In late January, Sister Catherine Nehotte, OSB, traveled from St. Paul, Minnesota, to Baltimore, Maryland, to attend the annual Conference of Benedictine Prioresses (CBP), held January 29–February 3, 2026, at the Maritime Conference Center. This yearly gathering brings together leaders of Benedictine women’s communities for prayer, collaboration, and shared reflection. This year, 40 prioresses, administrators, and congregation presidents participated.
The 2026 theme, New Paths Forward, framed the week’s conversations and presentations. As Benedictine communities across the country continue to navigate significant transitions such as demographic shifts, leadership changes, evolving ministries, and financial realities, the conference offered a dedicated space for thoughtful reflection. It focused on how monastic leadership can remain grounded in stability while responding prudently and faithfully to the needs of the present moment.
A highlight of the gathering was the keynote presentation by Sister Cecilia Dwyer of St. Benedict Monastery in Bristow, Virginia. Her address, “Monastic Leadership: Relying on the Grace of God of Office in Times of Transition,” invited leaders to ground their service in the grace inherent in the office they hold. Drawing from the Rule of St. Benedict and lived monastic experience, Sister Cecilia emphasized that leadership in a Benedictine context is less about strategy alone and more about fidelity, humility, and trust in God’s sustaining presence during periods of change.
In addition to the keynote, each prioress shared updates from her respective community, creating a rich exchange of insight and mutual support. Reports were presented from several collaborative and national initiatives, including 55 & Under, AIM USA, the North American Association of Benedictine Vocation and Formation Directors (NABVFC), and Financial Services. Mark Schafale offered an update on the Benedictine Collaborative Services task force, which is exploring shared financial staffing models among monasteries—an example of practical cooperation emerging in response to contemporary realities.
Sister Lynn McKenzie, President of the Congregation of St. Scholastica, also shared reflections from her recent trip to Ukraine, broadening the assembly’s awareness of the global dimensions of Benedictine life and solidarity.
The Conference of Benedictine Prioresses serves the Monastic Congregation of Saint Scholastica, established February 25, 1922, and now comprised of 17 monasteries of Benedictine women. For Sister Catherine, this annual gathering is an important opportunity to strengthen bonds within the Congregation, to engage significant questions facing monastic life today, and to return home renewed in purpose.
Rooted in tradition yet attentive to emerging needs, the 2026 conference embodied its theme—seeking new paths forward while relying, above all, on the enduring grace of God.
