Albert Schmidt OSB (born 1948,

Freiburg im Breisgau Freiburg im Breisgau or simply Freiburg is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, fourth-largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg after Stuttgart, Mannheim and Karlsruhe. Its built-up area has a population of abou ...

) is a German

Benedictine The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...

monk and presiding abbot of the

Beuronese Congregation The Beuronese Congregation, also known as Beuron Congregation, is a union of mostly Germany, German or German language, German-speaking monasteries of both monks and nuns within the Benedictine Confederation. The congregation is under the patrona ...

, an association of eighteen mostly German or German-speaking Benedictine monasteries and convents, headed by Beuron Abbey in the upper Danube Valley. This makes him the Congregation's highest ranking dignitary and a High Superior in

church law Canon law (from , , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its members. Canon law includes the ...

terms.

Life

The son of a Benedictine

oblate In Christianity (specifically the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Anglican and Methodist traditions), an oblate is a person associated with a Benedictine monastery or convent who is specifically dedicated to God and service. Oblates are i ...

, he took his vows as a Benedictine monk in

Beuron Beuron ( Swabian: ''Beira'') is a municipality in the district of Sigmaringen in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. Beuron is known for the Beuron Archabbey and the Beuron Art School for religious art. Geography Beuron is divided into subdistric ...

in 1967. He studied theology and philosophy and gained a theology

doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''doctor'', meaning "teacher") or doctoral degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism '' licentia docendi'' ("licence to teach ...

in Rome before moving to Beuron Abbey. In 1973 he was ordained a priest and in 1992 he became student secretary at the Kolleg St. Benedikt in

Salzburg Salzburg is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020 its population was 156,852. The city lies on the Salzach, Salzach River, near the border with Germany and at the foot of the Austrian Alps, Alps moun ...

. From 1997 to 2005 he was rector of the Pontifical Atheneum of St. Anselm in Rome. Since 2006 he has been editor of the Benedictine journal. On 16 April 2008 he was made presiding abbot of the Beuronese Congregation by its 24th

General Chapter A chapter ( or ') is one of several bodies of clergy in Catholic, Old Catholic, Anglican, and Nordic Lutheran churches or their gatherings. Name The name derives from the habit of convening monks or canons for the reading of a chapter o ...

, succeeding Anno Schoenen (

Maria Laach Abbey Maria Laach Abbey (in German: ''Abtei Maria Laach'', in Latin: ''Abbatia Maria Lacensis'' or ''Abbatia Maria ad Lacum'') is a Benedictine abbey situated in Glees, on the southwestern shore of the Laacher See (Lake Laach), in the Eifel regio ...

). He was installed in this post by bishop Robert Zollitschon 19 April 2008 in the abbey church. His motto is ''Habitare in Unum'' ("to live as one", quoting

Psalm 133 Psalm 133 is the 133rd psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity". In Latin, it is known as "Ecce quam bonum". The psalm is one o ...

). From 16 November 2009 to its dissolution in 2010 he was also administrator of

Weingarten Abbey Weingarten Abbey or St. Martin's Abbey ( until 1803, then merely ) is a Benedictine monastery on the Martinsberg (''St. Martin's Mount'') in Weingarten near Ravensburg in Baden-Württemberg (Germany). First foundation Originally founded as a n ...

Works

* ''Zusätze als Problem des monastischen Stundengebets im Mittelalter'', (Beiträge zur Geschichte des alten Mönchtums und des Benediktinertums; 36), Aschendorff, Münster 1986, . * with Andreas Felger: ''Unterwegs zum Leben. Gedanken der Benediktsregel''. Mit einem Geleitwort von Kardinal Walter Kasper, Präsenz Verlag / Beuroner Kunstverlag, Gnadenthal / Beuron 2008, . * with Christel Holl: ''Davonlaufen oder dableiben. Mit Psalmen leben lernen'', Beuroner Kunstverlag, Beuron 2015, .

External links

Albert Schmidt
on ORDEN

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schmidt, Albert German Benedictines 1948 births Living people German abbots Benedictine abbots German Roman Catholic theologians Benedictine theologians 21st-century Christian abbots