In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Peace be with you.

My dear sisters, a few brothers scattered also,

I am very pleased to meet with you on the occasion of the Communio Internationalis Benedictinarum Symposium, which brings together representatives of the monastic world from throughout the world.

In greeting the Moderator, perhaps yourself, my thoughts turn in a special way to the Abbot Primate, who was unable to be present due to obligations arising from his primatial responsibilities.

Yours is a valuable work, which for twenty-five years has continued the path of communion and coordination that had been initiated and promoted by Pope Leo XIII for the Benedictine Confederation, and subsequently encouraged by the Second Vatican Council in the Decree Perfectae Caritatis (cf. 22–23).

This journey forward together is all the more important in so far as it aims to live out and advance the Benedictine charism throughout the world through a special spiritual synodality that makes each person's uniqueness a treasure for all.

In speaking about Saint Benedict, Pope Francis emphasized the importance of "a heart expanded by the unspeakable sweetness of love." A heart, he said, is a herald of grace, for its roots are so firm that the tree grows well, weathering the ravages of time and bearing the rich fruits of the Gospel.

I too recently visited, wished to visit and did visit as a pilgrim, the monasteries of Subiaco and Montecassino, and to pray in those places that hold such deep significance for the entire People of God and for our history. As I reflect on the silence and peace of those sanctuaries and see you here today, I cannot help but rejoice in observing that — as the Gospel says — "from a small seed a great tree has grown." Indeed, a vineyard has spread and "filled the earth," and has borne much fruit because, as my venerable predecessor liked to say, it is deeply rooted in the Lord.

Therefore, as monks and nuns from so many different countries, the efforts you are making to be ever more profoundly rooted in Christ, and to be his living and prayerful witness throughout the earth, are a great sign and a prophetic gift. This is especially needed for our time, which is marked by a thirst for authentic life, for communion and for peace.

In this regard, Saint Paul VI pointed to Saint Benedict and his disciples as those who, through prayer, study and work, "with the cross, the book and the plow," spread "civilization and […] spiritual values." Thus they built among different peoples and nations a "unity which, as Saint Augustine affirms, is 'an example and model of absolute beauty'."

In this sense, then, it is indeed commendable that you are engaged in a project — in Rome and elsewhere through digital tools — to offer new formation opportunities specifically dedicated to Benedictine monastic women.

My dear sisters and brothers, I thank you for who you are and for all you do. Thank you for your prayer, for your humble and silent presence, for the daily and hidden offering of your lives, and for the spiritual guidance, theological reflection and communal values that you live out and radiate. I encourage you to continue in your consecrated commitment to communion, and I impart to all of you my heartfelt blessing.

Let us pray together, Our Father…