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Benedictine Confederation
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The Benedictine Confederation of the Order of Saint Benedict (Latin: Confœderatio Benedictina Ordinis Sancti Benedicti) is the international governing body of the Order of Saint Benedict.

Key Information

Origin

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The Benedictine Confederation is a union of monastic congregations that nevertheless retain their own autonomy, established by Pope Leo XIII in his brief Summum semper (12 July 1893), subsequently approved by his successors. Pope Pius XII explicitly ordered this union to be regulated by a "Lex Propria", which was later revised after the Second Vatican Council.[1]

Organization of the Benedictine Confederation

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Most Benedictine houses are loosely affiliated in 19 national or supra-national congregations. Each of these congregations elects its own abbot president. These presidents meet annually in the Synod of Presidents. Additionally, there is a meeting every four years of the Congress of Abbots, which is made up of all abbots and conventual priors, both of monasteries that are members of congregations, as well as of those unaffiliated with any particular congregation. The Congress of Abbots elects the Abbot Primate, who serves a four-year term as the Confederation's representative and administrative head, although without direct jurisdiction over the individual Congregations.

The Confederation has its headquarters at Sant'Anselmo, which is the seat of the Abbot Primate and hosts the quadrennial Congress of Abbots. Sant'Anselmo is also home to the Benedictine Pontifical Athenaeum, the Collegio Sant'Anselmo, and the "Church of Sant'Anselmo".

Communities of Benedictine nuns and Religious Sisters are joined in 61 congregations and federations that are associated with the Confederation, although they do not have full membership. In November 2001 after a consultation process with all monasteries of Benedictine women around the world, it was decided to use the name Communio Internationalis Benedictinarum (CIB) to designate all communities of Benedictine women recognized by the Abbot Primate as such and listed in the Catalogus Monasteriorum O.S.B.

The first attempt to group Benedictine monasteries into national Congregations was at the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215. Only the English Benedictine Congregation survives from this early attempt at centralization, and in historical reality even this Congregation is a 17th-century foundation although it was given juridical continuity with the medieval English Congregation by the papal bull Plantata of 1633. Primacy of honor is given to the Subiaco Cassinese Congregation, since this Congregation includes the Abbey of Monte Cassino, where St Benedict wrote his Rule and was buried (although Fleury Abbey also claims to house the remains of the founder). Founded in 1872, the Congregation has its origin in the Congregation of the Abbey of Santa Giustina, founded in Padua in 1408 by Dom Ludovico Barbo.

The Benedictines suffered badly in the anti-clerical atmosphere at the time of Napoleon and the modern Congregations were mostly founded in the 19th century when monasticism was revived. The majority are essentially national groupings, although the Subiaco Congregation (originally the Cassinese Congregation of the Primitive Observance) has from the first been truly international because of its interest in foreign mission.

Since the time of the Reformation, there have been independent Benedictine communities in the Protestant (especially Anglican) traditions which maintain official friendly relations with the Benedictine Confederation, although they are not formally linked with it or its congregations.

Throughout the Benedictine confederation and its subdivisions, independence and autonomy among communities are uniquely valued; too highly for Pope Pius XI, who complained that the largely nominal confederation was "an order without order". The basic unit has always been the individual abbey, rather than the Congregation. This explains why some houses (e.g. Monte Cassino, Subiaco, Saint Paul-outside-the-Walls (Rome), Montserrat and Pannonhalma) have unbroken histories of more than a thousand years while the Congregations to which they belong are more recent.

This balance between autonomy and belonging is one of the distinguishing features of the Benedictine Confederation, and brings with it both strengths and weaknesses. One immediate consequence is that there is often great diversity of observance even between houses of the same Congregation: in liturgy, timetable, pastoral involvement and habit.

Congregations of Benedictine monks

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The present Confederation of Congregations of Monasteries of the Order of Saint Benedict, officially, the "Benedictine Confederation" of monks, consists of the following congregations in the order given in the Catalogus Monasteriorum OSB (dates are those of the foundation of the congregations – Primacy of honour is given to the Cassinese Congregation, though the English Congregation is the oldest, because Monte Cassino was the original Abbey of St. Benedict himself. The older Camaldolese and Sylvestrine congregations joined the Confederation only in the mid-20th century).[2] The number of houses, monks, and priests is found in the 2019 edition of the Annuario Pontificio.[3]

Name of congregation Founded Houses Monks & Nuns Priests
Subiaco Cassinese Congregation 1872[a] 64 1245 488
English Congregation 1216 19 268 198
Hungarian Congregation 1514 9 85 64
Swiss Congregation 1602 7 167 121
Austrian Congregation 1625 14 279 215
Bavarian Congregation 1684 13 170 110
Brazilian Congregation 1827 7 184 78
Solesmes Congregation 1837 24 600 339
American-Cassinese Congregation 1855 25 696 412
Beuronese Congregation 1873 9 180 102
Swiss-American Congregation 1881 18 505 256
Ottilien Congregation 1884 53 1107 338
Annunciation Congregation 1920 25 520 283
Slav Congregation 1945 1 13 7
Olivetan Congregation 1319 20 234 119
Vallombrosian Congregation 1036 9 73 48
Camaldolese Congregation 980 12 88 49
Sylvestrine Congregation 1231 22 199 143
Cono-Sur Congregation 1976 8 50 44
Houses outside a congregation 7 158 77
Total 352 6636 3414

List of the Abbots Primates of the Benedictine Confederation

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Sant’Anselmo

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Sant'Anselmo on the Aventine (Italian: Sant'Anselmo all'Aventino) is complex located on the Aventine Hill in Rome's Ripa rione and overseen by the Confederation. The complex comprises the "College of Sant'Anselmo" (Italian: Collegio Sant'Anselmo), the "Pontifical Athenaeum of Saint Anselm" (Italian: Pontificio Ateneo Sant’Anselmo), the Church of Sant'Anselmo (Italian: Chiesa Sant'Anselmo), and serves as the curial headquarters of the Confederation (Italian: Badia Sant'Anselmo).

College of Sant’Anselmo

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The ecclesiastical residential College of Sant'Anselmo is juridically considered the successor of the homonymous college of the Cassinese Benedictine Congregation which was founded in 1687. The present college was reestablished in 1887 and moved to the newly constructed "Sant'Anselmo" on the Aventine Hill in 1896. Today the residential college houses an average of one hundred Benedictine monks from about forty countries, as well as other religious, diocesan priests, and lay people. As a house of formation, it offers a monastic environment for those who study at the onsite Pontifical Athenaeum of Saint Anselm or at other Roman pontifical universities. The present Prior of the college is Rev. Fr. Brendan Coffey OSB.

Pontifical Athenaeum of Sant'Anselmo

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The Anselmianum, also known as the Pontifical Athenaeum of Saint Anselm (Italian: Pontificio Ateneo Sant'Anselmo; Latin: Pontificium Athenaeum Anselmianum), is the pontifical university in Rome associated with the Benedictines. The institution includes faculties of Philosophy, Theology (Sacramental Theology, Monastic Studies), the Institute of Historical Theology, as well as the Pontifical Institute of Liturgy. It grants certificates and diplomas in various subjects, as well as Bachelor, Licentiate, and Doctoral degrees. Originally the university exclusively served only Benedictines, but now is open to external students. The present Rector of the Athenaeum is to be confirmed.

Church of Sant'Anselmo

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The church which was consecrated on November 11, 1900, and is constructed of three naves, divided by granite columns, and includes one main altar and two side altars. A large section on the east and west ends near the apse includes the traditional stalls for the monastic choir. The church serves as a place of worship for the Benedictine residential college community and the students of the Athenaeum. It is also known, especially to the Romans, for the performances of Gregorian chant offered by the monks during the Sunday liturgical celebrations of Vespers. Since 1962, the church has also been the starting point of the penitential procession presided over by the Pope on Ash Wednesday, and which ends at the basilica of Santa Sabina where the first stationary mass of Lent is celebrated. The present Rector of the church is Rev. Doroteo Toić, O.S.B.

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Notes

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References

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Benedictine Confederation

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The Benedictine Confederation is an international association of autonomous Benedictine monastic congregations and independent monasteries within the Roman Catholic Church, established on 12 July 1893 by through his apostolic brief Summum Semper to foster unity, communication, and coordination among these communities while preserving their individual independence. Unlike centralized religious orders such as the Dominicans or , the Confederation does not constitute a single "order" but rather a loose federation that unites diverse monastic traditions under the , emphasizing prayer, work, and community life. Historically, Benedictine traces its origins to the sixth century with Saint Benedict of Nursia, but the emerged in the late nineteenth century amid efforts to revive and organize monastic life following periods of suppression during the and secularizations in . Pope Leo XIII's Summum Semper created the office of to serve as a representative and coordinator, without jurisdictional authority over member groups, and subsequent popes, including Pius XII, refined its governance through the Lex Propria, a set of proper law regulations last updated in 2008. The currently comprises 19 autonomous congregations of monks—such as the Subiaco-Cassinese, English, and American-Cassinese—each governed by its own constitutions and led by an abbot president, alongside extraordinary membership for select independent monasteries. Governance is centered at the Primatial Abbey of Sant'Anselmo in , which houses the , the (an administrative body supporting the ), a (Athenaeum), and an international for monastic formation. The , elected for an eight-year term by the Congress of Abbots (held every four years), currently holds the position of Jeremias Schröder, OSB, elected on 14 September 2024. An annual Synod of Presidents, consisting of the 19 abbot presidents, advises on matters. Benedictine women's communities are not direct members but are associated through the separate Communio Internationalis Benedictinarum (CIB), established in 2001 to parallel the men's structure. The Confederation supports global Benedictine initiatives, including the Alliance Inter-Monastères (AIM) for missionary and developmental work in regions like and , and maintains a directory of over 400 monasteries worldwide. Its emphasis on allows for cultural adaptation while promoting shared values of , , and liturgical , contributing significantly to Catholic intellectual and spiritual life.

History

Origins

The Benedictine monastic tradition originated in the 6th century with the Rule of St. Benedict, composed around 530 AD by , an Italian monk who established the monastery at in 529 AD. This Rule provided a balanced guide for communal monastic life, emphasizing prayer, work, and obedience, and it gradually spread across Europe through Roman libraries and papal endorsement by St. Gregory the Great around 594 AD. By the early 9th century, the Rule had become the standard for Western monasticism, adopted empire-wide following the Synod of Aachen in 816-817 AD, which mandated its observance to unify diverse monastic practices under Charlemagne's reforms. From the onward, Benedictine evolved through reform movements that led to the formation of congregations—associations of monasteries for mutual support and stricter adherence to the Rule. The Cluniac reform, initiated with the founding of in 910 AD, centralized authority under a single and expanded to over 300 dependent houses by the , promoting liturgical richness and independence from local bishops. Subsequent reforms, such as the Cistercian order established in 1098 AD, emphasized simplicity and manual labor, resulting in hundreds of new foundations across Europe. By the 13th century, papal decrees like the Fourth Lateran Council's mandate in 1215 AD encouraged the organization of Benedictine houses into provincial congregations to enhance discipline and protect against secular interference, with examples including the English Benedictine Congregation formalized in 1218 AD. Further papal efforts, such as Benedict XII's bull Benedictina in 1336 AD, sought to enforce unity among "black monk" Benedictines, though implementation varied by region. The marked a profound and revival for Benedictine , following widespread suppressions during the and subsequent secularizing policies that destroyed over 95% of European monasteries by the 1760s. In , the Revolution expelled communities like Solesmes multiple times, while in and , state confiscations under Joseph II and liberal governments dismantled abbeys and redistributed lands, forcing monks into exile or secular work. This period of upheaval highlighted the vulnerability of dispersed Benedictine houses to political fragmentation and anti-clerical laws, underscoring the need for greater unity to preserve the tradition amid rising and . Revival efforts began mid-century, driven by romantic interest in medieval heritage and missionary zeal, with in , the , and restored European abbeys like Metten in by 1830. Key papal interventions before 1893 supported this resurgence, particularly under , who encouraged Benedictine renewal through restorations such as the Bavarian Congregation in 1858 and the Cassinese Congregation's province in in 1851, later fully restored in 1855. also established St. Michael's in 1859 as a center and promoted Benedictine scholarly revival to counter modern challenges. These efforts addressed ongoing issues of isolation among houses, promoting while navigating secular pressures that threatened monastic autonomy and spiritual cohesion.

Establishment and Development

The Benedictine Confederation was formally established on July 12, 1893, through Pope Leo XIII's apostolic brief Summum Semper, which united the existing autonomous Benedictine congregations of men into a single international body to foster collaboration while preserving their individual governance. This foundational document created the office of Abbot Primate to represent the Confederation and emphasized unity in the spirit of Saint Benedict's Rule. At its inception, the Confederation encompassed the then-existing men's congregations, which initially numbered around seven, reflecting the revival of monastic life in the following suppressions during the . Over the , the Confederation expanded significantly, growing to 19 men's congregations by mid-century as new groups formed in response to global missionary efforts and regional restorations. Subsequent popes provided ongoing approvals and refinements, including Pope Pius X's 1914 confirmation of the Pontifical Athenaeum of Sant'Anselmo's academic rights, strengthening the Confederation's educational role in . Following the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), reforms adapted the structure to emphasize and , leading to the adoption of the Lex Propria in 1964 as the Confederation's governing code, which was further revised in 2008 to incorporate modern canonical norms and enhance inter-congregational coordination. had earlier mandated this proper law in 1952 to regulate the union more precisely. Key milestones marked the Confederation's enduring vitality, such as the 125th anniversary celebration in 2018, when addressed gathered abbots at Sant'Anselmo, highlighting Benedictine contributions to Church renewal. In September 2024, Abbot Jeremias Schröder of Gerleve Abbey, , was elected as the new Abbot Primate for an eight-year term, succeeding and underscoring the Confederation's ongoing leadership transitions. Beginning in the late , particularly from 1965 onward, women's Benedictine communities were progressively included through associative structures, culminating in the 2001 formation of the Communio Internationalis Benedictinarum (CIB) in , , which networks over 700 monasteries and institutes worldwide as extraordinary members. This integration, formalized via updates to the Lex Propria, extended the Confederation's collaborative framework to encompass approximately 13,000 Benedictine women by the early .

Organization and Governance

Structure

The Benedictine Confederation comprises distinct categories of membership designed to preserve the of individual monastic houses while fostering unity among Benedictine communities worldwide. Ordinary members consist of 19 autonomous men's congregations, each comprising multiple monasteries that adhere to the and operate under their own internal governance structures. These congregations form the core of the , enabling coordinated action on shared concerns without compromising local independence. As of 2019, the men's congregations comprise approximately 6,636 monks across over 400 monasteries worldwide. Extraordinary members are rare and include individual monasteries that, for specific reasons, remain outside any congregation but seek direct affiliation with the ; admission requires approval from the and a vote by the Congress of Abbots. Associated members encompass Benedictine women's institutes, which are linked to the Confederation through the Communio Internationalis Benedictinarum (CIB), an international body uniting numerous federations and congregations of nuns and sisters. These women's communities enjoy spiritual and collaborative ties to the but maintain full , participating in its activities without voting rights in the primary governing bodies. The 's operational framework is outlined in the Lex Propria, the proper law approved by the , which explicitly affirms the autonomy of each house—allowing self-governance in daily life, finances, and spiritual practices—while emphasizing the unity of the as a fraternal bond rooted in shared Benedictine charism and mutual support. This document also establishes collaborative mechanisms, such as regional associations and international initiatives, to promote dialogue, formation, and joint apostolates among members. Key deliberative bodies ensure coordinated governance within this framework. The Synod of Presidents convenes annually, bringing together the 19 presidents (typically ) of the men's congregations to address ongoing issues, implement decisions, and advise the Abbot Primate through a Permanent Commission for urgent matters. Complementing this, the Congress of Abbots assembles every four years, including all from ordinary and extraordinary member houses, to elect the Abbot Primate, revise the Lex Propria, and make binding decisions on Confederation-wide policies by a two-thirds vote. The headquarters, known as the , is located at Sant'Anselmo in , serving as the administrative center where the Abbot Primate resides and curial functions—such as legal coordination with the and international communication—are managed to support the Confederation's global unity.

Leadership

The Abbot Primate serves as the representative head of the Benedictine Confederation, residing at Sant'Anselmo in and promoting unity among its member monasteries while representing the order internationally before the and other entities. Although designated as the Supreme Moderator, the Abbot Primate holds no direct jurisdiction over individual monasteries or congregations, which retain their autonomy under the . Instead, his role focuses on fostering authentic Benedictine tradition, facilitating visitations with approval, and granting limited dispensations, such as for elections of superiors. The Abbot Primate is elected by the Congress of Abbots, a gathering of leaders from the Confederation's men's congregations held every four years. Eligible candidates must be priests with at least five years of perpetual profession. Election requires a two-thirds majority in the first three ballots or an absolute majority in a fourth; the successful candidate serves an initial term of eight years, renewable for subsequent four-year terms. The following table lists the historical Abbots Primate since the Confederation's establishment in 1893:
NameTermAffiliation
Hildebrand de Hemptinne1893–1913Beuron Archabbey
Fidelis von Stotzingen1913–1947
Bernhard Kaelin1947–1962Muri-Gries Abbey
Benno Gut1959–1970
1967–1977
Viktor Dammertz1977–1992St. Ottilien Archabbey
Jerome Theisen1992–1995Saint John's Abbey
Marcel Rooney1996–2000
Notker Wolf2000–2016St. Ottilien Archabbey
2016–2024
Jeremias Schröder2024–presentSt. Ottilien Archabbey
Beyond the Primate, in the includes the Presidents of each of the 19 autonomous men's congregations, who are elected by their respective congregations and convene annually in the of Presidents to address Confederation-wide matters. For the women's Benedictine communities, the Communio Internationalis Benedictinarum (CIB) provides coordination through its moderator, who facilitates international collaboration among federations and congregations of nuns and sisters. In September 2024, Jeremias Schröder, born in 1964 in , , was elected as the 11th Primate during the of Abbots in . Who joined St. Ottilien Archabbey in 1984 and made perpetual profession on 14 September 1985, Schröder studied philosophy, theology, history, and archivistics at Sant'Anselmo and the ; he served as archabbot from 2000 and as president of the Missionary Benedictine Congregation from 2012. His priorities emphasize strengthening global monastic unity, enhancing dialogue with the , and supporting the renewal of Benedictine life amid contemporary challenges, while serving as of Sant'Anselmo and Grand of its Pontifical Athenaeum.

Member Congregations

Men's Congregations

The men's congregations of the Benedictine Confederation comprise 19 autonomous associations of monasteries, each operating under its own statutes approved by the while adhering to the Confederation's common law (Lex Propria). The abbots president of these congregations convene annually in the to address shared concerns, fostering unity amid diversity in monastic life and mission. As of 2024, these congregations include approximately 5,548 professed across 258 houses reporting from 18 groups, with one congregation unreported; this reflects growth in and alongside declines in and , contrasting with 2018 figures of about 7,500 monks in 400 houses worldwide. The congregations are arranged in traditional , as follows. Notable examples include the Subiaco Cassinese's Sacro Speco di Subiaco, the historic cave associated with St. Benedict's early life, and the St. Ottilien Congregation's missionary outreach in , where it maintains over half its membership.
CongregationFounding YearNumber of HousesNumber of MonksPrimary Regions
Subiaco Cassinese1872661,176Global (Europe, Americas, Africa, Asia, Australia; 8 provinces)
English121610178United Kingdom, Ireland
Hungarian1945482Hungary, Europe
Swiss16028139Switzerland, Europe
Austrian188912231Austria, Europe
Bavarian168428450Germany, Europe, Americas
Brazilian182711165Brazil, South America
Solesmes183724554Global (Europe, Americas)
American-Cassinese185525581United States, Latin America
Beuronese186219151Europe (Germany, Austria, Denmark, Italy)
Swiss-American188117417North America, Latin America
St. Ottilien1884261,021Global (Europe, Africa, Asia, Americas)
Annunciation190232450Global (4 continents: Europe, Africa, Americas, Asia)
Slav1901525South America and Europe (Brazil, Argentina, Slovenia)
Olivetan131316172Global (Italy, Americas, Africa)
Vallombrosian10361372Italy, Brazil, India
Camaldolese1012493Global (Italy, Poland, Brazil, India)
Sylvestrine123129Not reportedGlobal (strong presence in Asia and Africa)
Cono-Sur197615Not reportedSouth America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru)

Women's Associations

The Communio Internationalis Benedictinarum (CIB) was formed in November 2001 during a global consultation of Benedictine women's communities in , , and officially established in 2002 as the international coordinating body for women's Benedictine monasteries, federations, and congregations associated with the Benedictine Confederation. This development addressed the historical exclusion of women's communities from full membership in the Confederation, which had been structured primarily around men's congregations since its founding in the late 19th century. The CIB emerged from late 20th-century efforts following the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), particularly inspired by the decree Perfectae Caritatis (1965), which encouraged religious orders to adapt and foster collaboration. Key milestones included the 1968 Synod of Abbots establishing a Commission for Benedictine nuns and sisters, the 1980 International Centenary Symposium inviting over 50 abbesses and prioresses, and the 1988 merger of commissions under Abbot Primate Viktor Dammertz to integrate nuns and sisters globally. The CIB's structure unites autonomous women's communities recognized by the Abbot Primate and listed in the Catalogus Monasteriorum O.S.B., comprising monasteries, federations, and congregations across 19 regions worldwide. It is governed by statutes approved in 2009 and ratified by the Abbot Primate, which outline its purpose of promoting mutual support, preserving , and facilitating international networking without overriding local . includes a Moderator (currently Sister Lynn Marie McKenzie, elected for a four-year term), an Assistant Moderator, and an Administrative Council of regional delegates, including representatives from bodies like the of International Monastic Institutes (AIM). As of the last comprehensive count in 2014, CIB communities included approximately 13,725 women religious across numerous monasteries and houses worldwide; no updated comprehensive figures are available as of , but trends suggest continued growth in and with declines in Western regions similar to men's communities. Women's communities hold associated status within the Benedictine Confederation, enabling coordination on shared identity and initiatives while maintaining their independence under CIB governance rather than direct Confederation oversight. The CIB Moderator participates in select Confederation events, such as abbots' congresses, to represent women's perspectives, with formal recognition of this association affirmed by the 2004 Abbots' Congress. This framework supports post-Vatican II goals of renewal, including symposia and annual meetings that address contemporary challenges like formation, , and inter-monastic dialogue. Prominent examples include the Federation of American Benedictine Sisters, which has hosted major CIB events such as the 1999 consultation and the 2023 Conference of Delegates at Sacred Heart Monastery in , highlighting regional contributions to global Benedictine women's networking. Other key groups encompass the Missionary Benedictine Sisters of and various European federations, which participated in foundational assemblies like the 1987 joint meeting of nuns and sisters.

Key Institutions

Sant'Anselmo

Sant'Anselmo, located on the in adjacent to Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta, serves as the primatial abbey and central headquarters of the Benedictine Confederation. The complex was constructed between 1893 and 1900 on land provided by , who initiated the project to establish a unified Benedictine presence in the Eternal City. Named after St. , the 11th-century theologian and revered in Benedictine tradition, the site symbolizes the order's intellectual and spiritual heritage. The architectural design, crafted by Italian architect Francesco Vespignani in collaboration with Belgian Benedictine Abbot Hildebrand de Hemptinne, blends neo-Romanesque elements with monastic austerity, featuring a basilica characterized by its robust arches, mosaics, and cloistered spaces that evoke ancient Roman basilicas while prioritizing communal prayer and simplicity. This stylistic fusion underscores Sant'Anselmo's role as a bridge between historical monastic roots and contemporary Benedictine life, housing the Curia of the Abbot Primate and functioning as an international gathering point for representatives from the Confederation's global congregations. It accommodates approximately 90 monks and religious from over 30 countries, fostering unity through shared residence and dialogue. As the symbolic heart of the Benedictine Confederation, Sant'Anselmo facilitates ecumenical initiatives, inter-monastic exchanges, and efforts toward greater cohesion among its diverse member groups, serving as a venue for key assemblies that address the order's worldwide mission. The Abbot Primate resides there, overseeing the Confederation's coordination from this vantage point overlooking . In recent years, particularly amid the 2025 Jubilee Year, Sant'Anselmo has undergone enhancements to welcome pilgrims, including guided tours of its historic church and , along with hosting significant events such as the 20th national congress of Italian Benedictine Oblates held August 29–31, 2025, and the 125th anniversary of the church's dedication celebrated on November 11, 2025, with a presided over by Pope Leo XIV. These developments reaffirm its enduring position as a vital center for Benedictine renewal and global outreach.

Other Institutions

The Benedictine Confederation supports a network of missionary houses operated by its member congregations, with a prominent example being St. Ottilien Archabbey in , founded in 1884 by Andreas Amrhein as the motherhouse of the Missionary Benedictines. This congregation, officially the Benedictine Congregation of St. Ottilien, emphasizes evangelization and development work in regions such as and , maintaining over 50 mission stations and priories worldwide, including in , , and , where monks engage in education, healthcare, and . These houses extend the Confederation's monastic tradition beyond Europe, adapting St. Benedict's Rule to local cultures while fostering self-sustaining communities. Formation for Benedictine monks occurs primarily through regional novitiates and study houses managed by individual congregations, complementing centralized education in . For instance, the American-Cassinese Congregation, one of the 19 autonomous groups within the Confederation, coordinates formation across its 25 monasteries in the United States and beyond, utilizing shared programs at sites like St. Meinrad Archabbey in for initial discernment and novitiate training. Similarly, the Brazilian Congregation of Benedictines operates regional formation centers, such as those affiliated with monasteries in and Rio de Janeiro, where candidates undergo two-year novitiates focused on spiritual growth, community life, and theological studies tailored to Latin American contexts. These decentralized facilities ensure cultural relevance and accessibility, supporting the Confederation's emphasis on fraternal collaboration under its Lex Propria. The Confederation engages in ecumenical and cultural initiatives through international bodies that promote monastic dialogue and shared values. The Alliance for International Monasticism (AIM), co-founded by Benedictines, facilitates global exchanges among monastic communities, organizing encounters and support for monasteries in developing regions. Complementing this, the Monastic Interreligious Dialogue (DIMMID), initiated by Benedictine leaders like Fr. Thomas Merton, coordinates interfaith efforts, including retreats and publications that explore spiritual commonalities between Christianity and other traditions. These commissions, guided by the Lex Propria, address contemporary challenges such as secularism and environmental stewardship, enhancing the Confederation's cultural contributions without centralizing authority. Key publications of the Confederation include the official website OSB.org, which serves as a central resource for information on member monasteries, historical overviews, and updates on activities, reaching a global audience of monastics and scholars. The Lex Propria, the 's proper law revised in 2008 and approved by the , outlines governance, commissions, and inter-congregational relations, available in multiple languages to guide practical implementation across diverse regions. These resources underscore the 's commitment to transparency and unity. Non-Roman institutions, including the aforementioned missionary houses, formation centers, and regional associations like the Union of Benedictine Monasteries in (CIMBRA) and the Southern African Benedictine Association, collectively support approximately 7,000 monks in around 400 monasteries worldwide, spanning 19 men's congregations as of 2024. This decentralized structure enables adaptation to local needs while maintaining the Confederation's overarching mission of contemplative prayer and apostolic service.

References

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  26. https://www.collegiosantanselmo.com/en/
  27. https://www.turismoroma.it/en/places/santanselmo-allaventino
  28. https://www.collegiosantanselmo.com/en/church/
  29. https://www.collegiosantanselmo.com/en/2025/02/04/santanselmo-welcomes-pilgrims-during-holy-year-2025/
  30. https://osb.org/casa/nexus-bulletin/
  31. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-11/pope-leo-xiv-benedectines-st-anselm-aventine-rome.html
  32. https://www.ncregister.com/blog/leo-xiv-125-years-sant-anselmo
  33. https://www.ottilien.org/history/our-service/
  34. https://www.aimintl.org
  35. https://dimmid.org/
  36. https://osb.org/
  37. https://english.katholisch.de/artikel/56212-germans-continue-to-dominate-the-top-of-the-benedictine-order
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