The Ottilien Congregation, often also known as the St. Ottilien Congregation and as the Missionary Benedictines, is a congregation of religious houses within the
Benedictine Confederation
The Benedictine Confederation of the Order of Saint Benedict ( la, Confœderatio Benedictina Ordinis Sancti Benedicti) is the international governing body of the Order of Saint Benedict.
Origin
The Benedictine Confederation is a union of monasti ...
, the aim of which is to combine the
Benedictine
, image = Medalla San Benito.PNG
, caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
, abbreviation = OSB
, formation =
, motto = (English: 'Pray and Work')
, foun ...
way of life with activity in the mission field.
History
The congregation was founded in 1884, incorporating the houses founded on the vision of
Andreas Amrhein, a monk of
Beuron Archabbey
Beuron Archabbey (in German Erzabtei Beuron, otherwise Erzabtei St. Martin; in Latin ''Archiabbatia Sancti Martini Beuronensis''; Swabian: ''Erzabtei Beira'') is a major house of the Benedictine Order located at Beuron in the upper Danube val ...
, who, finding it impossible to realise the vision of the Benedictine mission within Beuron, left to begin an independent community. He set up a
house
A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air cond ...
in 1884 at
Reichenbach in the
Oberpfalz
The Upper Palatinate (german: Oberpfalz, , ) is one of the seven administrative districts of Bavaria, Germany, and is located in the east of Bavaria.
Geography
The Upper Palatinate is a landscape with low mountains and numerous ponds and lakes ...
, but the site was too remote, and in 1887 the community moved to what is now
St. Ottilien Archabbey
St. Ottilien Archabbey (St. Ottilia's Archabbey) is a Benedictine monastery in Emming near Eresing and the Ammersee in the district of Landsberg, Oberbayern, Germany. It is the motherhouse of the St. Ottilien Congregation.
Foundation
In the ...
in
Oberbayern
Upper Bavaria (german: Oberbayern, ; ) is one of the seven Regierungsbezirk, administrative districts of Bavaria, Germany.
Geography
Upper Bavaria is located in the southern portion of Bavaria, and is centered on the city of Munich, both state ...
.
In the same year the first missionary monks left for the Apostolic Prefecture of South
Zanzibar
Zanzibar (; ; ) is an insular semi-autonomous province which united with Tanganyika in 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanzania. It is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of many small islan ...
in
German East Africa
German East Africa (GEA; german: Deutsch-Ostafrika) was a German colony in the African Great Lakes region, which included present-day Burundi, Rwanda, the Tanzania mainland, and the Kionga Triangle, a small region later incorporated into Mo ...
, a territory which now comprises several dioceses in
Tanzania
Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands ...
, which the monks serve from the abbeys of Peramiho,
Ndanda and
Hanga
Hanga is a village in Parner taluka in Ahmednagar district of the state of Maharashtra.Maps of India, Map of Haga Village. https://www.mapsofindia.com/villages/maharashtra/ahmadnagar/parner/hanga.html.
Temple
Hanga has a popular temple of ...
and several smaller houses. Similarly the Congregation's
Zululand mission (begun in 1921) is now an
independent monastery serving the
diocese
In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associ ...
it once helped to create.
In 1908 an Asian mission field was added, comprising two abbeys in
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and T ...
and China, which after the end of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
were re-constituted as
Waegwan
Waegwan is the seat of government for Chilgok County, North Gyeongsang province, South Korea. It consists primarily of the administrative district of Waegwan- eup. It is situated on both sides of the Nakdong River, which is traversed by railroad, a ...
Abbey in
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
. There is also a
priory
A priory is a monastery of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or nuns (such as the Dominicans, Augustinians, Franciscans, and Carmelites), or monasteries of ...
at
Digos
Digos, officially the City of Digos ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Digos; fil, Lungsod ng Digos), is a 2nd class component city and capital of the province of Davao del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 188,376 peopl ...
on
Mindanao Island
Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of t ...
in the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
.
Further monasteries were established in North and South America after
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
, and more recently several new foundations have been made in the Third World, mostly in Africa.
The Archabbot of St. Ottilien is ex officio president of the congregation.
Women religious have formed part of the Missionary Benedictine enterprise from the beginning, based at first at St. Ottilien but shortly after at their own house nearby. They have developed independently and today form the Congregation of Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing.
Demographics
As a Congregation founded with the purpose of evangelizing German East Africa, it is no great surprise that the vast majority of early monks were Germans. As the Church grew in Africa and Asia, the Missionary Benedictines eventually began to accept indigenous vocations. Though the Congregation's European houses currently possess the greatest number of solemnly professed monks, these will soon be outnumbered by the African monasteries.
As of March 17, 2015, the Benedictine Missionaries feature four houses with monastic populations in excess of one hundred monks:
* Hanga (143)
* Waegwan (122)
* St Ottilien (113)
* Münsterschwarzach (113)
List of member houses and ''dependencies''
Europe
*Germany:
**
Sacred Heart Archabbey, St Ottilien (1887)
***''
Sacred Heart Priory'',
Jakobsberg
Jakobsberg is a suburban area (pop. 24,046) within Stockholm urban area, and the seat of Järfälla Municipality, Stockholm County in Sweden.
Jakobsberg, Järfälla's commercial and administrative centre, grew up around the railway. In t ...
***''Monastery of the Holy Redeemer'',
Monte Irago
Monte may refer to:
Places Argentina
* Argentine Monte, an ecoregion
* Monte Desert
* Monte Partido, a ''partido'' in Buenos Aires Province
Italy
* Monte Bregagno
* Monte Cassino
* Montecorvino (disambiguation)
* Montefalcione
Portugal
* Mont ...
, Spain
**
St Felicity's Abbey, Münsterschwarzach
***''
St Benedict's Priory'',
Damme
Damme () is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders, six kilometres northeast of Brugge (Bruges). The municipality comprises the city of Damme proper and the villages of Hoeke, Lapscheure, Moerkerke, Oostkerk ...
***''
Christ the King Priory'',
Schuyler Schuyler may refer to:
Places United States
* Schuyler County, Illinois
* Schuyler County, Missouri
* Schuyler, Nebraska, a city
* Schuyler County, New York
* Schuyler, New York, a town
* Schuyler Island, Lake Champlain, New York
* Schuyler C ...
, United States
**Holy Trinity Abbey, Schweiklberg
**
Königsmünster Abbey,
Meschede
Meschede () is a town in the Hochsauerland district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the district Hochsauerlandkreis.
Education
One of the five branches of South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences (also: Fachh ...
***''St Benedict's Cella'',
Hanover
Hanover (; german: Hannover ; nds, Hannober) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Lower Saxony. Its 535,932 (2021) inhabitants make it the 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-largest city in Northern Germany ...
*Austria:
**
St Joseph's Abbey, Fiecht
*Switzerland:
**
St Otmar's Abbey,
Uznach
***''
Our Lady of the Plentiful Catch Monastery'', Osornoe,
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...
Africa
*
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...
**
Monastery of St Odile,
Malandji (suspended in 1996)
*
Kenya
)
, national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"()
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Nairobi
, coordinates =
, largest_city = Nairobi
, ...
:
**
Prince of Peace Conventual Priory, Tigoni
***''St Benedict's Monastery'', Nairobi
***''Our Lady Queen of the World Monastery'', Nanyuki
***''Monastery of Peter the Fisherman'', Illeret
**St George Study House, Langata (Congregation)
**St Benedict's Procure, Eldoret (Congregation)
*
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...
:
**
Sacred Heart Abbey, Inkamana
***''St Boniface Monastery'', Waldfrieden,
Namibia
Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...
***''St Benedict's Study House'', Cedara
*
Tanzania
Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands ...
:
**
St Maurus and St Placidus Abbey, Hanga
***''St John Bosco Formation House'', Nakagugu
***''St Teresia of Lisieux Priory'', Katibunga,
Zambia
Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most cent ...
***''St Joseph's Farm'', Nole
***''St Placidus Procure'', Dar-es-Salaam
***''St Bernard's Priory'',
Kipalapala
***''St Benedict's Monastery'', Mbeya
***''St Benedict's Monastery'', Pugu
**Holy Spirit Abbey, Mvimwa
***''St Benedict's Monastery'', Sumbawanga
***''St Bernard's Monastery'', Kipili
**
Our Lady Help of Christians Abbey, Ndanda
***''St Maurus Procure'', Kurasini
***''St Benedict Parish'', Sakarani
**St Benedict's Abbey, Peramiho
***''St Raphael's Priory'', Uwemba
*
Togo
Togo (), officially the Togolese Republic (french: République togolaise), is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, where its c ...
:
**
Incarnation Conventual Priory, Agbang
***''St Maurus and St Placidus Monastery'', Kara
***''Cella St Boniface'', Lomé
*
Uganda
}), is a landlocked country in East Africa
East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territor ...
:
**
Christ the King Priory,
Tororo
Tororo is a town in the Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the main municipal, administrative, and commercial center of Tororo District.
History
Tororo was garrisoned by the Uganda Army's Air and Sea Battalion during the Uganda–Tanzania War ( ...
(Congregation)
Asia
*
China (People's Republic):
**
Holy Cross Abbey
Holy Cross Abbey ''(Mainistir na Croise Naofa)'' was a Cistercian monastery in Holycross near Thurles, County Tipperary, Ireland, situated on the River Suir. It takes its name from a relic of the True Cross or Holy Rood.
History
A supposed fra ...
Yanji
Yanji (; Chosŏn'gŭl: 연길, ''Yeon-gil;'' Hangul: 옌지, ''Yenji;'' alternately romanized as Yenki) is a county-level city in the east of China's Jilin Province, and is the seat of the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture. Its population i ...
(suppressed in 1946)
***''Holy Cross Monastery'', Kouqian
*India:
**
St Michael's Priory,
Kumily (Congregation)
*
Korea
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
:
**
St Benedict's Territorial Abbey, Tokwon (1909-1949)
**
St Maurus and St Placidus Abbey,
Waegwan
Waegwan is the seat of government for Chilgok County, North Gyeongsang province, South Korea. It consists primarily of the administrative district of Waegwan- eup. It is situated on both sides of the Nakdong River, which is traversed by railroad, a ...
***''St Benedict's Monastery'', Seoul
***''St Joseph's Monastery'', Namyangju
***''St Benedict's Monastery'', Busan
***''St John the Baptist Monastery'', Daegu
***''St Benedict's Village for the Aged'', Kumnam
***''
St Paul's Abbey'', Newton II
*** ''St Benedict's Monastery, '', Hwasun
*
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
:
**
St Benedict's Conventual Priory,
Digos
Digos, officially the City of Digos ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Digos; fil, Lungsod ng Digos), is a 2nd class component city and capital of the province of Davao del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 188,376 peopl ...
***''St Anselm's Study House'', Davao
***''
St. Scholastica's Priory,
Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
America
*
Colombia
Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...
:
**St Benedict's Conventual Priory, El Rosal
*
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
:
**Priory of the Epiphany of the Lord,
Havana
Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. (Congregation)
*United States:
**
St Paul's Abbey,
Newton
Newton most commonly refers to:
* Isaac Newton (1642–1726/1727), English scientist
* Newton (unit), SI unit of force named after Isaac Newton
Newton may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Newton'' (film), a 2017 Indian film
* Newton ( ...
, New Jersey
*
Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
:
**
St Joseph's Abbey, Güigüe
References
External links
Congregation of the Missionary Benedictines official website{{authority control
Religious organizations established in 1884
Benedictine congregations
1884 establishments in Germany