Heiligenkreuz Abbey to elect administrator after abbot steps down

Heiligenkreuz Abbey, a Cistercian monastery in Baden district, will elect an administrator after Abbot Maximilian Heim steps down on health grounds, ORF reported. The election of a successor begins on Monday and is expected to take several days.

Heim is leaving after two terms and 16 years at the head of the abbey. He said he wanted to place its leadership in younger hands.

The abbey has 101 monks and is considered the largest monastic community in Western Europe. It also has a pontifical university where more than 350 students study Catholic theology.

The final two years of Heim’s tenure were overshadowed by turmoil triggered by anonymous letters. They contained allegations against a priest as well as criticism of the abbey’s leadership style. The regional criminal investigation department also investigated anonymous threats against the abbey.

In June, the Vatican ordered an apostolic visitation, which ended in April. According to unofficial reports, the allegations were not substantiated. The abbey said the Vatican issued several instructions, including a call to reflect on its theological and spiritual direction.

The convent’s 84 eligible monks will initially elect an administrator rather than an abbot. The administrator is to lead the community for three years, as stipulated by the Vatican. According to the abbey, more than one-third of eligible monks have never taken part in an abbatial election.