ST BENEDICT PATRON OF EUROPE ASSOCIATION

ACRONYM

ASBPE (Associatio Sanctus Benedictus Patronus Europae)

ESTABLISHED

1967

HISTORY
ASBPE was founded after the proclamation of St Benedict as the Patron of Europe in
1964 by Paul VI in his Apostolic Letter Pacis Nuntius. Considering the impetus that St Benedict gave
to all the peoples of Europe and to the Christian European order and its spiritual unity, the main
purpose of the Association is to promote and disseminate Christian culture in a spiritually united
Europe. Its purposes were further confirmed in John Paul IIs Apostolic Letter Sanctorum Altrix on the
topical relevance of the Benedictine Rule and the Christian identity of European culture, calling
attention to a new evangelisation fuelled by the lifeblood that has permeated the peoples of Europe
and the formation of the European nations. On 11 July 1988 the Pontifical Council for the Laity issued
a decree recognising the Associazione San Benedetto Patrono dEuropa as an international
association of the faithful of Pontifical Right.
IDENTITY
In compliance with the Rule of St Benedict, the members of ASBPE aspire to put
nothing before Christ and unconditionally to obey the commandments of God the Creator. They
nurture their personal prayer life by assiduous reading of the Holy Scripture, they draw lessons to
guide their lives from the traditions of the Western and Eastern Fathers, they are faithfully devoted
to the Church and defend its rights and cultivate its traditions. They play an active part in the
sacramental and liturgical life of their own local Church, and undertake to help it meet its needs.
Guided by the Church hierarchy they help to pave the way for the unity of Christians in the Catholic
Church, undertake to take to heart the principles of the Churchs social teaching, advocate and
tenaciously defend the sanctity of the family, concern themselves with the development and
subsistence of the Catholic school as an effective means of disseminating Christian culture. Lastly,
they promote the use of the Latin language, which was once the common language of the whole of
Europe and an excellent medium of communication, culture, science and education.
ORGANISATION
The members of the ASBPE, religious and lay, are co-opted to membership
after giving a written undertaking to live and act according to the principles of the Association. ASBPE
is governed collegially by a Steering Committee composed of 12 members. The Association is headed
by a President, assisted by two Vice-Presidents and a General Secretary, which among other tasks
organises the annual International Congresses in conjunction with Benedictine abbeys on issues
relating to the Christian life in Europe. The President, the two Vice-Presidents and the General
Secretary are elected by the Steering Committee. The members of ASBPE living in the same city or
region meet in local groups. As far as possible, all the members frequent Benedictine or Cistercian
monasteries with which they establish spiritual relations.
HEADQUARTERS

c/o Dr Maddalena Gasperi

Piazza Albania, 10 - 00153 Roma - Italy