenges they face. During the Congress of Benedictine Abbots held in Rome from 9 to 19 September 2024, a new president of AIM was appointed by the Abbot Primate: the Abbot of Maredsous (Belgium), Dom Bernard Lorent Tayart , accepted this responsibility.

On 12 September 2024, the community of Stams Abbey (Austria) elected Father Cyrill Greiter as the community's 45th abbot. Until now, Father Cyrill was chaplain of the parish of Untermais in Merano. https://www.stiftstams.at/ ocist.org

On 21 September 2024, Dom Damien Debaisieux, abbot of Scourmont and Father Immediate of Orval, appointed Father Xavier Frisque as Superior ad nutum of Orval (Diocese of Namur, Belgium). Dom Xavier was born in 1967 in Ixelles (Belgium). He entered Orval in 1989, made his solemn profession in 1995 and was ordained a priest in 2024. At the time of his appointment, he was novice master of the community. ocso.org https://www.orval.be/fr/