“A Congress in the Cloisters” a personal reflection on the Congress

Pope Francis addresses Oblates at Fifth International Congress in Rome

On the morning of Friday September 15 2023, Pope Francis addressed Oblates gathered in Rome for the Fifth International Congress at a private audience in the Vatican. Also present were several Oblate Directors who accompanied them and Abbot Primate Gregory Polan and other monks from Sant’ Anselmo, who were hosting the Congress. Eleven delegates from the UK were present from the monasteries of Ampleforth, Chilworth, Douai, Buckfast, Ealing, Prinknash, Pluscarden and the World Community of Christian Meditation.

The Congress, ‘Moving Forward: Living the Wisdom of the Rule’ took place from Saturday September 9th to Saturday September 16. 156 Oblates from across the globe took part, including the first oblates from South Africa. Conferences and discussion groups also took place at Sant’Anselmo, which is not only the Primatial Abbey but also a Pontifical University.  The Conferences were given by Abbot Primate Polan (originally from Conception Abbey USA), Abbot Donato Ogliari (St Paul Outside the Walls, Rome) and Sr Marie Madeleine Caseau (St Thierry, France).

These conferences and subsequent oblate discussions centred on Oblate Formation, Expanding the Mission of Monasteries we Serve and Sharing our Oblate Charism, especially to Young People. There were also a series of presentations on Islands of Silence, which examined the importance of Silence in the Holy Rule and ways of practicing silence in everyday life. These were led digitally from the UK by Thomas and Klara Brunnhuber (Douai) and in person by Father Sam Helkvist (Prinknash) and Jordi Gubern Prat (Spain/Catalonia). The daily liturgy and Mass were celebrated in the beautiful Abbey church in Latin plainchant and English, Italian, German, French and Spanish.

Congress delegates were also given the opportunity to visit sacred sites connected with St Benedict and his sister St Scholastica at Montecassino, where they are both buried and where St Benedict wrote his Rule and Subiaco and the Sacro Speco, the cave where he began his hermit life and the site of his first monastery. They were also entertained by a short concert of Italian Baroque Sacred Music including a motet praising St Benedict, ‘O Beate Benedicte’ by Alessandro Grandi (1586-1630).

It was a great privilege to be granted a private audience with Pope Francis. His address seemed to sum up the themes and strands of thought discussed in the Congress and is addressed to all oblates not only those who first heard it.

UK National Coordinator for Rome Congress 2023.

Oblate of Ealing Abbey

Texts of the Keynote Speakers and address from Pope Francis