The Society of
Christ the King
The
Brethren of the Common Life
A
Personal Prelature Of
The Catholic Apostolic National
Church
- Archbishop
Mathew’s Prayer for Catholic Unity
His Excellency,
The Most Reverend Andre’
J.W. Queen, SCR
Superior General,
Society of Christ the King
Society News Christ the King
Theological Seminary Seminary
Bookstore
Overview of the
Society
The Society of
Christ the King (SCR) ...
... Is a
“Personal Prelature” organized within The Catholic Apostolic
National Church. The society is devoted to the spread of the Word of God and
the establishment of the church worldwide. The society adheres to the teachings
of the ancient church, and seeks to spread the faith of the church to all parts
of the world. Our professed adhere to the traditional teachings of the church,
preferring them over the innovations found in denominations around the world
today. Our charge is the establishment of parish church organizations and
missions to serve the community.
Membership is
accomplished through application to the national headquarters of the order.
Membership is open to ordained clergy of The Catholic Apostolic National
Church, as well as clergy of denominations in communication with The Catholic
Apostolic National Church. Upon acceptance as a Candidate, a period of prayer
and discernment is required of the candidate, accompanied by service to the
parish or mission, biblical study, instruction in requirements and duties of
the order, and examination of one's willingness to submit to this lifestyle.
After a suitable period as a Novice, the individual proclaims a willingness to
conform to this lifestyle in perpetuity, forever clinging to the ideals of the
order, dedicating their life to the service of God. Upon being found to have
successfully completed all of the necessary requirements, the Novice takes the
oath of the order, becoming a Professed Member.
Purpose
The purpose of the
society is to promulgate the teachings of the historical church, to promote all
Christian activity that will safeguard the historical Deposit of Faith of the
undivided church. The society, formed within The Catholic Apostolic National Church,
is dedicated to the preservation of historical and true catholic doctrine, the
rejection of innovations in the Faith, and the proper education of both clergy
and laity within The Catholic Apostolic National Church.
Name
The name of the
society shall be, "The Society of Christ the King" (Societas Christus
Rex), and its initials shall be, "SCR", which shall determine an
individual to be a full and professed member.
Membership
Membership shall be
constituted of professed members, novices, and candidates. "Professed
Members" shall be full members of the society. "Novices" shall
be members of the society within their first year of membership.
"Candidates" shall be those individuals who have applied for
membership in the order and have been accepted and received for instruction.
All, Professed Members, Novices and Candidates must, at each step in their
reception into the order, state and affirm the oath of the Order. Novices
becoming Professed Members take the oath in perpetuity.
Oath
The Oath of Fidelity
of The Society of Christ the King Taken By Applicants To The Order Before
Appointment
I,
__________________________, believe and profess with firm faith each and every
truth which is contained in the symbol of the Faith of which the Catholic
Church makes use, namely:
·
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of
all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the
only-begotten Son of God. Begotten, not made, being of one substance with the
Father: by whom all things were made. Who for us men and our salvation came
down from heaven. And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary: and
was made man. He was crucified also for us: suffered under Pontius Pilate,
died, and was buried. And the third day He rose again according to the
scriptures. And He ascended into heaven; He sitteth at the right hand of the
Father. He shall come again in glory to judge both the living and the dead: of
whose kingdom there shall be no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord
and giver of life: who proceedeth from the Father. Who together with the Father
and the Son is adored and glorified: who spoke by the prophets. And in One,
Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the remission
of sins. And I look for the resurrection of the dead. And the life of the world
to come. Amen.
·
I resolutely accept and embrace the traditions of the Apostles and all other
traditions of the whole Church, its observances and regulations. Likewise I
accept the Sacred Scriptures in that very strict sense in which the Catholic
Church, whose right it is to declare their true sense and meaning, has held
them and holds them now; nor will I ever accept, modify, innovate or interpret them
in a way contrary to the unanimous agreement of the Fathers of the Church.
·
Further I profess that there are seven true and proper Sacraments of the Church,
each instituted by Jesus Christ our Lord for the salvation of the human race
(although not all of them are necessary for everyone), namely, Baptism,
Confirmation, the Eucharist, Penance, Extreme Unction, Holy Orders, and
Matrimony; that these outward signs confer inner Grace, and that of these,
Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders cannot be received a second time without
sacrilege. I shall not administer any sacrament to any individual acting in
defiance of the Church, or rejecting the authority or the sensus fidelum of the
Church. Also, I accept and adhere to the rites of the solemn administration of
the aforementioned Sacraments according as they have been accepted and approved
by the Catholic Church.
·
I affirm that in the Mass there is offered to God a true, worthy, and expiatory
sacrifice for the living and the dead; and that the Body and Blood of our Lord
Jesus Christ, together with His Soul and Divinity, are really and substantially
present in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist, and that there occurs a
change in the total substance of the bread into His Body and of the total
substance of the wine into His Blood, which change the Catholic Church calls
Transubstantiation. I confess also that Christ, whole and entire, and the true
Sacrament are received under either species.
As a Catholic
Christian and as a members of the Mystical Body of Christ, I acknowledge adhere
to, and affirm the following Catholic statements;
1.
Although we acknowledge the primacy of the Petrine Office and the respect due
to the Bishop of Rome, we do not believe the Successor of Peter to be
infallible. We find no scriptural support for this doctrine, nor do we consider
the doctrine of Papal Infallibility to be essential to the Christian
understanding of the Indefectibility of the Church or to be integral to Our
Lord's promise of the Holy Spirit's unfailing guidance of the Church. On the
contrary, we see that this discipline has opened the door to the abuse of
rightful authority and is the root cause of the dissent, anger, and suffering
of many; in addition, it constitutes a barrier to ecumenical relationships with
other ecclesiastical bodies and to the unity which is Our Lord's perpetual
wish.
2.
The Society of Christ the King is committed to a leadership of service rather
than to one characterized by domination and control. To this end, we are
dedicated to the establishment and maintenance of a collegial ecclesiastical
structure which, while preserving the traditional orders of Church governance,
will allow for greater equality, for a more democratic process, for diversity
in unity and unity in diversity, and which will allow the sensus fidelium to be
heard. We are committed to an ecclesiastical policy which will genuinely allow
the laity to take their rightful place in the Church and which will give due
respect to their gifts, to their intelligence, and to their ecclesiastical
rights.
3.
While acknowledging that celibacy is a great and noble gift, we also affirm
that this discipline need not be imposed upon those who desire to engage in
sacerdotal ministry. We observe that the discipline of mandatory clerical
celibacy is an obstacle to the service of Christ and that this discipline prevents
many from following the calling of Our Lord. Therefore, in keeping with the
practice of the early Church, we affirm the priestly vocations of married
persons and freely admit married individuals into all ranks of the clergy. The
Society of Christ the King maintains its position, along with that of the
historical universal church, and against all sexual activity outside of the
sacramental bonds of Holy Matrimony. Holy Scriptures are clear in teaching that
all sexual promiscuity is sin. We are convinced that this includes homosexual
practices between men or women, as well as heterosexual relationships outside
marriage. We are deeply concerned that the setting aside of biblical teaching
in such actions as the ordination of practicing homosexuals and the blessing of
same-sex unions calls into question the authority of Holy Scriptures.
4.
Also in keeping with our respect for the full human dignity of all persons, we
are committed to a policy which is more inclusive and which erects no artificial
or illegitimate barriers to the reception of the Sacraments on the basis not
only of gender but also of age, race, or ethnic background. We seek to embrace
and to reconcile rather than to condemn and to alienate further those whose
circumstances have caused them to experience rejection by the Church and by
society at large Thus, in accordance with our general policy of ecumenical
openness and compassion for our sisters and brothers in Christ, we do not
withhold the reception of sacraments from any qualified person who desires to
receive them. In particular, we place no artificial barriers in the way of the
reception of the Sacrament of Baptism when a parent sincerely desires that
through this Sacrament a child be received into the Mystical Body of Christ.
5.
While we recognize the sacramentality and sanctity of marriage, are dedicated
to the fostering of family life, and desire in every way to encourage life-long
marital commitments, we recognize that in our present society it is a sad
circumstance that marital relationships do not always last until death and that
there are, in fact, occasions whereupon it is more detrimental to the parties
involved to continue living together than to allow for a parting of the ways,
and a continent life.
6.
While we strongly affirm the sanctity of human life, we also affirm universal
human rights as well as a person's individual responsibility before God
concerning the quality of that life. We absolutely deplore and forbid abortion
and abortiofacient drugs.
In no respect do we
intend in these or in any future statements to separate ourselves from the
Mystical Body of Christ. Nevertheless, with regard to these issues, we believe
that the Papacy has overstepped the bounds of its legitimate authority and, in
straying from the principles of loving compassion in the interests of
preserving and enhancing its own power, has driven many to dissent, to
disobedience, to reaction against what appears to us to be a clear abuse of
power and of rightful authority.
I,
__________________________, promise that, with God's help, I shall most
constantly hold and profess the true Catholic Faith which I now freely profess
and truly hold. With the help of God, I shall possess it whole and unblemished
until my dying breath; And to the best of my ability, I shall see to it that my
church and those entrusted to me by virtue of my office learn it, hold it,
teach it, live it and preach it. I shall not swerve, nor deviate from it, so
help me God, and His Holy Gospels.
Life
Within The Society
All members of the
Order are dedicated to working in community-based missions or parishes. Members
are assigned a community-based ministry to work within for the purpose of ministering
directly to the needs of the people, promoting education in the Faith,
providing training in vocational needs, assisting in securing health needs,
developing services for local youth, and establishing parishes within their
respective provinces. Members of the Order must participate fully in the
establishment of The Catholic Apostolic National Church and dedicate their
efforts, energies, time, personal wealth, and resources to the greater glory of
God, for the establishment and spread of the Word of God throughout the World.
History
The Society of
Christ the King was established in 1999, on the Feast of Christ the King, by
Fr. Andre’ Queen, as a Religious Order whose purpose was to more
thoroughly teach the Catholic faith to both clergy and laity alike, through a
rigorous application of theology and education, in an atmosphere of ascetic
spiritual contemplative prayer and service to one’s fellow man. The
order’s first Superior General was Robert Mathew Gubala, Bishop of
Providence, Rhode Island, who was later to become the Archbishop-Metropolitan
of the Catholic Apostolic National Church.
In the year 2000,
Fr. Andre’ Queen, SCR, having been elevated to the episcopacy the prior
year, was appointed to be the second Superior General of the Order. In 2001,
the Order was to expand to the
In the year 2006,
Bishop Andre’ Queen, SCR petitioned the Archbishop-Metropolitan, and in
May 2006, His Eminence authorized the re-constitution of the order as a
“personal prelature” under Bishop Andre’ Queen, SCR as
prelate of the order. This done to further focus the members to their calling
through service to Christ and the Church.
In order to look
forward, it is sometimes necessary to look to our past. Indeed, as Old
Catholics we do not seek to create a new creation, but seek merely to maintain
that faith and worship that is believed everywhere, by everyone for all
time. In that line of thought, we have
sought to aid ourselves with a rule and guide that most closely resembles our
theology and goals. In our search we realize ever more clearly, that it is we,
who are the echo and those before us who are the original.
We find that, in a
strong sense, we are echoes of the Brethren of the Common Life, born at
Deventer, in the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the 1300’s, founded by
Geert De Groote. Geert believed in a combination of religion and learning, and
preferred love, faith and humility. The members of the Brethren of the Common
Life went on to establish teachers and headmasters of existing institutions,
eventually establishing institutions of learning of their own.
He espoused
meditation and spirituality, contemplating the Divine Word, and being storied
in Scripture. He taught that meditation and knowledge, however, are not
sufficient, but that it was necessary to confess Christ in work, to strive for
perfect conformity with His life and death, if we desire to rise with Him and
ascend into heaven. The Brethren of the Common Life espoused what we seek to
espouse, and so we find that we have not created something new, but rather
returned to something that once was.
The brethren of
Deventer and Zwolle wrote: "Our house was founded with the intention
that priests and clerics might live there, supported by their own manual labor,
namely the copying of books, and the return from certain estates, attend church
with devotion, obey the prelates, wear simple clothing, preserve the canons and
decrees of the saints, practice religious exercises and lead not only
irreproachable, but exemplary lives, in order that they may serve God and
perchance induce others to seek salvation. Since the final end of religion
consists in purity of heart, without which we shall seek perfection in vain,
let it be our daily aim to purge our poisoned hearts from sin, so that in the
first place we may learn to know ourselves, and endeavor with all our strength
to eradicate the vices of our minds; despise temporal gain, crush selfish
desires, aid others in overcoming sin, and concentrate our energy on the
acquisition of true virtues, such as humility, love, chastity, patience, and
obedience. Toward this end we must direct all our spiritual exercises: prayer,
meditation, reading, manual labor, watching, fasting - in short the harmonious
development of our internal and external powers."
We then return to
this piety and carry on the work, which they have begun. In memorial of their
impact, we add the subtitle to the name of our Society, “The Brethren of
the Common Life”.
The Society of Christ the King (SCR)
– The First Order
Ordained Clergy
Membership
Membership is
composed only of those men having been ordained to either the diaconate,
priesthood or the episcopacy. When an applicant applies for admission, the
brethren are required to examine his physical condition, and his mental
faculties; he should be asked from which country he has come. He should be
asked, also, whether he could write, and loved to read books. In case he was
found to be in good health and of sound mind and habits, he would be received
as a novice for a year, whereupon he might be promoted to a further trial of
ten or twelve months. After this lapse of time he might become a Brother of the
Common Life, having first sworn before a notary public and in the presence of
some witnesses that he renounced all claim to any property of his own. Members
can be expelled in case of ill-behavior. The brethren are exhorted to preserve
mutual love, peace, and harmony.
Daily Routine
The brethren of the
first order who are going to live in the Monastic House take the vows of
chastity, poverty and obedience. The vows of obedience are not to the Diocesan
Ordinary, but the Superior General of the Order, and their respective
Provincial Superiors and Masters of the Monastic House in which they reside.
The brethren of the first order, who are in the married estate, shall take vows
of poverty and obedience, except that poverty shall not prevent the support of
spouse and minor children, so as to provide a good and loving home.
The brethren of the
first order shall make themselves available to minister the sacraments to the
brethren and sisters of the Society in accordance with the Rule, and as needed
and deemed necessary. The brethren who are
not monastic, shall set aside no less than one week a year, in seclusion, for
the purpose of living in one of the Monastic Houses, devoted to prayer, fasting
and the study of Scripture.
Note that the
Superior General has approved, for the House in the
Attire
The brethren of the
first order shall, while carrying out all clerical duties, be appropriately
garbed in attire proper to the dignity of their ordination, preferably in
cassock or soutane. Brethren of the first order, however, should they be
monastic, shall wear the attire suitable for brethren of the second order, with
the full clerical collar.
The Servant Society of Christ the King
(SSCR) - The Second Order
Monastic House
Membership
Each house should,
if possible, have four priests and some other members of the clergy. When an
applicant applies for admission, the brethren are required to examine his
physical condition, and his mental equipment; he should be asked from which
country he had come. He should be asked, also, whether he could write, and
loved to read books. In case he was found to be in good health and of sound
mind and habits, he would be allowed to remain in the house for twelve months
as a novice, whereupon he might be promoted to a further trial of ten or twelve
months. After this lapse of time he might become a Brother of the Common Life,
having first sworn before a notary public and in the presence of some witnesses
that he renounced all claim to any property of his own. Members can be expelled
in case of ill-behavior. The brethren are exhorted to preserve mutual love,
peace, and harmony. Note that the Superior General has approved, for the House
in the
The brethren who
are going to live in the Monastic House take the vows of chastity, poverty and
obedience. The vows of obedience are not to the Diocesan Ordinary, but the
Superior General of the Order, and their respective Provincial Superiors and
Masters of the Monastic House in which they reside.
The Brethren of the
Common Life appoint rectors, procurators, librarians, and several other
office-holders, as needed, within each Chapter House, both in the Monastic
House and in the Community House.
Daily Routine
The brethren are to
rise shortly before five o’ clock, preparing themselves at once for
prayer and the reading of certain prescribed selections. All the members of the
house are expected to attend the daily mass, and are exhorted to free their
mind from all distractions, "thus preparing themselves, as it were, for a
spiritual communion."
The brethren are
expected to spend several hours a day in reading religious books, or else in
performing other tasks. The breviary shall be the order of the day. But lest
the spirit suffer from neglect, they should occasionally utter short prayers.
The brethren are to consume their meals in silence, in order that they may pay
proper attention to the reading of a selection from the Bible. After supper
they can do as they pleased in their own rooms till eight o'clock. At eight all
guests are to leave the house. The doors are to be shut fast, and silence
observed till half past eight, when it is time to go to bed.
Attire
The brethren shall
attire themselves in the appropriate monastic garb, including black clerical
shirt, “brother’s collar” and black monastic attire, unless
engaged in strenuous labor or unduly inclement weather. The brethren may, with
permission from the Master of the Monastic House, wear attire suitable to the
laity while engaged in certain types of employment, but only for that specific
time.
Convent
Membership
When an applicant
applies for admission, the sisters are required to examine her physical
condition, and her mental stability; she should be asked from which country she
had come. She should be asked, also, whether she could write, and loved to read
books. In case she was found to be in good health and of sound mind and habits,
she would be allowed to remain in the house for a year as a novice, whereupon
she might be promoted to a further trial of ten or twelve months. After this
lapse of time she might become a Sister of the Common Life, having first sworn
before a notary public and in the presence of some witnesses that she renounced
all claim to any property of her own. Members can be expelled in case of
ill-behavior. The sisters are exhorted to preserve mutual love, peace, and
harmony.
The sisters who are
going to live in the Convent take the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience.
The vows of obedience are not to the Diocesan Ordinary, but the Superior
General of the Order, the Mother Superior, and their respective Provincial
Superiors and Reverend Mother of the Convent in which they reside.
The Sisters of the
Common Life appoint rectors, procurators, librarians, and several other
office-holders, as needed, within each Chapter House, both in the Convent and
in the Community House.
Daily Routine
The daily routine
of the Sisters of the Common Life is identical to that of the Brethren in the Monastic
House. Note that the Superior General has approved, for the House in the
The sisters are to
rise shortly before five o’ clock, preparing themselves at once for
prayer and the reading of certain prescribed selections. All the members of the
convent are expected to attend the daily mass, and are exhorted to free their
mind from all distractions, "thus preparing themselves, as it were, for a
spiritual communion."
The sisters are
expected to spend several hours a day in reading religious books, or else in
performing other tasks. The breviary shall be the order of the day. But lest
the spirit suffer from neglect, they should occasionally utter short prayers.
The sisters are to consume their meals in silence, in order that they may pay
proper attention to the reading of a selection from the Bible. After supper
they can do as they pleased in their own rooms till eight o'clock. At eight all
guests are to leave the convent. The doors are to be shut fast, and silence
observed till half past eight, when it is time to go to bed.
Attire
The sisters shall
attire themselves in the appropriate black habit, as determined by the Mother
Superior of the Sisters of the Common Life, unless engaged in strenuous labor
or unduly inclement weather. The sisters may, with permission from the Reverend
Mother of the Monastic House, wear modest attire, suitable to the laity, while
engaged in certain types of employment, but only for that specific time.
The Tertiary Society of Christ the King
(TSCR) - Third Order [Regular and Secular]
Community House [Regulars]
Only those who were
not bound by monastic vows can secure admittance; nor are they expected to take
such vows on entering the house. They are free to leave if they chose. All the
members of the house remain members of the local parish church, just as all
other laymen. Their clothes shall in no respect be different from those of the
other men or women in the city, for they were neither brothers nor nuns. One
may even be a member of the society without living in the Community House. A
community house is organized and constituted one for men, and one for women, in
any location authorized by the Provincial Superior where there is such a call
for them.
No one is expected
to cede their property, on entering the house; the members all work in common
and share the expenses together, while the income would be equally divided.
Every member of the house who is able to work would is expected to contribute
their share of manual labor.
Note that the
Superior General has approved, for the House in the
Family Life
[Seculars]
Likewise those
members of the third order who are married, shall continue to live their lives
in the married estate, with their spouses and children. They shall set aside
times daily to be devoted to prayer and the reading of Scripture, and shall
devote time in service to God each week to their local parish, in concert with
the local Community House, if one has been established. Members in family life
are to also live soberly, wear simple clothes, and work towards fostering in
themselves the virtues of humility, love, chastity, patience, and obedience.
Those member of the third order of the Society in the married life shall devote
no less than one weekend a year, in seclusion at the Community House of proper
gender, dedicated to prayer, fasting and the study of Scripture.
Attire
The members of the
third order of the Society living either in the Community House, or in Family
Life, are to live soberly, and wear modest clothes.
The Rule
The Rule of the
Order for those in Monastic Houses or Convents shall be as stated herein, based
upon the Rule of St. Augustine. This shall be the Rule for those of the Second
Order, except as approved by the Superior General. Note that the Superior
General has approved, for the House in the
Chapter I
Purpose and Basis
of Common Life
Before all else,
dear brothers and sisters, love God and then your neighbor, because these are
the chief commandments given to us.
1. The following are
the precepts we order you living in the monastery to observe.
2. The main purpose
for you having come together is to live harmoniously in your house, intent upon
God in oneness of mind and heart.
3. Call nothing
your own, but let everything be yours in common. Food and clothing shall be
distributed to each of you by your superior, not equally to all, for all do not
enjoy equal health, but rather according to each one's need. For so you read in
the Acts of the Apostles that they had all things in common and distribution
was made to each one according to each one's need (4:32,35).
4. Those who owned
something in the world should be careful in wanting to share it in common once
they have entered the monastery.
5. But they who
owned nothing should not look for those things in the monastery that they were
unable to have in the world. Nevertheless, they are to be given all that their
health requires even if, during their time in the world, poverty made it
impossible for them to find the very necessities of life. And those should not
consider themselves fortunate because they have found the kind of food and
clothing which they were unable to find in the world.
6. And let them not
hold their heads high, because they associate with people whom they did not
dare to approach in the world, but let them rather lift up their hearts and not
seek after what is vain and earthly. Otherwise, monasteries will come to serve
a useful purpose for the rich and not the poor, if the rich are made humble
there and the poor are puffed up with pride.
7. The rich, for
their part, who seemed important in the world, must not look down upon their
brothers who have come into this holy brotherhood from a condition of poverty.
They should seek to glory in the fellowship of poor brothers rather than in the
reputation of rich relatives. They should neither be elated if they have
contributed a part of their wealth to the common life, nor take more pride in
sharing their riches with the monastery than if they were to enjoy them in the
world. Indeed, every other kind of sin has to do with the commission of evil
deeds, whereas pride lurks even in good works in order to destroy them. And
what good is it to scatter one's wealth abroad by giving to the poor, even to
become poor oneself, when the unhappy soul is thereby more given to pride in
despising riches than it had been in possessing them?
8. Let all of you
then live together in oneness of mind and heart, mutually honoring God in
yourselves, whose temples you have become.
Chapter II
Prayer
1. Be assiduous
in prayer (
2. In the Oratory
no one should do anything other than that for which was intended and from which
it also takes its name. Consequently, if there are some who might wish to pray
there during their free time, even outside the hours appointed, they should not
be hindered by those who think something else must be done there.
3. When you pray to
God in Psalms and hymns, think over in your hearts the words that come from
your lips.
4. Chant only what
is prescribed for chant; moreover, let nothing be chanted unless it is so
prescribed.
Chapter III
Moderation and
Self-Denial
1. Subdue the flesh, so far as your health
permits, by fasting and abstinence from food and drink. However, when someone
is unable to fast, he should still take no food outside mealtimes unless he is
ill.
2. When you come to
table, listen until you leave to what is the custom to read, without
disturbance or strife. Let not your mouths alone take nourishment but let your
hearts too hunger for the words of God.
3. If those in more
delicate health from their former way of life are treated differently in the
matter of food, this should not be a source of annoyance to the others or
appear unjust in the eyes of those who owe their stronger health to different
habits of life. Nor should the healthier brothers deem them more fortunate for
having food, which they do not have, but rather consider themselves fortunate
for having the good health, which the others do not enjoy.
4. And if something
in the way of food, clothing, and bedding is given to those coming to the
monastery from a more genteel way of life, which is not given to those who are
stronger, and therefore happier, then these latter ought to consider how far
these others have come in passing from their life in the world down to this
life of ours, though they have been unable to reach the level of frugality
common to the stronger brothers. Nor should all want to receive what they see
given in larger measure to the few, not as a token of honor, but as a help to
support them in their weakness. This would give rise to a deplorable disorder -
that in the monastery, where the rich are coming to bear as much hardship as
they can, the poor are turning to a more genteel way of life.
5. And just as the
sick must take less food to avoid discomfort, so too, after their illness, they
are to receive the kind of treatment that will quickly restore their strength,
even though they come from a life of extreme poverty. Their more recent illness
has, as it were, afforded them what accrued to the rich as part of their former
way of life. But when they have recovered their former strength, they should go
back to their happier way of life which, because their needs are fewer, is all
the more in keeping with God's servants. Once in good health, they must not
become slaves to the enjoyment of food, which was necessary to sustain them in
their illness. For it is better to suffer a little want than to have too much.
Chapter IV
Safeguarding
Chastity, and Fraternal Correction
1. There should be nothing about your
clothing to attract attention. Besides, you should not seek to please by your
apparel, but by a good life.
2. Whenever you go
out, walk together, and when you reach your destination, stay together.
3. In your walk,
deportment, and in all actions, let nothing occur to give offense to anyone who
sees you, but only what becomes your holy state of life.
4. Although your
eyes may chance to rest upon some member of the opposite sex, you must not fix
your gaze upon any member of the opposite sex. Seeing a member of the opposite
sex when you go out is not forbidden, but it is sinful to desire them or to
wish them to desire you, for it is not by tough or passionate feeling alone but
by one's gaze also that lustful desires mutually arise. And do not say that
your hearts are pure if there is immodesty of the eye, because the unchaste eye
carries the message of an impure heart. And when such hearts disclose their
unchaste desires in a mutual gaze, even without saying a word, then it is that
chastity suddenly goes out of their life, even though their bodies remain
unsullied by unchaste acts.
5. And whoever
fixes his gaze upon a member of the opposite sex and likes to have theirs fixed
upon them must not suppose that others do not see what they are doing. They are
very much seen, even by those they think do not see them. But suppose all this
escapes the notice of man - what will they do about God who sees from on high
and from whom nothing is hidden? Or are we to imagine that he does not see
because he sees with a patience as great as his wisdom? Let the religious man
and woman then have such fear of God that they will not want to be an occasion
of sinful pleasure to another. Ever mindful that God sees all things, let them
not desire to look at another lustfully. For it is on this point that fear of
the Lord is recommended, where it is written: An abomination to the Lord is
he who fixes his gaze (Prv. 27:20)
6. So when you are
together in church and anywhere else where members of the opposite sex are
present, exercise a mutual care over purity of life. Thus, by mutual vigilance
over one another will God, who dwells in you, grant you his protection.
7. If you notice in
someone of your brothers or sisters this wantonness of the eye, of which I am
speaking, admonish him or her at once so that the beginning of evil will not
grow more serious but will be promptly corrected.
8. But if you see
him or her doing the same thing again on some other day, even after your
admonition, then whoever had occasion to discover this must report him or her
as they would a wounded individual in need of treatment. But let the offense
first be pointed out to two or three so that they can be proven guilty on the
testimony of these two or three and be punished with due severity. And do not
charge yourselves with ill-will when you bring this offense to light. Indeed,
yours in the greater blame if you allow your brothers or sisters to be lost
through your silence when you are able to bring about their correction by your
disclosure. If you brother or sister, for example, were suffering a bodily
wound that he or she wanted to hide for fear of undergoing treatment, would it
not be cruel of you to remain silent and a mercy on your part to make this
known? How much greater then is your obligation to make his condition known
lest he or she continue to suffer a more deadly wound of the soul.
9. But if he or she
fails to correct the fault despite this admonition, the person should first be
brought to the attention of the superior before the offense is made known to
the others who will have to prove his or her guilt, in the event he denies the
charge. Thus, corrected in private, the individual’s fault can perhaps be
kept from the others. But should the person feign ignorance, the others are to
be summoned so that in the presence of all that person can be proven guilty,
rather than stand accused on the word of one alone. Once proven guilty, the
individual must undergo salutary punishment according to the judgment of the
superior or priest having the proper authority. If they refuse to submit to
punishment, they shall be expelled from even if he or she does not withdraw of
his or her own accord. For this too is not done out of cruelty, but from a
sense of compassion so that many others may not be lost through his bad
example.
10. And let
everything I have said about not fixing one's gaze be also observed carefully
and faithfully with regard to other offenses: to find them out, to ward them
off, to make them known, to prove and punish them - all out of love for man and
a hatred of sin.
11. But if anyone
should go so far in wrongdoing as to receive letters in secret from any member of
the opposite sex, or small gifts of any kind, you ought to show mercy and pray
for him or her if the person confesses this of his or her own accord. But if
the offense is detected and the person is found guilty, he or she must be more
severely chastised according to the judgment of the priest or superior.
Chapter V
The Care of
Community Goods and Treatment of the Sick
1. Keep your
clothing in one place in charge of one or two, or of as many as are needed to
care for them and to prevent damage from moths. And just as you have your food
from the one pantry, so, too, you are to receive your clothing from a single
wardrobe. If possible, do not be concerned about what you are given to wear at
the change of seasons, whether each of you gets back what he had put away or
something different, providing no one is denied what he needs. If, however,
disputes and murmuring arise on this account because someone complains that he
received poorer clothing than he had before, and thinks it is beneath him to
wear the kind of clothing worn by another, you may judge from this how lacking
you are in that holy and inner garment of the heart when you quarrel over
garments for the body. But if allowance is made for your weakness and you do
receive the same clothing you had put away, you must still keep it in one place
under the common charge.
2. In this way, no
one shall perform any task for his or her own benefit but all your work shall
be done for the common good, with greater zeal and more dispatch than if each
one of you were to work for yourself alone. For charity, as it is written, is
not self-seeking (1 Cor. 13:5) meaning that it places the common good
before its own, not its own before the common good. So whenever you show
greater concern for the common good than for your own, you may know that you
are growing in charity. Thus, let the abiding virtue of charity prevail in all
things that minister to the fleeting necessities of life.
3. It follows,
therefore, that if anyone brings something for their sons or daughters or other
relatives living in the monastery or convent, whether a garment or anything
else they think is needed, this must not be accepted secretly as one's own but
must be placed at the disposal of the superior so that, as common property, it
can be given to whoever needs it. But if someone secretly keeps something given
to him, that person shall be judged guilty of theft.
4. Your clothing
should be cleaned either by yourselves or by those who perform this service, as
the superior shall determine, so that too great a desire for clean clothing may
not be the source of interior stains on the soul.
5. As for bodily
cleanliness too, a brother or sister must never deny themselves the use of the
bath when health requires it.
6. Finally, if the
cause of a brother's or sister’s bodily pain is not apparent, you make
take the word of God's servant when he or she indicates what is causing pain.
But if it remains uncertain whether the remedy he or she likes is good, a
doctor should be consulted.
7. The care of the
sick, whether those in convalescence or others suffering from some
indisposition, even though free of fever, shall be assigned to a brother or
sister who can personally obtain from the pantry whatever he sees is necessary
for each one.
8. Those in charge
of the pantry, or of clothing and books, should render cheerful service to
their brothers or sisters.
10. Books are to be
requested at a fixed hour each day, and anyone coming outside that hour is not
to receive them.
11. But as for
clothing and shoes, those in charge shall not delay the giving of them whenever
they are required by those in need of them.
Chapter VI
Asking Pardon and
Forgiving Offenses
1.Your should
either avoid quarrels altogether or else put an end to them as quickly as possible;
otherwise, anger may grow into hatred, making a plank out of a splinter, and
turn the soul into a murderer. For so you read: Everyone who hates his
brother is a murderer (1 Jn 3:15).
2. Whoever has
injured another by open insult, or by abusive or even incriminating language,
must remember to repair the injury as quickly as possible by an apology, and he
who suffered the injury must also forgive, without further wrangling. But if
they have offended one another, they must forgive one another's trespasses for
the sake of your prayers which should be recited with greater sincerity each
time you repeat them. Although a brother or sister is often tempted to anger,
yet prompt to ask pardon from one he or she admits to having offended, such a
one is better than another who, though less given to anger, finds it too hard
to ask forgiveness. But a brother or sister who is never willing to ask pardon,
or does not do so from his heart, has no reason to be in the monastery or
convent, even if not expelled. You must then avoid being too harsh in your
words, and should they escape your lips, let those same lips not be ashamed to
heal the wounds they have caused.
3. But whenever the
good of discipline requires you to speak harshly in correcting your subjects,
then, even if you think you have been unduly harsh in your language, you are
not required to ask forgiveness lest, by practicing too great humility toward
those who should be your subjects, the authority to rule is undermined. But you
should still ask forgiveness from the Lord of all who knows with what deep
affection you love even those whom you might happen to correct with undue
severity. Besides, you are to love another with a spiritual rather than an
earthly love.
Chapter VII
Governance and
Obedience
1. The superior
should be obeyed with the respect due, so as not to offend God in his person,
and, even more so, the priest who bears responsibility for you all.
2. But it shall
pertain chiefly to the superior to see that these precepts are all observed and,
if any point has been neglected, to take care that the transgression is not
carelessly overlooked but is punished and corrected. In doing so, he or she
must refer whatever exceeds the limit and power of the office, to the priest
who enjoys greater authority among you.
3. The superior,
for his or her own part, must not think himself fortunate in the exercise of
authority but in the role as one serving you in love. In your eyes he or she
shall hold the first place among you by the dignity of the office, but in fear
before God he or she shall be as the least among you. He or she must show
oneself as an example of good works toward all. Let him admonish the unruly,
cheer the fainthearted, support the weak, and be patient toward all (1
Thess. 5:14). Let him or her uphold discipline while instilling fear. And
though both are necessary, he or she should strive to be loved by you rather
than feared, ever mindful that he or she must give an account of you to God.
4. It is by being
more obedient, therefore, that you show mercy not only toward yourselves but
also toward the superior whose higher rank among you exposes him or her all the
more to greater peril.
Chapter VIII
Observance of the
Rule
1. The Lord grant that you may observe all these
precepts in a spirit of charity as lovers of spiritual beauty, giving forth the
good odor of Christ in the holiness of your lives: not as slaves living under
the law but as men and women living in freedom under grace.
2. And that you may see yourselves in this
little book, as in a mirror, have it read to you once a week so as to neglect
no point through forgetfulness. When you find that you are doing all that has
been written, give thanks to the Lord, the Giver of every good. But when one of
you finds that he has failed on any point, let him or her be sorry for the
past, be on guard for the future, praying that he or she will be forgiven his
fault and not be led into temptation.
3. Note that the
Superior General has approved, for the House in the
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