The [provisional] Constitutions
of the Community of
Our Lady and Saint Laurence
A Supplement to the
Rule for Monasteries of
Our Holy Father Benedict of Nursia
The [provisional] Constitutions
of the Community of
Our Lady and Saint Laurence
A Voluntary Association of Canonical Orthodox Monks and Nuns
Seeking and Serving God According to the
Teaching of Saint Benedict of Nursia
and the Liturgical Traditions of Western Orthodoxy
Prepared by
Ven. Schema-monk Theodore
Nativity of the Virgin Mary, 2013
1
2
Contents
Dedication and Acknowledgements ..............................................................................2
Preface ............................................................................................................................ 5
Article I: Regarding the Nature and Status of the Community ................................... 10
Article II: Regarding the Prior ..................................................................................... 11
Article III: Regarding the Coenobitic Life ................................................................... 12
Article IV: Regarding Seniority and Order in the Community .................................... 14
Article V: Regarding the Monastic Chapter ................................................................. 15
Article VI: Regarding Common Property and Personal Poverty ................................. 15
Article VII: Regarding the Monastic Cell ..................................................................... 17
Article VIII: Regarding Celibate Chastity and Self-sacrificial Love ............................ 18
Article IX: Regarding Obedience ................................................................................ 20
Article X: Regarding Clothing and Personal Care ...................................................... 20
Article XI: Regarding Correspondence and Relations with
Family and Friends ................................................................................. 21
Article XII: Regarding the Work of God ..................................................................... 22
Article XIII: Regarding the Use of the Oratory ...........................................................23
Article XIV: Regarding Labor, Reading, and Mission Service ................................... 24
Article XV: Regarding Meals and Fasting ................................................................... 26
Article VI: Regarding Silence and Recreation ............................................................ 28
Article XVII: Regarding Hospitality ........................................................................... 29
Article XVIII: Regarding Conduct “in the World” ...................................................... 29
Article XIX: Regarding the Sick, Illness, and Death................................................... 30
Article XX: Regarding Qualifications, Novitiate, Tonsuring
and Solemn Profession .......................................................................... 31
Article XXI: Regarding Discipline and Penance ......................................................... 34
Article XXII: Regarding Leave, Release, Restoration, or Dismissal .......................... 36
3
Dedicated To:
The Glory of God; the Blessed and ever-Virgin Mary, Mother of Our Great
God and Savior, Jesus Christ under her title of Glastonbury; the Martyric
Service of Saint Laurence of Rome; the Visionary Leadership of Saints
Tikhon the Confessor and John the Wonderworker of Shanghai and San
Francisco in the renewal of Western Orthodox worship and devotion; the
ever-memorable Deacon Robert “Polycarp” Sherwood, who labored
tirelessly in the promotion and support of Orthodox monastic life according
to the Holy Rule of Saint Benedict; His Eminence Metropolitan Maximos of
Pittsburgh (Retired), who tonsured me to the Great Schema in a Greek
Orthodox Monastery that looked to the Holy Rule of Saint Benedict as its
model; and to the honor of all Orthodox monks and nuns who have
combined contemplation of God and mission to God’s People in lives of
ascetic self-sacrifice.
Acknowledgements
The provisional Constitutions are an original composition and are not in the public
domain. All rights to them are reserved by the Author:
Schema-monk Subdeacon Theodore (Phillips)
monk.theodore@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted, all quotations from the Sacred Scripture are from the Orthodox
Study Bible, a special edition of the NKJV, © Thomas Nelson, Nashville, 2008, and
meet the criteria for “fair use.”
The images reproduced herein were obtained from the following locations:
Cover: Provisional Coat of Arms, Community of Our Lady and Saint Laurence, 2013,
original design by Schema-monk Theodore
Page 1: Ss Benedict and Scholastica, Medieval Icon, San Ambrosio della Massima,
Rome, public domain photograph
Page 9: Campus and interior of the Oratory of the Benedictine Fellowship of St.
Laurence Retreat Center, 2012; photos by Schema-monk Theodore
Page 10: St. Benedict, Monastery of St. Gilles, Nimes, 1129
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:St._Benedict_delivering_his_rule_to_the_monks_of_his_order.jpg
Page 38: St Benedict, by the hand of Mary Sullivan Coit, Lancelot Andrewes Press,
used by permission.
4
Preface
The Holy Rule of Saint Benedict of Nursia
The Rule for Monasteries compiled by St. Benedict of Nursia, c. 540 A.D.,
is a venerable and reliable guide for Orthodox monasticism, regardless of the culture,
liturgical rite, or geographical context in which it is lived. Through the Dialogues of St.
Gregory the Great, St. Benedict became known throughout the Orthodox world and is
hymned in the East as the “sun that shinest with the Mystic Dayspring's radiance, who
didst enlighten the monastics of the western lands, [who] art worthily the namesake of
benediction…”1Thanks to the gradual renewal of its Western liturgical and spiritual
traditions over the last 150 years, Orthodoxy is again blessed to have monasteries
(though small and few in number) that model their lives on this Holy Rule.2
The Community of Our Lady and Saint Laurence embraces the Rule of St
Benedict as the primary document giving shape and meaning to its life of monastic
community, discipline, and mission service. We do so with the knowledge that the
interpretation and application of the Rule has varied considerably over time and from
place to place. We have the utmost respect for the teaching of St Benedict in his Rule; we
maintain that respect within an awareness that his is not the only approach to the
monastic life; indeed, we whole-heartedly affirm the truth that, in the Orthodox Catholic
Church, there is only one monastic “order,” and that all monastics, no matter what
“rule,” “ustav,” or “typikon” they follow, are members of that sacred order and are,
therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ and in the ascetic struggle. There is no place in
Orthodox monastic life for the kind of elitism or partisanship against which St Paul
warned in his First Epistle to the Corinthians.3
While striving always to adhere to the spirit of our venerable Rule, we read it
neither in a strictly literal fashion, nor in isolation from the testimony of other Orthodox
monastic elders, nor apart from how it was understood and implemented over the
centuries. Some portions are inapplicable due to changes in culture; others were deemed
by later holy monastic elders to be impractical or unhelpful.4 For this reason,
“Benedictine” monasteries – long before the Great Schism – developed constitutions
and customaries to interpret and apply the Rule in their particular circumstances. This
present document, in all humility, seeks to take its place in that venerable tradition.
1
Kontakion for the Feast of St. Benedict, March 14, http://www.goarch.org/chapel/saints/459, accessed February
10, 2011.
2
The Monastery of St. Mary of the Latins, also known as the “Amalfion,” since it was founded by monks from
Amalfi, Italy, flourished on Mt. Athos until the early fourteenth century. It was founded during the lifetime of St.
Athanasios, founder of the Great Lavra and worshipped according to the Latin Rite. Its existence is verified by a
number of documents, some of which mention that it followed the Rule of St. Benedict and which show it to have
been an “Imperial” Monastery and one of the ruling monasteries of the Holy Mountain. The ruins of its tower still
stand
on
the
Holy
Mountain.
A
brief
history
may
be
read
at:
http://allmercifulsavior.net/Liturgy/Amalfion%20Oct%202002.pdf
3
cf 1 Cor 3:1-9
4
A notable example would be the prescription of corporal punishment such as flogging or beating with the rod,
which others, notably St Theodore the Studite, forbade as being against the teaching of the “elders.”
5
The Rule of Saint Benedict in English and Latin, translated and edited by Abbot
Justin McCann (published in 1951 by the Congregation of English Benedictines and
republished by Lancelot Andrewes Press), shall be considered our standard text, and is
the one from which we read together.
The following portions of the Rule, while read for the purposes of study, are not
held to be binding legislation for the life of the Community:
Chapters VIII – XVIII (Directions for the Divine Office)
Chapter XLI (The hours of meals)
Chapters LVIII – LIX (Receiving men and children)
Additionally, the provisions for dormitories, child-oblates, a separate kitchen and
refectory for the Abbot and guests, and for corporal punishment are held in
abeyance as they have, in practice, long fallen into disuse among virtually all
monasteries following the Rule.
In keeping with the prevailing liturgical usage of the Benedictine Fellowship of
Saint Laurence, on whose campus we are resident, we currently serve the Divine Office
according to the form known as the “Rite of St Tikhon,” which is based on an Orthodox
correction of the 16th Century English redaction of the ancient services, as found in the
Book of Common Prayer.5 St Benedict himself allowed arrangements other than what
he stipulated in his Rule, although he instructed that the whole Psalter should
nonetheless be recited each week.6 Upon careful examination, we have found that, when
applied in our particular circumstances,7 this requirement poses an obstacle to the
balance of worship, prayer, work, and study, for which St Benedict is rightly admired.
We have, however, chosen to supplement the “Prayer Book Office” in the Rite of St
Tikhon with certain materials from the more ancient forms, such as the “Lauds” Psalms8
and a Patristic Lesson at Matins, and the traditional Hours of Sext and Compline, while
adhering to its monthly cycle of Psalms in place of the ancient weekly cycle.
In all places where conflicting regulations are found in the Rule and the
provisional Constitutions, the legislation of the Constitutions shall prevail in practice.
5
After corrections to the work of the original, heterodox redactors and restoration of elements such as the
invocation of the Virgin Mary and Saints, this Rite was approved by the Holy Synods of both the Church of Russia
and the Church of Antioch for use by Orthodox Christians. With some adjustment for monastic context, our texts
are those of the Book of Common Prayer, the Saint Dunstan’s Psalter, and the Benedictine Compline: all published
by Lancelot Andrewes Press, an affiliate of the BFSL.
6
An admonition not, in fact, carried out in all monasteries adhering to the Rule, either due to the need to balance
the Divine Office with certain forms of mission or, simply, because of the frequent interruption of the cycle by
Psalms assigned for various feasts.
7
This realization is not unique to us; monasteries have often found this to be the case, especially when they are
involved in the various outreach ministries that followers of St Benedict have traditionally undertaken throughout
the ages. Different monastic houses or congregations have adopted varying ways of adapting the requirements of
the Rule to their particular circumstances. In the author’s experience, this is no less true of Eastern Orthodox
monasteries, where the reading of the traditional arrangement of Kathismata (Psalm Readings), and the choice of
which Hours to pray in common, varies greatly.
8
Psalms 148 – 150; these form part of the traditional morning service in both the East and the West.
6
Additionally, it is understood that the Prior has the authority to apply akribeia or
economia with regard to the precepts of the Rule as circumstances may warrant, in
order to maintain godly order in the Community and the salvation of its members.
The Constitutions
These provisional Constitutions interpret, apply, and supplement the precepts of
the Rule within the context of our circumstances. They also address certain realities and
needs of contemporary civil law and custom, and provide a guide to balancing the
worship, study, work, and service aspects of monastic life as we are called to live it.
The document draws upon the author’s study and experience of monastic life and
mission work for 17 years prior to, and 10 years following his reception into Holy
Orthodoxy. The latter time included four years in two Orthodox monasteries living
under the Rule of St Benedict: one worshipping according to the Latin Rite and one
according to the Byzantine Rite.
There is provision for both monks and nuns to be members of the Community.
This is unusual, but not unheard of either historically or in our own time. The most
notable, current example is the Monastery of St John the Baptist, Essex, England,
founded by the ever-memorable Archimandrite Sophrony, disciple of St Silouan of Mt
Athos. Most references to the male gender should, therefore, be understood generically,
unless the sense of the text or the Canons require otherwise. In our case, the small size
of the Western Orthodox community, the limitations of its resources, and the original
constituents of the resident monastic affiliates at St Laurence Retreat, have all combined
to bring about this situation.
Our Lady of Glastonbury and Saint Laurence, Archdeacon and Martyr
Glastonbury is sometimes considered the birthplace of English Christianity,
believed to have been brought there by St Joseph of Arimathea. Legend has it that
Christ, himself, went there with St Joseph on a merchant voyage during the time before
he began his public ministry.9 Medieval writers also credit both St Patrick and St Brigid
with time at Glastonbury, though there is no earlier documentary proof of their time
there.
What is documented is that at the time of the Saxon conquest, in the late seventh
century A.D., there was already an ancient church there, dedicated to St Mary the
Virgin, around which there grew up a monastery. St Dunstan (later Archbishop of
Canterbury) became Abbot there in 943 and introduced the Rule of Saint Benedict,
under which the Abbey continued to flourish until it was destroyed by Henry VIII, who
plundered and dissolved it and executed the last Abbot. It is now but a picturesque ruin.
9
This legend forms the basis of a poem by William Blake, made popular in the film Chariots of Fire, the first two
stanzas of which read: And did those feet in ancient time Walk upon England's mountains green? And was the holy
Lamb of God On England's pleasant pastures seen? And did the Countenance Divine Shine forth upon our clouded
hills? And was Jerusalem builded here Among these dark satanic mills?
7
In view of the arrival of an Icon of Our Lady of Glastonbury here at the BFSL
Retreat Center (originally commissioned by a late member of the Board of Directors –
now buried outside our Oratory – for a mission church and monastery in Canada), and
the “Anglo” style and traditions of the Fellowship and resident monastics, it was decided
to name the Community after the Virgin under her title of Glastonbury (Feast, May 12)
and draw, prayerfully, not only on her intercession and protection along with that of
Saint Laurence, but upon the rich heritage of ancient English Orthodoxy and monastic
life as it flourished in Glastonbury for many centuries before the Great Schism.
The choice of St Laurence as our secondary Patron (Feast, August 10), quite
naturally, honors our connection to the Benedictine Fellowship of Saint Laurence, on
whose Rocky Mountain campus we have been blessed to reside. It also provides
inspiration towards self-sacrificial service, evangelization, and serves as a spiritual link
to the ancient See of Rome as it existed in the first millennium of the one, holy, catholic,
and apostolic Church of the Orthodox, prior to its schism from the four ancient
Patriarchates of the East.
The Annotations
Along with comments and clarifications on the text of the Constitutions, the
annotations present excerpts from other monastic writings intended to provide practical
information, context, or help for informed engagement with the Rule and Constitutions.
Secondarily, it is hoped that they will be helpful to others who read the Constitutions,
enabling them to understand some of the customs and ideals of monastic life as they are
presented herein.
Sources that are cited more than once make use of the following abbreviations:
Ailbe, Rule of ...................................................................................................... RAE
Barsanuphius and John, Directions in Spiritual Work of Ss ............................. DIR
Basil, Letters of St ............................................................................................ LTRS
Basil, Longer Rules of St....................................................................................... LR
Basil, Shorter Rules of St ...................................................................................... SR
Cassian, St John, Institutes ..............................................................................CASS
Elizabeth the New Martyr, Martha-Mary Convent, Rule of the ................... RMMC
Gregory the Great, Gospel Homilies of St....................................................... GREG
Monastery of St John in Studios, Rule of the ................................................... RSJS
Theodore the Studite, Testament of St ...................................................... TESTMT
We commend these provisional Constitutions and our life as an unofficial
“community-in-formation” to the loving Providence of God, through the intercession of
Saint Benedict, Saint Scholastica, Saint Laurence, Saint Tikhon the Confessor, Saint
John the Wonderworker of San Francisco, and, above all, our Gracious Lady the Blessed
and Ever Virgin Mother of God our Heavenly Patroness and Protectress.
8
May God, who has begun this good work in us, bring it to completion in our
salvation and deification through his grace and mercy to us in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Above: the Saint Laurence Campus looking East
Below: the interior of the Oratory of Saint Laurence
9
The [provisional] Constitutions of the
Community of
Our Lady and Saint Laurence
Article I: Regarding the Nature and Status of the Community
1. The Community of Our Lady and Saint Laurence10 is a voluntary fellowship of
Orthodox monastics, tonsured and professed under the authority of canonical
Orthodox Hierarchs, whose former monastic communities have ceased to exist or
who have freely chosen to affiliate with this “community-in-formation.”
2. The Community will strive to model its life on the Holy Rule11 of Saint Benedict of
Nursia (c. 542 A.D.), modified by these provisional Constitutions, and applied with
akribeia or economia by the Prior, in consultation with the Chapter.
3. The members of the Community, as individuals, are under the omophorion of the
Vicar Bishop for the Western Rite of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese
of North America,12 who exercises his hierarchical ministry under the authority of
the Metropolitan and Primate.
10
Hereafter, “the Community.”
The Rule is called “holy” because, although not divinely revealed, it nonetheless embodies the form according to
which a monastic puts into practice the doctrine of the Holy Scriptures; it may also be called “holy” because it
details what is needed in order for the monastic to be truly holy – i.e. “set apart” to the Lord.
12
Hereafter, “the Bishop.”
11
10
a. The individual affiliation of the monastics with the Western Rite Vicariate of the
Antiochian Archdiocese notwithstanding, the Community as an entity is not at
present a canonically erected monastery of any canonical jurisdiction of the
Orthodox Church.
i. The Prior may, at his discretion, form an advisory committee of clergy,
monastics, and notable lay persons, to assist with relations with the wider
Church or to offer practical advice on temporal, legal, or financial matters.
ii. In writings and other materials for public consumption, it shall be made clear
that, while we live and worship together with the knowledge of our
ecclesiastical authorities, we do not have formal ecclesiastical approbation or
status.
b. When the time is right, having demonstrated to ourselves and others that we are
able and willing to live an authentic monastic life according to the Rule of St
Benedict and our provisional Constitutions, the Chapter may petition the
appropriate canonical authorities to grant us the blessing of canonical status as a
monastery of the Holy Orthodox Church.
Article II: Regarding the Prior13
1. All that is specified in the Rule regarding the Abbot shall be understood to apply to
the Prior14 unless otherwise set forth in these provisional Constitutions.
a. The Prior is elected by the Monastic Chapter, 40 days after a vacancy in the office
arises (if necessary, this may be extended as far as 45 days).
b. The Prior exercises his office from the time of his election. Until such time as the
Community is granted canonical status, there is no formal process of
confirmation or rite of installation, though appropriate prayers may be offered in
the Chapter Room, and the senior monastic present may present the Prior with a
Cross of Office suspended on a red cord.
2. Normally, the Prior is to be chosen from among the tonsured monastics of the
Community. Only if there is no suitable candidate may the Chapter look elsewhere
for one.
a. The nominee must solemnly promise that, if elected, he will live, govern, and
worship according to our Rule and our provisional Constitutions, doing nothing
to alienate us from canonical Western Orthodoxy.
3. The Prior serves until death, resignation, or removal by due process.
a. He may be removed by the Chapter upon either: (a) a ¾ majority vote of the
Chapter for neglect of his duties, financial impropriety, abuse of a monastic, or
mental or physical disability; or, (b) a criminal conviction carrying a prison
sentence, or conviction for heresy or immorality by an ecclesiastical court.
13
All that is said here applies equally should a nun be elected as Prioress.
A “prior”, is either the second-in-command to the Abbot or is the superior of a small monastic community that
has not been granted the status of “abbey” (i.e., headed by an Abbot ), and is thus known as a “Priory.”
14
11
4. The monastics are governed by the Prior15 in consultation with the Chapter, subject
to the provisions of the Rule and provisional Constitutions.
a. Humble communion with the Bishop safeguards our communion with the one,
holy, catholic, and apostolic Church of the Orthodox.
b. The Prior is responsible for interpreting the Rule and the provisional
Constitutions.16
c. The Prior may temporarily suspend those portions of the Rule or the provisional
Constitutions for which there are not sufficient numbers of monastics to carry
them out.
5. Regardless of whether or not he is a priest, when present at the Divine Office,
Chapter, or formal meals, the Prior gives the blessing in his role as paterfamilias,
unless the Bishop is present.
6. As befits one called to lead by example, the Prior must faithfully adhere to and model
our way of life. It is gravely scandalous when one rules as a superior without also
living as a faithful monastic.17
Article III: Regarding the Coenobitic Life
1. The monastics of the Community of Our Lady and Saint Laurence are called to
live a coenobitic18 life of monastic discipline, in service to the world, without
being of that world.
a. Let us at all times strive to live in a manner that exemplifies our motto,
Activa in Oratio et Orantem in Actionis.19
b. The Prior is responsible for ensuring that prayer and ascetic struggle in the
way of Saint Benedict remains the primary focus of each monastic’s life
and the well-spring of any form of service outside the Community.20
15
TESTMT, Rules for the Brothers: “Accept the lord your superior as you all selected him... This is a bond of the
Lord… observe the rule of obedience and do not think less of him because he has been recently appointed in the
Lord. Nor should you expect anything more than the gifts which were given to him by the Holy Spirit.”
16
TESTMT, Rules for the Superior: “You shall not make or do anything according to your own opinion whether
regarding a spiritual or a physical matter of any kind. First, you should not act without the advice and prayer of
your lord and father [i.e., the Bishop]; second, without the advice of those who are foremost in knowledge and
prudence regarding the issue in question. For there is need of one advisor or perhaps two, three, or more as the
fathers have instructed us....”
17
Although the Prior must not “break” the Rule for his own ends or convenience, he should interpret and apply it
prayerfully, firmly, lovingly, and in keeping with its spirit. To do so, he must have a clear understanding of the
proper application of akribeia (strictness) or economia (leniency) as means to the salvation of a monastic’s soul. A
physician who administers the wrong dosage of medicine will not only fail to cure the patient, but may even cause
him greater harm.
18
St Benedict defines this as life “under a rule and abbot”; it is also, by definition, living together while holding and
doing all things “in common.” The name derives from the Greek, koinos bios, meaning “common life.”
19
“Active in Prayer and Prayerful in Action”
20
GREG, 38: “…you will not neglect the contemplation of God out of sympathy for your neighbor, nor cling more
than you should to the contemplation of God and so reject sympathy for your neighbor. Everyone living among
12
c. The commitment to remain in stable communion with the community of
one’s profession is foundational to St Benedict’s understanding of
monastic life.
i. Our promise of stability anchors us in place so that we do not
quickly or easily run away from the monastic struggle when
difficulties or doubts arise.
ii. Only obedience to authority or the rarest and most extreme
circumstances can excuse a solemn professed monastic from
stability in the Community.
d. A regular horarium is to be established by the Prior and posted in
convenient places around the campus.
i. While rare occasions may call for flexibility, the horarium should be
varied as little as possible in order to preserve the good order and
peace of regular, monastic life.21
2. The monastic residence should be comfortable, healthy, and modestly attractive,
but not ostentatious.22
a. At present, the Community makes its home on the campus of the
Benedictine Fellowship of Saint Laurence,23 an independent, Colorado
not-for-profit corporation dedicated to the support of Western Orthodox
monastic life and the spiritual renewal of the clergy and laity according to
the spirit of Saint Benedict’s Rule and the martyric witness of St Laurence,
Archdeacon of Rome.
i. The Community occupies the campus and buildings of Saint
Laurence Retreat in accord with a written agreement between the
Monastic Chapter and the BFSL Board of Directors.
ii. The BFSL Board of Directors may not interfere in the internal life of
the Community nor with its individual monastics.
b. Because the Community shares the campus with a retreat ministry, the
monastics must be careful to cultivate an atmosphere of interior seclusion,
which is essential to a life of watchfulness and communion with God.24
3. The monastics normally live together on the BFSL campus.25
others must long for the One he desires without deserting the one he runs with; he must help his companion
without losing interest in the One toward whom he is hurrying.”
21
Keeping a regular schedule and being prompt are part of the ascesis of daily life that is so prominent in St.
Benedict’s monasticism: we bend our wills to the schedule, rather than bending the schedule to ourselves.
22
TESTMT, 20: “You shall not spend lavishly either for your own lifestyle or for the reception of guests. This will
distract you since it belongs to a life devoted to pleasure.”
23
Hereafter, “the BFSL.”
24
LTRS, 2: “…withdrawal from the world does not mean bodily removal from it, but rather the severance of the
soul from sympathy with the body.”
25
LR, 7: “Community life offers more blessings than can be fully and easily enumerated. It is more advantageous
than the solitary life both for preserving the goods bestowed upon us by God and for warding off the external
attacks of the Enemy… the Lord by reason of his excessive love for man was not content with merely teaching the
word, but, so as to transmit to us clearly and exactly the example of humility in the perfection of charity, girded
Himself and washed the feet of His disciples (Jn 13:5). Whom, therefore, will you wash? To whom will you
13
a. They may live elsewhere on account of approved external ministries.
b. Extra-claustral monastics (including those described in “c” below) are
expected to return to the main residence as often as circumstances allow,
but not less than once a year for a full week at the time of the Greater
Chapter.
c. Celibate clergy who have been tonsured to monastic rank may be attached
to the monastery with the consent of the Bishop and the Prior.
i. Unless they undergo a suitable period of resident formation in the
monastic life and make stability to our Community, they are
granted voice, but not vote, in Chapter.
4. As an exception to the predominant custom of the Orthodox Church, due to the
limited resources of the Orthodox Church’s Western-rite mission, the Community
makes provision for a limited common life by monastics of both sexes.
a. In so far as possible, the cells of the monks and of the nuns should be
separated in some way.
b. The Oratory, Chapter Room, Refectory, Library, and other common rooms
are used jointly by both portions of the community.
i. In the Chapter Room and Refectory the monks and nuns shall be
seated on opposite sides; in the Oratory the monks shall occupy the
south Choir and the nuns the north Choir.
c. The monks and nuns are not allowed in each others’ cells; nor are they
allowed to be alone together except in open, public areas of the buildings
and campus.
d. There may be a joint recreation except on days of fasting.
e. If there are three or more nuns, one of them should be appointed Dean,
under obedience to the Prior, to assist in their care and governance.
Article IV: Regarding Seniority and Order in the Community
1. With the exception of the Prior, who ranks first and is senior to all, the sole factor
in determining seniority shall be monastic rank and, within that, the date and
time of entrance to the novitiate. 26
a. In accord with western monastic tradition, the newest members are seated
in the front row(s) of the Choir, nearest the Altar.
b. Visiting or attached monastics27 are placed among the community
members according to their rank and date of entrance into monastic life.
c. In the absence of the Prior, the senior monastic present shall be
responsible for good order, discipline, and the care of the brethren.
minister? In comparison with whom will you be the lowest, if you live alone? How, moreover, in solitude, will that
good and pleasant thing be accomplished, the dwelling of brethren together in one habitation (Ps 132:1), which
the Holy Spirit likens to ointment emitting its fragrance from the head of the High Priest” (Ps 132:2).
26
Rule of St Pachomius: “The first to enter the monastery takes the first place sitting, walking, at the recitation of
the psalms, being served at table and receiving communion in the church. It is not the age of the brothers, but the
date of their profession which counts.”
27
This applies equally to monks or nuns.
14
Article V: Regarding the Monastic Chapter
1. The Monastic Chapter,28 composed of all novices and tonsured monastics, shall
meet at least weekly.
a. The meeting shall begin with prayer and the reading of part of the
Constitutions.
b. Notice shall be given of special events or departures from the horarium.
c. All who are present should be given adequate opportunity to speak or ask
questions. It is in the discretion of the Prior to end unfruitful or (God
forbid) acrimonious debate.
d. The Prior shall call attention to any portion of the Rule or provisional
Constitutions that have relevance to a given discussion.
e. In any discussion, the Prior has the right to speak first and last; he votes
only to break a tie.
i. The Chapter may not overrule the Prior on decisions that are
properly his; neither may he veto decisions reserved to the Chapter.
ii. No vote shall be taken until after a moment of silent prayer.
f. Before the dismissal, opportunity shall be given for those present to call
attention to other news, business, or concerns.
2. The Monastic Chapter shall have final authority in the following areas:
a. Amendment of the Constitutions.
i. Proposed amendments must be distributed to all monastics and
novices no less than 30 days prior to consideration.
ii. They must be passed by a ¾ majority.
b. Review, amendment, and approval of a budget, in consultation with the
BFSL Board of Directors.
c. Election or removal of a Prior, as stipulated elsewhere in the provisional
Constitutions.
d. Relocation or dissolution of the Community, or recommendation of its
elevation to the status of a canonical Priory or Abbey (monastery).
Article VI: Regarding Common Property and Personal Poverty
1. Unless or until it is established as an independent not-for-profit corporation, the
Community shall come under the umbrella of the BFSL as a not-forprofit/charitable religious organization in accord with applicable civil law.
a. Its accounts shall be maintained under the auspices of the BFSL, but
separately from any non-monastic accounts.
b. All income from the activities of the monastics shall be deposited into the
designated account(s) as directed by the BFSL Board of Directors and the
monastic Chapter. Benefactors may designate their donations or gifts to
the BFSL as being for the use of the monastic community; such gifts may
28
The name derives from the practice of beginning its meetings with a Chapter of the Rule. Our current practice is
to read the Rule at the main meal of the day.
15
not be diverted to other uses without the consent of the benefactor and the
monastic Chapter.
c. The BFSL is responsible for the upkeep and repair of the property,
buildings, and mechanical infrastructure. This shall not preclude the
monastic Chapter from offering assistance in these areas, either
monetarily or through the labor of the monastics.
d. The monastics shall reverently care for the buildings and grounds as being
the “house of God,” as Saint Benedict teaches in the Rule.
2. Poverty is, first and foremost, an inner disposition towards the acquiring of true
riches: faith, hope, and charity – for these are, as the Apostle says, the three
things “that abide,”29 since neither thief, nor moth, nor rust can take them from
us.30
3. Our poverty is one of modest communal possessions, open-handed sharing, 31
and right use of created things, rather than a poverty of communal destitution. By
these means, we witness to our faith in the loving providence of our Heavenly
Father; we practice right stewardship of creation; and we emulate the early,
apostolic community in Jerusalem.32
a. We are to live simply, within our means, supporting ourselves as far as
possible through our labor for the BFSL or through other crafts or
services.33
4. Any monastic who receives a salary, stipend, pension or annuity, honorarium, or
money of any kind shall promptly surrender it, in full, to the common purse. 34
29
1 Cor 13:13
Mt 6:19
31
RAE: “Even though he have possession of the unsavory world, he should not love its treasures. Let him cultivate
and share the fruits of the earth.” Also, GREG, 36: “He deals with this world as one having no dealings with it who
gathers everything necessary to carry on his outward life, without allowing these things to dominate him; being
subordinate, they serve him externally, and never break his mind’s concentration on other matters. For people of
this sort every earthly thing is present for their use, and not as something to satisfy desire. They make use of what
they need without longing to have anything that would come as a result of sin. Daily they seek a heavenly profit
from their possessions, and they rejoice more in good works than in goods owned… For this we have as our helper
the Mediator between God and men. We shall more quickly obtain all things through him if we are aflame with
true love for him…”
32
cf Acts 2:44-47. St. Benedict is adamant about shunning private property or goods (“Of all the vices, this one
must be pulled up by the roots…”)! Yet, over and over again in the course of history, this has been mitigated,
wrongly spiritualized, or outright disregarded. Both the Prior and the monks need to take seriously the voluntary
poverty of having nothing (including money) that they have not been given permission to have and use. To believe
that anything is “mine” is to forget that we were “bought with a price” (1 Cor 16:20) and that we no longer have
any “right” to ourselves, let alone to material goods.
33
It is contrary to the teaching of the Apostles and the Fathers to depend exclusively on donations for the support
of monastic life. To do so may lead to idleness and self-indulgence and thus destroy monastic discipline. We should
remember the characteristic motto of Benedictine monks, “Ora et labora,” “prayer AND work.”
34
2 Cor 8:8-9: “…I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. For you know the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty
might become rich… It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do… but
30
16
a. The Chapter may allow the monastics a small allowance for personal use.
b. The Prior shall make suitable arrangements for the needs and finances of
extra-claustral monastics or those who, in extraordinary circumstances,
must continue some external obligation.
5. No monastic may give away any thing, even if it is in his/her personal use,
without the permission of the appropriate authority.
6. In the event that the Community of Our Lady and Saint Laurence is dissolved or
ceases to exist, after all outstanding bills are paid, the following distributions
shall be made:
a. Remaining monastics shall be given equal portions of the remaining funds
and allowed to divide among themselves and take with them to new
monastic homes the possessions of the Community.
b. Any remaining goods and, in the event that there are no remaining
monastics, any remaining funds shall revert to the general use of the
Benedictine Fellowship of Saint Laurence, Inc.
Article VII: Regarding the Monastic Cell
1. Subsequent to St Benedict’s lifetime, Western monasticism abandoned the
use of dormitories in favor of the practice of providing every monastic with a
small, private room known as a “cell.”
a. Each of our monastics shall have a private cell.
b. The primary purposes for which the cell is used are prayer, reading,
and sleep.
i. We commend to ourselves the words of St Romuald of Ravenna
(d. 1027), who was formed in a Benedictine monastery before he
founded the Camoldolese Hermits:
“Sit in your cell as in paradise. Put the whole world behind you
and forget it. Watch your thoughts like a good fisherman
watching for fish. The path you must follow is in the Psalms —
never leave it. If you have just come to the monastery, and in
spite of your good will you cannot accomplish what you want,
take every opportunity you can to sing the Psalms in your heart
and to understand them with your mind. And if your mind
wanders as you read, do not give up; hurry back and apply your
mind to the words once more. Realize above all that you are in
God's presence, and stand there with the attitude of one who
stands before the emperor. Empty yourself completely and sit
waiting, content with the grace of God, like the chick who tastes
nothing and eats nothing but what his mother brings him.”
c. The monastics are allowed to have sacred iconography and modest
personal items in their cells. Hoarding or accumulation of superfluous
now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a
completion out of what you have.” Non-retention of monetary gifts protects the equality of brothers regardless of
the social/financial status of their relatives and friends.
17
material goods, garments, books, or recordings is forbidden and such
items must be relinquished at the discretion of the Prior. 35
Article VIII: Regarding Celibate Chastity in Community
and Self-sacrificial Love
1. Though chastity is mentioned in the Rule only as the 63rd instrument of good
works, by its very nature and definition monastic life presumes celibate chastity
on the part of each and every monastic.
2. Celibate chastity in community is first and foremost a commitment to abstain
from any form of sexual activity with any person, cleaving only to our Lord
Jesus Christ,36 dwelling in charity with our God-given brothers and sisters,
and bearing one another’s burdens.37
a. Celibacy is not a sign of disdain for the married estate; it is rather a
dedication of our whole selves, as persons and as a community, to the
love of God through which, paradoxically, we are freed from selfinterest or indulgence and enabled to love others with respect for each
person’s integrity.
b. Mindful of our human weakness and the tepidness of our love, let us
constantly recall the fruitful and perpetual virginity of the Most Holy
Mother of God and seek her constant protection and intercession.
3.
Faithful, celibate chastity prepares us to love others as Christ loves them:38
not for what we gain by our love, but for what we can give by means of it.39
a. True asceticism teaches us to “be kindly affectionate to one another
with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another,”40
which requires the constant, hourly struggle “not to think of [oneself]
more highly than [one] ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has
dealt to each one a measure of faith,”41
b. Let no person, regardless of ethnicity, socio-economic status, religion,
or life-circumstances42 be considered unworthy of our attention,
respect, and caring service. 43
35
A transparent witness to the non-value of accumulated “stuff” is much needed in our time and place. So, while it
is now considered acceptable for a monk to have a few personal effects, mementos, or sacred art in his cell, this
must always be contingent upon the Prior having allowed them, and the monk’s readiness to relinquish them.
36
cf Matt 9:12
37
cf Gal 6:2
38
1 Jn:3:16
39
cf Lk 67:35
40
Rom 12:10
41
Rom 12:3
42
SR, 186: “We are taught to show love unto death on behalf of both the righteous and sinners, making no
distinction.”
43
RAE, XI: “Mourn with each man his sins; should he err, give him aiding counsel: Do not leave the poor without
visitation, without the value of their love in all things.”
18
i. We must never give the impression that our love and assistance
are contingent upon someone’s conversion to the Orthodox
faith44 or their support of the Community. At the same time, we
should always respond to genuine interest in the faith or
monastic life with humility, warmth, and honest answers.
4. Do or say nothing that manipulates or marginalizes anyone. Rather, be
present to others as true brothers or sisters in Christ,45 sharing in their
sufferings and struggles in ways that are compatible with our profession.
a. This neither absolves us from speaking the truth in love,46 nor allows
us to wink at behaviors not approved by God. Rather, when necessary,
we should speak forthrightly, but also humbly and objectively, without
judging or condemning.47
5. Be quick to resolve disputes with others – asking for and offering forgiveness
– even if through humility you must accept injustice at their hands. Give no
place to the Evil One to use your anger or resentment against you.48
a. Daily, at the conclusion of Compline, the monastics shall ask from, and
offer to each other mutual forgiveness, beginning with the Prior.49
44
DIR, 127: “Never dispute about faith. God does not demand this of you, but only that you should believe rightly
in what you received from the holy Church at baptism, and that you should keep His commandments. Keep to this
– and you will be saved.”
45
cf Gal 6:2
46
cf Eph. 4:15
47
“We must realize that our passion for justice in the face of another’s evil must never cause us to lose the virtue
of gentleness… We must support those we challenge and challenge those we support. If we neglect this, our work
will lack either courage or gentleness,” St Gregory the Great, Homily, in Be Friends of God, trans. John Leinenweber
(Cambridge, MA: Cowley Publications, 1990), 100-102.
48
DIR, 100: “(To a man who received a blow from a brother and wanted to part from him.) Do not give way to
indignation, lest you do something precipitate, especially in relation to a man thrown into confusion by thoughts
suggested by the envious devil… a man who is tempted destroys his soul but is not aware of it, for the enemy
makes him drunk with the passion of his disease and always distorts everything in his eyes, in order to cast him
into the moat of destruction. He is worthy of pity and compassion rather than anger and revenge. Through such
people God allows us too to be tempted, but does so deliberately, to test our skill before Him. So let us be tolerant
to our neighbor in time of his physical and mental distress; for it is said: ‘Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so
fulfill the law of Christ’ (Gal 6:2). Do not attempt to leave your place and part with your brother, for this would not
be doing God’s will but the will of the devil… Better pray for your brother with your whole soul and love him in
Christ Jesus, our Lord.”
49
While not a traditional custom of western monasticism, this practice has been adopted from the Monastery of St
John of Shanghai and San Francisco (OCA) in which the Author lived for just under a year. It was imported there
from the Monastery of Valaam, Russia. It forms a very fitting and “monastic” conclusion to the day and is a key
expression of the humility and love we must constantly renew in the company of our brothers and sisters.
19
Article VIX: Regarding Obedience
1. Obedience is essential to the spiritual life and the primary means for
overcoming pride and self-deception. “To obey is better than sacrifice,”50 and
only by obedience are we able to find perfect freedom in the service of God.51
a. Obedience begins with listening humbly and responsively to those who
hold positions of authority or guidance over us. This requires that we
strive for interior silence by quieting the competing voices or impulses
within ourselves, which come from the demons or from self-will. 52
Article X: Regarding Clothing and Personal Care
2. The monastics shall be clothed in a traditional monastic habit, which is to be
worn at all times except as stipulated below or by special permission of the
Prior.53
b. The full habit of a monk consists of a black, ankle-length, tunic; a leather
monastic belt; a black scapular with hood; a cuculla (worn only in the
monastic Oratory); and a black skull cap54 for covering the tonsure.
c. The full habit of a nun consists of a black, ankle-length tunic; a leather
monastic belt; a black scapular (with no hood); a white coif; a long, black
veil; and a cuculla (worn only in the monastic Oratory).
d. The scapular may be removed or fastened under the belt during manual
labor; alternately, when performing dangerous or dirty manual labor, or
50
1 Sam 15:22
SR, 114: “If we are given an order which fulfils the commandment of the Lord, or contributes to its fulfillment,
we must thus receive it eagerly and carefully as the will of God, fulfilling the saying, ‘being patient with one
another in the love of Christ (Eph 4:2). But when we receive an order from anyone which is contrary to the
commandment of the Lord, or destroys or corrupts it, then it is time to say, ‘We must obey God rather than men
(Acts 5:29), remembering the Lord’s words, ‘A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do
not know the voice of strangers (Jn 10:5)’; and those of the Apostle, who for our safety dared to attack even
angels, when he said, ‘But if even we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that
which we preached to you, let him be anathema’” (Gal 1:8).
52
TESTMT, Rules for the Brothers: “Stick to the race of obedience until the end so that you will ‘obtain the
unfading crown of righteousness’ (cf. I Pet. 5:4 and II Tim. 4:8). Led by humility, you should always deny your own
will and pattern yourselves only after the judgments of your superior. If you keep in mind these things and if you
should guard them to the end, you will be blessed. For the chorus of martyrs will receive you. Wearing crowns in
the kingdom of heaven, you will enjoy the eternal blessings.”
53
The wearing of distinctive vesture is attested from the earliest days of monastic life. While the form was no
doubt influenced by the dress of the time, it also differed from it as an expression of the renunciation of worldly
ways that lies at the heart of monastic observance. To abandon or belittle the “habit” (Greek, schema) indicates
both ignorance and pride. The monastic habit should be clearly identifiable by its consistency with the
fundamentals of the tradition since the days of the Egyptian desert fathers: tunic; leather belt; cowl/veil; and,
cloak. This basic form remains discernable in the various versions of the traditional monastic habit. St. Basil the
Great (reg.fus. 22-23) teaches that the distinctive dress of monks provides a common witness, manifests the
profession of the devout life, and teaches the wearer not to act in a way that is at variance with his profession.
54
But note that only prelates may wear a skull cap (a.k.a. zucchetto or solideo) in the Sanctuary during the Sacred
Liturgy of the Mass.
51
20
e.
f.
g.
h.
other work that might damage the habit, black secular clothing may be
worn.
A grey habit may be worn from the Eve of Pentecost to the Eve of
Michaelmas. During this period, at the discretion of the Prior, the cuculla
may be omitted due to hot weather.
No jewelry or other adornment is to be worn except the following:
i. A baptismal/chrismation cross, under the tunic;
ii. Simple watches, medic-alert bracelets or pendants;
iii. Ecclesiastical awards or insignia.
Each monastic is to be provided with two sets of the habit, excluding the
belt and choir mantle. They should also be provided with appropriate
sweaters, cloaks or coats (black) as may be required by their health or the
climate.
Each monastic should be provided with a pair of shoes and any special
footwear appropriate to his/her work, medical needs, or the climate.
2. Each monastic is to bathe him/herself, launder his/her clothes and linens
regularly, and maintain good personal hygiene, while at the same time remaining
mindful that we have laid aside vanity and set our hearts on the beauty that
comes from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
a. Hair is worn short. The monks are to be bearded.
i. Tonsured monks are to preserve the tonsure on the crown of the
head.55 Tonsured nuns are to keep their hair no longer than
shoulder-length.
b. The use of products designed to enhance personal appearance or to hide
the effects of aging is vain and inappropriate for monastics who have
rejected the world’s standards of beauty in favor of God’s standards.
Article XI: Regarding Correspondence and Relations
with Families and Friends
1. Although, in keeping with the Rule, all incoming or outgoing mail is first given to
him, the Prior shall not withhold letters or parcels from the monastics.
a. Under no circumstances shall a monastic be deprived of knowledge of a
death or important event among his/her immediate family, nor shall s/he
be prohibited from communicating with family at such times.56
55
In some traditions, the form of tonsure differs for clerics and non-ordained monks. In our case, in order to
emphasize St Benedict’s ideal of a fraternity where clerical rank is acknowledged only in the liturgical services, we
have appointed the same form of tonsure for all. Additionally, in keeping with Orthodox sensibilities regarding the
covering of the head by monastics, we appoint the use of the skull-cap for all (Western customs differ in this
regard from community to community).
56
Undue interference with the relations between monastics and their families, in particular, is not called for; the
individual monastic should determine how much contact, within reason, is good for him and demonstrates the
respect for parents that the Scriptures and the Lord Himself command (cf Ex 20:12; Deut 5:16; Mt 15:4-6; Mk 7:911). Sadly, the author knows of instances in which serious psychological harm has been done by superiors who
21
2. Correspondence with persons outside the Community is allowed.
a. Discretion dictates that we not maintain too many outside friendships that
require frequent correspondence.
b. Phone conversations should be minimal and brief. Frequent or prolonged
conversations should have the permission of the Prior.
c. Blogging, posting comments on web sites, use of social media networks, or
instant messaging are forbidden without permission from the Prior.
i. The Prior may, for serious cause, monitor and/or restrict the use of
electronic mail or the internet in general;
ii. The Prior may also, for serious cause, monitor or restrict postal
communications with anyone other than family members of the
monastics.
Article XII: Regarding the Work of God
1. It is our privilege and our solemn duty to take part daily in the Divine Office – the
“Work of God” – and, when possible, the Sacred Liturgy of the Mass.57
a. Every novice and monastic58 is obliged to pray the Divine Office as set
forth in the Customary; this shall be done as closely as possible to the
canonical hour for each.
b. The Divine Office, with the exception of the Confession/Absolution at
Compline, is properly chanted.59
c. The Sacred Liturgy of the Mass should be celebrated in the Oratory on a
regular, if not daily basis, provided a priest is available.
i. If no priest is available for Sundays or major Feasts, at the
discretion of the Prior the monastics may journey to an Orthodox
parish church or monastery (of any Rite) for the Sacred Liturgy.
d. The Divine Services are normally served according to the “Rite of St
Tikhon,”60 and according to the customs and rubrics specified in the
Customary.
withheld knowledge of the death of parents for an extended period of time. Thus, the monk was not given the
opportunity even to pray for the repose of an Orthodox relative during the period in which the Church encourages
such pious observances.
57
RAE, XVI, XXIIa: “He should be active at praying; the Canonical Hours he should not neglect; in mind he must
submit thereto, without vanity, without boasting… The perfect observance of the Canonical hours is reckoned the
chief rule;” and, RAE, XXX: “The striking of the little bell should be long, that all may be about it; a ready step with
joyfulness, with profound humility.”
58
LR, 7: “If some should find themselves at a distance, owing to the nature of the work or the locality, they must of
necessity perform where they are all that is prescribed for common observance without any hesitation, ‘for,’ says
the Lord, ‘where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them’ (Matt 18:20).”
59
Attention must be given to the musical abilities of the monastics, and musical settings chosen accordingly. If
there are not sufficient persons present to carry the singing antiphonally, in a reasonably tuneful and edifying
manner, it is more prudent to recite the office, in order to fulfill our commitment to edifying worship. With regard
to the Lessons, see #83, above.
60
On Sundays and Solemnities, at the discretion of the Prior, the Rite of Saint Gregory may be served instead.
22
i. Other canonical rites of the Orthodox Church may be served on
occasion and for good cause.
2. The monastics shall promote worship that is beautiful both in its inward sincerity
and in its outward expression, so that it may lead all who experience it to a
deeper commitment to, and union with, Jesus Christ in the beauty of holiness. 61
a. Let us strive always to pray the services with attention and from the
heart.62 To this end, the length of services should not be so long as to cause
undue weariness since the Lord, who searches the heart, has more regard
for the quality of our prayer than for its quantity.63
3. An audible signal is to be given 10 minutes prior to Compline, and 15 minutes
prior to all other services. At this signal, unless they have been blessed to do
otherwise, all are to cease any work or other activities, quickly and properly put
away tools, and go to the Oratory to prepare for the Work of God.64
4. A Customary65 is to be maintained by the Prior, who is the “Ordinary” of the
Oratory, detailing our particular customs and rites proper to the Community.
Article XIII: Regarding Use of the Oratory
1. While the Oratory is set aside primarily for prayer and worship, given the
physical nature of our current facilities and outreach, it is not possible to fulfill
the Rule’s exclusion of all other activities from the Oratory.
a. Appropriate events, talks, or gatherings may be held in the main Church,
but not within 10 minutes of any scheduled service.
b. Conversation in the Oratory is to be avoided as rigorously as possible.
61
cf 1 Chron 16:29; 2 Chron 20:21; Ps 95:7
God is not “served” by the lips only, but by attention to, and practice of, what is sung in His honor. The chanting
of Psalms in the Benedictine tradition is largely a meditative exercise, allowing them, by repetition, to enter the
mind and descend to the heart where their Christological context opens up within us a spiritual understanding of
the economy of salvation, which, in turn, moves us to deeper repentance and, ultimately, intimate union with God
in Christ. Also, GREG, 2: “In the sight of God no hand is ever empty of a gift if the ark of the heart is filled with good
will. The psalmist says, ‘The offerings of praise which I will make to you, O God, are in me’ (Ps 55:12). He means,
‘Although I have no gifts to offer outwardly, yet I find within myself something to place on the altar of your praise.
You who have no need of anything we can give are better pleased with an offering of our heart.”
63
cf Matt 6:7
64
This is a key concept for St. Benedict and an important aspect of his understanding of monastic life as an
“academy of the Lord’s service” (Rule, Prologue). Other, ostensibly good, work may press urgently upon a monk,
tempting him to relegate the Opus Dei to a secondary place on a given occasion. This is an insidious process if
allowed to go unchecked. One of the greatest challenges to the ego is to have to put aside “my” good work or
service of others, unfinished, in order to take up the work and service of God. For St. Benedict, it is a matter of
remembering Whose we are, and to Whom we offer service, and letting that awareness establish the context of
our lives, rather than vice versa.
65
The Western equivalent to the local Typikon in the Eastern Church.
62
23
c. If possible, let there be a smaller, private Oratory that can be used for
private prayer, in the event the main Church is needed as specified above.
Article XIV: Regarding Labor, Reading, and Mission Service
1. We labor not for our own personal satisfaction, but in order to supply our
common needs. Undertaken in this spirit, work is consecrated, and becomes a
life-giving partnership with God in creation, rather than drudgery or a burden.66
a. With the permission of the Prior, the monastics may minister in the wider
Church, or – if necessary for the support of the Community – in secular
jobs.
b. When performed for God, and out of love for the brethren, all labor is
equal in honor and importance regardless of its prestige or financial
recompense.
c. The demands of intra- or extra-claustral employment or mission must not
be allowed to overshadow the very life the work is meant to support.67
i. This applies equally to volunteer ministry and to pastoral or secular
employment – we cannot give to the world what we have denied to
ourselves.68
2. We may solicit and accept donations of money or goods provided that:
a. They are freely given without conditions that bind the BFSL or the
Community to inappropriate demands by the donor;
b. They do not place the welfare of the donor, or the donor’s business or
family in jeopardy.
c. Under no circumstances shall donors be told that specific spiritual benefits
will accrue to themselves or to their loved ones as a consequence of their
generosity.
3. The Prior shall assign each monastic duties to assist with running the
Community, service of the brethren, and/or the care of the buildings and
grounds. He should, when possible, make use of the natural talents of each
person.69
66
cf Gen 3:17-19
LR, 38: “…one may recommend the choice of those crafts that preserve the peaceful and untroubled nature of
our life, needing neither much trouble to get the requisite material, nor much anxiety to sell what has been made,
and which do not involve us in undesirable or harmful meetings with men and women. But in everything we must
consider that simplicity and [affordability] are set before us as our proper aim, and we must avoid serving the
foolish and harmful desires of men by working to satisfy their requirements.”
68
RMMC, 7-9: “Martha was full of life and impetuous love, always ready to serve Christ. He even cautioned her
about this: ‘Martha, Martha, thou art… troubled about many things’ (Lk 10:41-42). She was not aware that there
are times in life when bodily needs give way to spiritual ones… Meek Mary gave herself completely to
contemplation [and] in humble devotion remained at home. How meek and deep was her faith. With what
reverence she listened to His discourses… [We hope] to acquire their wonderful virtues and to offer our lives to
God and neighbor, attaining faith and love – in service, and prayer – in humility.”
69
LR, 37: “Since our Lord Jesus Christ says, ‘Worthy of his food is’ – not just any or every one but, ‘the laborer’
(Matt 10:10) and the Apostle commands us to labor and do honest work with our own hands so that we might be
67
24
a. The Prior shall assign himself a share in this work,70 so that he may
exemplify the faithful diligence that should mark our mutual service: For
this work is, in a very special way, a labor of love among the brethren.
i. The Prior may – and if possible, should – rearrange assignments
periodically, at his discretion.
ii. We do not own our work – much less should we allow it to own us;
rather, we perform it as an offering to God and to our brothers and
sisters, for so long as the Prior deems it appropriate for us and for
the Community.71
b. God Incarnate, our Exemplar and Master, deigned to perform manual
labor,72 so is it fitting that both ordained and non-ordained monastics
engage in manual labor.
4. Under no circumstances may the monastics bear arms against other persons. 73
a. We should be ready to lay down our lives in the service of, on behalf of, or
in place of others, even as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ did for us.74
5. The practice of reading, not only lectio divina but also broader study, has long
been understood as central to the lives of St Benedict’s disciples. So long as it is
not pursued out of vanity or as a means of avoiding manual labor, “intellectual
labor” is a valued part of our way of life.
a. The Sacred Scriptures are to receive priority in our practice of lectio
divina. It is in them, as St Benedict teaches (Rule, Chapter 73), that we
find the most perfect rule of life.75
b. In keeping with the level of literacy envisioned by St Benedict and long a
noted aspect of his form of monastic life, each monastic should spend no
less than an hour each day in the study of the Fathers of the Church, the
venerable elders of monastic life, the lives of the saints, or other works on
theology and spiritual life.
able to share with those in need (Eph 4:28), it is clear that one should work diligently. For we must not treat the
ideal of piety as an excuse for idleness or as an escape from hard work, but rather as an opportunity for spiritual
combat, for more abundant labors and for patience in tribulations.”
70
cf 2 Cor 12:14, 15; 1 Thess 2:9; 3:8
71
DIR, 137: “To see that the thing you make is clean and beautiful is not improper if it is done for the sake of the
use it serves, without passionate attachment. For the Lord rejoices in all kinds of clean workmanship. But if you
observe in yourself a passionate attachment to anything, remember the end which awaits it, since it is subject to
rot and corruption, and you will find peace. For not a single thing remains constantly in the same state, but all are
subject to change and corruption.”
72
cf Matt 13:55; Mk 6:3
73
cf Matt 5:1-11; 43-48
74
cf Jn 15:13; 1 Jn 3:16
75
St. Benedict’s approach to Scripture is very much in harmony with the praxis of the desert Fathers: It is read not
only for instruction or edification, but to inspire and enliven our daily struggle against the passions and our practice
of the Great Commandments to love God and neighbor (cf Deut 6:4, 5; Lev 19:18; Mk 12:29-34; Mt 22:35-40). If we
hear it not only with our ears, but in our hearts, the living and true Word of God will take root and grow within us
shaping our thinking, praying, and acting. As he writes in the Rule’s Prologue, “Our Lord… waits daily for us to
answer His holy admonitions with our deeds” (Emphasis added).
25
c. The reading of appropriate secular materials is allowed, provided it does
not displace lectio divina and the explicit study specified above.
6. Both at the retreat center and beyond its campus, we endeavor – as God gives us
opportunity – to bring cooling streams of prayerful love, daily worship, and
caring service to the vast, spiritual desert of contemporary society.
a. We are called to show forth the fruits of repentance76 by serving others77
and by encouraging those around us to join in this mission by almsgiving,
prayer, and service.
Article XV: Regarding Meals and Fasting
1. Meals are taken as follows, with necessary accommodations being made for
the sick or those with permission from the Prior to eat otherwise: 78
a. In general, three meals may be eaten:
i. An optional, light, informal breakfast, following Matins (and the
Mass, if celebrated that day), eaten in complete silence;
ii. The formal, main meal, eaten in silence at midday, with a book
chosen by the Prior being read aloud by the appointed Lector,79
at which the monastics observe a weekly rotation as servers/
kitchen assistants;
iii. A light, informal, optional meal after Vespers, at which quiet
conversation is permitted;
iv. No food is taken between meals, nor is food to be eaten in the
cells, except with the permission of the Prior.80
v. Coffee, tea, cocoa, or other soft beverages (when available) may
be taken at any time except during the pre-Communion fast, and
may be consumed in the cell; water is allowed at any time.
76
cf Matt 3:8; Lk 3:8
DIR, 3: “Do not lose heart in sufferings and in labors of the flesh, which you bear for the sake of the community,
for this too means ‘to lay down our lives for the brethren’ (1 Jn 3:16), and I hope the reward for this labor will be
great. As the Lord placed Joseph in Egypt in the position to feed his brethren in time of famine (Ps 33:19), so He
placed you in the position to serve the community. And I repeat to you the word of the Apostle: ‘Thou therefore,
my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus’ (2 Tim 2:1).”
78
LR, 19: “…as different people have different needs which vary according to age and occupation and
proportionately to the state of the body, so also there are different amounts of food required and different
customs regarding its use… having defined the measure to be observed by those of the ascetics who are in health,
we allow those responsible for administration to make wise deviations from it to meet individual circumstances…
Whether it is the sick who need food to increase their strength, or someone exhausted after strenuous work, or
one who needs food to prepare for a journey or other hard task, the Superiors will always arrange things according
to the need, as in the saying, ‘distribution was made to each as any had need’” (Acts 4:35).
79
When there are only a few present, an audio recording may be played, instead.
80
The avoidance of snacking or of what the Fathers call “secret eating” is an important aspect of St. Benedict’s
teaching that the life of a monk should be a perpetual Lent (Chapter 49). The provision here for certain beverages
to be freely accessible is a reflection of the practice in the monasteries where the Editor has lived (Eastern and
Western). It is humane and takes account of the weaknesses of some and the variances of climate that can affect
the need for proper hydration or a warming beverage in cold seasons.
77
26
vi. On Sundays and Solemnities, the Prior may alter this
arrangement at his discretion.
b. Fasting and abstinence are observed as follows:81
i. Red meat may be served only on Sundays and during the
Octaves of Pascha and the Nativity.
ii. Dairy products and seafood are allowed at all times except those
days designated below for Strict Fast and Abstinence; poultry,
eggs, and wine or beer are allowed on all but days of abstinence.
iii. On days of fasting, no food is eaten until the midday meal; nor
should we eat to satiety at this or the evening meal.
2. Fasting and/or abstinence are observed on the following days:
a. Wednesdays and Fridays are days of fast and abstinence, except:
during the Octaves of Christmas and Pascha; or when falling
concurrent with a Solemnity.
b. Ember days are days of fasting and abstinence, including Saturday; if
they concur with a Solemnity, they are days of abstinence, only.
c. The Vigils of Solemnities or Feasts are days of abstinence, even when
they fall on a Saturday or Sunday.
d. On Ash Wednesday and the following Thursday and Friday, Good
Friday, Holy Saturday, Christmas Eve, Epiphany Eve, Whitsun Eve, the
Eve of Our Lady of Glastonbury (May 11), the Eve of the Solemnity of St
Benedict (July 10), the Eve of St Laurence (August 9), the Eve of the
Assumption (August 14), and the Eve of the Exaltation of the Holy
Cross (Sept. 13), we observe Strict Fast and Abstinence: there is only
one meal and no poultry, dairy, eggs, seafood, wine, or beer may be
consumed.
e. Monastics who desire to observe a stricter dietary discipline must have
the permission of the Prior to do so. Setting oneself apart from, or
above, the common struggle springs as often from pride as from true
ascesis.82
81
DIR, 25: “About the measure of abstinence in food and drink, the fathers say that one should partake of the one
and the other in a measure somewhat less than one’s actual need, that is, not to fill the stomach completely.
Everyone should establish a measure for himself, whether in cooked food or in wine. Moreover the measure of
abstinence is not limited to food and drink but embraces also conversations, sleep, garments and all the senses.
Each of these should have its own measure of abstinence.”
82
“Again, I will instruct you by a parable about the brothers who are the lowliest in the Koinonia, who do not give
themselves up to great practices and to an excessive ascesis, but walk simply in the purity of their bodies and
according to the established rules with obedience and obligingness. In the view of people who live as anchorites,
their way of life does not seem perfect and they are looked upon as the lowliest… [But they] will be found perfect
in the law of Christ (cf Gal 6:2) because of their steadfastness. They practice exercises in all submissiveness
according to God. They are far superior to those who live as anchorites, for they walk in the obligingness the
Apostle walked in, as it is written, ‘By the love of the Spirit, be servants of one another in a kindly spirit and in all
patience before our Lord Jesus’ (cf Gal 5:13; Eph 4:2, 32),” Bohairic Life of St Pachomius, 105
27
Article XVI: Regarding Silence and Recreation
1. The practice of silence, and a witness to its value, may be one of the greatest gifts
we can offer to the people of our time, in which silence has come to be feared and
avoided. 83
a. In the practice of silence, all other disciplines are integrated and made
fruitful. 84
b. Discretion must be exercised in the use of electronic media, both to
preserve an atmosphere of silence and to protect our souls.
c. As is clear from the Rule, silence is the “default” mode of daily life in a
monastery.85
2. A specific portion of non-fasting days is to be set aside for quiet conversation
and/or recreation. 86
a. Outside of recreation time, talk should be minimal.87
3. On Mondays (unless a Solemnity or major Feast should fall on that day), the
Community observes a “desert day.” 88 No common observances are scheduled on
this day until Compline in the evening.
a. Great Silence extends until 10:00 a.m. on this day; it resumes again at
9:00 p.m., rather than immediately after Compline.
b. Only necessary or urgent manual labor is performed.
c. At the Retreat Center, meals are taken individually, in silence.
d. The appointed Psalms for the day are to be prayed privately.
83
RAE, XLVIId: “Two-thirds of piety consists in silence.”
LR, 13: “Silence both leads to forgetfulness of the past through lack of practice and provides leisure for what is
good.”
85
Why is this so? Silence allows one to hear the “still, small voice” of God (1 Kings 19:11-13). Refraining from
constant chatter is integral to fulfilling the command to “Watch and pray” (Mk 14:38); it is also essential to our
ability to “hear” non-verbal communication. Silence is more than the mere absence of sounds; it is, rather, the
precondition to recognizing the presence of God. This receptiveness to God’s Word may be compared to the silent
openness of the Most Holy Mother of God, who was so empty of self, that she was able to be filled with the Word
of God. Such silence is not valued by the world. However, silence must not become a mask for selfishness or
irritability; thus, it may not be used as a weapon or tool for ignoring or disrespecting others, or evading acts of
charity.
86
LR, 13: “…there is a tone of voice, a moderation in speech, an appropriateness to the occasion, and a special
vocabulary which are proper to religious people and can only be learned by one who has unlearned his former
habits.”
87
RAE, IIa, IV: “Let him labor in silence: Let the words he shall speak be few… Without haughtiness, without
double-dealing, let him be joyous without laughter, without shouting, without self-sufficiency, without arrogance;
let him shun pride and idleness.”
88
Though St. Benedict’s Rule envisions Sunday as a day of worship and reading, experience has shown the
beneficial nature of having a complete day to pray in private, rest, and with the Prior’s blessing, engage in
recreational activities that do not fit with the scope of a day ordered according to the normal provisions of the
Rule. Given the present need to travel up to three hours each direction in order to participate in Sunday Mass, it
becomes more important to provide a different day for such things. However, this is not a day for laxness or
frivolity: These detract from, rather than restore, our physical and spiritual stamina.
84
28
e. The monastics may, with permission, leave the campus for modest
recreational activities, preferably in groups.
f. It is preferable that no outside groups be scheduled to hold events on the
premises between Sunday afternoon and Monday evening. Individual
guests should be apprised in advance of the distinct nature of this day and
that they will need to attend to their own prayers and meals.
Article XVII: Regarding Hospitality
1. In accord with the teaching of the Rule, we should strive to make our residence a
place of hospitality, safety, and retreat for those who come to visit.
a. In keeping with Orthodox tradition, we impose no fee upon our individual
guests, but invite those staying longer than two days to share in some
aspect of our manual labor.
i. If guests desire to make a donation, it should be accepted with
humble gratitude to them and to God.
b. No one under the age of 18 may stay as a private guest of the Community
without written permission of a parent/legal guardian and the presence of
an adult chaperone.
i. The monastics are not to be alone in closed rooms or isolated areas
with anyone under the age of 18, either here or elsewhere.
c. Guests are not allowed in the monastic cells; monastics are not allowed in
occupied guest rooms.
d. Guests are expected to be present for Divine Service and for formal meals.
e. Groups scheduling meetings or retreats may be charged an appropriate fee
and may be allowed to hold their own services and, if need be, prepare
their own food.
2. As an expression of hospitality and an invitation to learn about and share in our
mission, the Community and the BFSL shall jointly host an annual pilgrimage on
August 10th, the Feast of Saint Laurence.89
a. The Bishop should be invited to preside at the Sacred Liturgy for the
pilgrimage.
b. The celebration is to include a Memorial Service for our departed
monastics, benefactors, family members, friends, and those buried on the
grounds.
Article XVIII: Regarding Conduct “in the World”
1. Our openness to mission in the world means that we may find ourselves outside
the confines of the monastic residence on a regular basis. We must at all times be
mindful of ourselves when in public, and conscious that we will be seen as
89
As noted elsewhere, this may be transferred to the Saturday nearest the actual Feast.
29
representative of Orthodox Christianity and monastic life not only by those with
whom we consciously interact, but even by those who merely see or overhear us.
2. In so far as it lies within our power, we should avoid activities, situations or
companions that militate against the discipline, interior peace, propriety, and
purity befitting Christian monastics.
a. Discrete custody of the eyes is a way of protecting our souls from undue
disturbance and serves as a mark of respect for the dignity of other
persons by not objectifying them for our own selfish ends.
b. Let us strive to act and speak quietly and gently,90 so that those around us
may see that rectitude is compatible with kindness, and modesty with
joy.91
Article XIX: Regarding the Sick, Illness, and Death
1. Because the sick and the weak are, in a special way, sacred icons of Christ,92 the
Community is to be diligent in providing, as best we are able, proper and
compassionate care for the sick and elderly among us.
a. Ideally, health care insurance or participation in government programs
should be obtained in order to assist in this. When this is not possible, let
the monastics have recourse to the goodness of God, and seek pious
medical professionals who will treat us in the spirit of the Holy
Unmercenaries.
b. The Infirmarian should be trained in first aid, CPR, and similar
techniques.93
2. Sickness and frailty provide us with an opportunity for the practice of patience
and for offering our involuntary suffering in union with the voluntary and saving
Passion of Christ and the holy suffering of the martyrs.94
90
RAE, XV: “With friendliness, devoid of harshness, without contention, without lust, humble, patient, gentle,
without weakness, shall his countenance be.”
91
LR, 17: “…to be overcome by unrestrained and immoderate laughter is a sign of intemperance, of a lack of
control over ones emotions… It is not improper, however, to reveal a joyful soul by a cheerful smile, though only as
far as Scripture allows when it says, ‘a joyful heart makes a cheerful face’ (Prov 15:13), but raucous laughter and an
uncontrollable shaking of the body is not fitting for one who has his soul under control, is of proven virtue, or has
mastered himself” (cf Sirach 21:20).
92
cf Mt 25:40
93
In fact, this training would be salutary for all the monks.
94
DIR, 50: “(To a sick man who has lost heart.) Kiss the sufferings of our Savior – as though, together with Him, you
were suffering abuses, wounds, degradations, the insult of being spat upon, the disgrace of the scarlet robe, the
shame of the crown of thorns, the vinegar with gall, the pain of the nails, the piercing with the lance, the flow of
water and blood – and from this receive solace in your sickness. The Lord will not let your efforts go unrewarded.
He lets you suffer a little sickness in order that you should not be a stranger to the saints when you behold them at
that hour, endowed with the fruit of their endurance of affliction and made glorious, but so that you should be
companion to them and to Jesus, and with the saints have daring before Him. So do not grieve: God has not
forgotten you, but cares for you as for a sincere son…”
30
3. We have been freed from the power and fear of death through our Baptism into
the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord, for which our monastic life
and profession are a preparation; therefore, we accept and welcome the time of
our release from this “vale of tears,”95 and a fuller entrance into the joys of
Paradise.96
a. Therefore, while it is appropriate to do all we can to mitigate pain, it is not
our way to attempt to prolong life beyond its natural end through the use
of extraordinary means that offer no hope of recovery or that endanger the
fiscal health of the Community.
b. Each tonsured monastic shall have completed a standard Living Will and a
standard Last Will and Testament (as set forth in the Customary), and
have given them into the keeping of the Prior.
Article XX: Regarding Qualifications, Novitiate, Tonsuring,
and Solemn Profession
1. Candidates must be at least 18 years of age; Orthodox Christians in good
standing; not actively addicted to alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs; single,
widowed, legally divorced, or legally separated from their spouse by mutual
consent; and free of financial dependents or obligations.
a. Normally, an enquirer should visit the main residence and then depart to
allow time to reflect on the visit, and for the Prior to discern if s/he is a
suitable candidate.
b. The Prior shall request confidential references from at least one priest97
and two lay persons in order to further guide him in his discernment.
2. Clergy who desire to enter the Community normally undergo the same testing
and formation as lay candidates. However, the Prior may modify the process
somewhat if he believes it appropriate based on the manner of life of the
clergyman in the world.
a. The clergyman must spend no less than six months as a novice prior to
being allowed to petition for tonsure as a junior.
3. A tonsured monastic seeking, with the blessing of his/her Superior or elder, to be
joined to the Community may be received by the Prior for a probationary period.
a. S/he is to be given a place according to his/her monastic rank and the date
of his/her admission as a novice.
i. S/he shall have seat and voice in Chapter, but not vote.
b. After the probationary period, s/he may be admitted to full membership in
the Community by vote of the Chapter, or may be asked to depart.
95
cf Salve Regina, Anthem to the Mother of God sung daily at the end of Compline.
cf Phil 1:23
97
In the case of a tonsured monastic, this should be his/her Superior or elder. In the case of a deacon or priest, it
should be his bishop. Tonsured monastics are exempted from the requirement for two lay references.
96
31
4. The Prior, at his discretion, shall determine how long a person remains in the
status of a guest/newcomer.
a. Such persons are not monastics. They retain the use of their financial
resources and may depart or be dismissed by the Prior at any time. 98
b. They wear no special religious attire and are addressed simply by their
Baptismal names, unless they are in Holy Orders.
5. After consulting with the Chapter, the Prior may admit a newcomer as a novice,
using the Rite in the Customary, and grant him/her the tunic, belt, [simple white
veil for women], and style of “brother” or “sister.”
a. While the normal duration of the novitiate is one year, the Prior may
adjust the length at his discretion.
b. Novices have seat and voice in Chapter, but not vote.
c. Novices surrender the use, but not the ownership, of any financial
resources or property.
i. No novice shall be prohibited from giving material assistance, from
his/her own resources, to family members in time of need.
ii. Under no circumstances may the Prior or any member or agent of
the Community make use of the novice’s financial resources.
d. The Prior shall adapt formation to the needs of the individual novice,
including: study of the Rule and provisional Constitutions; mentoring in
prayer and asceticism; manual labor; training in the use of the voice; and
the theology, history, and praxis of monastic life.
e. Novices may depart or be dismissed by the Prior at any time, for any
reason.
f. When the Prior believes a novice ready for advancement, he shall consult
the Chapter.
g. If the Chapter has no significant objections, the Prior may allow the novice
to petition the Bishop for tonsure.
6. The Prior, using the Rite in the Customary, may tonsure a novice99 and admit
him/her to the Juniorate, clothing him/her in the scapular [and short black veil].
a. Juniors retain their baptismal name, but are granted the style of “father”
or “Mother.”
b. Juniors have seat, voice, and vote in Chapter and may hold any office
except Prior, Dean, or Novice Master/Mistress.
c. The duration of the Juniorate is at the discretion of the Prior.
d. The Prior may, for good cause, allow juniors limited use of their funds.
7. A junior may be released or dismissed from the Community and allowed to
return to life in the world.
98
RSJS, No. 24: “It should be known that when we receive brothers, either those from another monastery or
laymen seeking the monastic life, we require them to stay in the hospice for two or three weeks to see and to
experience the monastery. Then, if he remains steadfast in his decision, after the superior has informed him of
what awaits him, he, thereupon, introduces him to instruction and enrolls him into his flock.”
99
If the Prior is not a priest, the Bishop or a priest-monk shall perform the tonsure.
32
a. Release requires the consent of the Prior; dismissal requires a majority
vote of the Chapter; both require a written release from the Bishop.
b. Either action frees the junior from any responsibilities towards the
Community; they also free the Community and the BFSL from any
responsibilities towards the departing junior, except to provide him/her, if
s/he lacks the ability to afford it, with transportation to a reasonable
location.
c. The Prior shall recover all habits and any goods belonging to the
Community or the BFSL; afterwards, he will return to the former monastic
any financial instruments or documents held in trust for him/her.
8. After a suitable length of time, a junior may ask the Prior for permission to
petition for solemn profession.
a. The Prior shall submit such requests to the Monastic Chapter.100 A
majority vote of the Chapter is required to proceed.
b. Upon an affirmative vote, the Prior shall forward the petition to the
Bishop.
9. Prior to solemn profession, a junior will dispose of any and all properties,
monies, bank accounts, trusts, income, or other financial instruments in one or
more of the following ways:
a. They may be donated to the poor, either directly or through a recognized
charity, in accordance with the teaching of the Lord;101
b. Also in accordance with the Lord’s teaching,102 they may be placed in trust
for the benefit of one’s parents, siblings, or children, particularly if they
are in need of material assistance due to age, illness, or hardship.
c. They may be signed over to the Community [via the BFSL], in keeping
with the teaching of the Apostles103 and the Fathers, provided that it is
clearly understood that the monastic has no further interest or say in their
use, nor any special standing in the community on account of such
generosity.
10. Solemn profession is made according to the Rite in the Customary. It binds the
monastic to life-long ascetic struggle in the company of our particular
Community and according to the Rule of St Benedict and the provisional
Constitutions of the Community of Our Lady and Saint Laurence.
a. The vow is not an end in itself; it is intended to lead us into the total
renunciation of self to which our Lord summons us through the Holy
100
This is intended, not as a venue for expressing personal dislike, but for pointing out genuine obstacles to the
candidate’s aptitude or willingness to live monastic life as it is set forth in the Rule and provisional Constitutions.
101
cf Mt 19:21; Mk 10:21; Lk 12:33, 18:22. Also, GREG, 6: “It is written in the Law, ‘You shall love your neighbor as
yourself’ (Lev 19:18; Matt 22:39). A person who does not divide with his needy neighbor what is necessary to him
proves that he loves him less than himself.”
102
cf Mk 7:10-12
103
cf Acts 4:32-36
33
Gospels, 104 so that we may be freed from attachment to earthly things in
order to attain more fully to the liberty of the sons of God.105 The newly
professed, therefore, must eschew any sense of having “made it” in
monastic life;106 rather, let him/her understand that s/he has only just set
out on the road of true asceticism, taking up his/her cross anew day by day
and following Christ107 on the path of self-sacrificial love.108
b. The newly professed monastic is given a new name and Patron Saint by the
Prior, is clothed in the cuculla, and is granted the style of “Dom” or
“Dame.”
Article XXI: Regarding Discipline and Penance
1. The Prior, when he observes or learns of faults in any of the brothers or sisters,
may impose secret or public penance on them.
a. The object of penance is the reform and restoration of the fallen, not
retribution or punishment. The Prior must remember that he, too, is in
need of God’s mercy, and thus temper his exercise of authority.109
b. Penance may include imposition of additional fasting, work, prayers, or
penitential acts; it may also involve deprivation of privileges, goods, or
participation in communal activities or recreations.
i. No penance may include anything likely to cause physical or
psychological harm to the one carrying it out.
104
GREG, 32: “It may not be difficult for a person to abandon his possessions, but it is very difficult for him to
abandon himself. Renouncing what one has is not so much, but renouncing what one is amounts to a great deal…
we who are coming to the public contest of the faith are taking up a struggle against evil spirits. Evil spirits possess
nothing of their own in this world. WE who are naked have to struggle with other naked beings. If someone who is
clothed begins to struggle with one who is naked he is quickly thrown to the ground, since there is something by
which he can be held. What are all earthly things except a kind of covering for the body? So let anyone who is
preparing for a contest with the devil cast aside this clothing so that he will not be overcome. He should possess
nothing in this world by his love for it… lest the desires with which he is clothed be grasped and bring about his
downfall.”
105
cf Rom 6:22; Gal 5:13
106
GREG, 25: “Surely the essence of every good work is perseverance, and Truth has told us that ‘the person who
perseveres to the end is the one who will be saved’ (Matt 24:13); and the Law commands that the tail of the victim
is to be offered in sacrifice (Lev 3:9). Now the tail is the end of a body, and that person makes a perfect offering
who carries out the sacrifice of a good work to its due completion. Joseph is described as the only one of his
brothers to have a tunic reaching to the ankles (Gen 37:3). A tunic reaching to the ankles is a good work reaching
completion.”
107
cf Matt 16:24; Mk 8:34; Lk 9:23
108
GREG, 32: “We… deny ourselves, when we escape what we were in our old state and strive toward what we are
called to be in our new one. Let us consider… Paul, who… immediately after saying, ‘It is no longer I who live…’
added, ‘but Christ who lives in me’ (Gal 2:20)… Paul is saying what Christ says: ‘[The] person who wants to come
after me must deny himself.’ Unless a person forsakes himself he does not draw near to the one who is above
himself. He cannot take hold of what is beyond himself if he does not know how to sacrifice himself… The seeds of
things disappear when they are mixed with earth, and spring up more fruitfully for the renewal of their kind; they
receive the ability to manifest what they were not from appearing to have lost what they were.”
109
cf Lk 6:36
34
ii. Penance must be such that the one given it can understand the
reason for it and be capable of profiting by it, lest the Prior do
nothing but heap burdens on one who cannot bear them.110
iii. Although provided for in the Rule, excommunication from the
Oratory or the Refectory should be very rare, and reserved only for
the gravest or most persistent offenses against community.
iv. It is absolutely forbidden for the Prior or any other monastic to
strike or to impose violent corporal punishment on anyone
whomsoever. All places in the Rule that call for such punishment
shall be understood as referring to other, suitable penance
c. The other monastics may not subvert a penance imposed on one of their
brothers or sisters; neither may they be in any way cruel to the penitent
since even the Lord himself has no desire to break a bruised reed. 111
2. We have no right to judge or condemn our brothers or sisters when we see them
falling short of their calling and profession, for only the Lord searches the
heart.112 To do so is, in itself, a serious sin. Therefore, ponder the saying of the
Blessed Augustine: “Strive to acquire the virtues you think your brothers lack,
and then you will no longer see their defects, because you yourselves will not have
them.”113
a. If, however, a monastic is known to engage in behavior by which s/he may
cause harm to him- or herself or to others, or actions that are criminal or
may cause grave scandal towards the Community or the Orthodox
Church, it must be reported to the Prior.
i. This report may neither be based on hearsay, nor made
anonymously.
ii. The Prior may discretely inquire of others if investigation is needed.
iii. The Prior shall meet with the endangered monastic and call
him/her to amendment of life in a spirit of humility and charity.
3. Any monastic who solicits or engages in sexual relations with a minor, or with an
enquirer, a novice, or a monastic who is under his/her supervision or authority,
has not only sinned against chastity, but has grievously violated the trust placed
in him/her by the Community and the Church. S/he is to be reported
immediately to the competent ecclesiastical authority.
a. This means to the Prior and the Bishop.
b. In the case of the Prior, this means to the Bishop and the Primate.
c. The ecclesiastical authority will determine what action is to be taken.
d. If a minor was involved, the civil authorities must also be notified, in
obedience to civil law.
110
cf Mt 23:4; Rom 15:1
cf Is 42:3; Mt 12:20
112
cf 1 Chron 28:9; Ps 44:21; Jer 17:10; Rom 8:27; Rev 2:23
113
Commentary on Psalm 30: 2, 7
111
35
Article XXII: Regarding Leave, Release, Restoration, or Dismissal
1. When storms of temptation, loneliness, frustration, or anger rise up against us
and toss us to and fro, we should not immediately lose heart.114 With humility, we
should reach out to our sisters or brothers and, with them, cry out to the Lord
and listen for His voice, reassuring us, “It is I,”115 as He calms the waves and
comforts our hearts.
2. We are to accept each other as gifts from God and brothers or sisters in Christ
and strengthen each other with fraternal love, exercising care that neither
negligence nor pride lead to the harming or loss of another. 116
3. When the imperfections of a brother or sister or some perceived laxity in the
Community weigh upon us, let us cast ourselves before the Lord and cry out with
the Publican, “God, be merciful to me a sinner,”117 knowing that we dare not lift
up our eyes to heaven if we have shut them to our companions. Then let us wait
patiently: The Lord will not leave us without guidance if our minds are patient
and our hearts are pure.118
4. When a monastic is unable to be at peace with the day to day struggles of life in
the Community, yet is unclear whether or not to seek a release, the Prior may
grant a leave of absence for a period not to exceed one year, in which the
doubting monastic may live either in a different monastery or in the world,
provided in the latter case that s/he has a means of self-support.
a. The ex-claustrated monastic must be in communication with the Prior not
less than once each month.
b. Failure to return to the main residence when told to do so will
automatically begin the process for dismissal from the Community.
5. Notwithstanding the above, and because there are times when a person, for
whatever reason, becomes convinced that it is truly impossible to continue in
stability – may the Lord have mercy! – a solemnly professed monastic may
request a release from the Community by submitting a written request to the
Prior.
114
DIR, 5: “Above all beware of the spirit of despondency, from which all evil and a variety of temptations are born.
Why does your heart weaken and despair because of sufferings caused you by Christ’s flock? Listen attentively to
my words: longsuffering is the mother of all blessings. Look at Moses, who chose ‘rather to suffer affliction with
the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; (Heb 11:25).”
115
Mt 14:27
116
Ibid, “From where do strugglers in the spiritual life receive help? The first and fundamental helper is the Church
herself and her rules. The organization of the community ‘according to the rules’ makes everyone equal, humbles
them, and takes away their own wisdom, uniting the members as one family, obliging all to mutual help and
prayer, and giving a rule to the life of both the spirit and the body.”
117
Lk 18:11
118
GREG, 14: “Let us enkindle our hearts, my friends, let our faith again grow warm in what it believes, let our
desire for heavenly things take fire. So to love is to be already on the way… We must let our hearts yearn for our
heavenly home with all our desire; let them seek nothing in this world which they must leave quickly.”
36
a. The Prior shall consult the Bishop regarding the request.
i. They may propose reasonable measures prior to granting the
request, in order to ensure that the brother or sister is not acting
hastily or on account of something that can be remedied.
b. A solemnly professed monastic can be released from the obligations of
common life in community, but cannot – by any human agency – be
released from vows that were made to God. S/he should know that s/he
will be answerable for them in the sight of the merciful Lord and the
Company of Heaven.119
c. A monastic who leaves without a release will be entitled to no help from
the Community until such time as s/he submits to the proper procedure
for gaining release.
6. A former brother or sister120 who, after having been released, petitions to return
to the Community should be welcomed with kindness.
a. If s/he is able to give account of why s/he departed, what has transpired in
the interim, and why s/he now wishes to be restored to the community,
then let the Prior invite him/her to visit for a period of at least one month,
during which s/he shall abide in the guest quarters and obediently accept
all that is assigned or given him/her.
b. At the end of this time, the Prior shall bring the request before the
Chapter, which shall consider the matter and give or withhold its consent.
c. If the Chapter has given its consent, the Prior shall readmit the former
monastic in the lowest rank in the Community (even if previously solemn
professed).
d. If, after one year, the repentant monastic has persevered and continues to
desire restoration to his/her previous rank, the Prior shall prayerfully
consider the request and render his decision either to restore the person to
full rank in the Community (or allow him/her to solemn profession if not
previously made), or to extend the time of probation, or to dismiss the
person if s/he has proven disinclined to abide by the Rule and live in
obedience and loving communion with the other monastics.
e. Those who were previously in solemn vows shall be restored through use
of the Rite appointed in the Customary. They thereupon reacquire their
previous place in the order of seniority.
7. Solemnly professed monastics may be dismissed for criminal activity, or for
serious, willful, or prolonged disobedience of the Rule, the provisional
Constitutions, or the Prior.
119
LR, 14: “Surely, everyone who has been admitted to the community [i.e., professed] and then has retracted his
promise should be looked upon as a sinner against God, win whose presence and to whom he pledged his consent
to the pact. But, ‘if a man shall sin against God,’ says the Scripture, ‘who shall pray for him?’ (I Sam 2:25); for, if he
has consecrated himself to God and has afterward turned aside to another mode of life, he is guilty of sacrilege by
having committed the theft of himself and stolen an offering made to God.”
120
This applies to both Juniors and Solemn Professed monks.
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a. All possible means should be employed to correct and help a monastic
prior to considering dismissal as a final means of protecting the integrity
of the community as a whole.
b. Dismissal requires a ¾ majority vote of the Chapter.
c. The Chapter may provide a released or dismissed monk with a reasonable
amount of voluntary alms to assist with his transition. The Prior may also
allow him to take items of a personal nature with him.
38