On August 6th, 2016, the monastery church at Agbang was consecrated by the bishop of Kara in whose diocese the monastery is located. The church was financed through the generosity of benefactors of the Benedictine Mission House in Schuyler, NE, friends of the Abbey of St. Felizitas at Muensterschwarzach, Germany, and St. Othmarsberg in Uznach, Switzerland.
The monastery was founded in 1985 and in 1991 was accepted into the international Missionary Benedictine Congregation of St. Ottilien. In 2004 the monastery was raised to the status of a Conventuial Priory.
On August 8, 2016, the Monastery was raised to the rank of Abbey. Two days later the community elected its first Abbot, Fr. Romain Botta, O.S.B., who will lead the community for the next 12 years. The election was confirmed by Abbot President Jeremias Schroeder, O.S.B. in the presence of Abbot Blasio Park, O.S.B. of Waegwan Abbey in South Korea. Abbot elect Romain Botta, O.S.B. made his first monastic vows on September 24, 1995. He is a graduate of St. Meinrad School of Theology in St. Meinrad, Indiana. He was ordained priest on July 7, 2012.
Following ordination, Fr. Romain served as Congregation Secretary at our headquarters in St. Ottilien, Germany. With the upcoming General Chapter, Abbot Romain will help with the preparations until a successor is appointed.
The monks of Christ the King Priory – Benedictine Mission House extend prayerful good wishes to Abbot Romain and the monks of the Abbey of the Incarnation.