Introduction
The text known as the Rule of Saint Albert
is the foundational document setting out the spirit in which all
members of the Carmelite Family are invited to live 'in allegiance to
Jesus Christ'. It was approved as a formula vitae ('way of life') by
Saint Albert Avogadro of Vercelli, sometime during his period as Latin
Patriarch (Roman Catholic Bishop) of Jerusalem, between 1206 and 1214,
and approved with some modifications by Pope Innocent IV in 1247.
Although the shortest of all medieval 'rules', this text has proved to
be full of wisdom and inspires thousands of Carmelites to this day.
The
text below is a translation from the Latin text by Bede Edwards. The
chapter numbering below is that agreed by the Carmelite and Discalced
Carmelite Orders in 1999. To read an alternative translation by Chris
O'Donnell, O.Carm., in PDF format, please click here.
The Rule of Saint Albert
[1]
Albert, called by God's favour to be Patriarch of the Church of
Jerusalem, bids health in the Lord and the blessing of the Holy Spirit
to his beloved sons in Christ, B. and the other hermits living under
obedience to him, who live near the spring on Mount Carmel.
[2]
Many and varied are the ways in which our saintly forefathers laid down
how everyone, whatever his station or the kind of religious observance
he has chosen, should live a life of allegiance to Jesus Christ - how,
pure in heart and stout in conscience, he must be unswerving in the
service of the Master.
[3]
It is to me, however, that you have come for a rule of life in keeping
with your avowed purpose, a rule you may hold fast to henceforward; and
therefore:
[4]
The first thing I require is for you to have a Prior, one of
yourselves, who is to be chosen for the office by common consent, or
that of the greater and maturer part of you. Each of the others must
promise him obedience - of which, once promised, he must try to make his
deeds the true reflection - and also chastity and the renunciation of
ownership.
[5]
If the Prior and the brothers see fit, you may have foundations in
solitary places, or where you are given a site suitable and convenient
for the observance proper to your Order.
[6]
Next, each one of you is to have a separate cell, situated as the lie
of the land you propose to occupy may dictate, and allotted by
disposition of the Prior with the agreement of the other brothers, or
the more mature among them.
[7]
However, you are to eat whatever may have been given you in a common
refectory, listening together meanwhile to a reading from Holy Scripture
where that can be done without difficulty.
[8]
None of the brothers is to occupy a cell other than that allotted to
him, or to exchange cells with another, without leave of whoever is
Prior at the time.
[9]
The Prior's cell should stand near the entrance to your property, so
that he may be the first to meet those who approach, and whatever has to
be done in consequence may all be carried out as he may decide and
order.
[10]
Each one of you is to stay in his own cell or nearby, pondering the
Lord's law day and night and keeping watch at his prayers unless
attending to some other duty.
[11]
Those who know how to say the canonical hours with those in orders
should do so, in the way those holy forefathers of ours laid down, and
according to the Church's approved custom. Those who do not know the
hours must say twenty-five 'Our Fathers' for the night office, except on
Sundays and solemnities when that number is to be doubled so that the
'Our Father' is said fifty times; the same prayer must be said seven
times in the morning in place of Lauds, and seven times too for each of
the other hours, except for Vespers when it must be said fifteen times.
[12]
None of the brothers must lay claim to anything as his own, but you are
to possess everything in common; and each is to receive from the Prior -
that is from the brother he appoints for the purpose - whatever befits
his age and needs.
[13] You may have as many asses and mules as you need, however, and may keep a certain amount of livestock or poultry.
[14]
An oratory should be built as conveniently as possible among the cells,
where, if it can be done without difficulty, you are to gather each
morning to hear Mass.
[15]
On Sundays too, or other days if necessary, you should discuss matters
of discipline and your spiritual welfare; and on this occasion the
indiscretions and failings of the brothers, if any be found at fault,
should be lovingly corrected.
[16]
You are to fast every day, except Sundays, from the feast of the
Exaltation of the Holy Cross until Easter Day, unless bodily sickness or
feebleness, or some other good reason, demand a dispensation from the
fast; for necessity overrides every law.
[17]
You are to abstain from meat, except as a remedy for sickness or
feebleness. But as, when you are on a journey, you more often than not
have to beg your way, outside your own houses you may eat foodstuffs
that have been cooked with meat, so as to avoid giving trouble to your
hosts. At sea, however, meat may be eaten.
[18]
Since man's life on earth is a time of trial, and all who would live
devotedly in Christ must undergo persecution, and the devil your foe is
on the prowl like a roaring lion looking for prey to devour, you must
use every care to clothe yourselves in God's armour so that you may be
ready to withstand the enemy's ambush.
[19]
Your loins are to be girt with chastity, your breast fortified by holy
meditations, for as Scripture has it, holy meditation will save you. Put
on holiness as your breastplate, and it will enable you to love the
Lord your God with all your heart and soul and strength, and your
neighbour as yourself. Faith must be your shield on all occasions, and
with it you will be able to quench all the flaming missiles of the
wicked one: there can be no pleasing God without faith; and the victory
lies in this - your faith. On your head set the helmet of salvation, and
so be sure of deliverance by our only Saviour, who sets his own free
from their sins. The sword of the spirit, the word of God, must abound
in your mouths and hearts. Let all you do have the Lord's word for
accompaniment.
[20]
You must give yourselves to work of some kind, so that the devil may
always find you busy; no idleness on your part must give him a chance to
pierce the defences of your souls. In this respect you have both the
teaching and the example of Saint Paul the Apostle, into whose mouth
Christ put his own words. God made him preacher and teacher of faith and
truth to the nations: with him as your teacher you cannot go astray. We
lived among you, he said, labouring and weary, toiling night and day so
as not to be a burden to any of you; not because we had no power to do
otherwise but so as to give you, in your own selves, as an example you
might imitate. For the charge we gave you when we were with you was
this: that whoever is not willing to work should not be allowed to eat
either. For we have heard that there are certain restless idlers among
you. We charge people of this kind, and implore them in the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ, that they earn their own bread by silent toil. This
is the way of holiness and goodness: see that you follow it.
[21]
The Apostle would have us keep silence, for in silence he tells us to
work. As the Prophet also makes known to us: Silence is the way to
foster holiness. Elsewhere he says: Your strength will lie in silence
and hope. For this reason I lay down that you are to keep silence from
after Compline until after Prime the next day. At other times, although
you need not keep silence so strictly, be careful not to indulge in a
great deal of talk, for as Scripture has it - and experience teaches us
no less - Sin will not be wanting where there is much talk, and He who
is careless in speech will come to harm; and elsewhere: The use of many
words brings harm to the speaker's soul. And our Lord says in the
Gospel: Every rash word uttered will have to be accounted for on
judgment day. Make a balance then, each of you, to weigh his words in;
keep a tight rein on your mouths, lest you should stumble and fall in
speech, and your fall be irreparable and prove mortal. Like the Prophet,
watch your step lest your tongue give offence, and employ every care in
keeping silent, which is the way to foster holiness.
[22]
You, brother B., and whoever may succeed you as Prior, must always keep
in mind and put into practice what our Lord said in the Gospel: Whoever
has a mind to become a leader among you must make yourself servant to
the rest, and whichever of you would be first must become your bondsman.
[23]
You other brothers too, hold your Prior in humble reverence, your minds
not on him but on Christ who has placed him over you, and who, to those
who rule the Churches, addressed these words: Whoever pays you heed
pays heed to me, and whoever treats you with dishonour dishonours me; if
you remain so minded you will not be found guilty of contempt, but will
merit life eternal as fit reward for your obedience.
[24]
Here then are a few points I have written down to provide you with a
standard of conduct to live up to; but our Lord, at his second coming,
will reward anyone who does more than he is obliged to do. See that the
bounds of common sense are not exceeded, however, for common sense is
the guide of the virtues.
No comments:
Post a Comment