Austrian Abbot thinks Sant'Egidio Community is a model for Church renewal
Benedictine with Rome affinity praises Catholic community for focus on the poor and disadvantaged
Benedictine Abbot and theologian Bernhard Eckerstorfer has described the international Sant'Egidio Community as a model for church renewal in German-speaking countries.
Cardinal Zuppi is also a great supporter- seen here celebrating Mass at Santa Maria in Trastevere
In an article for the portal communio.de (Tuesday) about his personal impressions from Rome, the former rector of the Benedictine University of Sant'Anselmo emphasizes that Sant'Egidio offers a concrete model of how lived spirituality, social responsibility, and liturgy can be combined.
The Rome-based community, founded by students in 1968, is primarily dedicated to the poor, refugees, and the socially marginalized. "Anyone who belongs to the worldwide community of Sant'Egidio must have a poor person as a friend," Eckerstorfer noted. The church comes alive where people in need are "not merely objects of my care," but equal members of the people of God—"on an equal footing with the Pope, politicians, and doctors," the religious said.
Eckerstorfer emphasizes the liturgy in the churches of Sant'Egidio, especially in Santa Maria in Trastevere, as spiritually profound and communal, even if simple musical forms dominate. It stands in credible unity with lived charity and a reference to the poor, and members naturally carry and read the Bible. The abbot was also particularly impressed by the church of San Bartolomeo on the Tiber Island, where the community commemorates modern martyrs.
With a view to the future of the Church, Eckerstorfer advocates for a greater appreciation of such experiences: "Those who make a pilgrimage to Rome should experience the Church firsthand – Sant'Egidio can provide an instructive guide for reforms north of the Alps."
The community, which, in addition to its charitable work, has also been active as a mediator in peace processes for decades, has around 70,000 members in over 70 countries worldwide, but has so far had only a sporadic presence in German-speaking countries, a fact Eckerstorfer regretted. In Austria, there is a group in Innsbruck that is involved in activities such as prayers for peace and activities for the "Day of the Poor," religious dialogue, and refugee aid.
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