On 25 January 2025, the community of the Benedictine Abbey of Kremsmünster elected a new abbot. Abbot Bernhard Eckerstorfer succeeds Abbot Ambros Ebhart in this position, which he held for 18 years. Letter from Abbot Primate Jeremias congratulating Father Bernhard, who has spent many years at Sant'Anselmo: As abbot primate of the Benedictine Confederation and great chancellor of the Pontifical Athenaeum Sant’Anselmo in Rome, I warmly congratulate our rector, Fr. Dr. Bernhard Eckerstorfer OSB, on his election as abbot of the abbey of Kremsmünster in Austria. Above all, I extend my congratulations to his monastic community. With Abbot Bernhard, a mature religious with monastic seriousness, theological competence, and spiritual depth takes over the leadership of this venerable abbey. During his years of study and through his service at the international Benedictine university Sant’Anselmo in Rome, he has gained global experience. He will guide Kremsmünster into the future with heart, foresight, and his not inconsiderable charm. Obviously, our joy is mixed with regret. Here in Rome, Fr. Bernhard Eckerstorfer will be greatly missed as rector, professor, and confrere. His departure leaves a void that will not be easy to fill. As of today, the leadership of our university passes into the hands of the vice rector, Fr. Dr. Laurentius Eschlböck OSB, from the Scott’s Monastery in Vienna. Over the coming months, the competent authorities will search for and appoint a new rector for Sant’Anselmo. Sant’Anselmo and our Benedictine Confederation remain grateful that former Abbot Ambros Ebhart OSB released Fr. Bernhard in 2019 for this responsibility for the Benedictine world and the universal church. We trust that the abbey of Kremsmünster will continue to support the tasks of our Benedictine family in Rome and elsewhere also in the future. Sant’Anselmo, 25 January 2025 Jeremias Schröder OSB Abbot Primate https://www.stift-kremsmuenster.at/ osb.org

On 20 January 2025, the community of Novo Mundo (Diocese of São José dos Pinhais, Brazil) elected Father Estêvao Nery Fantesia Pinto as abbot for a six-year term. Dom Estêvao was born in 1979 in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). He was a palatine priest and ordained in 2005 before entering Novo Mundo in 2010, made his solemn profession in 2014. At the time of his election, he was second superior of the community. ocso.org https://www.mosteirotrapista.org.br/

Known to readers of the AIM Bulletin for his articles and conferences, Dom Bernardo Bonowitz died on 19 January 2025 as a result of Lewy body dementia (LBD). Announcement of his death by the Novo Mundo community: https://www.mosteirotrapista.org.br/post/falecimento-de-dom-bernardo-bonowitz

We are advised of a new scam attempt via false emails sent by the alleged prioress Sr. Mary Elizabeth Schweiger OSB. If someone receives an email from this address, they should not reply or even enter the web page indicated in the same email. This is obviously a scam. Please be careful. Below we present the email that some Superiors have received: Dear Father I am Sister Mary Elizabeth Schweiger OSB, Prioress of the Benedictine Sisters of the United States. To learn more about our Priory, please visit our website: www.mountosb.org. Every year, Our benefactors helped us to raise funds and our wish is to share the fund with other religious communities or organizations to support their work. That is for this reason, I am contacting you to find out how we can send you our contribution to support your work . If necessary, I can send you an official letter with the letterhead and stamp of our Priory I remain at your disposal for any further information. Peace and Blessings Sr Mary Elizabeth Schweiger OSB Prioress ocist.org

There is a person impersonating a member of our Order and asking for money. This person is not a member of the Order. Please do not give him money and do not consider his requests. ocso.org This person is not a member of the Order.

In view of the fighting in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo in recent days, we invite you to pray for our communities of Clarté-Dieu and Mokoto, but also for the Bernardines of Goma, and of course for all the communities and the entire population of this region. May peace, hoped for 30 years, finally reign there. ocso.org

The General Chapter of the Congregation of Sankt Ottilien, meeting at Waegwan Abbey (South Korea), has elected Father Javier Aparacio Suarez Abbot President of the Congregation. He replaces Dom Jeremias Schröder, elected Abbot Primate at the Abbots' Congress in September 2024. Until his election Fr. Javier Aparicio Suarez served as Mission Procurator of the Congregation. He received the abbatial blessing from Archbishop Hyginus Kim of Kwangju on 19 January. Father Javier is currently a member of the AIM Council.

On January 17, 2025, Sister María Rodríguez Méndez made solemn profession at the monastery of Esmeraldas (Ecuador). Sister María was born in 1975 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain). She was a perpetually professed religious of the Dolores Sopeña Catechetical Institute and began her transitus in our Order in 2021 in Esmeraldas. ocso.org

“In order that everyone might be spiritually united in prayer on the feast of our Founders “for vocations and the renewal of our way of living Cistercian life”, it was proposed that, a text created by the RéCiF Region might be made available to all Communities.” (CC 2021)™ https://ocso.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Prayer.pdf ocso.org

Circular Letter from the Abbot General of the OCSO on the occasion of the Solemnity of Our Founders https://ocso.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Circular-Letter-26.01.2025-EN-PRAYER-AS-A-SCHOOL-OF-HOPE-1.pdf ocso.org

On 3 January 2025, Mother Lucia Tartara, Abbess of Naší Paní (diocese of Prague, Czech Republic), presented her resignation during the visit of the Abbot General. On the same day, the Abbot General, with the consent of his Council, accepted it with immediate effect. On 8 January, Dom Loris Tomassini, Abbot of Frattocchie and Father Immediate of Naší Paní, appointed Sister Chiara Pascucci as Superior ad nutum of the community. The appointment became effective immediately. Mother Chiara was born in Pesaro (Italy) in 1971, entered Vitorchiano in 1991, made solemn profession in 1997 and was a member of the founding group of Naší Paní in 2007. At the time of her appointment, she was in charge of the confectionery industry. ocso.org

On January 12, 2025, Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Sister Gabriella Vu Thi Luong, Sister Dominica Ho Thi Hang, Sister Cecilia Luu Thi Ngoc Mai made solemn profession at the monastery of Ajimu (Japan). Sister Gabriella was born in 1989 in Nam Dinh (Vietnam). She entered Ajimu in 2015 and made first profession in 2020. Sister Dominica was born in 1990 in Nghe An (Vietnam). She entered Ajimu in 2015 and made first profession in 2020. Sister Cecilia was born in 1990 in Binh Phuoc (Vietnam). She entered Ajimu in 2015 and made first profession in 2020. ocso.org