As the second issue of Faith Seeking Understanding goes to press it is a pleasure to introduce myself to you as the president of the Saint Benedict Education Foundation, and to share with you the impact which life at Sant' Anselmo has had on me, and on so many others. Having entered the Benedictine community of Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, in July 1994, I was fi rst sent to Sant' Anselmo in the jubilee year of 2000, in order to begin studies in biblical exegesis and systematic theology. I arrived in Rome just a few months after being ordained to the diaconate, and so had the opportunity to serve as deacon during many of the liturgies which were part of the Congress of Benedictine Abbots that was held at Sant' Anselmo in September 2000. We recall that when the apostles commissioned the very first deacons to assist them in their evangelical work, they announced that the diaconate was to be fundamentally a ministry of service (Acts : 1- ). It was my privilege during those days of the Abbots' Congress, and throughout my time in Rome, to witness in person the tremendous zeal of the students, faculty, and staff of Sant' Anselmo to put their talents at the service of the gospel, making our Benedictine University truly 'a school for the Lord s service' (Rule of Saint Benedict, Prologue, 8).

Although my studies took me to schools outside of the Athenaeum, during my five years in Rome I lived at Sant' Anselmo and happily took part in each element of Anselmian life, from the daily liturgy, to waiting on tables in the dining room, recreation with the community, and participation in the on-going monastic formation sponsored by Sant' Anselmo. I learned that the Benedictine presence in Rome plays an important role in the life of the Church by introducing to each other new generations of religious, clergy, and laity from every possible background and from every part of the globe, establishing friendships which often last for a lifetime. Beyond this, Sant' Anselmo has long stood at the forefront of several movements central to the Church's mission: the training of new preachers and teachers of the Catholic faith  focusing especially on the field of liturgical studies and the promotion of Christian unity.

Concerning academic training, the Pontifical Liturgical Institute, the Mabillon Institute, and the Monastic Institute each make an outstanding contribution to the formation of future leaders in the Church. Sant  Anselmo alumni Cardinal Geraldo Majella Agnelo of São Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, Archbishop Jerome Hanus of Dubuque, Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Atlanta, Archbishop Daniel Beuchlein of Indianapolis, Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence, and Bishop Peter Sartain of Joliet each benefited from the education they received at Sant' Anselmo, and stand out as leaders in the 'new evangelization' called for by Pope John Paul II and by Pope Benedict XVI.

With respect to ecumenical matters, Sant' Anselmo carries on the Benedictine custom of welcoming into dialogue representatives of various Christian denominations to further our joint understanding of our faith, and to seek common ground in our activities and our beliefs. Recent efforts in this regard can be seen in the presentation at Sant' Anselmo of lectures by the distinguished German Evangelical theologian, Eberhard Jüngel, and the autumn 2006 visit to the Athenaeum of Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury and leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Additionally, in recent years Sant' Anselmo has hosted scholarship-winning students (clerical and lay students alike) of the Orthodox Churches of Russia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Moldova, as they complete their studies in Rome, and deepen bonds of friendship between the Christian east and west.

Sant' Anselmo, the Benedictine University in Rome, is steadily moving forward toward the realization of long-held goals for renewal in its academic programs and in its physical plant. As I see this progress unfolding, I have great hopes for its students present and future who will profit from their Anselmian educational experience, and who are eager to share the fruits of their labors with the Church throughout the world. I am happy to assist anyone who wishes to join the Saint Benedict Education Foundation in promoting the efforts of the Benedictine Order at Sant' Anselmo, forming the next generation of ministers for the service of Christ's gospel.

In Christ's Love,

Edward Mazich, O.S.B., President Saint Benedict Education Foundation