Good morning, welcome!

I do not know if it is Providence, the coincidence that it is on exactly 13 November, the Feast of all the saints of the Order, that we meet – a beautiful gift for everyone!

I am very pleased to meet you on the occasion of your Ordinary Federal Assembly. I greet the newly-elected President with best wishes, and I thank her predecessor for her work.

The Federation of Augustinian Monasteries in Italy brings together different monastic realities, united by the same charism, and this is particularly significant at a time when the entire Church is committed to deepening and promoting her synodal dimension. Pope Francis has reminded us how important it is, in the sequela Christi, to walk together: to listen together to the voice of the Spirit and “to look others in the eye and listen to what they have to say, to build rapport, to be sensitive to the questions of our sisters and brothers, to let ourselves be enriched by variety” (Homily at the Opening Mass of the Synod on Synodality, 10 October 2021). It is an intrinsic value in the very nature of the People of God, and of a prophetic witness of charity that is particularly useful today, in a world in many ways increasingly less predisposed to dialogue and sharing.

In this context, I would like to indicate some aspects of your presence and your mission of contemplation, your mission of being contemplatives in the Church today.

The first is that of living and bearing witness to the joy of the union with God. Saint Augustine left us some beautiful pages in this regard. In his Confessions, he speaks about a joy granted to those who serve the Lord out of pure love (cf. 10:22-32) and concludes: “The happy life is this – to rejoice unto You, in You, and for You; this it is, and there is no other” (ibid.). Full joy for man, especially for the Christian, is in communion with the Lord, in that intimacy with the heavenly Spouse to whom you, by vocation, dedicate your entire life.

As we know, this was also the great desire of the Saint Bishop of Hippo; a dream that he had to renounce due to the commitments of his ministry. The first invitation I address to you, then, is to devote yourselves with undivided love to this calling, embracing cloistered life with enthusiasm: the liturgy, common and personal prayer, adoration, meditation on the Word of God, mutual help in community life. This will give you peace and consolation, and to those who knock on the doors of your monasteries, a message of hope more eloquent than a thousand words.

This brings us to the second dimension of your presence in the Church, which I would like to emphasize: the witness of charity. In the Augustinian ideal, you are called, faithful to the Rule, to imitate in fraternal communion the life of the first Christian community (cf. Regula 1, 1-3). The Doctor gratiae said: “The Lord grant that you may observe all these precepts in a spirit of charity as lovers of spiritual beauty, giving forth the good odour of Christ in the holiness of your lives” (cf. 2 Cor 2:15)” (Regula 8:1). To spread the good scent of God throughout the world, then, strive to love one another with sincere affection, as sisters, and to carry in your hearts, in secret, every man and woman in this world, to present them to the Father in your prayers. Without any fanfare, be attentive and caring towards one another and be a model of care for all, wherever the need arises and circumstances permit. In a society so focused on outward appearances, where people sometimes do not hesitate to violate the respect of others and their feelings in pursuit of a spotlight and applause, may your example of silent and hidden love help others to rediscover the value of daily and discreet charity, focused on the substance of loving one another and free from the slavery of appearances.

A third important theme that I would like to focus on is that of the Federation itself. The Venerable Pius XII already advocated that this form of association be promoted in monastic life “in order to achieve an easier and more convenient distribution of offices, a temporary transfer of religious from one monastery to another, which is useful and often necessary for various reasons, mutual economic assistance, coordination of work, defence of common observance and other reasons” (Apostolic Constitution Sponsa Christi Ecclesia, 21 November 1950). Pope Francis strongly reiterated the importance of moving in this direction in the Apostolic Constitution Vultum Dei quaerere (cf. no. 30), which was followed by precise implementation guidelines in the Instruction Cor orans, so that “monasteries which share the same charism do not remain isolated but keep it faithfully and, giving each other mutual fraternal help, live the indispensable value of communion” (Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life, Instruction Cor orans, 25 March 2018, 86).

This all highlights how much the Church appreciates the forms of collaboration mentioned, as well as the need for everyone to promote and live out their membership in a concrete way, adhering to the initiatives that are proposed, even at the national level, and opening up, where necessary, to special opportunities for support such as affiliation. It is a demanding challenge, but one we cannot shy away from, even at the cost of making difficult choices and sacrifices, and overcoming a certain temptation to “self-referentiality” that can sometimes seep into our circles. This will certainly bring great benefits to communities in various fields, not least the fundamental one of formation. Let us remember what Saint Augustine said: “What you desire is excellent, and well worthy of your love … The proper effect of your eagerness is to lead you to submit to the right method, instead of rebelling against it; for without this method you cannot attain what you so eagerly long for” (Contra Faustum, 22, 53).

Dear friends, thank you once again for your presence and for the prayerful support you give to all of God’s People. I too assure you of my remembrance in prayer and I bless you from my heart. Thank you!

Holy See Press Office Bulletin, 13 November 2025