"Many European Abbeys Will Disappear" - Norbertine Abbot General

en.news12 hours ago

"Many European Abbeys Will Disappear" - Norbertine Abbot General

Many European abbeys will disappear in the near future, Abbot Jos Wouters of the Norbertine monastic order, told ND.nl on 22 April. He is the abbot general of 38 abbeys worldwide.

The interview was prompted by reporting on conditions in Berne Abbey, Netherlands, where there is said to have been a years-long culture of fear and power struggles.

Abbot Wouters notes that monasteries are receiving fewer and fewer vocations.

According to him, interested people are increasingly psychologically vulnerable individuals: "Out of a survival instinct, abbeys accept such people, even though they are completely unsuitable."

Abbot Wouters believes that his order is incapable of properly training individuals with "baggage".

He warns that such people compensate for their "inner weakness" by becoming overly bossy.

"Religion then functions like an exoskeleton, as with a lobster, which has no skeleton inside: it is hard on the outside to hide the weakness within."

Picture: Jos Wouters, © press picture CC BY-SA, #newsHyyrhfftvw

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sp2 . .6 hours ago

He warns that such people compensate for their "inner weakness" by becoming overly bossy.
This also happens in the Industrial workforce. With an inexperienced person placed into a position of power and authority, power quickly goes to his head and leadership skills are lost.
A "How to Become a Good Supervisor" seminar focuses on transitioning from individual contributor to leader by mastering communication, conflict resolution, and performance management. Key topics include active listening, setting clear expectations, delivering constructive feedback, and building team trust. These seminars, often available via SkillPath, AMA, or online modules, emphasize practical tools to boost team morale and productivity.
The guy who really wants the job is the guy who should never be promoted, it'll go to his head.

sp2 . .5 hours ago

On the selection of the next Abbot, take the top 5 or so candidates and grill them in front of an interview panel with difficult leadership questions, including how they would solve critical issues that face the organization today.
After the panel narrows it down to three candidates, the final selection could be Coptic Style.
The Coptic Orthodox Church selects its Pope through a combination of a democratic electoral vote and a final "Altar Ballot" (lottery) where a blindfolded child picks the name from a chalice, a process believed to be guided by the Holy Spirit. The process involves shortlisting qualified monks and bishops, followed by a vote, before the final divine selection.
Nomination and Eligibility: A special committee, including bishops and laypeople, narrows down candidates to a shortlist of 3–5 candidates. Eligible candidates must be monks (typically having served over 15 years), unmarried, and over 40 years old.
Electoral Voting: A large electoral body, including bishops, clergy, and lay leaders (roughly 2,000+ people), votes to reduce the shortlist to the top three candidates.
The Altar Ballot: The names of the top three candidates are written on pieces of paper and placed in a chalice (or silver urn) on the altar.
Final Selection: A young, blindfolded boy (or girl) chosen from the congregation pulls one name from the chalice during a public Liturgical service.
Significance: The final step is not considered chance, but rather a "divine election" by which God chooses the shepherd