26 September 2023

On Sunday, 24 September, 26 new residents arrived at Collegio Sant’Anselmo in preparation for a week of orientation that will include instructions concerning liturgy, choir, safety guidelines, security, finances and laundry. In addition, the officials of the Collegio will provide guided tours of the basilica, the library and Testaccio, the neighborhood surrounding Sant’Anselmo. A highlight of the orientation will be a day-long visit to Sacro Speco, in Subiaco.

The 26 residents hail from 14 countries. Seventeen of them are from the Benedictine Confederation; the others are a mix of diocesan priests, lay students and volunteers. A breakdown of the numbers from the different countries are: three from Austria, three from Brazil, one from Canada, one from China, one from Columbia, three from Germany, two from India, one from Italy, one from the Philippines, one from Sri Lanka, two from Tanzania, one from Togo, five from the USA, and two from Vietnam.

Our international character is at the heart of who we are at Sant’Anselmo. We believe that living, learning and praying with people from different cultures is a vital part of modern monastic formation and is one of our great strengths and joys. We not only introduce our residents to the richness that is the Worldwide Benedictine Confederation, but stand as a witness to the power of Christian love to create harmonious and productive communities.