The Altar of the Former Abbey Church Decorated ... - St. John's Abbey

Report on the Congress of Abbots
by Abbot John Klassen, OSB
Every four years the abbots (or
administrator) of all Benedictine
monasteries, the abbot
presidents of all twenty-one Benedictine
congregations and the priors of
dependent houses gather in Rome for
the Abbots Congress. There are 260
monastic communities in the world
and approximately 200 of their leaders
were at this meeting from September
21-28, 2004. Abbesses of women
Benedictine monasteries and representatives
of Benedictine women’s
congregations were also present.
The focus of this year’s congress
was “Globalization: Phenomena, Opportunities
and Challenges.” Keynote
speakers were Herr Norbert Walter of
the Deutsche Bank and Professor Andrea
Riccardi, one of the founders of
the Sant’ Egidio community in Rome.
“Globalization: Phenomena, Opportunities and Challenges”
Both speakers alluded to the disorientation
and confusion caused by the
rapid changes in the world, accelerated
and directed in unpredictable ways
by technological advances and the
eruption of violence. The dissolution
of the Soviet empire in 1989 brought
hope that we would be moving into
a new era of peace. Instead, there
are now twenty-eight open wars and
eighteen “frozen” ones.
But there are positives that come
from globalization: the free movement
of goods and services, the diversification
of societies and cultures, the more
complete awareness of tragedies and
blessings in our world. Both speakers
urged that monastic communities stay
engaged with the dilemmas and blessings
in our world.
FEATURE
Two-hour workshops were available
to the participants. Topics included:
ecumenism, financial management,
liturgical questions, new monastic
communities, leadership and non-ordained
abbots, sexual abuse, abuse of
power, the monastic response, precarious
communities, lay communities
and movements, formation, Oblates,
ecology and inter-religious dialogue.
Participants had opportunity for a
day trip to Subiaco, Monte Cassino
or Norcia, important Benedictine
sites. We also had an audience with
Pope John Paul II at Castelgandolfo.
Finally, the Congress was an occasion
for leaders to get to know each other,
to exchange stories, to find out what
is working and what is not. For this
first-timer, it was well worth the time
and energy.
The Abbey Banner Winter 2004 page 11