Basilian Customs
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The Basic Non-Constitutional Document of
The Congregation of Priests of St. Basil
Toronto, Canada
2002
PREFACE TO THE 2002 REVISION
This revision of Basilian Customs, the Basic Non-constitutional Document of the Congregation of St. Basil, was approved by the General Chapter of 2001. It accompanies The Basilian Way of Life, our Basic Constitutional Document.
Seeking to be faithful to the changes made at the Second Vatican Council, the 1967 General Chapter directed that the Congregation revise our basic documents. In the Chapter's mind, they needed to be permeated by the language of the gospel and thereby manifest the foundation for living the consecrated life, the following of Christ and the interior life of the Spirit. The influence of this Chapter directive is evident when one reads the first versions of The Basilian Way of Life, approved in 1983, and Basilian Customs and Basilian Government, the two documents prepared by the General Administration in 1980.
The Vatican Council and the 1983 Code of Canon Law permit religious orders to include in their non-constitutional document norms and customs which reflect their own particular traditions and which could easily be changed and adapted to time, culture, apostolate and locale (cf. c. 587). Since it was first published in 1980, Basilian Customs has undergone a number of changes. The 2002 revision incorporates the non-constitutional articles from Basilian Government and the work done by a committee established in 1981, consisting of Fathers Dennis Foy (chair), Frederick Black and John Quinn. In addition, it takes into account the changes approved by the General Chapters of 1989, 1993, 1997 and 2001.
Following the 1997 Chapter, the General Council formed a committee consisting of Fathers Peter Swan (chair), Wallace Platt and Jim Stenberg and instructed them to prepare, according to the Chapter directives and with the input of the entire Community, a new version of Basilian Customs. The 2001 Chapter approved this version and made several of its own changes. Fathers Peter Swan and Kevin Kirley then produced the present document, along with a detailed report explaining the work they had done. Over these years, others have contributed to this revision of Basilian Customs. I would like to single out the following: Father Daniel Zorzi who ensured that the text conformed to the 1983 Code of Canon Law; the Secretary General, Father Michael Cerretto, who edited the final text; and those who translated the English document into French and Spanish. On behalf of the whole community, I extend to all of them our sincere gratitude for their excellent work.
The 2002 revision of Basilian Customs is an important guide to living our way of life. To achieve the purposes intended at our recent Chapters, however, we must be thoroughly committed to an interior renewal. With the assistance of God's grace, may this revision of Basilian Customs and our dedication to all that it demands of us bring new life to our Congregation.
V. Rev. Ronald P. Fabbro, C.S.B. March 19, 2002
Superior General Solemnity of St. Joseph
The abbreviations used in the footnotes for scriptural references are in common use and should be readily recognized. Other abbreviations are:
| art. | One or more articles in Basilian Customs. |
| BWL | The Basilian Way of Life. |
| C. (Cc.) | A canon (canons) in the 1983 Code of Canon Law. |
| Community | The Congregation as a whole. |
| community | The local house. |
| Const. | Constitutions of the Congregation of Priests of St. Basil, 1956. |
| Our documents | The Basilian Way of Life and Basilian Customs. |
| Rule | The Rule of the Congregation of Priests of St. Basil, 1962. |
| Superior | In houses of five confreres or fewer, read "rector." |
Basilian Customs
N.B. In editing this document care has been taken to avoid duplicating material found in The Basilian Way of Life. Hence the reader interested in a given topic is strongly advised to consult the relevant articles in BWL, as indicated below the title of each section, along with the corresponding section in Basilian Customs.
| Table of Contents |
1.1 The Basilian Way of Life and Basilian Customs provide an outline of the life Basilians undertake to live. The first is entirely constitutional in character, the second contains only the non-constitutional regulations approved by various General Chapters. Apart from the matter of vows or norms coming from Divine or Ecclesiastical Law, our constitutions and regulations do not bind under pain of sin. In faithfully following these documents, however, we will answer God's call to us. Accordingly each member, novice and associate is expected to have a copy of both The Basilian Way of Life and Basilian Customs. [C. 652.2; Const., 417; Rule, 6.]
1.2 Each local community is to make available to its members collections of past and present official documents of the Community such as: Chapter Reports from 1967 to the present, the Constitutions and Rule, The Basilian Way of Life and Basilian Customs; sets of the Annals, Directory, Newsletter, etc.; histories of the Community or of individual houses; biographies of Basilians; miscellaneous materials judged significant by the General Council or General Chapter. We will all benefit by familiarity with this historical and interpretative material, in order to give background to our documents and our Basilian life. [Vatican II, Perfectae caritatis, 2; Paul VI, Evangelica testificatio, 11-12; 1973 General Chapter Government and Finance Report, Part 1.]
1.3 The purpose of customs, practices and timetables of local communities is to further the application of our documents to local conditions. If in the mind of the local superior and his council it is thought necessary to depart from this norm, the approval of the Superior General should be obtained.
1.4 Provision shall be made in local communities for the annual reading, in a context of prayer and reflection on the Scriptures, of The Basilian Way of Life and of Basilian Customs, and for community discussion of ways in which their application to local conditions may be made more effective. [Rule, 3-5.]
1.5 For changes or interpretations of The Basilian Way of Life see BWL111. For changes or interpretations of the articles(s) in Basilian Customs determining membership in the General Chapter, a two-thirds vote of Chapter is required; for changes or interpretation of other articles a simple majority suffices. The interpretation of Basilian Customs between Chapters is reserved to the General Council. The Preparatory Committee should organize a drafting committee to consider changes or interpretations uggested by committees, houses or individual confreres in advance of, or in the course of, the Chapter. [See arts. 15.10 (d) and 15.28 (c) below.]
2.1 Our life together and relations to others should express the quality and depth of love to be expected of men who by consecrated chastity follow the way of the Lord in lives of total self-giving. If we do this, we will bring to others, men and women, a generosity of spirit, a kindness, and a helpfulness that will reveal that love. [Vatican II, Lumen Gentium, 42:Perfectae caritatis, 12; Paul VI, Evangelica testificatio,13-15.]
2.2 If we are to live fully the gift of chastity, we must receive the strength and support of the Community, just as each of us must give strength and support to the Community. We need the continuing assurance that we stand together in our commitment. The presence of each of us with the others at prayers, meals, recreation, meetings and other moments of our life gives meaning and encouragement to the mortification and self-denial intrinsic to our acceptance of chastity. We should always be seeking ways to render our presence to each other more effective: "Do not let your love be a pretense. ... Love each other as much as brothers should, and have a profound respect for each other." Our fraternal love will be most clearly expressed in our care for the sick and in the help we give those who are struggling with personal difficulties, and in the manner in which we give and receive hospitality in the Community. [Romans 12: 9-10: used in rule of Léorat-Picansel of 1802 and in circular letter of Fr. Actorie, 1863: Evangelica testificatio, 39.]
2.3 True Christian friendship is a reflection of God's abiding love. It finds expression in friendship with all those whom we meet, and especially with our confreres. We may also expect to find friends, both within the Community and outside of it, with whom we can share in a deeper way because of individual temperament, outlook and interests. These friendships, however, must not be exclusive, cutting us off from our religious community, our ministry, or our love of God; rather, they ought to strengthen and expand our capacity for love and support our commitment to chastity.
2.4 The call to a life of chastity is a precious gift of God, and an anticipation of the life of the blessed. Always aware of our own weakness, we will pray frequently for perseverance in this virtue. We need for this the help of devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph. In the liturgy, in our use of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and in regular spiritual direction, we will seek, individually and as a Community, the strength we need. [II Cor.4-7; Constitutions of 1863; Const.,72.]
2.5 We carry this treasure in earthen vessels, and we must avoid occasions that may trip us up. There are many of these, and we could hardly avoid them all without withdrawing from the world altogether, but we should have prudence, watchfulness, a love of solitude and of prayer, and a steadfast dedication to our work. Our bodies, like our Lord's body, must be fixed to the Cross so that by sharing in his death, we may share, even in this life, in the mystery of his risen life.
2.6 Confreres would be well advised to familiarize themselves with the documents on sexual abuse available within the Community.
3.1 Our profession of evangelical poverty calls for our commitment to a communal and personal way of life in imitation of Jesus Christ who was poor in spirit and in fact. It also calls us to cooperate in the Church's struggle for justice in the world, and in particular to respond to the needs of the poor and underprivileged, in order that all may have the gospel preached to them. In Basilian life one of the clearest signs of poverty in fact as in spirit is a dedication to work, combined with generosity in giving of one's time and energy. All confreres should be dedicated to study and available to those they serve.[Vatican II, Perfectae caritatis,13; Paul VI, Evangelica testificatio, 17-18.]
3.2 The vow of poverty bears upon us every hour of every day. We have promised to be poor and must always and everywhere live as poor men. In this way we work to free our hearts from all that holds them down, to eliminate from our lives the desire for possessions, and to remove every hint of avarice. [Cf. Constitutions of 1863; Const.81-83.]
3.3 Local communities ought to avoid undue accumulation of resources. Concern for the poor should be a sign of our own poverty, and a local community with more than it needs should remember this in drawing up its budget. Where a surplus remains beyond the amount budgeted for living expenses, Community tax, reserve funds for specific purposes, contributions to local apostolates and charitable donations, it is to be contributed to the General Treasury. In the spirit of poverty, the Superior General and his Council will use these surplus funds to help meet the needs of the entire Community and of the people we serve. [Vatican II, Perfectae Caritatis,13.]
3.4 As poor men we have to live, to work and to share what we have with our brothers and with the poor. We depend on the Community, and will not regard anything as at our own disposal except within the Community and with appropriate approval. [Paul VI, Evangelica testificatio, 13.]
3.5 A variety of methods may be used in the Community to provide for the personal needs of members. Individuals may request specific sums as needed, may receive an agreed allotment on a monthly or other basis, or may present for approval an individual budget for the expenses of a year and be authorized to draw suitable sums against this from time to time. [Rule, 47.]
3.6 Whatever method of meeting personal expenses is adopted, it should be clearly understood by all just what sorts of expenses this is intended to cover and what level of expenditure is approved. Each confrere ought to hold himself accountable to the local superior or council for the use of funds. This may involve the presentation of annual statements, written or oral, as appropriate. These need not be precise to the penny, but should honestly try to present a true picture. Any surplus remaining to an individual should be returned to the common fund, or put to some other prudent communal use.
3.7 In the spirit of Gospel stewardship, we acknowledge in our use of our resources that everything we have is a gift from God and is to be used in the service of Christ and his Church. Hence there will be accountability and appropriate disclosure at all levels within the Congregation - personal, local and general. The General Administration shall make available its annual statement and budget to all members of the Congregation. Every confrere is to be appropriately informed of the financial condition of the local house, and to participate in the process of decision-making concerning local finances. The Canonical Visitor is responsible for ensuring that each local house is in fact operating according to these guidelines. [1997 Chapter Resource document, 18-23.]
3.8 In discussing personal use of money with a confrere and in supplying money by whatever method is used, superiors and others will always be considerate and courteous, careful to respect the dignity and integrity of the person involved. An individual's use of money from the common fund is to be governed by his needs. Personal needs can differ considerably, and a superior should be careful not to use his own needs as a standard for others. But neither in this nor in the matter of accepting gifts should any confrere permit himself a lifestyle in excess of that of his brothers, and a superior will not hesitate, in fraternal love, to caution a confrere who is extravagant, so that the limits of effective religious poverty will not be exceeded. [Rule,66.]
3.9 All members, individually and communally, should regularly evaluate their lives with a view to divesting themselves of countersigns to poverty in their choice of food, clothing, housing, furnishings, transportation, vacations, and so on, so that they may identify more fully with the poor. Each individual is not only responsible for his own growth in the spirit and practice of poverty, but shares a like responsibility for that of the Community. Local superiors should be aware of their special responsibility in this regard. [Vatican II, Perfectae caritatis, 13; Paul VI, Evangelica testificatio, 23.]
3.10 Superiors and treasurers, and any of us who use community property or money, are trustees and administrators, not owners. An owner can do what he wills with what is his; a trustee must be trustworthy, and careful that his acts are properly authorized. If community property has been committed to us for specific purposes, we may not use it for any other purpose without approval. Similarly, neglect or carelessness in the use of the things given to us for our use is contrary to our profession of poverty.[Rule, 6, 57, 65.]
3.11 A confrere who, for reasons of the apostolate, studies, or other causes, is detached for a year or more from an appointment to a local community, will have a relationship with the General Council which will correspond, as to his practice of poverty, to that of a member with his local community. His expenses will be approved by the General Council, and he will be supported, if necessary, by the General Treasury. He will hold himself accountable to the General Council and will return to it any surplus he may have beyond his expenses. If the period of separation is less than a year and the member remains attached by appointment to a local house, his arrangements should be made with the local superior. Special provisions may be made for sharing the expenses of sabbatical years for men in high schools or parishes. [Rule, 58.]
3.12 All Basilians regardless of age shall be encouraged and prepared to participate in the financial matters of both local houses and the General Administration. [1997 Chapter Resources document, 24.]
3.13 In making banking and other financial arrangements, individual Basilians who are responsible for the management of Congregational funds under their own name, shall see to it that the interest of the Congregation in these funds is safeguarded, according to the laws and regulations of the civil jurisdiction where the funds are located. Each confrere who has one or more bank accounts is encouraged to choose another confrere as co-signer for each account. [1997 Chapter Resources document, 45.]
3.14 The needs and expenses of their apostolates will involve some Basilians in the handling of money at levels that may be beyond the means of most men and certainly beyond the means of the poor. Some of us live and work in large and costly buildings and grounds. We must take care not to let ourselves fall unthinkingly into attitudes and scales of value inappropriate to followers of Christ the poor man. In particular, we should be on our guard against the abuses or extravagances that can be associated with costly equipment, with such devices as credit cards or expense accounts, with an over-sophisticated manner of life, or with elaborate entertaining . [Vatican II, Perfectae caritatis,13.]
3.15 Individual confreres should use great discretion with regard to accepting gifts made to the general Community or to the local house. They should not, however, reject any gifts other than trifles without first consulting the local community through the superior. If a gift is of considerable value, the gift should not be refused without the consent of the Superior General. [Rule,50.]
3.16 Gifts, whether made to individuals or to the Community, should not be used in any way that prejudices a communal and personal poverty in fact and in spirit. Significant gifts or bequests made to a confrere as a member of the Basilian Fathers are to go to the general Community rather than to the local house, unless the opposite is clearly indicated by the donor or testator. [Vatican II, Perfectae caritatis,13; Const., 84.]
3.17 Unless the Superior General decides otherwise, royalties and similar revenues earned by Basilians should go to the general Community rather than to the local house. [Const.,85.]
3.18 Many Basilians, especially those in teaching and administration, will find it necessary or helpful to belong to professional associations of various kinds. This is normally to be encouraged. It can, however, become too costly in the time, the work, or the money it requires. A member ought to consult both the superior and the proper administrator when he considers joining some society requiring fees or travel to meetings.
3.19 When a confrere visits a house, he should be made welcome without charge. If the visit lasts more than two or three days, however, he ought to make it a point to reach an understanding with the local superior about appropriate ways to meet the costs. Should a combination of favourable climates and limited resources make the numbers of visitors burdensome for a local house, the Superior General will make suitable provision. [Rule, 59.]
3.20 If a member contracts a sizeable debt without proper authorization from his superior, neither the local nor the general Community will be responsible for it, and the local house may not pay such a debt without the consent of the Superior General. [C. 639, 3; Const., 87; Rule, 63.]
3.21 In making his will, a confrere will normally name as his executor the superior of the house of which he was a member at the time of his death.
4.1 Jesus obeyed the Father in all things, and he calls each of us to the same total obedience. Our expression of this obedience will be twofold. In our fidelity to the Gospel and the Church, to The Basilian Way of Life and Basilian Customs and their applications on the local level, it will be continual and habitual; in our response to particular decisions of the Community or the legitimate orders of a superior, it will be particular and limited. [Const., 61.]
4.2 By our continual obedience, as we live the daily life of Basilians, we grow in our union with the whole Community and so with the Church and with Christ. In all we do, we live united with one another and with him who gave himself, in the obedience of his love, for our salvation. Let us, therefore, obey always and everywhere, alone or with our brothers, in small matters as in great. Let us obey without hesitation or complaint, with a quick and lively spirit, not waiting for orders but ready to act on our own. [Rule, 37-38; Constitutions of 1863; Cf.1 Thess. 5:10.]
4.3 Religious obedience flows from love. It is our response to the love shown us by the Father in His Son. Superiors, following this pattern, will show a generous love themselves, so that members may obey in the same spirit. Superiors do this by the gentleness and kindness with which they act toward their confreres, and by the example of their own obedience to the Church, to our documents and to the superiors over them in the Community. Their gentleness should not be confused with weakness. From time to time, a superior may have to reprove a confrere for some fault. Such a reproof should be seen on both sides as a sign of true Christian love. [Rule, 35; Const., 10.]
4.4 The local superior deserves the wholehearted obedience and support of his confreres, not only in the rare instances when he must invoke the vow, but whenever he seeks to further the life of the local community. [Const., 64.]
4.5 Even after a superior has made a decision requiring obedience, a member has the right and sometimes even the duty to express objections to it if he thinks its implementation harmful or too difficult. In responding, the superior should strive to bring about mutual understanding and agreement. If, however, the member remains unsatisfied, he has the right to appeal to the Superior General, who shall take care, before giving his response, to hear both the appellant and the superior. In such a case, the local superior may suspend the enforcement of his decision until the Superior General gives his answer, but he need not do so, and if he does not, the member concerned should, as far as possible, give his obedience in the meantime. [Const. 66-67; Rule, 36.]
4.6 When our work is not under the immediate direction of the local superior, but is carried on under the direction either of other confreres or of non-Basilians, the spirit of obedience which underlies all our work calls us to give these authorities the same generous cooperation we would give to the superior. We must never let ourselves take on the attitudes of hirelings who have no care for the sheep. Superiors ought to encourage this generosity, but it is also their responsibility (and that of other Basilian administrators) to make sure that religious obedience is not abused and that this institutional authority operates within appropriate limits. [Const., 68; Cf. Jn.10:11.]
5.1 These are the marks of true community life: to love the Community, the superiors, and the confreres with lively hope for what they can become with the help of our fraternal support; to obey cheerfully, ready to offer assistance in case of need; never to complain or murmur; to be neither ambitious nor envious nor selfish; to live together in joyful simplicity, all striving to understand what each one has at heart. [Constitutions of 1863: Paul VI, Evangelica testificatio, 39.]
5.2 In the local communities to which we have been appointed we must make a constant, common effort to create an atmosphere favourable to our growth into that "new man" described by St. Paul, which is linked with the fullness of Christ in the Church and our share in this fullness. We can only do this if, in the Lord, we deepen all our relationships, even the most ordinary ones, with our brothers. [Eph. 2:15; Paul VI, Evangelica testificatio, 39.]
5.3 We must avoid factionalism, the destructive division of a house against itself. That can be the end of all hope of community. But we cannot live together without some tensions, conflicts and divisions. These are part of the human condition, and to try to avoid them at all costs would be to give up on community life from the beginning. We believe that we have in the Holy Spirit a power that can bind us together, despite our divisions, in love and understanding. We have seen this power at work in our own Basilian history. [Mt. 12:25; Rule, 140.]
5.4 Members of the Community should always respect one another as brothers and equals. There should be no stress on matters of precedence except where this is a normal aspect of the life of the Community, as in the respect due older confreres and superiors in the exercise of their office, and when it is required by legislation, as in elections. [Paul VI, Evangelica Testificatio, 39; Const., 6-9.]
5.5 A friendly familial manner which disregards academic or other distinctions some may have, should mark our conversation. When more formal address is appropriate, priests should be addressed as "Father", other confreres as "Mister". [Rule, 145.].
5.6 Unhealthy ambition for office within the Congregation, house or institution is out of place in our community life. So is any factional political effort to promote a particular member, or to prevent his choice by others. This does not mean that we cannot consider by ourselves and with others the needs of the Community and the qualities individual confreres, or even we ourselves, may have. When we are consulted about our own appointments we should be open in expressing our thoughts and feelings, not trying to impose our own will, but giving superiors the information they need to make the appointment. [ Rule, 144.]
5.7 Times of silence are essential for us in our individual lives and in our community life. We need silence for our work and for our sleep. Most of all, we need it for our prayer, so that each of us can hear God "speaking to his heart". This silence must be more than a mere absence of noise and words. We must be open to speak whenever speech is needed. But the search for intimacy with God, when we must find him in the midst of noise and confusion in the world, involves the truly vital need for a silence that embraces our whole being. A brotherly love open to the mystery of others carries with it the same imperative need for silence. We should all be aware of this need, and superiors should not hesitate to bring it to the attention of the local community or of individuals. [Const., 121-122; Rule, 75-82; Paul VI, Evangelica testificatio, 46; Hos. 2:16.]
5.8 Confreres are invited to an effective practice of voluntary self-denial. What each will do is left to his own choice. The teaching of past and present masters of the spiritual life will be of help here. We should not undertake anything injurious to health or disruptive of community, and it ought to be remembered that this is an area in which spiritual direction and the counsel of older confreres can be most useful. We are invited to communal practice of penance during Lent, at times of Chapter preparation and other special occasions. [Const., 105-106; Rule, 40.]
5.9 Committed to Jesus as our brother, and therefore to each other as brothers too, we should be accountable to each other. We care for each other in all the stages and conditions of our lives. As brothers in the Lord, we love, forgive, support, encourage and even admonish one another, though no one, except the superior, should ever administer a public rebuke. All this calls for careful personal concern. [Const.,110; Rule,141.]
5.10 Each of us has his own weaknesses, and must be aware of them. We need to learn from Jesus to be meek and humble of heart, ready to receive with joy and thanksgiving the love, forgiveness, support, encouragement and admonition given to us by our brothers. [Mt.11:29; Rule, 67-70; Const., 107.]
5.11 Different persons have different needs and different physical constitutions. To live together we have to accept that, and be willing to adjust ourselves to others. An obvious instance is the need for sleep. Some need more, others less. Some are at their best in the morning; others find the evening hours most productive. Such differences sometimes make it harder for us to work together. In any case, each of us should consider it a duty to regulate his hours so that he is able to get enough sleep to maintain his health and is also able to take part regularly in prayer with the community. [Rule, 137-139.]
5.12 Any common work requires each one to do his part and to be where he is supposed to be. A teacher who is absent or late, or who keeps his students overtime, or a priest who is casual about being on time for a scheduled Mass, betrays a careless disregard for the needs and feelings of others. The same need for cooperation and punctuality exists in our community life. We should take part in and be on time for community Eucharists and other prayers, meals and meetings. [Rule, 83-87.]
5.13 In normal practice there ought to be a sympathetic assumption on the part of all that a confrere is willing to participate in the common life. Obviously there are more important concerns than regularity - justice, mercy, good faith - but regularity remains an important and practical sign of our love for our brothers. Anyone who is habitually careless about regularity should be reminded by the superior of this contribution to community life. [Mt. 23:23.]
5.14 For longer absences from the house, e.g., overnight, the permission of the local superior should be sought. If a local superior plans to be away himself, he ought to inform his council. When a member's absence would involve considerable time, travel or expense, both the one requesting the permission and the one of whom it is requested, ought to be guided by considerations of poverty, courtesy, and professional commitments. Consideration for his confreres requires that a member leave word as to where he can be reached during his absence.
5.15 The order of the day in our houses should include Morning and Evening Prayer in common, provision for concelebration or other celebration of the Eucharist, and common meals. There should be a Community Mass at least weekly, and meetings of the local community for conferences, discussions, reading our documents and so forth, should take place at least monthly. [Rule, 88-98.]
5.16 Recreation together is an expression and a source of true community. We should avoid ostentatious or expensive forms of recreation, the fads and attractions of this passing world. Recreation ought to be good for the health of mind and body. We should keep ourselves open to ways of enlivening our times of relaxation together and try not to fall into deadening routine. [Rule,114-123.]
5.17 We ought to pay special attention to the art of conversation, both at the table and elsewhere, not allowing ourselves to be satisfied with minimal courtesies, but finding in our talk together support and encouragement for all present.
5.18 Television should be considered primarily as a means of aiding a local community's recreation in common.
5.19 A Basilian's local community house is his home, the centre of his life in God and with his confreres. He should be able to look there for the relaxation and support he needs; there he should exercise his personal responsibility in community. It would indeed be unfortunate if a Basilian should be so overwhelmed by his duties as to find it difficult to participate in the life of the local community. It would also be unfortunate if the local house, for any reason, did not extend charity and understanding to such a confrere. [Constitutions of 1863.]
5.20 Since we are ordained to the mensa communis, we should regard the principal meal of the day as a significant part of our community life. [Rule, 129.]
5.21 At our meals the number of courses is not prescribed, nor the bill of fare. The local treasurer, or whoever is placed in charge of this, will provide wholesome food in sufficient quantity and see that it is well cooked and decently served. [Rule,130.]
5.22 Confreres will not indulge in excess or waste. They will not ask for special dishes without an arrangement with the superior. He and all members should show true concern for the needs that some may have and, in particular, for the needs of those who are ill or on special diets. [Rule, 132.]
5.23 The atmosphere of our meals should be dignified without being overly formal. Any confrere may be called to say grace, which may follow a set form or be spontaneous. The practice of reading a passage from the New Testament, from our documents or other Basiliana, or from any other appropriate books before or after the meal is recommended. [Rule, 128,134.]
5.24 A moderate use of alcoholic beverages can be a help to relaxation and to celebration together. The way we treat this matter will be a sign of hospitality and of poverty, of generosity and of mutual concern. Alcoholism, on the other hand, is an addictive, progressive and fatal disease. Those afflicted with such a disease cannot help themselves. Hence, we should never allow a brother to engage in habitual excessive drinking. When signs of this appear, they call for practical expressions of concern by the confreres, and for confrontation and intervention by superiors who have both the authority and a special responsibility in this matter. Should it become obvious that a confrere has a problem with alcohol, the superior must act to see that he receive treatment. The Canonical Visitor should ask about this or any other kind of persistent dysfunctional behaviour of individual confreres, and assist the superior in devising corrective measures.
5.25 Before a confrere returns to or comes to a house after receiving therapy for alcoholism or some other dysfunction, the local superior shall see that the local community is properly prepared. Group discussions and input by specialists may be helpful to recover or safeguard a healthy community life for all members of the local house. Later on, the confrere himself should be encouraged to share with the members of the house, and others where appropriate, his experience of the goals, method and scope of the recovery program. [1989 Chapter Directive 9.]
5.26 Staff will often be needed in most of our houses for preparing meals, housekeeping, and other auxiliary occupations. This frees us to do our own work. Local communities, however, should regularly examine their life-styles to see that they do not have too much in the way of service, and should watch their annual budgets to see that those who work for them receive a just payment. All of us must treat those who work for us with respect, and no one should give them orders except those charged with this responsibility. [Rule, 239-241.]
5.27 Our life together in Christ is a light to all the world that should not be hidden away. Our houses and our community life are among the instruments of our service to others, and hospitality is one of the means of this service. [Mt.5:15-16.]
5.28 The Community to some degree adopts the families of its members with mutual bonds of prayer, friendship and moral support. Our concern ought to be shown in a special way for the families of deceased confreres. If the immediate family of any confrere is in need the local superior, with the consent of his council, will assist as generously as possible. If the need is beyond the resources of the local house, the matter will be referred to the Superior General. [Constitutions of 1863.]
5.29 We ought to maintain friendship and close cooperation with all those who share our vocation to consecrated life as well as with those who share whatever professional work we do. We should be generous in assisting women in religious communities in any way we can, while at the same time recognizing this as an area requiring prudence, maturity and regulation. [Rule, 250-253.]
5.30 The apostolic aspect of our community life calls us to know the needs of the Church and of the communities we serve. We should not hesitate to invite to our table diocesan priests, members of other religious communities and lay people, with of course, the same measure of advance notice and prudence as to numbers that any family would expect. We must accept our responsibilities as part of the civic community, and be ready to cooperate with neighbours and other citizens. [Paul VI, Evangelica testificatio, 50; Vatican II, Gaudium et spes, 75.]
5.31 The door and the telephone should be answered promptly and courteously. If we cannot do this by ourselves, we should make suitable alternative arrangements. Common courtesy also requires us to answer promptly letters which call for a response. Gifts and donations call for letters of thanks, and receipts if requested.
5.32 In all our exercise of hospitality we have to remember that we need that inner room into which we can retire to pray. Religious life requires some privacy from the world, and we have to respect the privacy of our brothers. At least some part of each of our houses should be regarded as a fully private enclosure for Basilians only.The superior may permit exceptions for particular reasons. [Mt.6:6; Rule, 295.]
5.33 The size of the local community and the nature of its work will determine the physical character and arrangement of the house. Normally, each confrere will have a private room. There will be a chapel and other rooms as may be needed and appropriate. The furnishings of our houses should be simple and practical in keeping with our profession of poverty. [Rule, 295-296.]
5.34 When a member is moved from one house to another, the house he is leaving will meet the cost of the journey. He will take with him his clothing and other articles for personal use. Should a confrere seem to have so much to transfer as to make it difficult or expensive, the local superior of either house may impose limits. [Rule, 182, 185-188.]
5.35 On arriving at his new home, a member will give the superior the name, address and telephone number of his next of kin, as well as the location of his will. He should also arrange appropriate changes in any health insurance coverage he may have. [Rule, 191.]
5.36 A vacation is a help to a healthy life and to renewed vigour in the service of the Lord. Travel can be valuable both for education and for relaxation. Confreres will take their vacations at times that will not interfere with the orderly running of the house or with their apostolic work. In making their plans they will first consider their obligations to their families; apart from this they are encouraged to vacation with confreres. The length of the vacation will vary depending on needs of the confrere, but will not normally exceed one month a year. [Rule, 165-173.]
5.37 When travelling for whatever reason members will keep in mind that they have taken a vow of poverty. They profess to be poor and should meet the cost of transportation and personal needs in a modest way. [Rule, 175.]
5.38 The normal situation for every Basilian is to belong by appointment to or association with a particular Basilian community. Graduate studies, apostolates, or personal situations at a given time in their lives may require some confreres to live or pray with other communities, i.e., with diocesan priests, with religious, or with the lay people with whom they work. But these confreres are still strongly encouraged to participate as frequently as possible in the community life of the houses with which they are associated.
5.39 There have always been some people who have shared informally in our Basilian life, not as guests but in their differing ways as members of the family, sometimes even living, dying and being buried with Basilians. One recognized form of such sharing in Basilian life is the program of Basilian Lay Association. We become with these lay people an extended community serving the Church. The 1997 Chapter approved Basilian Lay Association in principle and mandated ongoing work to clarify the meaning of this type of association with the Congregation.
5.40 We have our health as a gift from the Creator, and we shall be called upon to account to the Lord for our stewardship. Because others depend on us and we on them, it is only reasonable that we be accountable to the local community for our health. Every confrere will be expected to see a doctor and dentist of his choice for periodic check-ups. Further, each confrere shall appoint a health-care proxy in appropriate legal form and shall provide his superior with a copy thereof.
5.41 When a man becomes ill, the local superior, per se or per alium, should satisfy himself that the confrere has proper medical attention, i.e., the right doctor or treatment, or the best available in the circumstances. For members not appointed to a particular house, some member of the General Council should have this responsibility, which ought to include checking on each member's enrollment in some health insurance plan.
5.42 Sickness and death are, of all events in our lives, experiences that we cannot control; they happen to us. Yet accepted in the right way they are the most important acts of our lives. When we care for and pray for confreres who are ill we recognize that their sufferings, offered together with the sufferings of Christ, are of spiritual value in making atonement for sin: their sins, our own sins, and the faults of our community. If we really prize the sick man for what he is doing for us, the way we behave will tell him something, and will help him to overcome the sense of worthlessness that might afflict those who are old and ill. We may then hope to share his consolation: "For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer". [II Cor.1: 5-6.]
5.43 When a confrere dies, the local superior will choose the clothes and the vestments in which the deceased confrere will be buried. The coffin will be plain as befits the poor; above the grave a simple marker will be placed. Unless the Superior General decides otherwise, burial will be in the nearest Basilian plot. [Const.,177-181; Rule, 200, 201; see also BWL, 152.]
5.44 Basilian funerals are community celebrations in which we give God thanks for our confrere's life among us and ask that he be received into eternal life. The Superior General, as Ordinary for members of the Community, is the appropriate principal concelebrant at Basilian funerals; if he cannot do so, he should appoint a delegate to preside. The bishop of the local diocese should be invited to attend the funeral in keeping with his special concern for all the priests of his diocese. The local superior will ask someone to give the homily at the Mass. By seeing our brother's life and our own lives in the context of the Word of God in the Eucharist, we grow in our love and understanding of the Community to which God has called us. [Rule, 203.]
5.45 The Secretary General will see that the announcement of the death of the confrere is made to the entire Community. He will work with the local superior on the best way to handle this. A brief account of the life and death of the deceased will be distributed throughout the Community in The Basilian Newsletter. [Rule, 200.]
5.46 When a confrere dies, each priest confrere will celebrate two Masses for the repose of his soul as soon as possible, and confreres who are not priests will pray for the same intention. [Const.,183; Rule, 209.]
5.47 The local superior will take steps to see that the community goods the deceased confrere was using are safeguarded until they can be properly disposed of. After the funeral he will acquaint the local council and the beneficiaries with the contents of the confrere's last will and testament. Any personal property the deceased left in his own room or elsewhere should be turned over to the executor without unreasonable delay.[Rule, 201, 206. ]
5.48 The local superior will have a careful scrutiny made of the manuscripts and letters of the deceased confrere, permitting none of them to be destroyed until it is certain that they have no value. He will not dispose of them without an understanding with the Superior General. [Rule, 207.]
5.49 All our deceased confreres should be remembered each day at Mass. A list of their anniversaries will be displayed in the sacristy, and confreres are invited to take note of it. A Mass for deceased confreres will be an important part of every Basilian retreat. [Const.,185; Rule, 212.]
5.50 The expenses of the funeral of a confrere and of the marker over the grave will be a charge on his last place of residence. The Superior General will see that suitable burial plots are maintained for Basilians in various geographical areas. [Rule, 208. ]
6.1 As priests we are consecrated to the service of the Father as ministers of Christ. We share his ministry of unceasingly building up the community of the Church. When we pray, teach, proclaim the Word of God, celebrate in sacrament or serve in charity, we contribute to the development of divine life in all men and women, and so contribute to the extension of the Father's glory. [Vatican II, Presbyterorum ordinis, 1.]
6.2 The priest's ministry culminates in his celebration of the Eucharist. The homily, an integral part of the Eucharistic Liturgy, ought to be carefully prepared. We should develop the art of celebration so as to create an environment of reverence in which joy, confidence, praise and thanksgiving will dispose the faithful to a deeper response of faith, love and service. [Vatican II, Presbyterorum ordinis, 5.]
6.3 To do this well, all confreres must be well grounded in scripture and theology, and should maintain an interest in these subjects throughout life. To this end we should use the opportunities for continuing education described in art.14.1-14.11 below. [Const., 142, see also art. 8.7, below.]
6.4 Individually and as a Community we participate in the life of the diocese. We, therefore, share in the celebrations and sorrows of the local Church. Care should be taken to see that the local house is suitably represented at all occasions of special significance to the Church in our area. Our own apostolic work comes first, but as members of the local Church, we should gladly share in the pastoral work of the diocese insofar as we prudently can and our gifts and talents allow. [Rule, 267, 276, 284.]
6.5 The assistance our men in schools and colleges give to the diocesan clergy must never be regarded as merely or primarily a source of revenue for the local house. Nevertheless, the labourer is worthy of his hire, and superiors should see that, except in cases where it is obviously impossible, arrangements are made beforehand for the payment of the usual charge for assistance in the diocese, plus any notable expense for travel. If no sum is fixed by statute or custom, the superior will have an understanding beforehand, or will make no complaint if the amount is less than anticipated. Individual members will neither request nor refuse anything offered for the Community. They ought to discourage personal gifts, or turn them in on their return home. [Rule, 280-281; Lk. 10: 7.]
6.6 When providing pastoral assistance, we should do so with appropriate interest and concern. We must give ourselves, not just our time. But we should also remember that we are there to assist, not to take over; to serve, not to be served. While generous in doing what is asked or suggested, we must be careful not to undertake, without the agreement of the superior, work which will involve considerable time or new commitments for the local community. [Rule, 277, 279; Mk..10: 45.]
6.7 Our unity with all the clergy, diocesan and religious, should be shown in our hospitality whenever they visit our houses. In particular, the local Ordinary and those we work with, will be invited to visit from time to time, especially on the occasion of a community feast or other special gathering. [Rule, 265,283.]
6.8 If a difficulty should arise with the Ordinary or a pastor, it is to be addressed with prudence locally and, if necessary, the Superior General will be consulted. In these matters and others of importance all communications are to be carefully filed. [Rule, 263, 264, 282. ]
6.9 Chaplains and confessors to sisters are designated by the local superior and appointed by the Ordinary. During their term of office chaplains and confessors will scrupulously abstain from any interference with the government or administration of the convent. Because of their pastoral function they will be slow even to give advice in this area. [Rule, 254, 257.]
7.1 God loves us and shows us his love in his Son. Prayer is our loving response to that divine initiative. It is prayer that unites us to the Father, through Christ, in the Holy Spirit. Basilians, therefore, must be men of prayer, and it is above all the intensity of our union with the Lord in prayer that makes our work fruitful. To this end we should set aside quiet times for personal prayer and reflection. [I Jn.4:10; cf.. Vatican II, Perfectae caritatis, 6.]
7.2 By our work in schools, parishes, missions or wherever we may be, we are dedicated to the service of others. The goal of all the apostolic activity of the Church is that all men and women, made children of God by faith and baptism, may come together to praise God in the midst of the Church, to take part in her sacrifice and to eat the Lord's supper. Since we are called to share in this activity, we too must come together in the prayer of the Church. [Paul VI, Evangelica testificatio,10; Vatican II, Sacrosanctum concilium, 10.]
7.3 A community Eucharist should be celebrated at least weekly in all our houses. This will usually take the form of a concelebrated Mass with the whole local community, unordained members as well as ordained, participating in appropriate ways. Priests who celebrate Mass for the pastoral good of the faithful may also concelebrate with the community on the same day. It should be made a special occasion, well prepared and reverently celebrated in accord with liturgical rubrics. This fraternal concelebration signifies and strengthens the bonds of community, for in it the whole community is clearly seen acting together, and there is a special manifestation of the Church, with one Sacrifice and one Priesthood in a single act of thanksgiving around the altar.
7.4 We fulfill the principal function of our priesthood in the mystery of the Eucharist. Our priests are strongly urged to celebrate and all other members to assist at Mass every day. Concelebration, in which we symbolize our share in the one priesthood of Jesus Christ, while not mandatory is appropriate for our daily celebration as well as for the community Eucharist, "but with due regard for the freedom of each priest to celebrate the Eucharist individually, but not during the time when there is a concelebration in the same church or oratory" [C. 902; cf. Vatican II, Sacrosanctum concilium,57.2;Vatican II, Presbyterorum ordinis, 13.]
7.5 As priests or deacons we have also received from the Church the mandate to celebrate the Liturgy of the Hours; this too we must carry out religiously every day. In particular cases and for a good reason, the Superior General and local superiors may dispense members from all or part of this obligation. [Paul VI, Laudis canticum, 23 June 1971.]
7.6 Our common Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer follow the general pattern of the Liturgy of the Hours. In this daily prayer we should not be satisfied with hurried, routine or humdrum recitation. By study, meditation, shared reflection, singing and other creative local adaptations we should try, without making the office complex or a burden to anyone, to make it a real and vital prayer. Such adaptations can enrich our common prayer while fulfilling our obligation for these Hours. [General Instruction,246-252 and 267-284, in The Liturgy of the Hours, volume 1.]
7.7 Perseverance in prayer together is a vital aspect of community life. Our life of faith is strengthened when we pray with each other, and our presence each day with the local community at prayer helps us all to accomplish the work given us as a community. [Paul VI, Evangelica testificatio, 44.]
7.8 Members should approach the Sacrament of Reconciliation regularly and frequently. The communal celebration of this sacrament in our houses is recommended as especially fitting for such seasons as Advent and Lent. [Vatican II, Presbyterorum ordinis, 18.]
7.9 The annual retreat has great importance for all Basilians. The Superior General's Retreat will be held annually and will be open to all members. Area retreats should also be held from time to time. Local communities are encouraged to arrange annual retreats away from the local house. Superiors should make sure that all members of their communities are aware of the times and places of the retreats. Every member should take part in one or other of the community retreats, or, if this cannot be done, should make other arrangements to fill this need.
7.10 In addition to the feasts mentioned in The Basilian Way of Life, the feast of St. Basil and St. Gregory Nazianzen on January 2nd should be a day of special prayer for the Community and its work. [Cf. The Basilian Way of Life, 51.]
7.11 We ought to read the Scriptures every day and to meditate on them so as to come to "the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus Christ". By this we will come to realize more deeply God's love for us and his invitation to grow each day in that love, so that we may communicate it first to our own confreres and then to all those with whom we work in our various apostolates. What is given to us is not just for ourselves; we share the fruits of our prayerful reading of the Word of God when we meet for the celebration of the community Eucharist, for Morning and Evening Prayers and for prayer with the other communities we serve. [Phil.3:8;Vatican II, Perfectae caritatis, 6.]
7.12 Other spiritual writings, both traditional and contemporary, can also help us. Our prayer is strengthened by regular spiritual reading, and as in the case of the Scriptures, we can help one another by sharing these gifts of the Spirit, the views and insights we have gained from our private reading. [Vatican II, Presbyterorum ordinis, 18.]
7.13 Devotion to our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, to the Sacred Heart, to the Blessed Virgin Mary and to our patron saints, as well as traditional exercises of piety such as the Rosary and the Stations of the Cross, have profoundly influenced the lives of many Basilians. Such devotional practices have been efficacious for our members and our people. Practices such as these, which may vary according to time and culture, should continue to be encouraged among us. [Vatican II, Presbyterorum ordinis, 18; Lumen gentium, 50; Sacrosantum concilium, 12, 13.]
7.14 Every Basilian should be a teacher of prayer. This is an important part of our work as proclaimers of the Word and as religious educators. This teaching will be done in the first place through the Sacred Liturgy, but through counselling, regular spiritual direction, shared prayer sessions, directed retreats and other such means people can also be brought to respond to God working in the events of everyday life.
7.15 The witness of history is clear; fidelity to prayer or its abandonment is the test of the vitality or decadence of the religious life. The experience of Christian holiness shows us the fruitfulness of prayer, in which God reveals himself to the spirit and heart of his servants. The gifts of the Spirit are many, but they always grant us a taste of that true and intimate knowledge of the Lord. If any of us is losing the habit of prayer, the way to regain the desire for it is to return humbly to its practice. Without it we shall not be able to understand the value of the Christian and religious life nor will we have the strength to advance in it. [Paul VI, Evangelica testificatio, 42-43.]
8.1 As priests and Basilians we enter in our own way into the saving action of Christ. We seek to proclaim the Gospel in the situations in which we live, in our various tasks we share in the function of leading and inspiring, and we accept a particular responsibility for the prayer life of the Church. These three aspects of our priestly ministry, following our Saviour's roles as priest, prophet and king, are present in varying degrees in whatever work we do. To each type of work we seek to give a special focus because of our dedication to living together and our particular charism as educators. [Cf. Vatican II, Presbyterorum ordinis, 1-6.]
8.2 Our life together as Basilians is to be both a model of genuine Christian community and a source of growth for those whom we serve. The constitution of such Christian community normally requires at least three members in a house. [Vatican II, Perfectae caritatis, 8; Const., 401.]
8.3 Christian education is a work necessary for the fulfilment of the mission entrusted by Jesus to the Church. We are involved in education not only to shape and form others, but also to be shaped and formed ourselves. If we are not involved in the intellectual life we will ossify. We need to be revitalized by contact with new ideas, and to learn to change if necessary. [Cf. Vatican II, Gravissimum educationis, Preface, 1-2; John Paul II, Vita consecrata, 96.]
8.4 Apostolic concern for Christian education has been our major Basilian tradition, taking many different forms and marked by an ongoing adaptability to the varying needs of the People of God. This adaptability must be based on a broad understanding of the relation of our work to that of the whole mission of the Church. [Constitutions 1837; Vita consecrata, 97.]
8.5 Christian education is an effort to relate all human culture to the Good News of Salvation, illuminating with the light of faith the knowledge which students gain of the world, life and humanity. This requires teachers whose personal lives express this integrating approach to knowledge and who are open to the action of the Holy Spirit. As teachers Basilians have accepted a heavy responsibility. Our lives ought to fit into the dynamic action of the Spirit. By our love of Christ and the Gospel, by our friendship, by our teaching and example, we will draw our students to the goodness, discipline and knowledge of the Lord. [Jn.14:26; Ps.119:66; John Paul II ,Vita consecrata, 98.]
8.6 When we teach it is natural for us to hope that our students will become dedicated and knowledgeable Christians, able to provide leadership in the Church and in society. In working to this end we have to avoid the temptation to look for leadership only in those already possessing academic and social advantage. Our work ought not to serve to perpetuate an elite. Rather, with Jesus, we should enter with joy in the Holy Spirit into the plan of the Father who has "hidden these things from the learned and clever and revealed them to mere children." [Lk.10:21.]
8.7 To support our work in Christian education, we will encourage confreres with the necessary talent and interest to undertake advanced studies in Scripture, theology and related subjects. Other confreres, in accordance with our tradition, will be encouraged to acquire expertise in philosophy, history, languages and literatures, or the physical or social sciences. Within the limits of the Community's resources confreres will be given every opportunity to pursue these specialized studies and to keep improving their qualifications. To harmonise these studies with the faith is to give important witness to Christ and the Truth. [Vatican II, Perfectae caritatis, 2; Paul VI, Evangelica testificatio, 50; see also art. 6.3 above.]
8.8 Our work in institutions has always been a way of serving Christ in our brothers and sisters in the reality of time and place, answering his call with humility and openness. We must constantly examine our work to make sure that these qualities are present in the way we hear and answer this call of Christ. Through what we do and what our institutions do, we ought to share the gifts we have been given, and to further the building up of ecclesial and civic communities.
8.9 Basilian administrators shall not make any decision which will have serious consequences on the future of an institution without the approval of the Superior General. In the case of a change involving the relinquishing of control of one of our academic institutions, an ad hoc committee consisting of the local council, at least one member of the General Council, and three other Basilians chosen by the General Council will be charged with assuring just and equitable conditions of transfer. Where major changes are being considered, with effects on the diocese or beyond, the local Ordinary and even the Holy See will be consulted.
8.10 The special character of our contribution to Catholic education will be realized only to the degree that our own life in common approaches the gospel ideal. Our apostolic work is an overflow of the religious and spiritual fervour of our life in common. Unless we see this connection and find ways of renewing it, we are in danger of letting our work become a fruitless and meaningless appendage of our life. [Paul VI, Evangelica testificatio, 10.]
8.11 As religious and priests we have the duty of building up the Body of Christ in cooperation with the bishops, whose role and authority we should acknowledge. Before performing any ecclesiastical functions, we should have the necessary authorization from the Local Ordinary or from canon law, and from our superior. We must also faithfully observe civil laws governing the solemnization and registration of marriages. We should be interested in the needs of the local church and willingly respond to requests from the bishops as far as these are consonant with the particular character of our Community. We must not, however, request or propose, directly or indirectly, the establishment of new Basilian foundations without the express permission of the Superior General. [Const., 138, 402, 404; Rule, 259,260, 262,266,268,274; Vatican II, Christus dominus, 33-35; Paul VI, Evangelica testificatio, 50.]
8.12 Preaching, catechetical activity, preparation for the sacraments and other special moments in life, efforts toward spiritual conversion, renewal and growth - these are all opportunities and means for the priest to proclaim the Word of God. They require him to be prepared to inspire the faithful not only by instructing them in the divine message, but also by challenging them prophetically to make the Word of God operative in their lives through continuing conversion. [Vatican II, Presbyterorum ordinis, 4.]
8.13 Priestly service involves a variety of ministries and works following from our Eucharistic celebration and directed to it. In all of our ministry we must raise our own and other people's awareness to the problems of misery and injustice in society and promote greater involvement by all in the Social Justice ministry of our Catholic tradition. We must provide leadership, respond to prophetic calls, cooperate with others in the reform of social structures, and do whatever practical work we can to alleviate the sufferings of those who are disadvantaged. Such works may include St. Vincent de Paul programs, the special care of the aged and infirm and those who are mentally ill, counselling for addicts or delinquents, and involvement in community councils. Moreover, as educators we know "that the preferential love for the poor finds a special application in the choice of means capable of freeing people from that grave form of poverty which is the lack of cultural and religious training". [Vatican II, Gaudium et spes, 63; Paul VI, Evangelica testificatio, 17; John Paul II, Vita consecrata, 97.]
8.14 By developing genuine Christian communities, with our own community life as a model, inspiration, and source of growth, we should try to alleviate the suffering that comes from the sense of alienation and depersonalization found in modern technological society. Through small groups of the faithful others can experience personally and communally the full Christian spirit. [Paul VI, Evangelii nuntiandi, 58.]
8.15 In view of the ability and experience that lay people can contribute to the many needs of humanity and the Church, we must encourage them not only to bring the Gospel into their own sphere of life, but also to serve in a variety of ministries in which they can render special service to the Church. Careful preparation is needed for all who take up these ministries of evangelization, and especially for those who devote themselves to the Ministry of the Word. We must play our part in this preparation in order that the laity, sharing from baptism the priestly, prophetic and kingly office of Christ, may play their full part in the mission of the Church. [Vatican II, Apostolicam actuositatem, 3; Paul VI, Evangelii nuntiandi,73.]
8.16 Those who are being prepared for parochial and missionary activity should be given suitable specialized training, both academic and practical, in this work. Those who are already involved in the work should take advantage of opportunities for continuing education and renewal, and should be encouraged to show initiative and inventiveness.
8.17 The needs of the Church, universal or local, as well as the talents, training and interests of individual Basilians, have led to a variety of particular apostolates. It is important that these apostolates be seen always in the context of the Community, both by those involved and by other confreres. These apostolates should be recognized as additional ways in which the Community shares in the mission of the Church. [Vatican II, Presbyterorum ordinis, 19.]
8.18 Our work as Basilians may sometimes involve our undertaking activities or receiving appointments to offices outside the Community. Such commitments should have the approval of the local superior. When these functions involve continuing heavy obligations for the Community, they should be accepted only with the consent of the Superior General. [Const.,141.]
8.19 In planning the development of our apostolic work and particularly in making appointments, the General Council should be careful to consult the Standing Committees for each area of activity.
9.1 A Formation Committee appointed by the General Council will have responsibility for the gradual incorporation of new members into the Community and for their preparation for vows and ordination. The success of the Formation Program will depend very much upon the cooperation, support and encouragement of all Basilians.
9.2 Local communities are responsible for the encouragement of vocations among those with whom they work. The local superior and his council will see that this is done in a manner suited to the local circumstances, as by appointing a member of the local house to coordinate vocation work. [Vatican II, Optatam totius, 2.]
9.3 A member of the Formation Committee, as Director of Vocations, will have a special care for the encouragement of vocations. He will keep in touch with houses, provide direction to local programs and as far as possible interview each prospective candidate.
10.1 Application for admittance into the Associate Program will be made by a personal letter from the candidate to the Superior General. The candidate with the assistance of a Basilian advisor will supply the information, certificates and recommendations required by the General Council, which will include a recommendation from the local community.
10.2 When an application is complete, it will be examined by the General Council, and if it is found satisfactory the candidate will be admitted as an associate. The Secretary General will at once notify the new associate, his Basilian advisor, the local superior of the house in which the new associate will be formally received and the Director of the Associate program. The Director of the Associate Program will be a member of the Formation Team.
10.3 When the General Council accepts an applicant as an associate, the local Basilian community with which he is associated will be responsible for the formal reception of the associate in a fitting liturgical and social manner. Each local community ought to recognize the essential role it has in the incorporation of associates into the Congregation.
10.4 Through a flexible but suitably structured program, the Community undertakes to provide regular spiritual direction for the associate and a gradually increasing knowledge of and participation in our community life.
10.5 An associate will usually have a Basilian spiritual director to advise him, but in the event that his spiritual director is not a Basilian, the Director of the Associate Program will make sure that he still has a Basilian advisor. With the help of his advisor the associate should examine his life as a Christian and a future Basilian priest. An associate who is a student should be devoted to his studies, and should take a normal part in the social, religious and other activities of the school he attends.
10.6 The program for each associate will be worked out with his advisor and the Director of the Associate Program with a view to the associate's particular needs and to the purposes of the period of association. It will include provision for taking part in an annual gathering of associates and Basilians for a period of prayer, instruction and discussion organized by the Director. There will be frequent consultation between each associate and the Director concerning the course of studies to be followed.
10.7 Associates will normally arrange their own living accommodations. For associates considered well enough prepared a residence program may be available. One or more residences under Basilian direction, with the participation of the associates themselves, will provide opportunities for young men to develop a Christian community life in preparation for the Novitiate. The program in such a residence will include common prayer, daily Mass, discussion, common meals and shared maintenance. In some instances, an associate might live with a local Basilian community during his final college years. An associate who is teaching in one of our schools will normally be invited to live with the local community. When he lives in a Basilian house or participates in the residence program, an associate should be prepared to accept the limitations of celibate community life.
10.8 Great care will be taken by the General Council and the Formation Team to see that through the Associate Program and other means those who come to apply for the Novitiate are, as far as it is possible to discern, prepared for it.
11.1 One who has been an associate will apply for the Novitiate by a personal letter to the Superior General. If he has any debts he will declare them in this letter. He will also send a certificate of good health. The local superior of the Basilian house to which he has been attached will write a letter of recommendation after consulting the members of the community. [Cc. 641-645.]
11.2 A candidate may be accepted into the Novitiate without having been an associate, provided that his contact with the Community has been long and close. In that case, he will apply for admittance according to the form used for admittance into the associate program (10.2) adding what is required of associates applying for the Novitiate (11.1).
11.3 If an applicant for the Novitiate has any debt, the General Council may approve an arrangement whereby the Congregation would assume responsibility for the normal carrying charges, making payments for this during the time of the Novitiate and of temporary profession, and taking full responsibility for the debt at the time of final profession.
11.4 When an application for the Novitiate is complete, the General Council will examine it. The Secretary General will inform the candidate, his Basilian advisor and the local superior of the decision of the General Council. If the response is favourable, he will tell the candidate the date on which he is to enter the Novitiate and give him any other information he should have. Prior to admission to the Novitiate, the candidate may be required to enter a postulancy program designed to prepare him for the Novitiate. [Const., 307.]
11.5 The location of the Novitiate should allow professed members of the Novitiate house to engage to some degree in the work of a Basilian apostolate and to make it convenient for other confreres to visit the Novitiate at the invitation of the Novice Master.
11.6 The Master of Novices is appointed for three years and may be re-appointed. He should be a priest in perpetual vows, at least thirty years of age, and able to teach the novices both by word and example. If the General Council deems it advisable, the Master will be given an assistant who should have the same qualities as the Master. Both the Master and his assistant should be free from other duties which might interfere with the work of the Novitiate. [Const., 364-365; Cc. 650, 651.]
11.7 The Novitiate program will give priority to the life of prayer, making use of Sacred Scripture, liturgy, spiritual reading, traditional and contemporary forms of communal prayer, mental prayer and spiritual direction.
11.8 In planning the Novitiate program, careful consideration will be given to ways of balancing leisure, work, study, prayer and common life with a view to cultivating a personal life of prayer, a proper detachment from the world, and love of one's brothers in community, without detriment to a concern for the work of the Congregation in the apostolate. Appropriate means should be sought to control and integrate with the properly religious goals of the Novitiate such things as contacts with the world and with local Basilian communities, secular and cultural activities, the use of media of communication, and so forth.
11.9 During the twelve months of the canonical Novitiate, apostolic or other volunteer work outside the Novitiate house will be exercised in accordance with the approved formation policy.
11.10 With special approval of the Superior General, one or more periods of involvement in Basilian apostolates outside the Novitiate may be allowed, provided that this is carefully planned and supervised by the Novice Master and the Formation Team, that it is judged to contribute to the personal growth of the novice, and that the novices remain under the direction of the Master of Novices. The time thus spent by a novice outside the Novitiate will be added to the twelve months required for validity in such a way that the total length does not exceed two years. The periods of absence will not begin until after three complete months have been spent in the Novitiate, and they will be arranged in such a way as to permit at least six continuous months in the Novitiate and at least one complete month there prior to first profession. [BWL 83; Cc. 647.3, 648, 649.]
11.12 A novice who dies during the Novitiate has the same right to suffrages as a professed member.
11.13 Toward the end of his Novitiate, each novice who desires to take vows will write a letter to the Superior General requesting that he be called to vows. These requests, with the recommendations of the Novice Master, will be examined by the Superior General with his Council, and they will call those whom they judge ready. If a doubt remains, the time of probation may be extended by the Superior General with the advice of his Council, but not beyond six months.
11.14 The Superior General may, for a just cause, allow first profession to be anticipated, but not by more than fifteen days. For a reason which he regards as just, he may also allow first profession to be made outside the Novitiate house.
12.1 It is the special responsibility of the Superior General and his Council, together with those whom they appoint to share this responsibility, to provide scholastics with sound spiritual and intellectual preparation for the priesthood and religious life in the Congregation, according to the mind of the Church. [Vatican II, Optatam totius,8-21; Paul VI, Ecclesiae sanctae, 33-35.]
12.2 When the time for which vows were taken has elapsed, no protracted interval shall be allowed before vows are either renewed or perpetually professed. For validity, perpetual profession requires previous temporary profession for at least three years but no longer than six years, unless extended according to the norms of canon law. The Superior General, for a just cause, may permit the anticipation of a renewal of temporary vows, but not by more than one month. Vows thus anticipated have effect from the time of expiry of the previous vows. [Const., 53; C. 658.2, with due regard for the provisions of C. 657.3]
12.3 The profession of vows must be accepted by the Superior General or his delegate. All members of the General Council and Curia, local superiors, rectors and local councillors are delegated as such to accept vows. Profession will take place at a liturgical function with a suitable ceremony. The record of the profession, signed by the professed, by the one before whom it was made, and by two witnesses, will be sent to the Archives of the Congregation. [Const., 50, 55.]
12.4 Requests for vows, ministries and orders will be made by personal letter to the Superior General. [Paul VI, Ministeria quaeda,(15 Aug. 1972), 1,5.]
12.5 The superior of a scholastic who has requested vows, ministries, or orders, shall make sure that the individual has made his written request to the Superior General in sufficient time for the General Council to take whatever action is necessary. The superior shall also consult the other members of the local community about the scholastic's request and, after consulting the local council, shall submit a written recommendation to the Superior General, which will reflect his own opinion and the results of his consultations.
12.6 Fraternal correction and counsel are particularly necessary elements in a young Basilian's growth in the knowledge and practice of the religious life. Any confrere who feels that a scholastic is not living the Basilian life, but says nothing to him or to the proper authority until the scholastic requests vows, ministries, or orders, is doing a grave disservice to the scholastic and to the Congregation.
12.7 Ordination to the priesthood normally comes towards the end of the final year of theology. Before a scholastic has completed his theological studies, the Formation Team will consult with him and will recommend to the General Council a program which will normally include a year of pastoral experience after ordination. A member of the Formation Team will be the coordinator of the Supervised Ministry Program.
Conciliation, withdrawal and dismissal
13.1 When a confrere perceives that an injustice has been done to him by his local superior or by the Superior General and when all avenues of conciliation have been unsuccessful, he is encouraged to follow the Conciliation Process established by the General Chapter. Certain matters, such as those related to faith or the moral teaching of the Church, interpretation of The Basilian Way of Life which is reserved to the Holy See, interpretation of Basilian Customs which is left to the Superior General and his council between General Chapters, and calls to vows and orders, are beyond the competence of the Committee and will not be included in this process.
13.2 An associate is free to withdraw from the Program at any time. He should notify the Director of the Associate Program of his decision in writing. The Superior General, with the consent of his Council, may dismiss an associate from the Program.
13.3 A novice may withdraw from the Novitiate at any time. He should tell the Novice Master that he is leaving. The Superior General, with the consent of his Council, may dismiss a novice for a just reason. [C. 635.1]
13.4 A member in temporary vows is free, at the expiration of his vows, to withdraw from the Congregation. Similarly, the Superior General, with the consent of his Council, may, for just and reasonable causes, decide not to call a member to renewal of his vows. A physical or psychological infirmity, which according to the advice of experts, would make the member unsuited to lead a life in the Community, can be sufficient cause even if contracted after profession; but care must be taken to observe charity and equity. [Cc. 640, 688.1]
13.5 The Superior General, with the consent of his Council, may release a member in temporary vows from his obligation and permit him to withdraw from the Congregation. [C. 688.2;Paul VI, Cum admotae (6 Nov. 1964),14]
13.6 If one who has been a member of the Congregation in temporary vows and has legitimately withdrawn from it should request to be re-admitted, the Superior General, with the consent of his Council, can accept him without requiring that he make a full novitiate again. The Superior General will impose a period of probation to be followed by temporary vows for one year or more. In calculating the requirements for final profession this period may be added to previous time in temporary vows. [C. 690.1]
13.7 With the consent of his Council, the Superior General can for a grave reason grant an indult of exclaustration to a member in final vows, for a period not exceeding three years. In the case of a priest or deacon, the indult requires for liceity the prior consent of the Ordinary of the place where the individual would be living. To extend the indult, or to grant one for more than three years, is reserved to the Holy See. [C. 686.1]
13.8 A member who is exclaustrated remains a religious, bound by his vows, but he is considered as dispensed for the specified time from those obligations which are incompatible with his new condition of life. He remains dependent on and under the care of the Superior General and, particularly in the case of a priest or deacon, of the local Ordinary. He lacks both active and passive voice in the Community. [C. 687]
13.9 A member in final vows may not seek to leave the Community without very grave reasons, weighed before the Lord. If he does decide to leave, he must obtain an indult of secularization from the Holy See. This is done through the Superior General. If the member is not yet ordained a priest or deacon, all obligations of membership cease when the indult is received and accepted upon proper notification. [Cc.640, 691.1, 692, 693.]
13.10 If a confrere who is a priest or deacon in final vows wishes to withdraw from the religious life, but not from the priesthood or deaconate, he must obtain both an indult of secularization from the Holy See and incardination from a bishop. This will ordinarily be done through the Superior General. Incardination may, at the will of the bishop, be immediate or for a probationary period. If the priest or deacon is received on probation, he is by virtue of the law itself incardinated in the diocese after five years unless the bishop has rejected him. [C.693.]
13.11 If a priest or deacon in final vows wishes to be freed from the rights and obligations of both the clerical state and the religious life, he must request a rescript of laicization from the Holy See, and in the case of the obligation of celibacy, a dispensation from the Holy Father. Such a request is submitted through the Superior General, who must also see to the gathering of testimony and who will make his own report and recommendation. The Superior General before agreeing to submit the petition must make every effort to help the member overcome his difficulties. [John Paul II, Letter to all Priests ( 9 April 1979 ) 9 ,10; Origins, vol. 8, n. 44 ( 19 April 1979 ) , 700-703.]
13.12 When the dismissal of a confrere from the Congregation is in question, the procedures specified in the common law of the Church must be carefully followed. [Cc. 694-704.]
13.13 We ought to be sympathetic and helpful to those who withdraw or are dismissed from the Community and who need assistance in taking up their new life. They can make no demands upon the Community for any work done in it, but we should not forget, even when their leaving is painful, that they have been our confreres. The Superior General should observe equity and charity towards these former confreres, taking into account both the length of their active work in the Community and their needs at the time of their withdrawal. Each case should be judged according to its own particular circumstances. [C. 702.]
N.B. Continuing Education includes On-Going Formation, Graduate Studies, Sabbaticals and Renewals.
14.1 A true understanding of ministry points to the serious need for continuing education. A priest should be pastoral in his whole character, open to the needs of his own time. As minister of the Word he should be truly prophetic; he needs vision and understanding, and an ability to speak out with courage. He must be a man of prayer, responsive to the Spirit. Since he is called to serve the world for the sake of the kingdom, he needs deep spirituality, knowledge, imagination and professional skill. [Vatican II, Optatam totius, 22; Presbyterorum ordinis, 4-6, 19.]
14.2 Each Basilian priest has the primary responsibility for taking the initiative in furthering his personal as well as his professional education. He needs to take advantage of such means of growth as spiritual reading, the sacrament of Reconciliation, spiritual direction, retreats and institutes of spiritual renewal. [Vatican II, Presbyterorum ordinis,18; Perfectae caritatis,18.]
14.3 The Superior General and his Council should encourage confreres to continue their education. This may involve the publication and circulation of significant articles and the providing of suitable programs, such as the Superior General's Retreat, summer schools, diocesan pastoral institutes, workshops, tapes, lecture series, various forms of retreats and so on. [C. 279, 1, 2, 3 ;Vatican II, Optatam totius, 22; Presbyterorum ordinis, 19; John Paul II, Vita consecrata, 98; see art. 6.3 above.]
14.4 The Superior General or someone he may appoint to supervise continuing education should approve existing programs, and develop and implement new ones. He should gather information concerning local and national opportunities and communicate this to local communities.
14.5 Every confrere should take part in a renewal program approved by the Superior General or whoever is in charge of continuing education, at least every ten years. In applying this principle, of course, such factors as the age, health and academic responsibilities of the individual have to be taken into account.
14.6 The local superior should provide every reasonable opportunity for the confreres to pursue these means of renewal. He should see that the necessary time and financial support are made available; if local resources are inadequate he should seek the help of the General Treasury. He should also make it his personal responsibility to see that periodic theological and spiritual conferences are held in the local house, and that the attention of the confreres is called to significant articles and programs.
14.7 We cannot be indifferent to one another's spiritual growth and personal development. Each of us, besides taking an interest in appropriate programs for himself, should encourage others to take advantage of available opportunities.
14.8 Basilians work in many areas where there are significant ethnic groups. Special attention should be given in such places to programs in the language, history and culture of these peoples.
14.9 Confreres moving from on