APPENDIX II
Rule and Constitutions
for the Discalced Friars
of the Order of our Lady
of Mount Carmel,
of the Primitive Rule unrelaxed,
observed
in this kingdom of Castille,
given by our Most Reverend Father,
Fray John Baptist Rubeo
of Ravenna,
General of the said order.
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[ Blog Note: See Foot Note #6 ]
THE ORDER TO BE OBSERVED
IN SPIRITUALS
1.
Let matins always be said at midnight
and be followed
by an hour's mental prayer,
after which the bell-ringer
of the preceding week
shall give the sign to retire.
In summer
the friars shall rise at five,
and continue in prayer till six;
in winter
at six,
and continue in prayer till seven.
After meditation,
Prime and Terce shall be recited.
In summer they ring for mass at eight,
and all the year
Sext shall be said before mass ;
in winter they ring at nine,
and after mass they say None,
but in summer
None shall be said at one o'clock.
2.
Every day high mass shall be sung
at which all the religious
shall officiate in turn;
the Hours shall be said in monotone,
the voices even,
except on Sundays and feasts.
Let everyone be careful
never to be absent from choir
for light cause;
when the Hours have been said
let them go at once to their work.
ON COMMUNION
3.
Let the priests go to confession
te?' in hebdomada ad minus
(Blog Note: in a week at least)
and the brothers
who are not priests
shall go to confession and communion
on all Sundays and feasts of our Lord
and
on feasts of our Lady and
of the saints of the Order,
according to the advice
of their spiritual father.
The brothers, priests,
as well as those as are not priests,
shall prepare themselves for Communion,
and
afterwards shall remain
at least a quarter of an hour
giving thanks to the Lord
pro beneficio suscepto et
pro conservatione gratiarum.
4.
Shortly before dinner,
signal shall be made
for the examination of conscience,
touching what they have been doing
that day,
and
the gravest fault they may discover,
let them
try to correct, and
say one Pater Noster
to obtain grace from God to that end.
This examination shall be held
in the refectory or
in the oratory
after the dinner bell has been rung.
5.
At two o'clock
vespers are to be said
all the year round,
unless it be Lent
when they are to be said at eleven:
at the end of vespers,
when said at two o'clock,
let there be spiritual reading
for an hour;
and
when vespers are said at eleven,
the spiritual reading is to be
at the aforesaid hour;
that time, however,
may be devoted to prayer
according to each one's devotion.
6.
Compline,
in summer,
is to be said at six o'clock,
in winter
at five.
At eight,
both in summer and winter
let the signal be given for silence,
which must be kept strictly
till after Prime of the following day;
great care must be bestowed on this point,
and
no one may enter the cell of another
at any time;
at all other times
no brother may speak to another
without leave,
except those who are in office,
and
then only when necessary.
Such permission may be granted
by the father prior
when he thinks it will serve
- to quicken more and more
the love of the Lord,
or
- if anyone
is in need of consolation
or
suffers from temptation.
The prohibition does not extend
to a word, a question or an answer,
for so much may be done without leave.
7.
Compline being finished
let them kneel down
while one of the brothers is reading aloud,
so that all may hear him,
the point on
which they are to meditate
or
which they should consider
during the hour of mental prayer.
The reading finished
let them pray for an hour,
8.
Let the father prior see
that they have good books,
particularly those of
the Carthusians,
Contemptus mundi [1]
The Oratory of Religious
Fray Peter of Alcantara,
Fray Luis de Granada;
For this nourishment is in part
as necessary for the soul
as food is for the body.
9.
The whole time they are not
present with the community
or
discharging the duties of their office,
they must
- remain
either in their cells
or in the hermitage
which the father prior shall
have assigned them
as the place of their retreat,
- doing some fitting work there,
- fulfilling what the Rule prescribes
concerning solitude
that every brother shall be alone in his cell.
When necessary
the father prior may give permission
to a brother
to enter the cell or hermitage of another,
but they must always speak in a low voice.
Let no brother call another ,
' Your Paternity,'
but ' Your Reverence,'
nor ' You,'
unless he be a priest;
They should
- address each other,
' Your Charity,'
and
- be very polite to each other.
No one is to be called,
' Master ' or ' Presentado '
even if he bear that title;
Dropping the family names
let them adopt the names
of those saints
to whom they have special devotion,
ON TEMPORALS
10.
They must always live on alms,
having no revenues whatever;
and so long as they can bear it,
there must be no begging;
Great must be their need
before they take that step,
rather let them provide for themselves
by the work of their hands,
as S, Paul did,
for our Lord will furnish them
with what is necessary,
if they do not ask for more,
and are satisfied without comforts;
He will not fail them,
and
they will be able to support life;
If they labour with all their might
to please our Lord,
His Majesty will take care
that they shall want nothing.
11.
Let the prior be most careful
that they
- learn how to work
and
- are occupied in such labour
as is fitting and good for Religious [2]
and
- are never idle
so that the devil may never find them
off their guard,
and
- that they may gain their bread,
each one for the others,
and
what they earn
let them spend it
in buying fish or sardines,
and other things lawful to eat,
and
let them accept
what shall be given in payment
without haggling over it.
They shall strive to make
as little noise as possible
when at work.
Let the father prior appoint one
of the brothers
to distribute to the others
all that is necessary to them,
to whom also shall be handed
what they have gained by their work,
and
if anyone be careless,
and
the father prior so order it,
let him do some penance
at the time of the repast
in presence of all.
12.
The friars may not have anything
as their own
in any way whatever,
nor is that ever to be allowed them,
either for their food
or their clothing;
they may not have a
chest or box or
drawer or cupboard,
unless they have some office
in the community;
everything must be in common;
this is of great importance,
for it is by little things
the devil is enabled to
enter and
destroy the perfection of poverty;
the father prior therefore,
must be very careful
should he notice a religious
to be attached to anything,
whether it be a
book or cell or anything else,
to take it away from him.
ON FASTING AND ABSTINENCE
FROM FLESHMEAT
13.
They must keep a fast
from the Exaltation of the Cross
in September
till Easter day, Sundays excepted.
They are never to eat meat [3]
except in case of illness,
as the rule enjoins.
14.
The habit is to be of
serge or frieze,
black and undyed
and
as little stuff as possible
is to be used in it,
the sleeves
narrow,
not wider at the wrists
than at the shoulder;
(the habit)
not longer at the back
than in front,
and
without pleats, and
reaching to the feet; [4]
the scapular is
to be made of the same stuff,
but shorter than the habit
by four inches,
the mantle
of the same stuff,
but somewhat shorter
than the scapular, and
as little stuff to be used in it as possible,
due regard being had
to what is necessary.
The tunics
to be worn over the skin
are to be of serge,
the underclothing
of rough material.
They are to go bare-footed
except in cold places
where they may wear
sandals or wooden clogs.
Necessity should always be studied.
15.
Let them sleep on beds
with straw mattresses,
without pillows,
the sheets to be
of serge;
there must be no curtains of any kind,
unless in case of necessity,
a matting of rushes or
a door-screen of sack-cloth;
let it all be poor
and without study of comfort.
OF ENCLOSURE
16.
Let them speak
to no one
except father or brother or mother,
or with persons
from whom some good result
may be expected
and
who edify them by their words,
but not for the sake of human recreation,
but for the affairs of their souls.
Let them never speak
with any woman,
whether
in the porter's lodge or
in the church
except when hearing their confessions
and
with leave from the father prior.
Let no woman
of whatsoever estate
enter the enclosure of the monastery
for any reason whatsoever;
but if one come to the porter's lodge
to treat with any of the friars
let the porter be present,
and
if they continue too long
let him tell them
to be brief and have done.
17.
No religious is to go out
to visit anyone,
but let them always remain
in their retreat,
unless it be
a preacher
who may go out to preach
in the villages,
or
a confessor to
hear the confession of a sick person
and
minister consolation;
neither shall the preacher
go to the house of any person
for his repast,
unless it were that of his brother,
but if he is not too far
let him return to the monastery
for his meals;
and
if some sick person should wish
the said father
to hear his confession and
to console him,
he may go to his house
without further permission
from the father prior.
Let no religious
eat out of the convent
or
mix himself up in worldly matters.
Let them strive to
- derive some spiritual gain
from their conversations with seculars,
and
- see that the latter, too, find some,
without any loss of time.
ON THE RECEIVING OF NOVICES
18.
Great care must be taken
that they whom they receive
be persons who
- give themselves to prayer and
- aim at
all perfection
and
contempt of the world;
for if they are not detached
from the world
when they come
they will hardly bear
with the observances of the house,
and
it is better
to look to this beforehand
than
to send them away afterwards.
They should be
healthy,
sensible, and
able to carry out
what is commanded them.
Let no one be received
unless he knows the grammar,
and
when it is proposed to receive someone
the religious shall be asked
to give secret votes.
Let them accept nothing
from his parents,
for it they had to send him away
it might perhaps be difficult
to return to him
what he had brought,
as it may have been spent.
19.
The porter should accept nothing
without having first obtained leave
from the father prior,
nor shall any religious
without similar permission
beg of any person
were it even his own father or mother.
20.
Every day after collation or supper
the porter shall
rise and
tell the whole community
what alms have been received that day
and
from whom,
in order that it may be known
who has given us alms on that day,
so that they may pray to the Lord
for him,
and every day
both after dinner and after collation
let them recite a responsory
for his deceased friends.
21.
In each village
they should have a secular person
to collect the alms
given by devout persons
for the religious
so that
- they may be brought to the monastery,
and
- no brother is to leave the monastery
in order to fetch them.
They may, however,
keep at the monastery
a laybrother
who may go out to do commissions;
he will then wear a habit of black serge. '
22.
Each week one of the religious
shall be appointed,
who shall be called zelator,
whose office and duty it is
to notice the faults he may observe
in his brethren,
and each evening after collation,
when the alms received that day,
have been recited
he shall say 'Benedicite',
after which
he shall begin to make known the faults
he has seen in each,
beginning by the seniors and
proceeding to the youngest,
and
any religious named
shall kneel down and
listen to the correction
of the faults committed
without
excusing himself or
saying a single word
except
in very grave matters and
with permission of the superior.
But he shall simply say:
'I will amend myself',
and whenever anyone is reprehended,
he must kneel down,
so as to become accustomed
to humbling himself.
ON THE HUMBLE OFFICES
23.
The first on the list of those
who are to sweep the house
is to be the father prior,
that in all things
he may give a good example,
and
he shall likewise be the first
to fulfill the humble offices.
Those who have the charge of
the wardrobe and
the storeroom
shall furnish the brethren in all charity
with what is required
for their subsistence,
and
with everything else.
No more must be done
according to the rule
for the father prior
and the older friars
than for any of the others, [5]
but it must be as
the necessities and
the age of each
demand,
and
necessity should be regarded
rather than age,
for sometimes
the older the religious
the fewer the wants;
great attention should be paid
to this in general,
because it is necessary for many reasons.
Let no brother ever speak of his food,
whether he has little or much,
whether it be well or ill dressed.
Let the prior or the one
who is over the store-room
take care that it be well prepared
so that they may be satisfied with
what is there given them
seeing that they have nothing else.
24.
The brothers are bound
to make their wants known
to the father prior, [6]
the novices
to their master,
whether of raiment or food,
and if they require anything
out of the way
which cannot be given them
let them praise God for it,
for they have come here to do penance.
OF THE SICK BROTHERS
25.
Let the sick brothers be tended with
affection, charity and delicacy,
consistently with our poverty,
and
let them give thanks to our Lord
when they are well provided for,
and
if they want anything
let them
have patience and
not fret
because they do not have
what the rich have
at the moment of their need.
The father prior must take care
that the healthy
rather than the sick [7]
be without necessaries.
The sick are to be visited
by the religious.
An infirmarian is to be
placed over them
possessed of the
charity and
ability
requisite for the discharge of his duty.
And the sick brothers must then strive to
show the perfection
they have gained when in health,
by patience and
by giving the least trouble they can;
let them be always obedient
to the infirmarian,
and
they both will derive benefit
from the sickness.
Let them have
good beds with pillows and
linen sheets,
and
linen shirts may be served out to them.
They may also go out
to take the air and
may eat meat,
and
all the comfort to be had
is to be given them.
26.
When a religious has to go out
let him take no money with him
but rather ask for alms;
neither shall he ride on horseback
except in case of illness
when he may ride a horse or a he-mule,
but not a she-mule
which is contrary to the rule. [8]
As for the dinner hour
that cannot be regular,
because that must be
as our Lord gives;
when they have anything to eat
the meal shall be
in winter at eleven
and
in summer at ten.
Before sitting down to eat,
if our Lord inspires a brother
to do an act of mortification,
let him ask leave,
and
let not this good practice be lost,
out of which some profit is derived;
but it must be quickly done,
so that it shall not interfere
with the reading.
27.
No brother may eat or drink
without leave
except at dinner or supper.
28.
When they come out
from dinner and collation
the father prior may dispense with silence [9]
that they may talk together
of anything they like;
only it must be about things
a good religious may speak of.
29.
Let them strive
not to be wearisome one to another,
nor shall there be particular friendships,
but let them all love
each other in general
as Christ commanded his apostles.
30.
No one may publicly correct another
for faults he may see him commit;
if the faults be grave
let him remind the other of them charitably
when they are alone,
and
if no amendment follow
after three admonitions
let him speak to the father prior.
There are zelators
whose duty it is
to notice faults and
to make known what they have seen,
but let them
mind their own and
meddle not with those
which are committed in the discharge
of the duties of the house,
unless it be something grave
which they are under obligation to observe.
Let them be very careful
never to defend themselves
when found fault with,
unless it be in grave matters,
for they will make great profit thereby.
The father prior should
nominate another relator secretly
to tell him the faults
committed in the house
which may have escaped the public zelator.
31.
The punishment
of the faults and failings committed
in regard to the things mentioned
shall be in conformity with our rule,
namely the penalties detailed
in our holy constitutions
for greater and minor faults.
32.
In all that has been said
the father prior may dispense
as far as is right,
with discretion and charity,
as it does not oblige
under the penalty of sin,
but only under bodily penance. [10]
33.
The monastery should
never be of costly workmanship,
except the church,
nor should there be anything elaborate.
The woodwork shall be rough,
just as it leaves the timberyard;
the house small,
the rooms low,
so as to answer to necessity,
and
nothing superfluous,
but everything as solid
as it can be made;
the enclosure wall high.
They may have a field
wherein to construct hermitages
in which to retire for prayer
conformably to the custom
of our holy fathers.
34.
In our constitutions,
to which we hereby refer,
is said
what each one must do
for the discharge of his various duties;
what has been laid down above
refers to the employment of time.
Given by our most Reverend Father
Fray John Baptist Rubeo,
General of the whole Order
of our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Foot Notes:
[1]
Contemptus Mundi,
i.e. the Imitation
(The Imitation of Christ - Thomas Kempis).
Note the plural Los Cartujanos
which evidently refers to other works
besides the Life of Christ.
Ludolf of Saxony
which S. Teresa calls El Cartujano.
The Oratory of Religious
was written by Antonio de Guevara.
____________
[2]
In marg.: studentes non ocrupentur.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Note: ( our guess ?)
In the margin was written,
'studentes non occupentur'
An advisement regarding
the need to assign suitable activities
for the students / seminarians;
A warning against
"not to be occupied".
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
____________________
[3]
Marg. : Vide at ur regula:
nam supra mare etc.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Note's rough translation:
"In the margin was written:
'See the rule: for on the sea' "
(regarding when on the sea)
This seems to be referring to an exception
to the prohibition of meat
Also See "The Carmelite Rule" #11
The Rule Of The Order
Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel
( sanctioned for those
of the monastery
of the Picture at Alcala )
In this "Book of the Foundations"
"and in the same way,
at sea,
when making a voyage,
you may eat flesh."
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
___________
[4]
Marg. : Sic Jiant ista
quod non sint derisioni.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Note's rough translation:
( Jiant / fiant )
" In the margin was written,
'Thus be made
so as there is not derision.' "
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
______________
[5]
The original has 'las',
in the feminine gender.
____________
[6]
The original had first 'a la madre'
which was afterwards changed
into 'al padre'.
From this
as well as from the fact
that these constitutions are
to a large extent
a literal extract from those
given by S. Teresa to the nuns,
it is clear that Rubeo had the latter
before him
when he drew up these.
It also shows
that he fully approved
S. Teresa's constitutions
and
Invested them
with his own authority.
_________________
[7]
Originally 'las sanas' and 'las enfermas',
which was corrected into
'los sanos' and 'los enfermos'.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Note:
Originally referring to
the healthy and the sick nuns,
(feminine plural)
'las sanas' and 'las enfermas'
but changed to a reference to
the healthy and the sick friars
'los sanos' and 'los enfermos'.
(masculine plural).
. . . . . . . . . . . ..
___________
[8]
The rule says as 'mos s'lve miilos.
In a bull of Gregory IX
of 6th April 1229,
the hermits of Mount Carmel
are forbidden various kinds of property
'prater asinos masculos''
(Bullarium. Carmel. i, 4).
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Note's rough translation
'masculos' mulos'
masculine mule ' he-mules
as in the text
'when he may may ride a horse
or a he-mule'
above in paragraph #26
Regarding the bull of Gregory IX
of 6th April 1229,
'prater asinos masculos'' ,
forbidding 'other than male mules'
. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .
_____________________
[9]
'Originally la madre
which was changed into 'la padre prior'.
____________________
[10]
TheReligious Vows oblige
under mortal sin,
the Rule
under venial sin,
and
the Constitutions
under no sin
(except under certain circumstances),
but under an exterior penalty.
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End of
APPENDIX II
Rule and Constitutions
for the Discalced Friars
of the Order of our Lady
of Mount Carmel,
of the Primitive Rule unrelaxed,
in the
Book of the Foundations
of S. Teresa of Jesus
of the Order of our Lady of Carmel
|
