Gathering beneath the Roman sun, surrounded by ancient walls that have sheltered centuries of faith and learning, students and staff from around the world came together for the International Benedictine Youth Congress at Sant’Anselmo.
By Sara Camporeale*
It was a week that combined prayer, dialogue, friendship and an unforgettable encounter with the living Benedictine tradition, a global community that stretches far beyond our individual schools.
Rosebank College is one of ten Australian Benedictine schools among 36 worldwide. Together, we form a vast network of education grounded in the wisdom of the Rule of St Benedict, a rule that continues to guide hearts and minds toward balance, hospitality, and peace (pax).
The Congress offered a living expression of that unity – young people from every corner of the globe discovering that, despite different languages, accents and customs, we are all part of one Benedictine family.
The setting was deeply significant: Sant’Anselmo, perched on the Aventine Hill overlooking the Eternal City, was founded in the late 19th century when Pope Leo XIII gifted the property to the Benedictines.
His vision was to establish a centre for study, prayer and international collaboration, a place where monks from different congregations could live in communion. Today, Sant’Anselmo houses the Benedictine Confederation’s headquarters, the Pontifical Athenaeum of Sant’Anselmo (a theological university), and the residence of the Abbot Primate, who serves as the spiritual father and representative of Benedictines worldwide.
To walk its corridors and share meals in its refectory was to step into living history. The sacred silence of breakfast, observed daily by the monks, reminded us that silence itself can be prayer.
Sitting beside monks in their simple black habits, listening to the rustle of pages and the gentle clinking of cutlery, we encountered the Rule not as an ancient text, but as a living rhythm of life.
Participating in the Divine Office, the chanting of psalms and the daily liturgical praxis offered an unforgettable immersion into the heartbeat of Benedictine spirituality.
The Congress took place from 20-25 September this year. The theme drew inspiration from Chapter 3 of the Rule, in which Benedict insists that even the youngest should be consulted, “for the Lord often reveals what is better to the younger.”
In this Jubilee Year of Hope, that call feels especially urgent. The Church, and the world, needs the courage, idealism and hope that young people bring. The Congress was a visible expression of that – students voicing their visions for peace, sustainability and inclusion, grounded in the Benedictine way of listening, humility and community.
Rosebank students sharing their presentation on Benedictine education in Australia. Image: Good Samaritan Education.
Workshops, prayers and cultural exchanges invited everyone to reflect on how the Benedictine charism, particularly its commitment to pax, can shape a more compassionate and hopeful future.
Pax is more than the absence of conflict, it is the active creation of harmony, a peace found in justice, listening and love. In a world fractured by noise and division, the Congress reminded us that pax begins in the heart of each person who listens deeply, to God, to others and to the world.
A highlight of the Congress was the audience with the Abbot Primate, who carries the enormous responsibility of spiritual oversight for more than 6000 monks, 12,000 sisters, and between 150,000 and 200,000, as well as countless oblates and lay associates across the globe.
Meeting him was a privilege. His humility and warmth reflected the very essence of Benedictine leadership – service through listening. His words encouraged the young to be bridges of peace, carriers of tradition and builders of community.
He reminded us that being Benedictine is not simply about belonging to a school or monastery, it is about a way of living, one that values prayer, study, and work (ora et labora) in balance. To be Benedictine, he said, is to seek God in all things, and to listen with “the ear of the heart”.
Our journey through Benedictine Rome was like stepping into the pages of Christian history. The visits to three of the four Major Basilicas, the awe-inspiring Papal Audience in St Peter’s Square where thousands gathered in joyful faith and the pilgrimage to Subiaco were moments of deep spiritual encounter.
Standing inside the Sacro Speco, the sacred cave where Benedict lived in solitude for three years before founding his communities, was profoundly moving. In that quiet, dimly lit space, we could almost feel the weight of his prayer and the presence of his struggle, a man who sought God in silence before he was called to lead others.
The number three holds deep symbolism: Benedict’s three years of retreat, Jesus’ three days in the tomb before rising and the eternal mystery of the Trinity. It reminds us that transformation often follows periods of waiting, silence and rebirth.
For many students, standing in that cave was the most sacred moment of the entire experience, a moment of stillness, reverence and deep connection with the roots of our faith and tradition.
Of course, no reflection on a Roman pilgrimage would be complete without mention of Italy’s legendary cuisine, a spiritual experience of its own kind! From the first taste of creamy gelato to countless bowls of pasta, crisp-based pizzas and indulgent tiramisu, our palates were in a perpetual state of thanksgiving.
The Rosebank group enjoying a meal in the deanery. Image: Good Samaritan Education.
Between sacred silence at breakfast and lively chatter over dinner, food became another form of communion, nourishing body, mind and friendship. Those friendships may be among the most enduring fruits of the Congress.
Bonds formed across continents, laughter shared between Australians, Americans, Germans, Filipinos, and Africans, quickly transformed into group chats, social media connections, and promises to visit one another’s schools.
Even now, photos, reflections and Benedictine memes are being exchanged across time zones, a living testament that the spirit of the Congress continues to breathe long after the flights home.
The International Benedictine Youth Congress was far more than an event; it was a pilgrimage of the heart. In the Eternal City, we encountered the eternal values of St Benedict – listening, humility, hospitality, and peace – made young again through the voices of students who carry them into the future.
In a world that often prizes speed over stillness and noise over reflection, the Congress reminded us that the Benedictine way remains both ancient and radically relevant. From the silence of Sant’Anselmo to the joy of Subiaco, from the laughter over gelato to the unity of prayer, we discovered what it truly means to be one community, seekers of God, builders of peace, and pilgrims of hope.
*Sara Camporeale is Dean of Ministry at Rosebank College.
This article was published in the November 2025 edition of The Good Oil.
International Benedictine Youth Congress participants. Image: International Benedictine Youth Congress.
