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Leave a CommentRule of Saint Benedict Posts
Listen, O my son, to the precepts of thy master, and incline the ear of thy heart, and cheerfully receive and faithfully execute the admonitions…
Leave a Comment1. Cenobites. IT is well known that there are four kinds of monks. The first kind is that of Cenobites, that is, the monastic, who…
Leave a CommentThe Abbot who is worthy to be over a monastery, ought always to be mindful of what he is called, and make his works square…
Leave a CommentMatters. Whenever weighty matters are to be transacted in the monastery, let the Abbot call together the whole community, and make known the matter which…
Leave a Comment1. In the first place to love the Lord God with the whole heart, the whole soul, the whole strength. 2. Then, one’s neighbor as…
Leave a CommentObedience. The first degree of humility is obedience without delay. This becomes those who, on account of the holy subjection which they have promised, or…
Leave a CommentSilence. Let us do what the Prophet saith: “I said, I will take heed of my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I…
Leave a CommentHumility. Brethren, the Holy Scripture cries to us saying: “Every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted”…
Leave a CommentMatins. Making due allowance for circumstances, the brethren will rise during the winter season, that is, from the calends of November till Easter, at the…
Leave a CommentVerses. During the winter season, having in the first place said the verse, Deus, in adjutorium meum intende; Domine, ad adjuvandum me festina, there is…
Leave a CommentPsalmody. From Easter till the calends of November let the whole psalmody, as explained above, be said, except that on account of the shortness of…
Leave a CommentNight Office. For the night office on Sunday the monks should rise earlier. At this office let the following regulations be observed, namely: after six…
Leave a CommentSunday Lauds. At Lauds on Sunday, let the 66th psalm be said first simply, without an antiphon. After that let the 50th psalm be said…
Leave a CommentWeek Day Lauds. On week days let Lauds be celebrated in the following manner, to wit: Let the 66th psalm be said without an antiphon,…
Leave a CommentNight Office.On the feasts of the saints and on all solemn festivals let the night office be performed as we said it should be done…
Leave a CommentAlleluia. From holy Easter until Pentecost let the Alleluia be said without intermission, both with the psalms and with the responsories; but from Pentecost until…
Leave a CommentWork of God. As the Prophet saith: “Seven times a day I have given praise to Thee” (Ps 118[119]:164), this sacred sevenfold number will be…
Leave a CommentPsalmody Hours. We have now arranged the order of the psalmody for the night and the morning office; let us next arrange for the succeeding…
Leave a CommentVerses and Hymns. In the beginning let there be said the verse, Deus, in adjutorium meum intende; Domine, ad adjuvandum me festina (Ps 69[70]:2), and…
Leave a CommentWe believe that God is present everywhere and that the eyes of the Lord behold the good and the bad in every place (cf Prov…
Leave a CommentIf we do not venture to approach men who are in power, except with humility and reverence, when we wish to ask a favor, how…
Leave a CommentIf the brotherhood is large, let brethren of good repute and holy life be chosen from among them and be appointed Deans; and let them…
Leave a CommentLet the brethren sleep singly, each in a separate bed. Let them receive the bedding befitting their mode of life, according to the direction of…
Leave a CommentIf a brother is found stubborn or disobedient or proud or murmuring, or opposed to anything in the Holy Rule and a contemner of the…
Leave a CommentThe degree of excommunication or punishment ought to be meted out according to the gravity of the offense, and to determine that is left to…
Leave a CommentBut let the brother who is found guilty of a graver fault be excluded from both the table and the oratory. Let none of the…
Leave a CommentIf any brother presume to associate with an excommunicated brother in any way, or to speak with him, or to send him a message, without…
Leave a CommentLet the Abbot show all care and concern towards offending brethren because “they that are in health need not a physician, but they that are…
Leave a CommentIf a brother hath often been corrected and hath even been excommunicated for a fault and doth not amend, let a more severe correction be…
Leave a CommentIf a brother, who through his own fault leaves the monastery or is expelled, desires to return, let him first promise full amendment of the…
Leave a CommentEvery age and understanding should have its proper discipline. Whenever, therefore, boys or immature youths or such as can not understand how grave a penalty…
Leave a CommentLet there be chosen from the brotherhood as Cellarer of the monastery a wise man, of settled habits, temperate and frugal, not conceited, irritable, resentful,…
Leave a CommentLet the Abbot appoint brethren on whose life and character he can rely, over the property of the monastery in tools, clothing, and things generally,…
Leave a CommentThe vice of personal ownership must by all means be cut out in the monastery by the very root, so that no one may presume…
Leave a CommentIt is written, “Distribution was made to everyone according as he had need” (Acts 4:35). We do not say by this that respect should be…
Leave a CommentLet the brethren serve each other so that no one be excused from the work in the kitchen, except on account of sickness or more…
Leave a CommentBefore and above all things, care must be taken of the sick, that they be served in very truth as Christ is served; because He…
Leave a CommentAlthough human nature is of itself drawn to feel compassion for these life-periods, namely, old age and childhood, still, let the decree of the Rule…
Leave a CommentReading must not be wanting at the table of the brethren when they are eating. Neither let anyone who may chance to take up the…
Leave a CommentMaking allowance for the infirmities of different persons, we believe that for the daily meal, both at the sixth and the ninth hour, two kinds…
Leave a Comment“Every one hath his proper gift from God, one after this manner and another after that” (1 Cor 7:7). It is with some hesitation, therefore,…
Leave a CommentFrom holy Easter till Pentecost let the brethren dine at the sixth hour and take supper in the evening. From Pentecost on, however, during the…
Leave a CommentMonks should always be given to silence, especially, however, during the hours of the night. Therefore, on every day, whether of fast or of a…
Leave a CommentAs soon as the signal for the time of the divine office is heard, let everyone, leaving whatever he hath in his hands, hasten with…
Leave a CommentWhoever is excommunicated for graver faults from the oratory and the table, let him, at the time that the Work of God is celebrated in…
Leave a CommentIf anyone while he recites a psalm, a responsory, an antiphon, or a lesson, makes a mistake, and doth not humble himself there before all…
Leave a CommentIf anyone while engaged in any work, in the kitchen, in the cellar, in serving, in the bakery, in the garden, at any art or…
Leave a CommentLet it be the Abbot’s care that the time for the Work of God be announced both by day and by night; either to announce…
Leave a CommentIdleness is the enemy of the soul; and therefore the brethren ought to be employed in manual labor at certain times, at others, in devout…
Leave a CommentThe life of a monk ought always to be a Lenten observance. However, since such virtue is that of few, we advise that during these…
Leave a CommentThe brethren who are at work too far away, and cannot come to the oratory at the appointed time, and the Abbot hath assured himself…
Leave a CommentA brother who is sent out on any business and is expected to return to the monastery the same day, may not presume to eat…
Leave a CommentLet the oratory be what it is called, and let nothing else be done or stored there. When the Work of God is finished, let…
Leave a CommentLet all guests who arrive be received as Christ, because He will say: “I was a stranger and you took Me in” (Mt 25:35). And…
Leave a CommentLet it not be allowed at all for a monk to give or to receive letters, tokens, or gifts of any kind, either from parents…
Leave a CommentLet clothing be given to the brethren according to the circumstances of the place and the nature of the climate in which they live, because…
Leave a CommentLet the Abbot’s table always be with the guests and travelers. When, however, there are no guests, let it be in his power to invite…
Leave a CommentIf there be skilled workmen in the monastery, let them work at their art in all humility, if the Abbot gives his permission. But if…
Leave a CommentLet easy admission not be given to one who newly comes to change his life; but, as the Apostle saith, “Try the spirits, whether they…
Leave a CommentIf it happen that a nobleman offers his son to God in the monastery and the boy is of tender age, let his parents execute…
Leave a CommentIf a priest asks to be received into the monastery, let consent not be granted too readily; still, if he urgently persists in his request,…
Leave a CommentIf a monk who is a stranger, arrives from a distant place and desires to live in the monastery as a guest, and is satisfied…
Leave a CommentIf the Abbot desires to have a priest or a deacon ordained, let him select from among his monks one who is worthy to discharge…
Leave a CommentLet all keep their order in the monastery in such wise, that the time of their conversion and the merit of their life distinguish it,…
Leave a CommentIn the election of an Abbot let this always be observed as a rule, that he be placed in the position whom the whole community…
Leave a CommentIt often happeneth indeed, that grave scandals arise in monasteries out of the appointment of the Prior; since there are some who, puffed up with…
Leave a CommentLet a wise old man be placed at the door of the monastery, one who knows how to take and give an answer, and whose…
Leave a CommentLet the brethren who are to be sent on a journey recommend themselves to the prayers of all the brotherhood and of the Abbot. And…
Leave a CommentIf, perchance, any difficult or impossible tasks be enjoined on a brother, let him nevertheless receive the order of him who commands with all meekness…
Leave a CommentCare must be taken that on no occasion one monk try to defend another in the monastery, or to take his part, even though they…
Leave a CommentLet every occasion for presumption be avoided in the monastery. We decree that no one be permitted to excommunicate or to strike any one of…
Leave a CommentThe brethren must render the service of obedience not only to the Abbot, but they must thus also obey one another, knowing that they shall…
Leave a CommentAs there is a harsh and evil zeal which separates us from God and leads us into to hell, so there is a virtuous zeal…
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