• Home
• Retreat with St. Anthony
• Online Giving
• Latest Updates
• Zaccarian Apostolate of Prayer 2012
• Site Map
• Barnabite Podcasts
• Translations

Constitutions

Index of the Constitutions 

CONSTITUTIONS

No more than two or three Masses are to be celebrated besides the Community Mass, at which those will receive communion to whom permission is given — though sometimes in case of necessity they may also be allowed to receive at one of the other Masses. Let everybody, according to one’s disposition, go to communion at least every Sunday¹ and Holy Day of obligation. Likewise confession is not to be put off for over a week, however, it may be made more often.

There should be only one bell, a small one, but such that it may be heard all over the house. It should be tolled at every office hour in the morning as well as at Vespers, two strokes each time, the second one lasting only for as long as necessary for one to arrive on time from the farthest place of the house. Our chapels are to be humble and poor: no sculptures, no carpets, no silken drapes. There may be paintings, not sophisticated though, but such as to inspire devotion. They may have a modest bell tower no higher than six feet above the roof.

Our brothers are not allowed to accept a stipend for Mass or for any other religious service from anybody; but without money and for God’s sake they ought to pray for the deceased or anyone who may be in material or spiritual need. For no reason may they accept alms to make a commitment to the aforesaid services, lest by chance they should begin an illicit bargaining, and this, with the blood of Christ. Furthermore, if, by chance, sometimes in some of our houses miracles occurred and because of them alms were offered, we want profits and gains to be totally controlled by lay people charged with that task. But they ought not use them for sculptures, paintings, vestments, or any other unusual embellishment, but should rather distribute them  to the poor of Christ.

You are to celebrate all the services and Masses according to the Roman rite, and in order to accommodate our brothers, rather than favor lay people’s laziness.  Our brothers should not attend religious services of other communities, nor their processions, unless they are given an order by spiritual and temporal Superiors. In such cases, they should attend without vestments, and under crosses and banners of others.

Not only that, but if anyone is found to be reluctant to progress in the virtue of chastity (by fighting anything contrary to it) so that his body and mind — as far as he can — may not be stained by such things, he is to be sent away without hesitation.

Take care, though, to use prudence in this matter, lest you should expel someone whose soul is simply put to the test by the devil or by divine permission. You will be sure that such is the case when you see that he willingly refrains his tongue and shuns unbecoming levity and idleness, and practices profound humility, and — as far as he can — joyfully desires true wholeness of body and soul. When, on the contrary, such signs are not present, there will be much to fear for his willful negligence.

Our houses must be so poor as to be truly called huts rather than houses. They are not to have architectural ornaments and no other color but white. To defend ourselves from cold weather or humidity we may use mats and planks, but coarse ones and not refined with decorations and ornaments. We may possess a vegetable garden, but no lands, no fields, and no woods. Thus, if any wealthy people and noblemen would like to build for our brothers splendid houses and chapels, we must never allow them to do that, nor accept them. Let them live in their sumptuous mansions and give those things to whom it pleases them. It would be a shame for us to have houses, and a far greater shame to have mansions.

Money must be entrusted to only one of the brothers. He must see to it that all the money be used within a month for the needs of the Community or for almsgiving. If he fails to do so, the first time he is to fast for three days, living on bread and water. But if he fails a second time, he is to be deprived of Holy Communion for a whole year, except at Easter; be separated from the others not only in all offices and exercises of the community but also in the community recreations and prayers; and for an entire year he must fast once a week, living on bread and water. Finally, if a third time he commits the same fault, consider him as a proprietor and cast him out of the Congregation.

Supplies of wine and other victuals are not to be permitted for longer than a month, nor are they to be renewed except two days before they begin dwindling. No one is permitted for any need whatever to borrow money or provisions, or to buy anything on credit, except perhaps to supply for the needs of a sick brother.

Our brothers are allowed to go door to door to collect alms, but for no more than a day’s need: and this in order that they may learn that it becomes the spirit of poverty to have just a little, as it becomes natural to be content with few and common things. Our brothers must keep and safeguard the things that belong to the community — not, of course, out of greed, but out of reverence; for they are, as it were, consecrated to the Lord — to the point that anyone who by negligence causes one of those things, even the smallest, to break or rot, deteriorate or get lost, may be almost considered to commit a sacrilege.

In giving or lending to others, be generous and joyful.² Do not enter into disputes or quarrels with anybody on account of anything belonging to the monastery; rather let them have it.

The house furniture is to be so meager and unpolished as to be and look inferior to that of peasants. Clothes are to be made of wool, neither of great nor of mediocre but of low, quality. Besides, they must be tailored so that one brother may wear the clothes of another. It may be permitted to make use of animal hides but not those of wild animals. Bed linen must be made of wool, not of flax. Likewise for no reason may anyone use flaxen underwear. Let there be no discrimination in distributing food and clothes as far as possible and according to circumstances.

Happy indeed shall we be, as long as our hearts are so firmly set in the desire of poverty as to wish not to be among those poor who have superfluous things, but among those who lack even the necessary ones. And if some religious happen to complain about poverty, and would like the Community to possess more, you will do well not to listen to them, but rather consider them as enemies of the poverty of Christ who willed to be deprived of nearly all the necessities of life.

Let no one, for whatever reason, accept gifts of things for which we have no use; and all those things we may have use for, though they were given to particular persons, are to be distributed only for the benefit of all. And let no one at the table dare in any way offer some of his food to others except, maybe, to those who sit on his sides. Where we may have our own houses, no one is to take his meals elsewhere unless strongly requested by a bishop or a civil authority to dine with them.

Fasting is to be kept from All Saints Day to Easter. If anyone wishes to drink in the evening, let him have some bread to avoid stomach weakness, but not in Lent, Advent, and on Vigils of obligation. At such times, instead of bread, let him have some fruit. During the rest of the year we are to fast on Wednesdays and Fridays, unless there may occur some Vigil in the week, in which case fasting on Wednesdays — particularly in summer — can be omitted.

Let everybody avoid, in every place, time, and age, eating anything — no matter how low in quality and how little in quantity — for the simple reason that it tastes good and delicious, for this is, as you know, the vice of gluttony. And you can be sure that, if one becomes its slave, one will never make progress in the way of God; on the contrary, he will always be a prisoner of other passions, too. Therefore, if you have not reached this degree, namely, of not taking delight in eating, at least, by all means, stop eating only for pleasure; be always aware, though, that disguised as a necessity, there may be hidden the poison of sensuality. Anyone who is able both to control gluttony through temperance, and overcome pride, will unmistakably make progress. Because we eat and drink, we ought to consider ourselves unworthy of conversing with angels and many saintly people who are still with us. By the same token we should recognize that we are like animals whose only happiness is bodily pleasure.

Besides the usual daily meals in common — no more than two, dinner and supper — no one is allowed to snack, either occasionally or habitually, neither with cheap nor with exquisite foods, excluding of course the sick whose appetite may need to be whetted. The reason for this is that we must restrain gluttony and allow ourselves only what is necessary. Care is to be taken not to prepare food one day more exquisitely or in greater quantity than in another. According to liturgical seasons, our brothers are permitted to use condiments like butter, cheese, every kind of fat, oil, eggs, and small fish.

Attend to them day and night, according to the gravity of their illness.

The sick may eat meat but only for the purpose of nourishment, not of pleasure, and because other food may not agree with their stomachs or may not give them proper nourishment. When, at last, they recover their normal way of eating, stop giving them meat at all. Thus, if anyone is diagnosed as being ill but has a still fairly good appetite and a stomach which can handle ordinary food, either by its own strength or by the help of medicines prescribed by a physician, he is not to eat meat.

Our brothers are to sleep on straw or wool mattresses. However, the sick, when their illness requires it, may be allowed to use beds and woolen or flaxen linen of simple, homespun quality. It is permitted to go to public baths, but we should pay for it, not our relatives and friends.

Now, if anyone, on account of his weak body, finds that he is unable to observe the aforesaid rules and directions, let him at least: first, abstain from things he can surely control, as grumbling, anger, pride, making sport of others, and things like these which do not demand bodily strength; then, practice spiritual works as humbling oneself, being compassionate, meditating, teaching, and similar things which require no great physical effort to be accomplished.

Let no one deceive himself by saying that he is not able to walk. But, if he really cannot walk, he should not ride a steed or a handsome mule, but any animal good enough for the purpose.

Our brothers are not to wear fancy shoes or gloves at all. In other people’s houses and in ours they are to wear slippers. On arriving to their destination, they are to visit our church or the parish church to give thanks to God.

Before setting out on a journey, they have to recite the “Benedictus” with the antiphon and the prayer proper of travelers. During the trip and elsewhere avoid, brothers, distraction and curiosity, for the devil usually overcomes only those who are  unrecollected.

When traveling, you have to go at least by two or three, in order to help each other in spiritual as well as material needs. To this end you have to ask for your fellow travelers and not to choose them yourselves, so that you may not be ashamed or, for any reason, fearful to report any faults committed by your fellow traveler.

No one should go out for a silly reason and (as they say) just to wander around, but only for some urgent necessity. Everybody at home or outside should take care to be recollected in the cell of his heart and not to leave it.

Receive travelers and assist them lovingly and joyfully, be they our own confreres or other people. In serving them meals, treat them as you would your own confreres. But when, according to our Constitutions, we fast, at suppertime you shall serve them what they need, respecting the spirit of poverty, of course, and our customs.  Should they not like those meals and, moreover, should they complain or attempt to bring their own food, on no account allow them to do so, even though they were sick: but, of course, we want you to care for them as much as you do for our own sick brothers. So, again, should they be unhappy with such provision, kindly send them away, for we must not allow them to turn our houses into restaurants. After all, we do not fail to give them what is necessary. Moreover, be firmly convinced that to overdo our customary hospitality, in order to please our guests, is to give in to gluttony, a vice that inevitably leads to many other wrong things which we abhor and dislike in ourselves and in others as well.

You should know that it is better to read a little and chew it well, than to read too many subjects and many more authors, for this leads more to feeding our curiosity than to serious study. Therefore, we exhort and want everyone (insofar as one can) to delight in and work hard at acquiring that which may teach him how to write his own books (even though he may know just the first elements of literature) rather than gain a superficial knowledge in other people’s books. You will do that by true imitation of Jesus Christ, by total victory over yourselves, by submission of your passions. Thus, you will gather such a great knowledge as to be able to win over the very philosophers. To be sure, even with no help from other people’s books, some people, thanks to their native intelligence and other God-given qualities, have written books.

At table you shall read some of the aforementioned books. Then, according to time and circumstances you can also read and explain to the brothers some books on good conduct or even on canon law.

In these spiritual meetings, definitely shun all manner of subtle discussions. Do not consider morals in generalities, but in concrete details. Do not discuss your topics academically as at the University of Paris, i.e., purely in the abstract, but according to the oratorical method of the Church Fathers, with exhortation and persuasion, and always avoid overrefined words and fastidious style.

Do not be at all argumentative. And when you deem it fit, you will listen to what some of our untutored and simple brothers have to say, being careful not to make fun of them if they express themselves poorly and not to the point. Rather we have to sympathize with them, and see ourselves in them since what we have is not ours.

All the good conclusions arrived at by the senior brothers

— seniors not so much because of their age but because of their praiseworthy life — shall be transcribed in a special book. If you deem it advisable, you may go over the same subject two or three times until it is well understood. After some time (if useful) you can reread what had previously been written down, and (if convenient) add something else to it.

Let it then be known to you, brothers, that by omitting these meetings, your spiritual life will suffer badly; on the contrary, if you, not just out of habit, but out of love and spiritual hunger, keep them alive, you will make progress in everything.

Vocal prayer alone, especially if it does not lead us to mental prayer or does not partake of the latter, only makes us feel good superficially and is only a counterfeit of true prayer and true spiritual food. And you can understand this by observing that, when you neglect mental prayer, you remain the very ones you were before, namely, shallow in your conversation, negligent in your works, and imperfect in everything.

When you have reached this point, you will know that you are granted your requests even before making them. You will know that you have received much more than that which you have asked for. You will know that your prayers are always heard.

Certainly, my brothers, there would be reason to wonder if someone among you should say: “ I do not know how to pray mentally.” Do you want to learn how? Refrain your tongue from superfluous and even necessary talk, and then you will begin to be able to talk  with God as you talk with a friend.

Someone else will perhaps say: “ I feel no delight at the beginning of my mental prayer.” My answer is: take care to nourish your mind with thoughts of compunction as, for example, thoughts on the Passion of Christ, on the sorrows of the Blessed Mother, and the like. But, if even in this way you do not succeed to concentrate on remorseful thoughts, do persist in prayer and do not turn away from it even with just the intention of your spirit. Sooner or later you will obtain what you desire, on condition, though, that you always humble yourself and recognize yourself unworthy of such a state.

And again you will say: “We would like to receive what we ask for.” And I reply: Believe so, and you will receive that and greater things besides. And never stop asking, for no one will ever obtain what he wants if he fails to persist in his petitions. Furthermore, do you want your petitions granted? Conform your souls to your petitions, as for instance that you wish to have compunction. Cherish recollection. You wish to have humility. Willingly bring humiliations upon yourselves; find delight in being mocked; rejoice in inferior things. You wish to have patience. Desire tribulations and sufferings; for where there is no tribulation or pain, there is no patience either. You might ask: “On what subjects can our spirits dwell during mental prayer?” I would answer: on the marvelous variety of created things, their different beauty, God’s infinite Providence, Christ’s moving Passion; and, in short, on a thousand and one things which are there challenging the minds of those willing to consider them.

Mark this, though, my brothers: If you want to acquire easily the habit of praying mentally, read pious subjects, think of them, and find delight in pondering continuously over holy matters.

Now then, if you wish to understand why some of you are unable to carry the burden of religious life without the aforementioned fourfold prayer — the soul’s spiritual nourishment

— look at those who neglect mental prayer, and see how easily they fail in their duties and are full of defects. Therefore, we want and establish that for at least two hours between morning and night we give ourselves to prayer, without getting involved in any other activity. Besides those hours, we earnestly beg you to have your minds constantly concentrated on God, entertaining positive thoughts as you eat or do something else.⁴ You might ask: “How can the mind and the hand simultaneously do different things?” And I answer you: Do you wish to understand this? I do not say, “Look at it,” but, “touch it with your own hands:” When you lived in the world, even while eating or working, your minds were at times thinking of how to make some material gain, or how to take revenge, or thinking of some friends, or of something else. Well then, you have no other alternative but to do out of ingenuity and good will what you at other times, used to do out of bad habit or negligence.

But we strongly advise you and want you in no way to accept anyone but those who may be helpful to themselves and to others. Therefore, if there come some who are not endowed with great intelligence but rather with a very strong good will, and they ask to be accepted, by all means accept them; but do not admit them yet into full community life nor into the community chapters. If, instead, they are intelligent, but lack a very large dose of good will, do not receive them by any means. In fact, if they are good, they make great progress; if they are bad, they bring themselves and others to ruin.

You will certainly see, brothers, that the cause of grumbling, lukewarmness, and divisions in communities or congregations is none other than lack of spiritual light in those of little intelligence and lack of spiritual fire in those of great intelligence. Scrutinize, therefore, the nature of both categories of postulants and understand it very well: whether they are “without light” or “without fire.” You will be able to discover this if you consider, not for just a day but for a long time, what I am now going to say. It is better for you to have and to admit few postulants, who are endowed with a good disposition, than many who are ill-disposed. And do not judge as a bad disposition that which concerns the body or life accidents, but only that which concerns the soul. That is why you can also admit persons of delicate health or the sick or the old or the peasants and all sorts of people (except women) provided that they are well gifted with spiritual fire and light.

See to it that those whom you want to accept take care first of their possessions either by testament or by previous divisions and distributions, without leaving any gifts nor any bequests to the monastery.

You must be quite wary. If someone, who has outstanding debts or punishments to undergo for some wrongdoing, would like to enter our Community, he ought to tell the whole truth in all sincerity. And if you ascertain that he has not revealed in all simplicity the above mentioned situations, by no means admit him to making his Profession, unless there have elapsed two full years after he has revealed his lie and you came to know of it; and only after he makes due reparations to his victims, and only after you have received sure proof that he has matured and gotten rid of his habit of lying and any other bad habits. But if his lie is discovered after his Profession, we want not only the Congregation to be free from any obligation of paying his debts, but also from him and that he be dismissed without exception or delay from the Congregation.

But be prudent, brothers: the very ones you find well qualified and desirous of being received must be well examined and tested so that you may find out if they are only a flash in the pan, or if they are altogether pretentious persons. It must be a testing time with all sorts of hardships and true humiliations, and sometimes even the following condition should be set before them: “you will not be admitted.” And with these and other tests scrutinize them for a long time, no less than as the philosophers or the  holy Fathers of old did.

So, if you see them grumbling, becoming lukewarm, showing impatience, and the like, do not admit them. But even when you esteem some of them fit to be admitted or to make their profession, we do not want the Congregation to be under any obligation towards them — even after they have professed — should they deserve to be dismissed.

Let none of you, brothers, make his profession before the year of probation, nor before he is twenty-five years old. And should one’s profession be postponed, let him not tacitly consider himself already a professed religious, nor think he is bound to the Congregation except after his canonical and public profession, which is to be made with this clause, namely: that if he were dismissed from the Congregation, or ran away from it, he would not take advantage of, and indeed renounce, our religious privileges; and that he would not want the Congregation to be in any way obligated to him, but rather that he be simply left under the jurisdiction of the Ordinary.

You may ask: “why such a directive?” And I answer: because different disciples instructed by different masters might walk different and diverse paths of the spiritual life. And on account of such different formation, they might be unable to get along easily, to the point of having an unjust opinion of each other by the fact that one does not walk the way of the other.  Hence, the result would be dissensions and divisions. Another reason for this directive is that there are very few people — rare indeed — so perfect as to lead others to the fullness of perfection. If the Master, then, needs some help, he is allowed — according to necessity and availability — to choose one or more companions subordinate to himself  and ready to follow his standards.

In order that the Master may well train the novices, you must choose one who possesses the following qualities: he is to be a man worthy and irreproachable in his behavior; full of common sense, moderate and practical as well; quite experienced in the devil’s deceitfulness and warfare; knowledgeable in all the subtle aspects of vices and virtues — in short, a man fully holy as well as gifted with many natural talents. Such a master will certainly mold his disciples in his own likeness. And do not believe that he may be able to help his disciples to practice patience if he himself is ruled by anger, or humility if he is somewhat vainglorious, or temperance or love for silence or any other virtue if he himself lacks them. For, how can you expect someone to do things superior to his energies? Thus, if you see a good disciple come out of the hands of a bad master, tell such a master not to pride himself for his disciple’s perfection; for it was not his ability but the power of the Holy Spirit that contributed to his disciple’s self-surrender to God.

Now, then, such a master of perfection as we have sketched above is to instruct the novices on the following seven subjects:

First (besides what has already been said and is yet going to be said about the three vows and something else), the Master is to teach the novices how to break their own will to such an extent as to be sorry for choosing to do their own will, and to be glad and even to glory in doing other people’s will, provided, of course, the latter is not explicitly evil. He is also to teach them how always to please others — to their own displeasure — and to give up their own opinion in everything and at all times to the point of never presuming or daring say: “I will have it so; I will not,” but rather say, “Let it be as you like.” He is to convince the novices that God will fully answer their petitions when they ask Him — and ask with perseverance — to come to their aid in breaking their will in everything, provided, of course, that they act according to what they have requested.

He is to teach them to appreciate the lily of chastity so much as to think to commit spiritual adultery when they find themselves to place or have their love wherever they choose: things, relatives, or self-love, too; for God is a jealous God and forbids to love anything or anyone outside of Himself.

He is to teach them to yearn for poverty with so great a love as to avoid merely saying of anything whatsoever, “This is mine” and, furthermore, to avoid keeping for themselves anything at all, cheap as it may be. He is to teach them to long for poverty to the point of rejoicing to be deprived of even the most necessary things. The master knows well that many a time, under the pretext of necessity, the superfluous becomes overwhelming.

In point of fact, while nature is happy with little, greed is never satisfied even in superabundance.

He is to teach the novices to delight in affective prayer and meditation, as we have said before, and he is to warn them that they will never make any progress if they do not arrive at taking the utmost delight in that prayer. Because how can anybody totally eliminate tasting any other pleasure unless a love-filled prayer floods the soul with a new delight? He is to teach them never to allow themselves to be entangled in imaginations and dreams while praying, and also never to abandon prayer should they feel no sensible fervor, but rather to renounce the latter if it came upon them, and consider themselves unworthy of it. He is to remind them to apply their minds to the meaning of the psalm rather than to its words.

He is to teach them to pray fervently because the devil is always ready to besmirch drowsy prayers, just as flies do with cold food; and, of course, such prayers stink before God. He is to exhort them to enter into God’s presence everywhere, when traveling or doing any other thing, always striving to purify their souls of any stain. He is to teach them always to persevere in prayer even if they do not get their prayers heard immediately, for they must know that as persevering and importunate people obtain what they ask for, so the lukewarm and the sluggish are certain to be granted nothing. By these and other ways, the master is to lead the novices to know God and enjoy His familiarity.

He is to make them understand that humility, the mother and guardian of all virtues, will never abide in their hearts so long as they, after a long while, with great love, and keen desire, do not come to delight in persecutions, ridicule, and humiliations. As a matter of fact, anyone who tries to shun humiliations and pains will certainly remain lukewarm. Let them keep in mind, therefore, that there can be no humility without many reproaches and derisions; and that anyone who feels ashamed of them, or even of associating with poor brothers, or of dressing poorly and living in humble dwellings, may as well abandon all hope of being able to achieve perfection as long as such shameful feeling lasts in them. Do you wish to flee from shame? Look for it, hold it, and embrace it firmly. It will fly away from you leaving you crowned and victorious.

Second, let the master teach the novices how to make their confessions, namely, that they should avoid confessing their sins routinely and conventionally; they should not tell the sins of other people since they would not want to make penance in their stead; they should not excuse their faults, but rather put far greater emphasis on them, for they were the cause of Christ’s death. Let him teach them that by merely telling their sins, they will not be forgiven. They must also resolve never to commit them again, and have the intention of doing penance as much as they can. Let him warn them to confess everything they can remember, and then, after getting rid in earnest of their past faults, to avoid any future ones. Let him teach them that, once confession is made, they are not to give in to scruples, but, at their master’s assurance, entrust themselves to him and believe him firmly and completely. For they must know for certain that their holding on to scruples is due to their great pride, which makes them believe in themselves and not in others. They, then, should become aware that because of their scruples, they will either never gain perfection, or even — after a while, freed from their scruples and remorseful conscience — commit all the faults they may wish. Let him also teach them to confess modestly, feeling truly shameful in their hearts and before God, but totally unconcerned with outward shame. He must warn them, therefore, that, in order to receive the absolution of all their sins, they have to avoid hiding any of them out of shame, and will remind them that if a person shows the physician all his deadly wounds but one, he will die just because of that one. Let him teach them that the mere confession of one’s sins is like the work of farmers who only cut off-shoots and branches of a tree .(After all, they always have plenty to prune and cut). But as, on the contrary, the farmers, by plucking up the roots of the trees, will some day stop pruning and with little effort will get the fruit of the soil free of briers, so the penitents must insist in extirpating the roots of their vices. For instance: pride, the root of all sins,⁵ is uprooted by the profound humility of a person who thirsts for insults and hungers for contempt; the vice of gluttony is rooted out by that voluntary poverty which can freely use what is strictly necessary. This is also most certainly manifest for other vices. The more, then, you get rid of the causes and roots of sin, by plucking them up and by destroying them completely, the less will you suffer the thorns of your sins; your consciences will be not only less soiled but also at peace (as far as is possible here on earth), and you will harvest the fruits of a pure heart.

Third. The master is to teach the novices to open their hearts to their master without reservation and make clear to them that the novice who mistrusts his master is guilty of infidelity as well as of pride, and this leads him to believe he is self-sufficient and capable of self-direction. But mark this, novices, that in no other matter are you more subtly deceived by the devil (the one who by this result is called “devil mouth-shutter”) than by shutting your mouth. To this end the devil shows you some imperfections in your masters, so that you may not trust them, nor manifest your consciences to them. Since you are still inexperienced in the spiritual warfare, he deceives you.

Again, he is to teach them never to judge anybody for whatever reason, for this would be to usurp God’s right.⁶ And so, let him show them to be their duty, first to consider everything as well done and, second, though certain things might appear bad, to interpret them as good or, at least, as done with good intentions. By acting differently, they would never attain holy simplicity, nor be able to free their minds from fancies. And so let him teach them that it is their duty and it behooves them not to believe that anything is evil about their Master, no matter who reports it; but, on the contrary, they should always believe the good reports. Then he is to assure them that, by practicing the above said things and those still to be said in this book, they will become simple like doves and cunning like serpents.⁷

He is also to teach them to lay aside altogether all fear of anything — fear, I mean, that causes pain — warning them that anytime the Lord may deem it expedient, He will permit them (whether they like it or not) to be disturbed by various sufferings or by the devil himself, or by other bodily and spiritual tribulations. No use, then, to fear at all, since they have no strength in themselves to overcome that fear. But even if they want and must fear someone, let the Master teach the novices to dread their greatest foe, which is in themselves, that is, “their own self.” For, who can harm you and me, but ourselves? Therefore, let him assure them that as long as they fear anything but themselves — I repeat, let him assure them and give them this as an unmistakable sign — they have not yet achieved great perfection. And this is so because, while they live in such fear, they vainly think that, loaded down with many burdens, they can soar to the height of perfection.

About all these and other circumstances, dear novices, you have to consult your Master if you truly wish to leave the stage of novices and begin to walk the way of your Masters.

Fourth. Let the Master teach the novices to grasp and appreciate the beauty of the interior man. Since man does not live on bread alone but also on every word that comes from the mouth of God,⁸ the Master is to have them understand that the interior man has no lesser need of spiritual food than the exterior man has of natural food. Therefore, let everybody take heed of the following: if one is not hungry for this food, indeed anxiously seeking it for his nourishment — and, of course, he will look for it in the reading of Holy Scriptures, in the admonitions, and community meetings — and if one does not share it with others, he will be accounted guilty of causing himself and others to die of starvation and indigence. Again, let the master teach them the beauty of the interior man, so that they may not think that they can enter the house of the Lord without the nuptial dress,⁹ that is, virtue in its fullness. Let him teach them also the health and sickness, the weakness and the strength, the perfection and imperfection of the interior man, so that they may see whether they advance in perfection or lag behind.

Let him teach them to know with whom to converse interiorly, making them aware that man’s enemies are often those of his own household,¹⁰ and that these are the ones who often counterfeit God’s voice. Let him teach them how to recognize on which thoughts they should stand firm, and what melodies the Holy Spirit plays within them. And, finally, let him teach them how to keep themselves recollected interiorly as well as exteriorly.

Fifth. The Master is to teach the novices not only how to keep their novitiate fervor but also how to increase it, by reminding them that “not to go forward is to go backward,” and by warning them that one thing is exterior fervor and devotion, and quite another is interior fervor and true devotion. And that is why they should know that God very often for their own good takes away this exterior fervor and devotion for various reasons, namely: that man may understand that this is not within his own power, but is God’s gift, and thus he may humble himself more and more; that man may learn how to progress interiorly by himself, and to find out and painfully see that it is his own fault if he loses fervor and devotion; that man may learn to sympathize with those who may appear externally devoid of devotion; that man may learn to practice the virtue of discretion and to shun distraction and other causes of such lack of devotion; that man may learn to understand whether in time of aridity he progresses less than in time of such exterior fervor or, rather, even without such fervor, he becomes wholly and truly inflamed with interior fervor, and experiences spiritual growth.

Hence, realize that, if someone loses fervor for being deprived of this exterior fervor, you cannot conclude that he never had true fervor, but simply that he is spiritually inconstant. And so be assured, novices, that if you apply yourselves to true devotion (which is readiness for service in obedience to God’s will) instead of seeking sensible sweetness, you will become once and for all so fervent as to be unable to limit yourselves in the things that are pleasing to God. Thus, adversities will not make you unhappy but glad, and you will set your minds so high as not to bother with earthly things. Learn, however, this one thing: to look deeply into yourselves and see whether in time of aridity the seed of good will is still alive in you. This being the case, do not be afraid nor faint-hearted because of want of exterior compunction and devotion — as they call it — for God is with you more truly and more lovingly than with those who enjoy consolations of the heart.

Let it be clear to you, novices, that it is proper for persons with a generous heart to wish to serve without a reward and to fight without a remuneration and provisions for the journey. So, keep well in mind that, by so persevering, you will grow in spirit and fervor. These can only be increased through renewed, firm, and frequent promises and by strongly and resolutely checking one’s natural inclinations.

Sixth. Let the master teach the novices to possess a true love and desire for total perfection. What would it profit them to have many virtues, but lack one? What would it profit them to have indeed all virtues, but not care to reach their height? Anyone who finds himself in such a spiritual situation must acknowledge that he does not want to honor God as much as he possibly can. It is indeed a great shame for servants of God to say: “It is enough for me to honor God thus far.” Climb up as high as you can, for you owe Him much, much more. Actually, let no novice — or, for that matter, none of us brothers — ever think of having already made great progress, even though one may have great desire for the aforementioned things, because the more we pay, the greater our debts for greater favors.

Of course, you ought to keep in mind that the reason why we have to desire and seek the highest degree of perfection is not to become greater than others, but to put ourselves under the feet of all. Many, by the very fact that they did not desire such high perfection in all humility, and at the same time despised others for not following the same way, have fallen quite low. Therefore, in the castle of perfection there has always to abide  humility with its  power for total self-abasement.

Seventh. Let him teach the novices to observe silence and other exterior ceremonies (according, of course, to what is consonant with religious life, times and places) and seriously consider the reasons why such ceremonies have been established, rather than view them as a goal.

The other kind of faults regards those committed in the open when people see or hear them. It is your duty to punish this kind of faults more or less severely according to the different circumstances of sin, place, scandal, and other factors. But, by no means, do think or try to plan — as if you could — to lead anyone back to the practice of virtue by means of incarceration or bodily torture because virtue presupposes man’s free will, while the appearance of virtue makes one a hypocrite — a thing we abhor.

Hence, let everyone who sins openly, likewise accuse himself openly and willingly accept a penance. Actually, let him choose his own penance, so that any other penance imposed on him by others may appear to him to be lighter than the one he himself has thought and judged to deserve. But if someone among you does not spontaneously confess his fault, and, on the contrary, cunningly and deceitfully covers it up, or tries somewhat to hide it, warn the culprit of such fault with the threat of expulsion, and then according to our rules, carry it out. From all this you can conclude that it behooves those who are guilty of both kinds of faults to give a public account of their shortcomings so that they may properly and mercifully be made well again by the elders.

Please note that, at times, grieving Church Fathers did heal those who, confidently and actually very humbly, would say: “My fault does not deserve to be forgiven.” Church Fathers did this with a sort of voluntary jail which had no doors and no locks. Other offenders would say: “Not only are we undeserving of forgiveness; you should actually cast us out of your presence.” Still others would deplore their small failings much more than many others would their big ones. Yet others would view themselves as partners of demons and of those who crucified Christ. Thus, in these or other ways, would they chastise themselves, even by renouncing what was allowed.

These people would not talk like Cain¹¹ and Antiochus¹² who said that their faults were greater than God’s mercy; on the contrary, they would humbly and confidently say with Peter: “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinner,”¹³ and with the Centurion: “Lord, I am not worthy, etc..”¹⁴ All these people were righteous and sorrowful, yet the sting of their contrition was so sharp that it goaded them toward the height of perfection. Brothers, kindly and joyfully embrace these voluntary penitents, and urge them on in the Lord toward still better things for their own progress and that of others.

If one, then, after three warnings does not amend himself, at the fourth one expel him definitely and permanently. Let each of the three warnings include the threat of expulsion. This practice is to be observed in regard to any fault as well as of any willful negligence committed by one who does not care to make progress.

All these matters are to be submitted to the judgment of the Discreets who, of course, will be judged before God and men as “indiscreet” and “destroyers of the religious life” if they allow its beauty to be stained by defects or grave negligence. The expulsion, in fact, is decreed not out of cruelty but of great mercy, so that the offenders may not corrupt the others with their poisonous contagion. And keep in mind also this: we would certainly be judged as quite presumptuous if we believed that those who are expelled either could not save their souls outside our Congregation, or would in all probability damn themselves. Leave to them, brothers, both their goodness and their malice, for it is not our business to judge, or praise, or blame them. It is up to the Ordinary. To him we leave this matter. But if the expulsion is due to some grave fault, fully inform the Ordinary and leave the punishment to him.

Regarding the warning of expulsion, brothers, it does not matter at all whether the faults in question are big or small in the eyes of men, as long as they are willful or caused by willful negligence: for all of these did Christ die. If, instead, someone has committed a fault only out of simple negligence or human frailty, punish him so as to make him accept to be properly corrected rather than duly punished.

Furthermore, if you find out that the Discreets, under pretense of mercy — which is indeed an injustice — have erred in regard to the above procedures, punish them in this way: from that moment on, remove them from office and, if they complain, expel them from the Congregation. In fact, as is the Superior’s duty to care, out of love, for the good of the subjects, so it is the subjects’ obligation to help the Superior to be zealous for the exact observance of the rules. For we well know that, according to Scripture, “wickedness has come from those who pretended to govern the people.”¹⁵ And in another passage, “the cause of ruin are bad priests.”¹⁶

Now, in order that you may both counteract such evils with all your power and not cause divisions or provoke conspiracies without a leader, we want and order the Discreets to be elected by the Superior and the professed religious who are members of that community at that time. After their election, all the other religious shall meet with the Superior in order to elect either one of the present, or even one of the Discreets who is, and has proven himself, to be more zealous for the religious life. And this is the one who, when he thinks it advantageous, may convene all the professed religious for the following specific purpose: to examine whether any of the Discreets or the Superior himself may have been remiss about, or even in favor of, those deserving expulsion or a warning of expulsion. When, through balloting with over half of the votes, you have ascertained the truth of their negligence or connivance, inform those concerned about the sentence of expulsion, as said above; for in no way are you to take into consideration any religious who are ill-disposed toward, and not truly zealous for, the religious life and the glory of God. Woe to us, when it may truly be said of us: “Lord, you have enlarged the nation, but have not increased the joy!”¹⁷  The one, then, so elected for this office by the religious may remain in it according to their will; and when he is removed, let them meet again, as said above, and likewise elect another one.

There will be two Discreets, or four, according to the small or large number of religious, respectively. These elections will be conducted by balloting, while the other office-holders will be chosen by the Superior and the Discreets.

We want any addition, subtraction, or change to go into effect only after you have observed everything said so far and what is going to be said later on. Thus, if three fourths of all voters reject proposals which are submitted, we want the whole matter dropped.

Hence, if you do reach a conclusion which, however, appears to imply and does in fact imply, a slackening of our religious life and of the rigor of this Constitution, we want you to be sure how to act with those who disapprove of such baneful decision.

First, in order to prevent anyone (first of all the lukewarm) from weakening this Constitution, we prescribe that the one, or the ones, chosen to correct the failures or the negligence of Superiors and Discreets in the matter of warning and expelling offending religious,¹⁸ be authorized, together with the Major Superior, to set the appropriate agenda at periodic community meetings in order to preclude any slackening whatsoever of our way of life.

Secondly, in order to guarantee that all our directives are acted upon more effectively, we solemnly prescribe that, first and above all, such Corrector or Correctors be officially given one or two houses judged by themselves to be most suitable for this purpose, that is: in this house, or these houses, let there be as Superior, or Superiors, the one, or the two, most senior Professed Religious of our Congregation; then, let him or them both assign to such house or houses the Professed confreres who oppose any slackening of our way of life, and appoint them as new community office-holders. In addition, the new Superior, or Superiors, are entirely free to remove any confrere who previously lived there.

Furthermore, we solemnly prescribe that such Superior, or Superiors, may not be removed from their office, nor may the religious assigned by them there be likewise removed — until the whole matter is definitely settled.

In case the matter is settled in favor of the lukewarm, that is, in favor of relaxing our rule, or in case the proper procedure was not followed, we prescribe that such Superior or Superiors, as well as the confreres who opted for our present rigorous way of life, we prescribe, I repeat, that they keep the house or houses mentioned above, and we further prescribe that the rest of the confreres be in no way allowed to meddle in such monastery or monasteries.

Now, mark well, brothers: when such religious decadence occurs, many rise up and claim: “We too want to live according to the original rules.” But be on guard and verify whether those who speak this way do, first of all, observe the proper regulations they could have observed. Otherwise, do not trust them, because in such a crowd there are precious few who are moved by a truly right intention. Some indeed would say that they do want to reform themselves, but actually they would like either to submit to nobody, or not to bother, or to enjoy plenty of leisure, or to associate with agreeable companions, or to have ample time to study and the like. But, of course, such things are not the true aim of reform. The true aim of reform can be recognized in this, namely, if they seek the pure honor of Christ, the pure service of neighbor, and pure self-contempt which rejoices in being despised. If you find them in this frame of mind, receive them in your company, for only then will you be able to do what pleases God; otherwise, as previously stated, by no means admit them. And in order to prevent such Correctors or Superiors or brothers from effecting such ill-intentioned separation, we prescribe that they in no way may separate, if previously in our Congregation they were found to be seditious, acquisitive, ambitious, or stained with some scandalous fault. If, on the other hand, these religious had previously lived a blameless life, we want that no further impediment may hold them back from separating.

We invoke all of God’s blessings upon you who separate from the lukewarm, and we remind you not to fear, even if you may enjoy neither authority nor any favors; for the Apostles were in the same situation. And the anointing of the Holy Spirit will teach you everything¹⁹ and take care of you, since He is pleased with you, little flock.²⁰

Brothers, in making additions, subtractions, and changes — which of course, in no way slacken, but indeed lead to greater rigor and stability in the Congregation — we want the three fourths voters’ decision to prevail, as already said, so that the union of all concerned may last. Finally, brothers, take note that we want everything written in this chapter and in the entire present booklet of the Constitutions to be understood as is, literally. Thus, we want you not to allow yourselves to add, subtract, or change anything whatsoever, except according to what was prescribed above.

Given the fact that laxity and lukewarmness hate fervor, the lukewarm religious, according to their way of thinking and living, have never wanted to allow some fervent religious to part from them, claiming that union is good and separation is bad. But in our case, what happens is just the opposite; in fact, union is bad and separation is good. Thus, as St. Gregory says, “Saints provoke strife, but through love.”²¹ Knowing this, St. Dominic, who belonged to another Order, withdrew from it and established a new Order. The same did St. Anthony of Padua, who is now a Friar Minor, and many others as well, for they understood what a great evil it is to live with scorpions.²²

Lukewarm religious, therefore, under the pretext of living in a good union, do not allow fervent religious to separate and part from them, as they consider it a shame that others may appear to be better than they. You must know, moreover, that lukewarm religious do not allow such separations in order to cover up their stench with the good odor of fervent religious, and thus they get temporal privileges by which they grow fat with earthly goods. But you, the ones who claim to be fervent, please, do not commit such an injustice, that is, to fatten God’s enemies with Christ’s patrimony!

Consequently, look out and hold your heads high²³ and when you see the following signs, escape with Abraham from Ur of Chaldea, or else fire will burn you together with his brother.

The first sign is the multiplication of precepts and rules that bind under penalty of sin. Let it be clear to you that the observance of rules is meant not to make spiritual life harder but easier and to lead religious beyond the Law and not by force but by love. By such overgrowth of precepts — precipices we should call them — you will understand that obedience, the first solemn vow of the religious life, is relaxed. Likewise, constant change of places, laws, and guidelines by those who do and those who undo, the necessity of constraining and obliging the brothers to be present at community acts, these and similar things reveal the same sad lax situation.

So, when the three vows have been either tarnished or not entirely kept, you who claim to be spiritual, what do you have that is not in common with the lukewarm?

When, again, you hear many religious, and Superiors in particular, say, “It’s enough to do this, why bother about so high perfection!”, or even declare openly: “Our Order is lax,”

As soon as you come to understand from the aforesaid signs that the true religious life has a low profile while lukewarmness has a high one, fix your eyes on the honor of God and on the good of the people and see if there is anything you can do to boost  the true spirit of religious life.

But, first of all, consider the qualities a reformer must have as we are going to outline them here below; and if you see them in yourself, then without pride and presumption (for these defects can creep in) daringly lift up the Cross as mightily as you can above lukewarmness to increase the fervor of the religious life. If, on the contrary, you find yourself unequal to the task we are about to delineate, be advised that the qualifications listed below are not meant to disorient you because of your eventual shortcomings; on the contrary, they should encourage you to become what you are not. And mark this, too: any effort to reform the religious life is futile without the grace of God, who has promised to be with us even to the end of the world²⁴ and is always ready to help us. In fact, God can prove us guilty of lacking courage because of our unfaithfulness in undertaking great things, whereas we cannot accuse Him of failing us.

First. Well then, keeping in mind what has already been said in the chapter concerning the Master of novices, you must learn by the virtue of discretion to choose the opportunities, the right moment and place and other conditions required to achieve the desired reform. And were all these circumstances not present, you should be able to create them by preparing other people well suited to reform the religious life, and by forecasting the development and the results of the enterprise. It is necessary for the reformer to be so prudent as to be full of eyes in front and behind.²⁵ Thus, by means of this virtue of discretion he will be neither too hasty nor too slow, but he will certainly lead the enterprise to the proposed goal in due time.

Second. You must be strong in mind and heart, for against this undertaking there arise so many internal and external difficulties and obstacles that they are apt to depress and choke weak spirits. Indeed, invisible devils oppose this work of reform and visible ones oppose even more strongly, namely, the lukewarm whose number is too large to be counted. By their sanctimonious behavior they have won over to themselves many worldly lords and spiritual leaders alike, so good they appear on the outside, but inside they are like white-washed tombs full of dead men’s bones.²⁶ Thus, with the help of such persons of distinction the lukewarm provoke cruel wars against the fervent. This sad state of affairs is permitted by God so that in battle virtue may prove itself and shine forth ever more. I would even dare say that virtue without opposition has little or no value, whereas the greater the opposition, the more precious virtue becomes. Be, then, generous and brave, and at all cost fear not the attacks of the noonday devil,²⁷ well aware that malice cannot defeat wisdom. And so, by keeping little difficulties under control, you will overcome big ones and accomplish everything you want.

Third. It is necessary for you to persevere in your work. Many indeed begin with all their strength, but then give up and are overcome in the long run. You must know that if you get tired because of the difficulties or the length of the work, you have already conceded victory to the enemy even before fighting. What does it profit you to begin well but not to finish well? In vain it does nothing but exhaust you. If today you see everything go well for you, do not be elated. Tomorrow you will see everything turn against you. Still, be not disconcerted, but continue steadfastly your journey, and you will reach the end of it. Changeable hearts displease God very much because of their unfaithfulness.

Fourth. You must be utterly and profoundly humble. They are not fit for the reforming of the religious life who do not accept opprobriums as sweet food, who do not drink scorn with pleasure, and who do not long for and do not possess humility. There is no humility without long desired humiliations, for the latter always go with the former. Through such humility, man comes to know that he is an enemy of God, undeserving of his blessings and deserving to be despised by everybody. That is why a truly humble person is affable, grateful to all, and therefore greatly qualified for the role of reformer. Compassion and tolerance for other people’s shortcomings are virtues that accompany the humble man and are extremely necessary to help people who are imperfect but really want to make progress.

Fifth. Through much meditation and prayer, you will have to be always absorbed in God. Continuous meditation and the spirit of prayer will teach you after a while to begin to do something so as to lead others where you are going. Prayer does not permit anyone who wants to walk to fall into error and successfully leads anyone who wishes to make progress. Since prayer and meditation enlighten the soul, how can the reformer presume to lead others if he fails to pray? Prayer and meditation keep one steady before the throne of God; that is why one knows what is profitable to do or to leave aside. Let no one think he can lead someone else if he himself is blind; otherwise, both will fall into a pit.²⁸

Sixth. You need to have an absolutely good and right intention. Without it, you will never succeed in reforming the religious life. In order to be a reformer, it is not enough for anyone merely to be good and straightforward in intention by natural inclination, and, I dare say, not even by the impulse of grace, unless it is grace at the highest degree. Only then, to such a person the right is given to assume the role of reformer of the religious life. In the past there were many who believed they could bring about a reform, but because they were wanting that grace-filled, highly good, and right intention, they fatigued themselves without any result. Have you ever seen some spurious religious groups (I am not calling them Congregations) made up of rotten eggs and rancid butter? You must know that the members of such groups lacked the above said intention because some of them sought to unite with the reformers, in order not to be submissive, but rather to be superior to others; others sought to find comfort in companionship; while others sought to have the opportunity to study; and still others sought to show off by doing great things. In this way and with many other intents a number of them failed, working in vain. Let your intention, then, be rightly aimed at the pure glory of God. Let it be good so that we care for our neighbor’s welfare and also steadfast in self-abasement. Anyone lacking this exceedingly good and right intention would do well to acquire it before undertaking the work of reform because such intention deserves to be helped by God, and such reform will likely last for a few centuries to come.

We could discuss here the reason why God allows the religious life to decay, but this is not the task of our present considerations. Everybody can scrutinize for himself in the book of the most high Providence and will see at least this: that God in certain historical turning points and in difficult times providentially crowns various captains.

Seventh. You must always keep alive your resolution of ever going forward and pursuing an even greater perfection. Have you ever seen only punitive laws? By means of such laws man does not make any progress, nor does he change altogether his bad habits. He always remains the same inside, and would always be ready to do evil if punishment were eliminated. Again, have you ever seen laws that do not seek to make things better? And yet these, too, miss the mark because “non proficere est deficere” — “not to make progress is to fail.” Therefore, if you follow some of the aforesaid laws and ways of living, you may be sure that soon you will meet lukewarmness at your door. Do you really want, then, to reform the religious life? Strive continuously to increase what you have begun in yourself and in others because the heights of perfection are limitless. And so, avoid ever thinking that it is enough for you, once and for all, what you may have begun to do. Therefore, both for yourself and for others it is too little only to change the bad behavior of the religious, and it is, moreover, too little to improve their good behavior unless you strive to lead religious to the heights of perfection; for only by doing this will you be a true reformer of the religious life.

Eighth. It is necessary that you always trust in God’s help and come to know by experience that you are never to be without it. Spiritual things can be lived only by spiritual people. Thus, the reformer must be spiritual and holy, and through previous personal experience he ought also to know that God has never failed him in his needs and good resolutions. Although God, in order to appear more generous, many a time delays to give what is asked of Him; nevertheless, once we have prayed to Him, He finally grants our petitions, as He is wont to do.

In short, anyone possessing the aforesaid virtues can take upon himself the mission of reforming the religious life. And he must know which associates he may accept or reject, admit right away or keep waiting for a long time, treat amiably, or test harshly with humiliations before admitting them, keeping them, or dismissing them.

Moreover, O reformer, you are bound to encounter many difficulties, but the greater they are, the more vigorously you must trust. The very first ones to oppose you, as we have already mentioned, are the lukewarm religious with whom you live, since they think that the very presence of someone better than themselves is a shameful reproach to them. These people readily call it “peculiarity” if someone unlike them strives to lead people to Christ . And this is precisely the most serious of all the battles for you to fight. Against such an obstacle, it will facilitate your work to move away from that house and from those religious to find people of influence and authority willing to foster and defend your work, and to hide your plans from the lukewarm; but, of course, without ever stopping the goals you have set before you.  However, because few are the religious who are able and willing to help you to reform — as a matter of fact, there are very few who truly want to bear the cross of Christ and share in its reproaches — be careful to choose for such an enterprise very few from among your confreres of the first hour; for most of them easily continue to be fermented by the yeast of lukewarmness. Nevertheless, if among them you know a few truly fervent and sagacious ones, these are the ones to be preferred to any other. But if you do not find such religious within the original group, you have to look for others, as long as they are intelligent and most of all of generous good will, however poor, or old, or sick.

Therefore, in the task of choosing the first co-workers for this initial reform, it might be good to attract them by means of some little gifts, or even by some signs and miracles, as it were; however, a far better call is made by the very irreproachable life and sound doctrine of the one who calls them. And so, in this matter of choosing, do not appeal to men whose virtue is deficient. He who does not take into consideration these precautions must know that easily, from the very beginning, lukewarmness will infiltrate with its train of murmuring and divisions, and will furthermore impel the religious to rebel against their Superiors:  by these and other means it usually hinders progress.

Brothers, if you heed and put into practice these few recommendations, which we have tried to give you, we firmly hope that they will lead you to perfection, by helping you most of all to flee lukewarmness.

To the praise and honor of Jesus Christ who died on earth and now reigns alive in heaven. Amen.

He should not much worry about how to lead the brothers toward this goal, that is, either through extreme poverty or by somewhat indulging their weakness or by yielding to circumstances of time and age and by granting them — let me say — a few trifles, and I mean a few.

Likewise, were it advisable to give some orders, let the Visitor consider which ones lead to the goal, without contradicting what was, and will be, prescribed in the Rule.

Were it necessary for the Visitor to engage in the correction of defects, let him be advised that offenders should not be cured of their defects by means of jail or other punishments, but rather by striving to destroy the roots of their defects. Let me take, for instance, grumbling. The Visitor should not give an order like this: “Let anyone who grumbles do such and such penance;” instead, he must first examine whether there is just cause for the grumbling, then, if there is none, he should simply admonish the grumbler.²⁹ If there is a just cause, he must diligently see to it that it never happens again. Always keep in mind, though, that when there is grumbling, surely something is wrong, either in the cause or in the effect. For example, had there been given and accepted an order to increase fasting or to add some vigils or silence and other ceremonial matters, (not of course contrary to the precepts of God or the Church, even though everything were done for the sake of a greater observance), no big fuss should be made if some little change, addition, or subtraction were introduced. For these and similar things are not, properly speaking, necessary means for that goal. The really required means are: voluntary self-effacement, resolve to accept and bear pains and sufferings like those of Christ and of the saints, and disregard for one’s own feelings and opinions.

These and similar things the Visitor should strive to introduce as well as endeavor to bend minds in this direction. Thus he will be able to extirpate not only the vices but their roots, too; for, after being cut, the vices sprout again unless completely uprooted. Let the Visitor, then, keep his eyes fixed not on merely eliminating the vices, but rather on destroying their roots. Moreover, let him endeavor not only to plant good religious habits but their roots as well. Afterwards he must cultivate them: I mean that it is not enough to exhort the brothers to be patient, humble, chaste, and so on simply because these virtues are useful to them. He is to engrave in their souls the reasons for embedding those virtues in themselves. For example, man must be patient because he deserves to suffer far greater sufferings than he actually does as he caused Christ’s death, and because he himself can never atone for his own guilt. Let him, then, diligently give the reasons why good religious morals should be implanted, rather than merely say: “You must acquire this virtue.” For similar exhortations are incumbent upon the Superior, the Discreets, and  the Visitor.

Furthermore, it behooves the Visitor to make his visits neither hurriedly nor superficially, but — if time allows it — daily, punctiliously, and diligently. In his investigation let him avoid using threats and commands; rather let him question and investigate kindly and charitably. Let him not ask simple souls subtle questions in order to avoid giving them the impression of being scorned for not knowing how to answer; and let him not waste time in trying to instill in their minds what they are unable to grasp. But let him listen to them willingly if they want to say something. Therefore, the Visitor is to be discreet, kind, and accessible to everybody, patient and not disdainful towards anybody. Let him ask everybody about the good and the bad of the monastery, and he should more easily believe the good things than the bad ones. Of course, he should remedy the latter. Let his investigation concern itself especially with the brothers’ progress or want of it in their spiritual life, whether they keep the written rules with diligence or neglect them badly.

We forbid the Visitor and anybody else — as far as possible and as long as charity is safeguarded — to pay visits to, as well as to receive them from, our relatives and acquaintances and other people from whom no spiritual benefit can be expected. We also forbid our monasteries to be burdened with contributions and expenses on account of the visitations; but, brothers, do provide for the Visitors as we said above in the chapter on the sick and the healthy. Amen.

Thanks be to God, Jesus, and Mary.

NOTES