From September 18th to 27th, 2008, the Congress of Benedictine Abbots took place in Rome. In addition to reelecting Dom Notker Wolf as Abbot Primate of the Benedictins for another four year term, the
Confoederatio Benedictina Ordinis Sancti Benedicti, the Benedictine Confederation of the Order of Saint Benedict, admitted to its memembership the Abbey of Sainte-Madeleine du Barroux (it also is listed now on the Confederation's website
here). The abbey, which is attached to (a slightly modified form of) the
usus antiquior, continues to depend from the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei. As the source for this news, the website of the French Bishops' Conference,
puts it:
This integration manifests that this community pursues its way of belonging to the normal structures of the Church and of fraternal collaboration with the monasteries of the Benedictine family.
This is very welcome news as it is a sign that the Older Use is becoming a normal part of the life of the Church as it rightfully should be.
