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Some new training projects financially supported by AIM are presented on the website: https://www.aimintl.org/en/our-projects/category-formation You can support AIM's actions in communities by making a donation via the ‘Support us’ tab at the top right of the pages. AIM can only help communities thanks to the donations it receives from religious communities and benefactors. Thank you for your support.

On December 13, 2025, Memorial of St. Lucy, Virgin and Martyr, Sister Clarisse-Marie Tovalou made solemn profession at the monastery of L’Étoile Notre-Dame (Benin). Sister Clarisse-Marie Tovalou was born in 1982 in Cotonou (Benin). She entered L’Étoile Notre-Dame in 2017 and made first profession in 2021. ocso.org

There is a fraudulent email circulating that uses the Abbot General’s name to solicit money. One such email address is bernarduspeeters@outlook.com. We do not know which other email addresses may be used by these scammers. Please do not respond to such emails. The only genuine email address used by the Abbot General is the one published in the restricted area of the website OCSO. ocso.org

Dear brothers and sisters, dear friends, This AIM newsletter announces internal developments within AIM: new statutes, new committees, etc., as well as some news from the communities. Two projects supported by AIM are presented to demonstrate its concrete support for the communities. Newsletters on the website: https://www.aimintl.org/en/communication/newsletters

Letter from Dom M.-G. Lepori, Cistercian Abbot General, for Christmas: ocist.org

On December 8, 2025, The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Sister Ilaria Cerra made solemn profession at the monastery of Vitorchiano (Italy). Sister Ilaria Cerra was born in 1991 in Salerno (Italy). She entered Vitorchiano in 2016 and made first profession in 2020. ocso.org https://www.trappistevitorchiano.it/

The community of Notre-Dame de Lérins Abbey is going through an important stage in its life and entrusts itself to the prayers of the entire Order. After 27 years as abbot and upon reaching the age of 70, Abbot Dom Vladimir Gaudrat , president of the Congregation of Cistercians of the Immaculate Conception, submitted his resignation to the Father Abbot General during his regular visit. The latter accepted it. The election of the new abbot will take place at the end of January. The newly elected abbot will continue the transformation project already underway and will face the challenges that the community must meet in its spiritual mission and various activities. The Abbot General, as well as the entire Order, are very grateful to Dom Vladimir for his long and generous service to his community and his Congregation, as well as to the Abbot General's Council, the Synod and the General Chapter. May God bless this new stage in his monastic life! ocist.org https://www.abbayedelerins.com/

The 104th Assembly of Major Superiors was held in Rome from 26 to 28 November 2025. The theme of the assembly was: ‘Connected Faith: Living Prayer in the Digital Age’. All documents are available on the USG website: https://www.usgroma.org/en/

Father Martin Neyt, a monk at Clerlande Monastery (Congregation of the Annunciation, Belgium), passed away during the night of 25 November 2025. Monk since 1963, he was president of AIM from 1997 to 2013. Father Martin was appointed president of the AIM in 1997, at a time when the new Abbot Primate, Marcel Rooney, was restructuring the AIM to better adapt it to the international service that this organisation is called upon to provide. His secretary general was Father Jacques Côté (Saint-Benoît-du-Lac, Quebec), followed by Sister Gisela Happ (Eibingen, Germany) (2001-2016); Sister Placid Dolores Luz joined the Secretariat in 2005 (2005-2020). The Secretariat grew and became an effective tool at the service of the foundations that continued to spring up and develop. Several facets of AIM gradually developed and became organised: the International Team, formation, the newsletter, visits to monasteries, and regional, national and international entities. 50th anniversary of the AIM celebrated at Ligugé Abbey. Father Martin had the joy of organising the 50th anniversary of the AIM in 2011. Throughout his time as president of the AIM, Father Martin paid particular attention to the newsletter. Starting with the 2000 issues, the newsletter featured in-depth articles on various monastic themes written by different authors: Lectio, government, formation, as well as chronicles of monasteries and various news items related to monastic life and the life of the Church and the world. Meeting in 2006 to prepare the AIM Bulletin. The AIM website was set up under Father Martin's presidency. The Jean XXIII Centre, founded in 2005 at the monastery of Vanves and now closed, long welcomed nuns for their theological studies in Paris. The AIM therefore owes a great deal to Father Martin. On the 50th anniversary of the AIM, he wrote: ‘Tie your boat to the ships of your Fathers,’ repeated a Father from Egypt living in Gaza. The challenges of our time cause every monk or nun, every community, to undergo serious trials, specific to the human condition and often amplified by the media of our time: sexual deviance and paedophilia, violence that can lead to genocide, the cruel gap between rich and poor, the export of young vocations to other continents, the temptation to use monasteries for self-fulfilment through studies or other activities, and the appeal of religious status complete the list of deadly sins. Life processes are there to distance oneself from the turmoil of the world, to welcome others in a fair and respectful manner, to transcend the compartmentalised perspectives of social or cultural identity. The trials of communities today are as formidable as those of the past, although very different. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Building together the Body of Christ and making mutual love a school of service to the Lord are unmistakable signs. But the road is long, and AIM, like the Good Samaritan, accompanies, discerns, takes risks, and constantly recalls the heart of the monastic tradition. The communities have to earn their daily bread, seek guidance and advice from competent people, and work together to sell monastic products. There are many challenges to be met and new tasks to be accomplished: the long journey of self-discovery, right relationships with others, building on a human scale (rather than grandiose and costly projects), welcoming the poor and needy, and supporting the development of the population surrounding the monastery. Thus, humbly, AIM was created and is developing in a changing world where each community does not choose its context, but seeks to forge its identity as best it can. It is there to contribute to the construction of a new world. Multiplying local contacts, it takes up the first words of the Benedictine Rule: ‘Listen, my son, to the precepts...’. Listening remains essential; it encourages the discovery of others, removes ambiguities and misunderstandings in communication, establishes genuine dialogue, and aims to create an alliance while respecting each person's autonomy.” May he rest in peace and reap the fruits of his labour. See also: https://osb.org/2025/12/02/obituary-father-martin-neyt-osb-former-president-of-aim/

The community of Rougemont (Canada), in thanksgiving, celebrated the solemn profession of Brother Joseph-Aimé , which took place on Sunday, November 16, 2025. Surrounded by many young friends, our community immersed itself in this beautiful liturgy of monastic consecration, which renews each of us in the great yes to Christ, the ideal of the monk. We also take this opportunity to thank each and every one of those who held our community and our Abbot in prayer during his convalescence. Once again, we have witnessed the power of prayer in his almost miraculous recovery. May you all be blessed. Youtube 1: https://youtu.be/obBW3Xaox6o Youtube 2: https://youtu.be/oXKdKD1PDbE ocist.org https://abbayederougemont.org/

Following discussions during the extraordinary canonical visit currently underway in the Flemish-Dutch Province, Thomas Quartier requested and obtained dispensation from his monastic vows and diaconal obligations. Therefore, the Abbot President of the Congregation no longer has any jurisdiction in this matter. https://www.benedettinisublacensicassinesi.org/comunicati/

On November 24th, 2025 during a solemn Mass, celebrated by the Most Reverend Bishop Lee, the diocesan bishop, and in the presence of Dom Francisco Yoshimoto Kunihiko, Abbot of Phare and Father Immediate, the simple priory of Sujong (Rep. of Korea) was officialy elevated as an abbey , according to the decision of the General Chapter 2025. Mother Emmanuel Hong was elected the first Abbess of the Community on 26th November 2025 for a term of six years. Mother Emmanuel was born in 1966 in Jeju (Republic of Korea), entered Sujong in 1994 and made solemn profession in 2001. She was titular prioress of the community from 2020 until now. ocso.org