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 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 his people. Warmly welcomed by Bishop Célestin-Marie Gaoua and the faithful of the Diocese of Sokodé, our community begins its mission rooted in the Benedictine values of prayer, hospitality, simplicity and service. We come not only as missionaries, but also as sisters and companions, ready to walk alongside the local Church and the people of Togo. May this new community become a place of faith, peace and encounter — where God is sought in daily life and where every person is welcomed with love and dignity. Entrusting this mission to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of Saint Benedict and Saint Scholastica, we pray that our presence may bear fruit in unity, compassion and hope for generations to come. “Ut in omnibus glorificetur Deus” — That God may be glorified. osbtutzing.org https://www.radiomariasaintetherese.tg/2026/05/accueil-des-benedictines-missionnaires-de-tutzing-dans-le-diocese-de-sokode/

Mother Rosaria Spreafico, abbess of the monastery of Nostra Signora di San Giuseppe, Vitorchiano (diocese of Viterbo, Italy) since 1988, offered her resignation to the Abbot General in the light of ST 40.A of our Constitutions. With the consent of his Council, the Abbot General accepted the resignation, which became effective on July 3rd, 2026 On 22nd July 2026, the community of Vitorchiano elected Sr. Maria Giovanna Locatelli as abbess for a six-year term. Mother Maria Giovanna was born in 1979 in Rome (Italy). She entered the monastery of Vitorchiano in 2004 and made her solemn profession in 2010. At the time of her election, she was the novice director of the community. ocso.org

Dear Sisters and Brothers, We warmly invite you to a study day organized by the OCist-OCSO Liturgical Commission. Topic: Liturgical inculturation: definitions, guiding principles, models and criteria Speaker: Abbot Olivier-Marie SARR OSB, Abbot of Keur Moussa Abbey in Senegal, Professor at the Pontifical Liturgical Institute of Sant’Anselmo in Rome. Time: 27 July 2026, 8.30 am–12.00 pm and 2.00 pm–5.30 pm (Rome time). Format: Online via ZOOM with simultaneous translation into Vietnamese, English, French, Italian, Spanish, German, Polish and Portuguese. Participation in the study day is free of charge. To register, please email: liturgia@ocist.org => please provide your NAME, LANGUAGE and EMAIL ADDRESS. You will receive the participation link in good time. ocso.org

"Benedictine Education, a Foundation for Life" AIM-USA: aim-usa.org

This morning at 11:00 a.m., Pope Leo XIV arrived at the Abbey . It was a private visit, requiring the utmost confidentiality. From the early hours of the morning, the arrival of an illustrious figure was evident. A Head of State was suspected, a presence to which the Monastery of San Benedetto has always been accustomed. The emotion was intense when, from the dark car that had driven up to the entrance door, the white robe, symbolizing the leader of the Catholic Church, descended. The Holy Father immediately showed his availability, stopping to greet everyone, much to the incredulity of those present. @Vatican News He was welcomed by Father Abbot Dom Luca Fallica, Prior Jordi Augustí Piqué, Archbishop Emeritus of Gaeta Bernardo D'Onorio, and the entire Benedictine community. After passing through the Abbey Cloisters, Leo XIV looked out from the Loggia del Paradiso to admire the splendid view of the valley. A moving visit to the museum was also made, where the Pontiff paused in the section dedicated to the destruction of the Monastery during the Second World War. The Pope also visited the archive curated by Don Mariano Dell'Omo and the library curated by Don Alessandro Trespioli. In the Cathedral Basilica, there was a moment of prayer at the tombs of Saints Benedict and Scholastica. The Holy Father prayed at Sext with the Community in the Chapter Hall. Leo XIV wished to leave a testimony of his visit by donating a splendid chalice to the Community. Gradually, news of the Pope's presence spread among the Abbey's visitors. Groups of visitors gathered and joined in applause. The Pope greeted and blessed those present. After lunch with the Community, Leo XIV left the Abbey at 2:45 pm. "A truly beautiful surprise ,"said Abbot Fallica." Unexpected. A strictly private visit. The community was only notified today. We had been asked to maintain the utmost confidentiality. However, this made the visit even more beautiful because it was more simple, more familiar, like a father coming to visit his children." abbaziamontecassino.it Article of Vatican News : https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2026-07/pope-leo-montecassino-abbey-st-benedict-pray-peace.html

On Sunday 19 July 2026, at the Sanctuary of the Sacro Speco in Subiaco (Italy), the Abbot President of the Congregation of Subiaco-Montecassino, Father Ignasi M. Fossas, presided over the Eucharistic celebration to mark the feast of Saint Benedict, abbot and patron saint of Europe. Following the celebration, a Eucharistic procession took place, culminating in the blessing of the town. https://www.benedettinisublacensicassinesi.org/news/a-subiaco-per-i-festeggiamenti-di-san-benedetto-patrono-deuropa/

On 11 July 2026, the Feast of Saint Benedict, Patron of Europe, the monastic community of Montecassino marked a significant transition in its spiritual preparation for the abbey’s 1,500th anniversary in 2029. To mark this occasion, Abbot Luca Antonio Fallica, OSB, has shared an address with the Benedictine Confederation. In his address, entitled By Your Light We See the Light, Abbot Luca reflects on the famous vision of Saint Benedict recorded by Saint Gregory the Great, in which the saint beheld the entire world gathered within a single ray of sunlight. Abbot Luca contrasts our contemporary experience of a fragmented, conflict-ridden history with Benedict's expanded heart, which was enlarged to view reality through the unifying lens of God's own vision. Monastic life, he suggests, is a continuous journey of interior unification — symbolised by the early miracle of the mended sieve — where the heart is restored from division to wholeness. The address explores how the teaching of Pope Paul VI. on the Benedictine triad of the cross, the book and the plough continues to speak to our modern age. In an era dominated by digital revolution and artificial intelligence, Abbot Luca calls for a renewed monastic engagement with contemporary culture, urging communities to safeguard what is human and to foster genuine dialogue. By remaining authentic seekers of God, monasteries can serve as vital places of encounter and hospitality for all who search for truth and meaning, whether or not they possess an explicit faith. The complete text of Abbot Luca Antonio’s address, which offers rich material for community chapter, lectio divina, and personal reflection, is available for download in seven major European languages. Letter: https://osb.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Alla-luce-vediamo-la-tua-luce-11-luglio-2026-Inglese.pdf osb.org

General Chapter of Monastic Congregation of Saint Scholastica: June 25 - July 1, 2026, at Bon Secours Retreat & Conference Center, Marriottsville, MD (USA). The Monastic Congregation of St Scholastica is happy to announce the election of Sr Kimberly Porter as Congregation President. Sr Kimberly is a member of St Walburga Monastery in Covington, Kentucky. The Congregation Council was also elected. They are Sr Andrea Westkamp (Bistow, Virginia), Sr Charlotte Zalot (Erie, Pennsylvania), Sr Susan Quaintance (Chicago, Illinois), Sr Tonette Sperando (Cullman, Alabama) and Sr Elaine Fischer (Atchison, Kansas). https://www.monasticcongregationss.org/ Kimberly Porter.

From 6 to 13 July 2026, a group of Vietnamese monks and nuns from monasteries belonging to the Congregation of Subiaco-Montecassino undertook a pilgrimage to Rome and to the main Benedictine sites in Lazio. These monks and nuns, who are living in France whilst pursuing their studies, were welcomed by the Abbot President, Father Ignaci M. Fossas, at the Curia of Saint Ambrose. During this pilgrimage, they visited the Abbey of St Paul Outside the Walls, the Abbey of Subiaco and the Abbey of Monte Cassino, accompanied by the Exarch-Hegumen of the Abbey of Grottaferrata, Monsignor Manuel Nin, OSB. https://www.benedettinisublacensicassinesi.org

Press Release Conception Abbey Communications Department On Saturday, 11 July 2026, the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey, in Conception, Missouri, elected Fr Paul Sheller OSB, as their new abbot. He becomes the 11th abbot in Conception Abbey’s 153-year history, succeeding Abbot Benedict Neenan OSB, who has retired after 10 years of abbatial service. The election of Abbot Paul took place within a private meeting of the monks of Conception Abbey on Saturday, 11 July. Before the election, the monks of Conception Abbey gathered in the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception to celebrate the Mass of the Holy Spirit, invoking the Holy Spirit for wisdom and guidance in the election process. The Right Rev. Justin Brown OSB, president of the Swiss-American Congregation of the Benedictine Confederation, was the principal celebrant for the Mass and oversaw the election. The new abbot assumes his responsibilities as the spiritual and temporal leader of the community immediately; as is custom, a formal blessing will take place at a later date. Abbot Paul, 44, was most recently assigned as Director of the Abbey Guest Center in 2024, in addition to his roles as Vocation Director and Master of Ceremonies. After spending his formative years in Stillwater, Oklahoma, Abbot Paul professed vows as a Benedictine monk on 15 August 2006, and was ordained a priest on 16 May 2013. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Conception Seminary College in 2005 and a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Systematic Theology from Saint Vincent Seminary in 2013. He later earned a Master of Arts in Christian Spirituality from Creighton University in 2020. Since joining the monastery, Abbot Paul has served in various roles, including Abbey Subprior; Admissions director, Spiritual Formation director, chaplain, and instructor for Conception Seminary College; Planned Giving director; Tower Topics editor; and most recently Abbey Guest Center director, Vocation director, and Master of Ceremonies. Founded in 1873 from a monastery in Engelberg, Switzerland, Conception Abbey strives to continue its mission of prayer and service to the Church. The 51 monks of Conception Abbey operate Conception Seminary College, which educates future priests and permanent deacons, the Abbey Guest Center, and Altar + Home, a retail ministry for the domestic church. osb.org https://www.conceptionabbey.org/

A few months ago, in response to the Jubilee theme "Places of Hope Since 529", I received an email from confreres asking me to write about "hope without hope". They were hoping for a word for those communities whose history is foreseeably coming to an end. And indeed, there are quite a few of them in our Order. The decline of monastic communities is part of history. We know this, of course, but we sometimes push it aside. Recently, I was leafing through the Monasticon Italiae and noticed that over various centuries there have been a total of around 170 Benedictine monasteries in Rome. Currently, there are about ten! We are naturally delighted, and not a little proud, that there are some monasteries with a genuine history of more than a thousand years. But the monasteries that no longer exist were also important. There, brothers and sisters lived out their faith and their vows for decades or centuries, shaping their time and land with their prayer and radiating an influence on their surroundings. Finitude and mortality are part of human life. The Rule exhorts us to keep death daily before our eyes. This is primarily said for each individual. But monasteries are not promised eternal life either, unlike the Church as a whole. Benedict himself foresaw the destruction of Montecassino. A fresco in Montecassino shows him with tears on his face at the vision of the destroyed monastery. The demise of a monastery is not merely a catastrophe or a failure. Above all, it is also a task that must be shaped. What should remain? What can be passed on from the monastery's heritage, and how? How can we help the brothers or sisters remain faithful to their vocation until the very end? I do not wish to minimise this. There is pain and often, no doubt, the gnawing doubt: What did we do wrong? Letting go as a virtue also means being able to detach oneself from these questions. It is the hour of the Nunc Dimittis, understood in an Easter sense. The discernment of spirits is also important here. When should a community really seriously prepare for its end? If you are only driven by circumstances, it is too late. Then it often becomes miserable, or one becomes a caricature or a plaything of the media, as recently happened to a convent of nuns in Austria. However, I am also against giving up too early. Monasteries that actually still have strength, but perhaps out of a misunderstood resignation to fate, block their own path to the future. One should always leave a loophole open for the grace of God. There is the beautiful story of Sigebert Buckley, the last monk of Westminster Abbey, the last English monastery. The 90-year-old, who had to spend the twilight of his life under house arrest after the dissolution of the monastery, clothed two young Englishmen in 1607, who became the nucleus for the renewal of the English Benedictine Congregation. One cannot count on such things, but the Succisa Virescit—this motif of our monastic tradition featuring a tree stump from which a new branch grows—has more than once allowed new blossoms to grow from very unpromising disruptions and transitions. Though monasteries may decline, Benedictine life carries much vitality within itself and is still needed in our Church. Therefore, I am not anxious about the future of our Order. In Montecassino, opposite the fresco of the weeping Benedict, is another image: the vision of the passing of Saint Scholastica. Alongside the continuation or decline of our monastic communities, there is always the individual. Our Benedictine life paths are closely interwoven with our monasteries and communities, but we also remain monachos—solitaries, persons and individuals on the way to God. This is the deepest mystery of our life, before which even the history of our institutions loses its significance, however important and moving it may be. This is where the deepest hope has its place, and here, perhaps even more than in monastic historiography, Benedict's maxim applies: Never despair of God's mercy. This sounds like a commandment, but it is actually a promise, and the deepest ground of our hope. At the beginning of July, I was in Russia with some confreres and sisters. This journey, which took place under difficult circumstances, was entirely monastic in its focus: It was about meeting monks and nuns who have hardly any international contacts left. When I returned, our students had already left, and the last professors are now also departing for their monasteries. What remains is a small core team that maintains the life and prayer in the house and accompanies the various summer programmes—oblate studies, leadership course and sabbatical. I myself will be in Germany and Austria a few times, but there will only be enough time for a short holiday in the autumn. Before that, we will celebrate the CIB Symposium here in Rome, and then in mid-September the Synod of Presidents in Rwanda. By then, it will already be two years since the Congress of Abbots at which I was elected—time for an interim review. In many places, the holidays have now begun, and I wish everyone a few weeks that are somewhat more peaceful than the usual annual cycle. Among us Benedictines, it is no secret that, as children of the 21st century, we also experience the rhythms of our contemporaries. Hopefully somewhat more moderately than many others, so that we too can be "places of hope" in this regard, since 529. With warm greetings from Rome, Jeremias Schröder, OSB, Abbot Primate