Mission

The American Benedictine Academy is a non-profit association whose purpose is to cultivate, support and transmit the Benedictine heritage within contemporary culture. The Academy sponsors and promotes disciplinary and inter-disciplinary research, writing and collaboration among its members. It serves as a catalyst inviting men and women to ponder creatively and to discuss the challenges to Benedictine values in the twenty-first century.

Academy Activities and Publications

The Academy fulfills its goals through the following activities and publications:

• A biennial convention focuses on a theme relevant to the Benedictine heritage. These conventions, which are held at monastic institutions around the country, are open to any interested persons.
     2008 - Monastic Spirituality: Expanding Merton's Vision at Sacred Heart Monastery, Mount Marty College, Yankton, SD, August 7-10.
     2006 - Family: Matrix, Model, Muddle, at Benedictine University, Lisle, IL, August 10-13.
     2004 - Monastic Culture: Revitalizing Mind and Spirit at St. Benedict's Monastery, St. Joseph, MN
     2002 - Monastics and Mentoring: Refounding the Tradition at University of Mary, Bismarck, ND
  
• Three ABA Sections facilitate communication during and between conventions among members who have common interests. These sections are Visual Arts, Monastic Research, and Archives.
• The Monastic Studies Grant, awarded annually, provides financial support for monastic learning and research projects. Information and application forms are available from the Executive Secretary.
• The Junior Essay Competition promotes scholarly research among monastics in formation. The program encourages and rewards the use of local monastic archives and personal memoirs by recognition of achievement, membership in the Academy for two years, and the waiver of registration and hospitality fees for the biennial convention. Details of the competition are announced in the June issue of The American Monastic Newsletter before a convention is held in the subsequent year.
• Benedictine Studies Sessions are sponsored by the Academy at the annual International Congress on Medieval Studies at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI. lnterested persons may apply to the academy to participate.
• The Board of Directors of the Academy, elected by the membership, continues to search for ways to fulfill the purpose of the Academy and eagerly listens for input from the members and sponsors.
• The ABA Website provides information about the Academy, hosts the American Monastic Newsletter, and provides links to relevant Web resources.

Publications

The American Monastic Newsletter (AMN), published several times a year, carries information, announcements, reports, book reviews, articles by guest columnists and other items of monastic interest. Issues of AMN since October 1996 are accessible online.

The cost of printed Proceedings is $10 to Academy members and $15 to non-members. These can be ordered from the Academy Secretary at the following address:

Adel Sautner OSB
415 S. Crow St.
Pierre, SD 57501-3304
E-mail: <bennii@dakota2k.net>

Checks should be made to "The American Benedictine Academy" and should accompany the order. The price includes the postage.

A CD containing the papers presented at ABA 2002 devoted to "Mentors and Mentoring" is available for purchase online for under $7; they are also available online as of January 2006.

Pre-Convention 2000 Papers: The Good News of Monastic Life: reading the signs of the times (various authors; all online).

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History of the American Benedictine Academy

• 1947. The Academy grew out of the National Benedictine Educational Association and was initiated by the American-Cassinese Congregation of monks, 30 December 1947.
• 1948. First meeting of the board of the Academy at St. Meinrad, Indiana. First sectional meetings.
• 1950. The Academy began publication of the American Benedictine Review.
• 1972. The governing structure of the Academy was simplified. The sectional structure of the Academy was replaced by a single grouping.
• 1975. The American Benedictine Review was separately incorporated.
• 1978. The focus of meetings shifted to "Benedictine Heritage and Culture."
• 1982. Membership was declared open to anyone who had a serious interest in Benedictinism.
• 1984. The Academy's Archive was established at the St. Benedict's Monastery, St. Joseph, Minnesota 56374, legal address of the Academy as a not-for-profit corporation.
• 1995. The ABA website was launched on 2 December 1995.
• 1998. The Academy observed its fiftieth anniversary at its biennial convention at St. Vincent's Archabbey, 9-12 August 1998.
• 2000. First pre-convention Web Workshop at St. Meinrad's Archabbey, 8-13 August 2000.
• 2004. First CD publication of ABA Convention 2002 Proceedings: "Mentors and Mentoring: Refounding the Tradition."

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Academy Membership and Sponsorship

Members of the Academy: Annual Directories and Executive Board

Print and mail your application or apply online.

     Membership renewals are due every year on the first of January.

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