Discussion of
The Visitation Of The Nunneries
The Book of the Foundations
of S. Teresa of Jesus
of the Order of our Lady of Carmel
| Contents of
The Visitation Of The Nunneries
1. Humility. —
2. Temporals. —
3. The visitor must be firm. —
4. Danger of slight relaxations.—
5. Time brings laxity. —
6. Humility. —
7. The visitor must be strict. —
8. And remove unfit prioresses. —
9. Of the endowed houses. —
10. The houses unendowed. —
11. Handi-work of the nuns
not to be passed over. —
12. Extravagance. —
13. The monasteries not
to be large houses. —
14. Of the interior arrangements. —
15. The inquisition to be strict. —
16. Of the interior discipline of the house. —
17. The nuns may not go from one house
to another to please themselves. —
18. Particular friendships. —
19. Of nuns who find fault. —
20. Importance of keeping
the Constitutions. —
21. The visitor to be told everything. —
22. Sincerity in the visited. —
23. Innovations strictly forbidden. —
24. The admission of novices. —
25. Profession. —
26. Lay Sisters. —
27. The number of nuns. —
28. Indiscreet devotions. —
29. Of the singing in choir. —
30. Precautions against negligence. —
31. All faults to be manifested. —
32. The visitor to keep the secret. —
33. Especially from the prioress. —
34. Poverty to be strictly observed. —
35. Necessity of exactness in the visitor. —
36. The obligations of nuns
under the visitation. —
37. Of the confessor. —
38. Economy. —
39. Of the dress. —
40. And language. —
41. Lawsuits to be avoided. —
42. The admission of novices. —
43. The visitor to be cautious
in his conduct. —
44. And diligent in his visit. —
45. Entertainment of the visitor. —
46. Fray Jerome of the Mother of God. —
47. The visitor must not be too friendly
with the prioress. —
48. Self-deceit. —
49. Difficult to overcome. —
Letter to Father Jerome Gratian.
|
Discussion of
The Visitation Of The Nunneries
► "Written at the request
of Father Jerome Gratian,
then provincial of the Discalced Carmelites"
[ Foundation: Introduction ]
"Fray Jerome Gratian
of the Mother of God,
(who was) Provincial at the time.
...has ordered me to write;
for the sake of which,
God, being all-mighty,
will do the work without regard unto me."
[ Visitation of the Nunneries: #1
& Foot Note #1 ]
"I began this work,
in the matter of obedience,
[ Visitation of the Nunneries: #1
► Written in 1576 in Toledo
"It appears to have been written
in August or September 1576.
[ Foundation: Introduction ]
"1576
9th August
She is settled in Toledo...
In Toledo the Saint continues
the Book of the Foundations
as far as ch. xxvii,
adding to it the account
of the foundations of
Segovia, Veas, Seville, and Caravaca
and writes
The Visitation of the Nunneries.
She ceases to write
about the middle of November.
[Foundations: Introduction:
Annals of the Saint's Life ]
► Originally written at what was "the end"
of the Book of the Foundations in 1576
■ Written at a time
when the founding of new convents
- was interrupted and
- was thought to be finished.
"for I shall now begin
the end of the Foundations"
"and it may have a place there,
for it will be very useful."
[ Visitation of the Nunneries:
Letter to Fr. Gratian ]
"probably written
in August or September 1576.
...as the series of foundations
had been interrupted by the troubles
which had overtaken the Reform,
Saint Teresa could not foresee
that at a later period
more convents would be founded,
necessitating the addition
of other chapters..."
[ Visitation of the Nunneries:
Foot Note # 17]
"The foundations are interrupted,
none being made
for more than four years,
owing to the troubles
arising out of the quarrel
between the friars
of the old observance
and those
of the Saint's reform
(see Foundation: ch. xxviii. i)."
[Foundations: Introduction:
Annals of the Saint's Life ]
■ Later, St. Teresa was authorized to
continue founding new convents
and so, her Book of the Foundation
also was resumed until 1582,
well beyond the 1576 writing
of the 'Visitation of the Nunneries'.
"This paper is generally inserted
among the letters of the Saint,
and as she says
that she is about to begin
the 'end of the Foundations '
it has been placed among those
of March or April 1582,
but it was more probably written
in August or September 1576.
At that time there remained indeed
several chapters to be added
to that work
(see...ch. xxvii. 21)"
[ Visitation of the Nunneries:
Foot Note # 17]
► That This writing may be of service
"May it please our Lord
that I may say something to the purpose...
God, being all-mighty, will do the work
without regard unto me.
[ Visitation of the Nunneries: # 1]
...for it will be very useful."
[ Visitation of the Nunneries:
Letter to Father Jerome Gratian ]
• Contains instructions
regarding the 49 topics
listed in the "contents" section
at the top of the page.
The instructions are
for the Carmelite Apostolic Visitor
who makes an annual review
of each convent
with its Prioress and its nuns.
The instruction serve
to familiarize the Visitor
with those areas
that need to be reviewed
that may be problematic.
They also contain information
regarding the visitations
which was needed to be understood
specifically by the prioresses and
generally by the nuns.
► St. Teresa asks Fr. Jerome
• to write his own instructions for
the Visitation
"I entreat you, my father...
by writing certain instructions
for the visitors"
[ Visitation of the Nunneries:
Letter to Father Jerome Gratian ]
and
• to improve on her writing as needed
"If in this
anything has been done
as it ought to have been done,
it may be put into better order,
and
will be of service"
[ Visitation of the Nunneries:
Letter to Father Jerome Gratian ]
► The importance of the standardized Visitation
as documented by these instructions
■ For the benefit of the Nuns
• To identify and address faults
should they exist
before they can develop into serious errors
"This is the reason
why monasteries, and even orders
are so fallen in some places;
Slight things are slightly regarded,
and
hence the most grievous falls".
[ Visitation of the Nunneries: #20]
"...the visitation,
in order to
correct affectionately and
root out imperfections gradually,
is made but once a year.
Unless the nuns understand
that their faults will be
redressed and punished
at the year's end,
- one year after another may pass away,
and
- religious observances may be so relaxed
as to make it impossible
to restore them at will"
[ Visitation of the Nunneries: #4]
"If this be done,
the nuns
will grow in perfection
more and more,
and
will not go back,
for women in general
are reverent and timid.
All this will have a great effect
in keeping them from becoming careless"
[ Visitation of the Nunneries: #35 ]
■ For the preparation and foresight
of the Visitor
"May our Lord send us always a visitor
who is wise and holy,
such an one His Majesty will enlighten,
so that he shall
understand us and make no mistakes,
for so shall every monastery be governed
in the best way,
and souls grow in perfection,
to the honour and glory of God."
[ Visitation of the Nunneries: #49 ]
"May you, my father,
do what you can
to carry into execution these instructions,
as you are doing at present
in your visitations;
for our Lord will supply the rest
in His compassion,
and
through the merits of the sisters,
seeing that their object throughout
is to render Him true service,
and for that end
to be instructed.
[ Visitation of the Nunneries:
Letter to Fr Jerome Gratian ]
"It is necessary to carry on
what is now done by the superior
whom our Lord has given us
— I speak to those
who shall come after him — "
[ Visitation of the Nunneries: #43 ]
■ For the Prioress in maintaining the Rule
and faithfulness to the Constitution
• "the chief reason
why they are in office is
- that they are to see
that the rules and constitutions
-- are kept;
-- not to take away from them
-- nor to add to them
of their own head;
and
- that there must be one
to see to this, and
to tell the superior of it."
[ Visitation of the Nunneries: #21 ]
• "Everything will go on well
provided the constitutions are kept"
"...If great care be not taken
herein, and
in the keeping of the rule,
visitations will be of little use
— for that is the meaning of them —
[ Visitation of the Nunneries: #22 ]
• St. Teresa wrote to Fr Jerome
"...before...the constitutions
of both friars and nuns were drawn up...
'I wish we had the constitutions printed,
for they are not everywhere alike,
and
there are prioresses who,
without thinking they are doing anything,
add or omit what they please
when they copy them.
Let a clear decree be made,
that no one is to
add to them or
take anything from them' "
[ Visitation of the Nunneries:
Foot Note #10 ]
• "It is to be observed
that there may be prioresses
who will ask leave to be at liberty
to do certain things
contrary to the constitutions,
and
who probably will give
what they perhaps think sufficient reasons
to justify them,
because they know no better,
or
because they wish
to make the superior
understand it to be necessary.
And, though what they ask
may not be contrary to the constitutions,
still it may be such
as will work mischief if allowed"
[ Visitation of the Nunneries: #23 ]
• "It is necessary to ascertain
whether the prioresses add
to the obligations of the nuns,
either in the matter of prayers
or in their penances.
It may happen
that each prioress may add something
at her own pleasure,
of so special a nature,
and
be so severe in exacting it,
that the nuns, overburdened,
may lose their health,
and
be made thereby unable to discharge
their real obligations.
This is not meant as a prohibition
of all additions,
if on any particular day
some special need should be felt;
some prioresses, however,
may be so unwise
as to make almost a habit of it,
as it often happens,
and the nuns dare not speak out,
thinking, if they were to do so,
that it would show them
to have but little devotion:
nor is it right
they should speak to any one
but the superiors.
[ Visitation of the Nunneries: #28 ]
■ Because self-evaluation is
subject to self-deception
St. Teresa discusses the importance
of the visitation
to observe firsthand the convent's status
because of the difficulty
of those, living there
to be objective in their self-examination.
"...I had such trust
that it seemed to me impossible
for things to be otherwise
than as they represented them.
But when I remained some days
in the house
I was amazed to see everything
so different from the account
they gave me...
Accordingly, I have made up my mind
never to trust any one
before I have made inquiries enough...
for if that be not done
what is wrong can hardly be set right."
[ Visitation of the Nunneries: #48]
• The Prioress, herself, can be deceived
"and yet it was the prioress
who did not know herself,
as she afterwards
came to understand.
I believe, myself,
that Satan,
not having many opportunities
of tempting the sisters,
tempts the prioress in some things
to think differently from the rest;
"...I have made inquiries enough,
that I may make her
who is thus deceived
feel that she is deceived;
for if that be not done
what is wrong can hardly be set right."
[ Visitation of the Nunneries: #48]
"All this does not take place
in grave matters,
but out of them
great evils may arise
if we do not proceed with caution.
I am amazed
when I consider the cunning of Satan —
how he makes every one think
she is telling the greatest truth
in the world:
that is why I said
that the prioress is
not to be altogether trusted,
nor any one of the nuns either,
but inquiries should be made of many,
if the matter be of importance,
in order that a certain remedy
might be provided."
[ Visitation of the Nunneries: #49]
■ Conversely, the Visitor can correct
fault-finding where there is no fault
Regarding "nuns who find fault":
"There are some
who in their own opinion
are so excessively perfect
that they consider everything they see
to be a fault,
being always themselves
the very persons
who have the most faults,
but, seeing none of them,
they lay the whole blame
on the poor prioress
or
on the others."
[ Visitation of the Nunneries: #19]
|
End of the Discussion
of
The Visitation of The Nunneries
The Book of the Foundations
of S. Teresa of Jesus
of the Order of our Lady of Carmel
|
