The Ottilien Congregation, officially known as the Benedictine Congregation of Sankt Ottilien and as the Missionary Benedictines, is a congregation of religious houses within the

Benedictine Confederation The Benedictine Confederation of the Order of Saint Benedict () is the international governing body of the Order of Saint Benedict. Origin The Benedictine Confederation is a union of monastic congregations that nevertheless retain their own aut ...

, the aim of which is to combine the

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 ...

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 valley ...

, 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 c ...

in 1884 at Reichenbach in the Oberpfalz, but the site was too remote, and in 1887 the community moved to what is now St. Ottilien Archabbey in

Oberbayern Upper Bavaria (, ; ) is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany. Geography Upper Bavaria is located in the southern portion of Bavaria, and is centered on the city of Munich, both state capital and seat of the district gove ...

. In the same year the first missionary monks left for the Apostolic Prefecture of South

Zanzibar Zanzibar is a Tanzanian archipelago off the coast of East Africa. It is located in the Indian Ocean, and consists of many small Island, islands and two large ones: Unguja (the main island, referred to informally as Zanzibar) and Pemba Island. ...

German East Africa German East Africa (GEA; ) was a German colonial empire, 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 Portugu ...

, a territory which now comprises several dioceses in

Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...

, 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 Ecclesiastical polity, 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 Roman province, prov ...

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 Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu River, Yalu (Amnok) an ...

and China, which after the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

were re-constituted as Waegwan Abbey in

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...

. 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. They were created by the Catholic Church. Priories may be monastic houses of monks or nuns (such as the Benedictines, the Cistercians, or t ...

Digos Digos, officially the City of Digos (; ), is a component city and capital of the province of Davao del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 188,376 people. The city lies on the western shores of Davao Gul ...

Mindanao Island Mindanao ( ) 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 the same name that also inc ...

in the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

, and a priory at Kumily in Kerala, India. Further monasteries were established in North and South America after

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, and more recently several new foundations have been made in Uganda, Togo, Cuba, Egypt. Until 2012, the Archabbot of St. Ottilien was the ex officio president of the congregation. Since 2012 the president is elected by the General Chapter. As of January 17, 2025, the Abbot President is Javier Aparacio, O.S.B. 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. In 2024, the 1021 monks of the Congregation belong to 25 communities in Africa (58%), Asia (16%), the Americas (2%) and Europe (24%). At this time the Congregation features three houses with monastic populations in excess of one hundred monks: * Hanga (125) * Waegwan (114) * Mvimwa (100)

List of member houses and ''dependencies''

Europe

*Germany: ** Sacred Heart Archabbey, St Ottilien (1887) ***''Monastery of the Holy Redeemer'', Monte Irago, Spain ** St Felicity's Abbey, Münsterschwarzach ***'' Christ the King Priory'', Schuyler, United States ***'' Damme Priory'', Germany **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: Fachhoc ...

***''St Benedict's Cella'',

Hanover Hanover ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Lower Saxony. Its population of 535,932 (2021) makes it the List of cities in Germany by population, 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-l ...

*Austria: ** St George's Abbey, Stans *Switzerland: ** St Otmar's Abbey,

Uznach Uznach is a municipality in the ''Wahlkreis'' (constituency) of See-Gaster in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. History Uznach is first mentioned in 741 as ''Uzinaa'' in a grant from a noble lady at Benken Abbey to the Abbey of Saint ...

Africa

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

: ** Prince of Peace Abbey, Tigoni ***''St Benedict's Monastery'', Nairobi ***''Our Lady Queen of the World Monastery'', Nanyuki ***''Monastery of Peter the Fisherman'', Illeret **St Gregory's Study House, Langata (Congregation) *

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

: ** Sacred Heart Abbey, Inkamana *

: ** St Maurus and St Placidus Abbey, Hanga ***''St John Bosco Formation House'', Nakagugu ***''St Joseph's Farm'', Nole ***''St Placidus Procure'', Dar-es-Salaam ***''St Bernard's Priory'', Kipalapala ***''St Benedict's Monastery'', Mbeya **Holy Spirit Abbey, Mvimwa ***''St Benedict's Monastery'', Sumbawanga ***''St Bernard's Monastery'', Kipili ***''St Benedict's Monastery'', Pugu ** 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, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to Ghana–Togo border, the west, Benin to Benin–Togo border, the east and Burkina Faso to Burkina Faso–Togo border, the north. It is one of the le ...

: ** Incarnation Conventual Priory, Agbang ***''St Maurus and St Placidus Monastery'', Kara ***''Cella St Boniface'', Lomé *

Uganda Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...

: ** Christ the King Priory,

Tororo Tororo is a town in the Eastern Region, Uganda, Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the main municipal, administrative, and commercial center of Tororo District. History Tororo was garrisoned by the Uganda Army (1971–1980), Uganda Army's Air an ...

Zambia Zambia, officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa. It is typically referred to being in South-Central Africa or Southern Africa. It is bor ...

***''St Teresia of Lisieux Priory'', Katibunga,

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 f ...

Yanji Yanji (; Korean: ; alternately romanized as Yenki or Yenji) is a county-level city in the east of China's Jilin Province, and is the seat of the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture. Yanji City is located in the eastern part of Jilin Province. ...

(suppressed in 1946) ***''Holy Cross Monastery'', Kouqian *India: ** St Michael's Priory,

Kumily Kumily, also spelt as Kumaly () is a revenue village and Gram Panchayat in the Idukki district of the state of Kerala. It is a town in Cardamom Hills near Thekkady and Periyar Tiger Reserve and a well frequented tourist destination. Kumily is a ...

Korea Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically Division of Korea, divided at or near the 38th parallel north, 3 ...

: ** St Benedict's Territorial Abbey, Tokwon (1909-1949) ** St Maurus and St Placidus Abbey, Waegwan ***''St Benedict's Monastery'', Seoul ***''St Benedict's Monastery'', Busan ***''St Benedict's Village for the Aged'', Kumnam ***'' St Paul's Abbey'', Newton II *** ''St Benedict's Monastery, '', Hwasun **St Joseph's Monastery, Namyangju *

: ** St Benedict's Conventual Priory,

***''St Anselm's Study House'', Davao ***'' St. Scholastica's Priory,

Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...

America

Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...

: **St Benedict's Conventual Priory, El Rosal *

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

: **Priory of the Epiphany of the Lord,

Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.St Paul's Abbey, Newton, New Jersey *

Venezuela Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...

: ** 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