” ” "Promoting the union of the Confederation, by extending its contacts with its many souls": with these words, the primate abbot of the Benedictine Confederation, Notker Wolf, explains to SIR the next international congress of abbots that will take place in Rome at the primatial see of Saint Anselm from 18th to 27th September. On the agenda of the 254 abbots coming from all over the world, the most outstanding guests include the apostolic preacher father Raniero Cantalamessa and the Trappist abbot father Bernardo Olivera. "There will be of course adds Wolf workshops and workgroups on some major subjects, such as precarious monasteries, inter-religious dialogue, African monasteries, the relation between monasticism and the church, and between abbots and priests. Decisions will be taken on the future funding of the Papal University and the Pontificio Istituto Liturgico di Sant’Anselmo. In addition, the conference will also be attended by the Benedictine nuns who will be involved in a discussion about the relations between men’s and women’s monasteries". The abbots will be granted audience by Benedict XVI and will visit the Comunità di Sant’Egidio. The agenda includes the Vespers at San Paolo fuori le mura.” “
