The Constitutions
Canons Regular of the Order of the Holy Cross
adopted 1967
revised and first approval 2003
second approval 2009
Part One: The Religious Foundations
Chapter 4: Other Aspects of Daily Life
Part Two: The Structure and Governance of the Order
0.1 By our acceptance of this, our common rule of life, or Constitutions, we incorporate our lives and persons into the community of the brethren of the Holy Cross, itself a part of the great community of the Church. Accordingly, to accept these Constitutions is to commit oneself to a life in this community dedicated to God and spent among the people.
0.2 For this reason, these Constitutions are proposed as a foundation for our life and work. They were approved by the general chapter of 1967, and confirmed by subsequent general chapters. The real value of the principles expressed in them will be determined by whether they take concrete form and shape in us as we continue to study them and live and work by them.
0.3 These Constitutions stress the essential. Few specific norms are given to persons, communities or provinces. In this way they call us to serve in freedom. Yet, for us, their strongest message is that we freely will to build community.
0.4 These Constitutions should be seen within the history of the Order as a new stage in its constant and ongoing development. In accordance with the desire of Vatican II, they attempt to reflect our history and our contemporary life. They try to set forth in a new way the traditions, which have always defined our community, and to carry this evolution towards ever-newer eras in the history of humanity and the Church. They certainly do not intend a break with the past. On the contrary, they consider continuity with the past of great value as they direct our eyes to the future and serve as a fruitful guide for our lives as “Canons Regular of the Order of the Holy Cross” in our own times.
0.5 We recognize the authority of the Church and our obligation to observe pertinent ecclesiastical regulations, and so explicit references to Church laws have been omitted as a matter of principle.
Part One: The Religious Foundations
1.0 Our Identity
1.1 The Canons Regular of the Order of the Holy Cross is a union of Christian men who will to live and work in a community to promote the accomplishment of God’s Kingdom in this world.
1.2 Together with all Christians, we share in the constitution of the Church, the Pilgrim People of God, where the Gospel of Jesus Christ is kept alive and proclaimed.
1.3 The Brethren of the Holy Cross proclaim the Gospel and share in the life of the Church through a diversity of ministry, where all are equal and where all are brothers in the crucified and risen Christ.
1.4 Our Order seeks its inspiration for this community in the Gospel, in the Rule of Augustine, in the vital elements of our own tradition and in the values and needs of our contemporary church and society.
2.0 The Gospel
2.1 Christ’s entering into our world and his going forth to the Father signify not estrangement or alienation from this world, but rather his total dedication to bringing the world to fullness and to establishing love in people’s relations with one another. In essence, our life is one with the life of every follower of Christ—a life of service in faith, hope and love. As religious we hear the call to free ourselves by professing a commitment to the Christian responsibility of collaborating in the work of bringing love and justice into this world.
2.2 The Cross of Christ is a sign for us of his total service in love to all of humanity. We wish to see our fidelity to the Cross most especially in our dedication to fashioning a truly evangelical community through our acceptance of our life and work, and in our apostolic presence where human and religious needs call out to us.
2.3 Although the certainty of death makes us aware of the limits of our earthly existence and directs us towards a life of soberness and simplicity, yet the resurrection of Christ is for us our guarantee of enduring hope. This sure hope of the eventual unity of all God’s chosen ones with the Lord is a source of our joy.
2.4 In our efforts to join together in a life that is truly Christian we adopt as our model Mary, who remains for the Church through the centuries an incomparable sign of love and service.
3.0 Rule of Augustine
3.1 The first brothers of the Holy Cross chose the Rule of Augustine as a vital form of evangelical community. In spite of some purely historical elements, the Rule remains in its spirit a sound foundation for community life today. Its message is clear: “First of all, and this is why you have entered community life, you must live with one purpose in the house of the Lord, and must have one heart and one mind in God” (Rule of Augustine, n. 3) . Unity with one another is an inescapable demand for those who are on the way to God. In love for one another, we meet the Lord. Human unity through love reaches out beyond itself and surges on towards ultimate Unity, perfect Peace and all-encompassing Love. Or, in words of our father Augustine: “We become one in the one Christ towards the one Father” (Exposition on Ps. 147, 28).
4.0 Our Traditions
4.1 The living elements of our tradition include this strong community life, and also a commitment to the life-giving Cross. In addition, our membership in a canonical order demands that we be faithful to common liturgical prayer and our other forms of worship within our own communities and in our apostolates. This heritage must be emphasized beginning in the years of novitiate and formation.
5.0 Values of our World
5.1 Since we believe in Christ, we believe that this world is God’s world and that we are called to have trust in this creation. We consider it our duty to recognize human values in today’s world as norms and sources of inspiration for building our common life. With people throughout the world, we affirm the principle of human dignity; we recognize and accept human longing for freedom and community; we acknowledge human demands for democracy and personal responsibility. In light of these convictions, we have incorporated the principles of subsidiarity and collegiality into the fabric and structure of our life in common. We see this vision of our life as an expression of our faith that God’s Spirit does speak in and through the world in which we live.
5.2 A life together in love liberates persons, since love is itself a force of freedom. This freedom, however, must be directed by such laws and structures as are necessary for community life, because these laws and structures are essentially concrete forms of freedom. They give a community the needed durability and they are absolutely necessary for the full growth of the members. However, they are valuable only insofar as they truly do serve to strengthen our bonds with one another and enable us to realize our own most basic aspirations. Thus we cannot neglect repeated critical examination of the laws and structures of our community and the revision of them where there is need.
5.3 We believe that these principles embody basic values of the Gospel and the Rule of Augustine in contemporary form.
6.0 Our Contemporary Church and Society
6.1 A true source of inspiration for our life as Christians and religious is also to be found in the signs and needs of our time, both in the Church and in society. Contact in faith with all people both inside and outside of the community is a meeting with the Lord and is therefore genuine Christian living. In this way we experience the call of the Spirit in the events of our own life. Thus the struggles, successes and failures of others fruitfully influence our personal and community dedication, and urge us to seek apostolates that will enable us to work with effective Christian inspiration.
6.2 All this signifies that our community life is directed to the apostolate, in accordance with the ideal which the first brothers of the Holy Cross lived out in fact, although, of course, in a manner proper to their own time. Our community life should be attuned to the apostolic activities of its members; however, these apostolic activities must find their needed counterweight and stimulus in authentic community life. This demands flexibility and creativity and obliges each member of the community continually to seek a dynamic balance.
6.3 We acknowledge and encourage new developments in the apostolate for us as religious. This work may well take on different forms within our Order.
7.0 Subsidiarity and Collegiality in our Community
7.1 Each person is a distinct individual with inalienable rights and obligations, and with his own vocation and talents, which must be respected by everyone at all times. It follows, then, that we, as members of the Order, must be able to exercise all our rights, take up our responsibilities, and bring our natural and charismatic gifts to their full perfection. We also hold that we can find personal fulfillment in committing ourselves fully, in fraternal solidarity, to the community.
7.2 We recognize the necessity of authority in every community. However, the exercise of all authority in our Order should be founded on Christian love, the first law of the Lord. This implies the principles of subsidiarity and collegiality.
7.3 The principle of subsidiarity signifies that we must respect the human dignity of persons and the rights of local communities within larger corporate structures. It also implies that each individual, local community and province must be sensitive to the common good. In instances where an individual, local community, or province, is incapable of respecting or fails to respect the common good, the local community, province, or Order, as the case may be, should supply such help, stimulation, or correction, as the situation may demand.
7.4 The principle of collegiality means that members should enjoy full and effective participation in the life, the responsibility, and the decisions of their communities on local, provincial, and general levels.
7.5 These two principles should be clearly distinguished from each other, but they should not be separated. They are two complementary aspects of one whole and therefore need to be balanced with each other. For collegiality to function successfully, it is necessary that the larger community and its leadership give serious consideration to the rights and needs of the smaller communities and individual members. Similarly, for subsidiarity to function successfully, it is necessary that individual members and smaller communities give serious consideration to the rights and needs of the larger community and its leadership. These principles apply to our local communities, our provinces, and to our Order as a whole.
8.0 Role of Chapters
8.1 The proper functioning of our chapters is both a requirement for the creation of genuine community and at the same time evidence of a vital community. The chapters constitute the heart, the nucleus, and the unifying force of a community. The general chapter is responsible for the well being of our entire Order; the provincial chapters are similarly obliged to foster the vitality of the various provinces. However, in the end, the effectiveness of these chapters depends upon the power of idea and initiative originating in the local community chapters and upon our day-to-day commitment to this community.
8.2 From the image of the local community as a union of religious and human society, it follows that to a large extent each community must regulate its own way of life. Hence the communities must undertake the task of education and formation in the values of traditional monastic observances, which formerly were spelled out in detail for the Order as a whole. In doing so, they are naturally expected to take into account the sources of inspiration of our Order. One of the main responsibilities of the community chapter is insuring the continual realization of our particular religious fellowship; consequently, our reflection and dialogue in chapter should be concerned with creating the conditions that foster true fellowship of life and work. At the same time, we must guard against our falling into pure routine. If its work is to be effective, the entire life of the community, its common prayer, life, and work, must again and again be critically examined in the light of our special sources of inspiration, and above all in the light of the Gospel and its actualization in today’s world. This entails a serious responsibility and challenge for every member of the community and most especially for the superior.
9.0 Principles of our Chapters
9.1 If they are to achieve their intended purpose, our community deliberations must take place in a spirit of candor and mutual trust, rooted in authentic faith. Our first task as members of a chapter is that of keeping ourselves open to hearing the voice of the Lord in the words of our brothers. Nothing is more in conflict with the spirit of these chapters than striving to be proved right at all costs or self-seeking which has not been purified by the desire to be led by the Spirit of God.
9.2 In the collegial community of life that we desire, all members have the same rights and duties except as stated otherwise in law.
9.3 In our communities, the superior holds an important and central place. By accepting his office, he assumes a new place and function in the community, one different from that of any other member. His role in community interaction and deliberation is one of creativity and leadership. Accordingly, while the day-to-day direction of the community does rest in his hands, his principal charge is to stimulate and to coordinate responsible initiative and brotherly collaboration in the community. He must create the opportunity for his brothers to experience a Gospel obedience to their calling by the Lord and by the community of the Church. Consequently he must strive to bring about a general climate of willingness to listen. He himself shall listen to the community, attempting to discover the true human and Christian desires of his brothers in order to reach decisions, which are truly communal. His charge and concern is the unity of life and action of his brothers.
9.4 In order not to descend into legalism, the very opposite of true collegiality, two extremes must be avoided: the superior must not be made a puppet at the beck and call of the community; on the other hand, the legitimate desires of the community must not be thwarted by the superior. The superior must never impose his private interests, preferences and opinions in the name of obedience. At the same time, his obligation to speak in the name of the community is not necessarily fulfilled by an automatic dependence on a simple majority of votes. To reject lightly a consensus reached by a large majority, however, would be to run the risk of isolating himself from the community and thus of losing all real authority. The majority required depends on the importance of the issue. When the superior realizes that no real agreement has been reached on an important question, he must reserve final judgment. He should make a temporary decision in order to be able to move ahead, but should also be prepared to review the decision later. To immobilize discussion is to disobey the Spirit of Christ. In cases of urgency, the superior can make decisions binding the community.
10.0 Vows in General
10.1 Following the example of the Lord, we accept a life of the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty, and obedience in order to build up our unity with one another and to create the freedom and flexibility needed to provide totally Christian service to others.
10.2 In making our profession among our brothers and before the People of God, we solemnly and publicly pledge ourselves to incorporate our life and call to Christian service into the Order of the Holy Cross. Our profession is a personal act of dedicating ourselves, empowered by the Spirit, to follow Christ in his total and free devotedness to the Father and to others, which reached its completion on the Cross.
10.3 This bond with Christ and with the Crosier Community through our profession, received and recognized by the Church, is in its essence an expression of our existence as a Church community.
10.4 By this dedication we free ourselves for an ever more intense realization of the Kingdom of God among people. We accept in particular the task of cultivating the heritage of our Order along with our brothers. We embrace its present joys and struggles, and respond to the Spirit calling it to an ever-new actualization of its mission in the Church.
10.5 Our religious life is centered on Christian love. The three vows are a particular realization of the one Christian love, which is the pulse of our community and the goal of our work. In their deepest reality, the vows form but one dedication.
10.6 We accept this life of chastity, poverty and obedience in community as a public testimony to God’s Lordship and active presence in the world. Religious life is a witness to the transcendent that is present in the world of human existence.
10.7 Hence our life as religious has its own irreplaceable significance in the Church and in the world. Yet we properly and fully appreciate our vocation only when we remember that every vocation in Christ supports and sustains every other in building up the Body of Christ in love. Thus we must be open to receive inspiration and enrichment from all other vocations.
10.8. In accordance with our age-old tradition, those who make their profession in our Order are to use the following text. They may, of course, give expression to their more personal insights in an introduction or a conclusion.
“I, N.N. do profess and promise obedience to God and to you, N.N., Master General of the Order of the Holy Cross, and to your successors, in accordance with the Rule of Augustine and the Constitutions of the Brethren of the Holy Cross, in such wise that I shall be obedient to you and your successors for ….” [if making a simple profession], or “until death,” [if making a solemn profession].
10.9 If the profession is being made to some other legally qualified superior, the formula is: “I, N.N., do profess and promise obedience to God, and to you, N.N. as the representative of N.N., the Master General of the Order of the Holy Cross, and to his successors, in accordance with the Rule of Augustine and the Constitutions of the Brethren of the Holy Cross, in such wise that I shall be obedient to the Master General and his successors for ….” [if making a simple profession], or “until death,” [if making a solemn profession].
11.0
Vow of Chastity
11.1 In
religious life we respond in a particular way to the Christian
vocation of realizing the fullness of love. We are called to follow
Christ in the power of the Spirit into a chaste life, which Christ
lived and which he himself keeps alive in the Church through the
Gospel. Our vow of chastity is our personal response to that call.
11.2 By
our vow of chastity, we forego marriage and live as celibates.
However, our sacrifice of the deep values of family life and marriage
is only the inverse side of a positive and joyful choice of a way of
life. Our dedication to the proclamation of the Kingdom and the
realization of brotherhood under God calls for a life of chastity,
which opens us totally to others in love and friendship. Thus
chastity is directed to generosity made real in sharing a life of
Christian love and concern for all. Living chastely in this way is a
source of human happiness. Hence, we must continually take care that
our fellowship is in actual fact an opportunity for each brother to
grow to maturity and personal fulfillment among people. Conversely,
the chaste life will be supported and encouraged by those human
relationships which constitute the joy and gladness of our existence.
11.3 In
accepting chastity as our way towards love, we wish to strive for a
spontaneous, cheerful forgetfulness of self and a willingness to bear
the suffering and burdens without which love cannot come to
fulfillment. We realize that the Cross is the embodiment of a life
lived in that love which goes forth to embrace the whole world. To be
a brother to all people is to live under the sign of the Crucified
One.
11.4
Chastity therefore should not alienate us from the world, but rather
must set us free to live in total availability in and for the world.
As we live in this world of ours and collaborate in building a richer
and more meaningful human community, we testify through our chaste
life that God is the one true origin of all human love and community,
and that He is the One alone who one day shall be all in all.
12.0
Vow of Poverty
12.1 To be
poor in the sense of the Gospel is to base our existence on the life
of others and no longer to root our concern in ourselves. We respond
to evangelical poverty when we truly give preference to the other
person in all the opportunities offered by our way of life, realizing
that we are given to one another as brothers and sisters by the one
Father of all. Evangelical poverty requires continual concern for our
brothers and sisters. We must welcome their requests and be ready to
modify our life according to their needs. A proper attitude towards
the goods of this earth, to possessions, and to work follows
naturally; in all these we are to be essentially directed to the
other.
12.2 We
find the deepest source of inspiration for this form of life in the
life of Christ: “he was rich, but he became poor for your sake”
(2 Corinthians 8, 9). The call to evangelical poverty invites us to
enter into solidarity with the poor and needy, to whom Christ’s
concern was particularly directed, either by living as they do or by
working to promote their social progress. A profession of this
poverty without concrete human solidarity would no longer be a
poverty in the Spirit of Christ.
12.3 Our
vow of evangelical poverty signifies a common commitment to keep our
minds alert and our hearts open to every need of our fellow human
beings, both in our community and outside of it. Our poverty is
lived, moreover, in the context of our chaste state of life, which
offers unique opportunities to serve our brothers and sisters. We
must learn to see and appreciate the deepest reality of our vow of
poverty as community-based openness and availability to the needs of
others in the Church and world of today. This demands a sense of
simplicity in food, clothing and recreation; an appreciation of the
role of work; an effort to organize our lives efficiently in view of
our work among people. An authentic practice of evangelical poverty
is itself an apostolic presence to those who have need of us.
13.0
Specific Crosier Poverty
13.1
Evangelical poverty can legitimately be lived in many different ways.
In what follows, we wish to specify certain characteristics of our
practice of poverty.
13.2 By
our solemn profession of poverty, we make total renunciation of all
goods.
13.3 In
order to build up our fellowship and our apostolate, we accept a
community of goods and joint responsibility for property, income and
expenditures; and we regard ourselves as subject to the common law of
labor. This common responsibility should manifest itself in an
equitable and efficient distribution of the resources of the
community, corresponding to the needs and wants of our members and
our work. We must recognize as well poverty’s demand for corporate
witness by our willingness to share our resources with other
communities, the Order, the Church, and society at large.
13.4 The
poverty we profess is not a poverty of destitution, but one in which
the members enjoy that support and security which comes from
belonging to our community. Discrimination cannot be tolerated in any
form. At the same time we must remember that the sick and aged
deserve our special attention. Moreover, both our individual and
communal
standard
of living must be adapted to the environment in which we live and
work so that, by the moderation and simplicity of our life, we truly
do manifest an evangelical detachment and freedom from concern about
material things.
13.5 Our
practice of poverty should not diminish adult responsibility or
foster immature dependence on the superior. Collegiality in poverty
implies: that everyone be adequately informed of the financial status
of his community and province; that in appropriate ways, everyone
share responsibility for the financial decisions of his community and
province; and that a member may be entrusted with community funds for
his apostolic projects and personal needs within the context of
communal responsibility.
14.0
Vow of Obedience
14.1 To
obey, in the Gospel tradition, is to respond to the call of the
Spirit in the Church, an encompassing and enduring call to answer the
appeals of the world in which we live with utmost generosity after
the example of the Lord. Our response to the appeals of all women and
men is our answer to the concrete invitation of the Spirit to build
the Kingdom of God in justice and love. In short, our obedience is a
response of love and service, and of being available to the Church
and all people.
14.2 Our
response to the call of God, as made real in our fellowship, is
embodied in a personal commitment to integrate our initiative into
the rhythm of life and responsibility of the entire community. Our
commitment demands a continuous fidelity to our brothers and to our
common will to live and work together. Thus our obedience implies
that each brother retains an adult personal freedom and at the same
time assumes an adult personal responsibility in the community.
14.3 The
unity of our fellowship is to a great extent the burden of the
superior. However, while this remains his responsibility it is also
the enduring duty of each brother to contribute in idea and
initiative to the well being of the community. This will guarantee
that the decisions and policy-making of the community are truly the
work of all its members. For this reason, we urge each brother to be
frank and spontaneous with his superior, showing respect for his
burden of service and authority as the steward of the Lord.
14.4 In a
true spirit of collegiality, the superior must avoid every trace of
authoritarianism. He should not seek to subject his brothers to
himself, but to turn all together to the call of God and of people,
thus building up oneness in Christ. While his office calls for great
kindness and understanding, he must at the same time have steadfast
courage in holding his brothers faithful to their vocations (Rule
of Augustine, n. 46).
14.5
Sharing life with our brothers means to be willing to hear one
another, to be open in our dealings with one another, to be ready to
lay aside individual preferences. In this way we seek together that
oneness of heart and mind, which is the cornerstone of our witness
and service to others.
15.0
Further Considerations
15.1 The
community life to which and in which we are called should be a force
promoting our growth to Christian and human fulfillment.
Consequently, each one of us is obliged to an unceasing effort to
understand and respect our brothers for the unique person that each
is.
15.2 Our
religious community forms a cell in the building up of the Church,
the People of God, just as every Christian family does. By a strong
mutual love, our brotherhood, which is called to be a living parable
of unity, proclaims an essential mark of the Church. Religious life
in common fulfills its
prophetic
function when the example given by its members challenges all people,
Christian and non-Christian, to bestow on each person they meet a
love that is universal and without regard for human rank. A religious
fellowship of life and work is a special sign and instrument in the
Church for true unity among people, a unity that is rooted and
brought to completion in Christ, in whom, through whom, and for whom
all things were created (cf. Colossians. 1,16). It is in a special
way part of the prophetic and dynamic conscience of the Church.
15.3 Our
community, however, will realize this prophetic function only when
fellowship and true brotherly love define our lives. When this
happens, we shall indeed be helping each other to be faithful to our
calling. But even more, we shall then create the conditions for an
apostolate which will break forth from our community into the world;
and this is an essential element of our religious life in common.
15.4 Our
life as confreres is living within community. Fidelity to this life
calls for mutual love and forgiveness. Each confrere should recognize
his personal responsibility to resolve disagreements with a confrere
promptly, effectively, and justly.
15.5 When
a confrere believes that he has suffered injustice, he has the right
to recourse.
16.0
Conditions for Prayer
16.1 As a
community founded in faith, we recognize that prayer is an essential
expression and source of our life and work together. Prayer nourishes
our faith and encourages us to bring our faith to completion in love.
We open ourselves then to the call of the Spirit who dwells in our
midst and transforms us into the likeness of Christ, enabling us to
cry out “Abba, Father” (Romans 8,15). Fidelity to our calling
thus requires each one of us and each community to persevere in
prayer and in calling upon the name of the Lord.
16.2 In
order that we learn to pray and that our prayer deepen and mature, we
must be willing to make the effort to create an atmosphere of quiet
in our communities. Above all, a spirit of generosity and an earnest
will to persevere are essential requirements for an authentic life of
prayer.
16.3 We
must listen without ceasing to the word of God, which gives depth to
human life. Accordingly, each of us must give himself to personal
prayer and reflection based above all on the Holy Scriptures, in
accordance with his need and the gifts he has received from the Lord.
Only then will our prayer in common have a true source in deep and
personal dedication. In this way we follow the example of Mary who
pondered in her heart all that happened and who united with the
apostles in prayer for the coming of the Spirit.
17.0
Community Prayer
17.1 Our
liturgical and community prayer is a special offering of praise to
the Father in union with the prayer of Christ and with the whole
People of God. Here we become united in the Lord to give expression
and nourishment to that unity to which we are called. From this
follows the need for each community to come together regularly to
pray. Indeed, it is our special vocation, one handed down through the
ages by our predecessors, to foster the liturgy of the Church in this
manner. We must creatively draw our inspiration for this prayer from
the liturgical sources, from the living elements of our tradition,
and from the needs and the ideals of our own time.
17.2 All
prayer finds its source and summit in the celebration of the
Eucharist, where we, in union with Mary and the whole Church,
celebrate the memorial of Christ’s death and resurrection. There we
discover the true significance of the Cross and the joy of Christian
life. There too we find reconciliation and true unity with our
brothers. We hold then that every confrere and community must foster
that unity by love and service of which the celebration of the
Eucharist is both source and sign.
17.3 By
continuing, in our personal and communal prayers, Christ’s offering
of praise and thanksgiving to the Father in the name of all, as well
as his prayer for reconciliation, we are apostolically present in the
world. Since we are to bring all men and women to Christ by our lives
of total service, we must help them pray; accommodating our prayer to
them, we should invite them to participate in the redemptive prayer
of praise which we, together with all creation, offer to the Lord of
all.
Chapter 4: Other
Aspects of Daily Life
18.0
General Guidelines
18.1 It is
fully in accord with our ideal of life in community that much freedom
be allowed to the provinces and individual local communities in
specifying the details of their daily life within the framework of
our proper law.
18.2 Each
community shall take the responsibility, chiefly through its chapter,
for creating a truly Christian and humanly effective form of daily
life. Remembering that unity is more important than uniformity, it
must weigh carefully the living values found in our own tradition of
observance, the diversity of persons and activities in the community,
the practice in other communities, the local religious and secular
culture and customs, and the laws enacted by higher authority in the
Order and the Church.
19.0
Specific Guidelines
19.1 A
community cannot live in harmony without a minimum of order.
19.2
Community meals should be seen as special opportunities to experience
and further the spirit of fellowship. Gathering together around the
table in openhearted simplicity can be a true expression of Christian
living. Some moments of prayer and reflection can help us to
appreciate that our meals too have a Christian significance.
19.3 Our
habit, a heritage from centuries past, should be an effective symbol
of our unity, both in our own eyes and in those of others.
19.4
Conscious that we are sinners, we recognize the place of the
Sacrament of Reconciliation in our lives. Christian penance, which we
see above all in the joyful acceptance of the burdens of our life and
work together, is a means to ever-greater Christian freedom and the
purifying of our relations to persons and things.
19.5 Our
observance of fast and abstinence should be in harmony with
developments in the local Church.
19.6 We
must keep in mind that bodily health and physical fitness are
important for the vitality of our community and for personal
development.
19.7 If
our communities are to reflect upon their work and life effectively –
to test themselves by the Gospel and contemporary social developments
– regular personal and communal study and reflection are necessary.
The local superior is to take care that competent and appropriate
programs and personnel are available for the continuing development
of the community and its members.
19.8 In
order to foster work and reflection, it is proper that there be an
atmosphere of peace and quiet in the place where we live. In this
way, too, members of the community must express Christian love by
being considerate of one another.
19.9 There
should be an atmosphere of ease and naturalness in our communities.
Accordingly, there is need for special times of relaxation in the
course of the day and the year. Recreation must allow for a certain
variety, and yet each person should have equal opportunities. Here
again we must seek a balance between the demands of community life
and the equally legitimate desires of the individual. In any event,
we must avoid the situation where some can do what they please
because they “have the right connections,” while others can only
be passive onlookers.
19.10 The
sick and the aged should receive their own special signs of respect.
Caring for the sick is an appeal to us for Christian service in the
community, and the aged should be able to rely on our gratitude and
to feel welcome where they are content to live.
19.11
Christian piety entails the duty of praying for our deceased
brothers, relatives, and benefactors and of keeping their memory in
honor. This should be attended to by the communities and by each of
us individually.
19.12
Guests must always be welcome among us. We must learn to receive them
cordially and cheerfully put aside our own individual comfort for
them. Hospitality requires freedom and flexibility and is to be
practiced with sensitivity.
19.13 The
respect due to people in society at large should be a part of our
daily life in the Order. Accordingly, our comportment inside and
outside of our communities must respect the rules of good manner and
good taste. This respect includes a proper esteem for our brothers
and our Order in conversation with others.
19.14 In
view of our increasing participation in the society of today,
determinations concerning the cloister are left to each community.
19.15 In
all areas of life, let us accept as addressed to ourselves the words
of Saint Paul: “Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of
Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear
about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit,
striving side by side with one mind in the faith of the gospel”
(Philippians 1, 27).
20.0
Inspiration for the Apostolate
20.1 The
life of Christ, from his first announcement of the Kingdom of Heaven
to his final offering of himself in death, is the first source of our
apostolic inspiration for our apostolic activity. We accept the
commission of the Risen Lord, “Go, therefore, make disciples of all
the nations” (Matthew 28, 19).
20.2 Since
the Lord has called us as part of the Church to serve him in our
fellow men and women, we look upon our whole life as a following of
Christ, who spent himself, even unto death, for the salvation of
others. Our mission to service, originating in baptism, should be
strengthened by the triple bond of our vows so that the charity whose
growth they foster may urge us to be one with all people, to which
indeed “the love of Christ urges us on” (II Corinthians 5, 14).
20.3 A
second source is the life and works of Saint Augustine, who combined
a most active apostolic life with a life in community. In choosing
his rule, the first brethren of the Cross also joined life in
community to an apostolic life of prayer and work. Today we continue
this tradition, striving in life and work to make Christ present
among people—Christ who prayed for his sisters and brothers,
proclaimed the Kingdom, healed the sick and brought sinners back to
God, doing good to all.
20.4 Our
third source of apostolic inspiration flows from the profound human
concern displayed by people in the world of today, and from the
exemplary generosity and solicitude for others which characterize the
truly outstanding people of our time.
21.0
Apostolate and Community
21.1 Our
life in community forms our most immediate apostolate since we are
called there to assist one another in charity and unity, by our
prayers and by all our other activities.
21.2
Moreover, living in community is itself a proclamation of the Good
News to others. “By this everyone will know that you are my
disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13, 35).
21.3 We
likewise hold ourselves in readiness to serve the Church, according
to our means, wherever there is need. Our desire is to follow Christ,
who gave himself completely on the Cross, by giving ourselves totally
to the needs of others so that indeed “the poor have good news
brought to them” (Matthew 11, 5).
21.4 This
willingness to serve the Church also means that there are confreres
called to serve in the apostolate as ordained ministers. This
ordained ministry is a significant expression of our charism and of
the common priesthood we share through our baptism in Christ.
22.0
Forms of Apostolate
22.1 As
part of the universal Church, the Order is especially attentive to
needs throughout the world. Each province and local community,
inspired by our charism and in deliberation with the provincial
government, should consider its own forms of apostolic activity
according to the needs of the local Church, whether it takes the form
of parochial work, education, or the meeting of any other need.
Particular attention should be given to the signs of the times, so
that we will not remain immobilized in those forms of apostolate that
served another period of time or other circumstances well, but which
are no longer suitable for the contemporary situation.
22.2 Since
we have been called to service of the Church in and through
community, we favor those apostolic endeavors which require or are
enriched by community life and which in turn foster it. However, it
is sometimes necessary for a confrere to live and work outside of his
community, either because there is a particular need in the area, or
because he can thus be given the apostolic work best suited to his
special talents. Hence it is in the broad context of the province as
a whole that the vitality of the communities, the heart and
embodiment of the spirit of our Order, must be safeguarded.
22.3
Within these limits, we accept the principle that our apostolate
ought to be chosen in response to two sets of circumstances: first,
the real and pressing needs of the Church and society; and second,
the talents and training of the persons, and the financial support
available within the community or province.
22.4 Those
who are destined for work in the various apostolates should be given
a truly adequate formation and training, along with appropriate
authority, and should then be respected by their confreres for their
competence in their work.
22.5 Those
engaged in an apostolate need understanding, respect, and often
active cooperation from the other members of the community. Our
apostolate, moreover, can be fruitful only when there is vital
contact and collaboration with the leaders of the local Church.
23.0
Initial Formation
23.1 In
order to be faithful to our calling and to create a fruitful
apostolate inside and outside of the community, it is absolutely
essential that we be men marked by a faith that is authentic.
Consequently, in the years of initial formation and training, the
greatest attention must be devoted to a genuine life of faith.
Everything conducive to a personal realization of authentic faith
must be incorporated into our program of formation.
23.2 It
follows that the communities in which men prepare themselves to join
our Order must be particularly conscious of their great
responsibility. They must be prepared to share with these men an
experience of genuine faith, communal life and prayer, collegiality
and subsidiarity. Reflection on this responsibility always must
remain a regular task in the chapters of these communities.
23.3 It
belongs to the competence of each province to determine the program
of initial formation, as well as the procedures and conditions for
admission. This must be done in openness to developments in the local
Church and the directives of the general chapter.
23.4 Our
formation must be based on our present ideal of our life and work,
and, at the same time, on an attentiveness to what the person in
formation can contribute to us.
23.5 The
novitiate shall be at least 12 months. However, in light of local
circumstances or apostolic programs, a provincial chapter may provide
for a longer novitiate, but not to extend beyond two years.
23.6 Our
community may expect of the person in initial formation as a minimum:
23.6.a
That he is willing to take up his life and work seriously, in
accordance with his aptitudes;
23.6.b
That he be able to develop in himself a sensitivity for the presence
of God manifested in people and in things, in the Church and in
society;
23.6.c
That he be willing to test himself by what Christ in the Gospel
expects of him, and that he listen to his fellow human beings to
understand what they call on him to be and to do, in frank dialogue
with the community in which he lives;
23.6.d
That he work to achieve a genuinely human community life with others,
so that he is open to their appeals and ready to integrate himself
into the community’s rhythm of life;
23.6.e
That he makes an earnest effort, after a reasonable time, to decide
whether he will join our community.
23.7 The
person in initial formation may expect of our community:
23.7.a
That he be assisted in discovering and developing his own talents and
gifts within the context of our community and, if at all possible, be
given assignments accordingly;
23.7.b
That his formation and training be realistic and honest, attentive to
personal values, gradual, and adapted to his concrete situation and
capacities.
23.8 In
view of the care we must give those in initial formation, it is
important for each province to have a sufficient number of persons
competent in theology and in those disciplines that deal with the
dynamics of the human person.
24.0
Ongoing Formation
24.1 It is
essential that every community continue to be attentive to the
spiritual, personal, and intellectual development of all members. For
all of us, study and reflection are necessary conditions for the
effective realization of our ideal of Christian service to people. We
should learn to know our culture, participate in it, and be able to
review it critically. As an aid in this, we should make use of the
modern means of communication.
Part Two: The
Structure and Governance of the Order
Chapter 7: Members
and Local Communities
25.0
Members
25.1 By
our profession we bind ourselves to live and work according to the
ideals, principles and directives of our Order and its Constitutions;
and the Order thereby accepts us as its members.
25.2 Since
community participation is essential to our religious life, each one
of us shall enjoy membership in a community according to the statutes
of the province.
25.3 All
members are called to leadership according to their gifts and may be
elected for or appointed to all offices unless the law of the Church,
the Order, or the province establishes particular requirements
concerning these matters.
26.0
Local Community
26.1
Living together in a local community is a fundamental aspect of our
life. A local community is a group of confreres living in one mind
and one heart intent upon God (Rule of Augustine, n. 3).
26.2 The
normative structure of a local community is that of a priory, with a
chapter, a prior, and a council of the prior, and others exercising
leadership in the community. Other forms of local community are
defined by provincial statutes in line with this normative structure
while sensitive to local cultures.
26.3 A
prior provincial with the consent of his council can erect a local
community with the approval of the master general with the consent of
his council, and the written approval of the diocesan bishop. After
appropriate consultation with the community chapter and the diocesan
bishop, the prior provincial with the consent of his council can
suppress a local community or alter its structure with the approval
of the master general and the consent of his council. The provincial
statutes can determine additional norms for the erection and
suppression of a local community and, in case of suppression, also
the determination of the assets.
27.0
Community Chapter
27.1 The
community chapter is composed of those professed confreres assigned
to the community except when the proper law provides otherwise.
Outside of those restrictions given in the provincial statutes, all
have fundamentally the same rights and responsibilities in the
community chapter: the right to participate in the decisions of the
chapter; an active vote in the election of the prior, the council of
the prior, the delegates for the provincial chapter, and the
stewardship of the community’s assets.
27.2 The
community chapter in mutual and fraternal deliberation, along with
the prior and his council, has the responsibility of determining the
policies of the local community. These must reflect the principles
given in Part One of these Constitutions. Along with the right of
election, the community chapter must frame rules for the community
and apply the provincial statutes to its own situation. It shall also
be consulted by the prior for all serious decisions, and is to
consider and discuss reports which the prior is to present concerning
his administration and the financial situation of the community.
Finally, the chapter is to meet regularly in order to reflect on and
reappraise the life and work of the community. All this shall be done
in accord with further guidelines established by the provincial
chapter or by the community chapter itself.
28.0
Prior
28.1 The
prior is the superior of the community.
28.2 A
prior, exercising creative leadership in the community, is to help
his brothers live and work together in an atmosphere of love,
friendship, and unity, and to give them support through his
leadership and advice. His responsibility extends to both the
spiritual and temporal welfare of all his brothers. He should be open
to all, and he should try “to serve through love rather than lord
it over others by force” (Rule of Augustine, n. 46).
28.3 The
prior is elected by the community chapter, and confirmed by the prior
provincial. Provincial statutes shall determine further procedures
for the election of a prior and the term of office.
29.0
Council of the Prior
29.1 The
prior shall have a council to assist him in caring for the community.
29.2
Collaboration with and in this council is indispensable. The prior
and his council shall frequently consult together regarding all
aspects of life and work, and the most important points of these
discussions shall be submitted to the priory chapter for their
discussion.
30.0
Composition
30.1 A
province is composed of local communities with their members.
30.2 After
appropriate consultation, provinces can be established, changed or
suppressed only by a general chapter; or, in urgent cases, outside of
a general chapter, by the master general with the consent of his
council.
30.3 For
serious reasons, transfer from one province to another is possible
after the mutual deliberation of the priors provincial concerned,
the consent of the person involved, and the approval of the
master general.
30.4 A
proprovince is composed of local communities with their members and
is part of a province with certain autonomy specified in the
provincial statutes and the proper law.
31.0
Provincial Chapter
31.1 The
principal responsibility of the provincial chapter is to review and
appraise the problems and opportunities of the province so that it
will be able to exercise the leadership necessary for our community
life and work.
31.2 The
provincial chapter is to be convoked by the prior provincial at least
once every three years. An extraordinary provincial chapter may also
be convoked by the prior provincial with the consent of his council.
The prior provincial must convoke an extraordinary provincial chapter
if a majority of his council requests it, or if the absolute majority
of those who are eligible to vote for chapter delegates requests it.
31.3 The
prior provincial, the members of the council of the prior provincial,
the priors, the superiors of proprovinces are ex officio
members of the provincial chapter. The manner of designating the
other members of the chapter – delegates from the communities,
proprovinces, and other ex officio members, alternates, and
auditors – is to be further specified by the provincial statutes.
These statutes are also to determine the time of convocation, the
procedures to be followed, and other related questions.
31.4 The
provincial chapter is to elect the prior provincial, his council, and
the delegates to the general chapter according to the proper law.
31.5 The
provincial chapter has the power to make regulations, issue
guidelines, and approve statutes that remain in force unless revoked
by a subsequent provincial chapter or explicitly stated otherwise in
the decision.
31.6 All
decisions of the provincial chapter require a simple majority of
those present and voting, with due regard for those provisions in the
proper law that require the approval of the prior provincial with the
consent of his council. This approval must be given or withheld while
the chapter is in session. If the prior provincial withholds consent,
the proposition is to be submitted again to the chapter, which can
then enact it with a two-thirds majority. All decisions of the
chapter must be in accord with the Constitutions, General Statutes,
and other decisions of the general chapter.
31.7 The
provincial chapter alone has the power to make authentic
interpretations of the provincial statutes. Between chapters, the
prior provincial with the consent of his council has the power to
make interpretations that remain in effect until the next chapter.
32.0
Prior Provincial
32.1 The
principal responsibility of the prior provincial is to unify,
inspire, and lead his confreres in the pursuit of the Order’s
ideals. He is a major superior with the power of governance over the
province. He is to keep in close contact with the persons,
communities, and areas of the province, especially through a type of
visitation that may be specified by the provincial statutes. In order
to insure the necessary contact and bond with the master general and
his council, he is to submit to it an annual report on the spiritual
and temporal welfare of the province.
32.2 The
provincial statutes shall determine who can be elected prior
provincial, how the election is to take place, and what the term of
office shall be. However, a candidate for prior provincial or any
other office of major superior rank must have spent at least four
years in solemn vows before being eligible for election or
appointment. The election of the prior provincial is to be presided
over by the master general or his delegate, and the person elected
needs the confirmation of the master general or his delegate.
32.3 The
prior provincial also has the right to make appointments in the
province and in other territories of the province. In accord with the
norms of the provincial statutes, he confirms the elected priors, and
consults the members of his council and the concerned confreres when
appointing other superiors.
32.4 The
prior provincial is to convoke the provincial chapter and to preside
over it as chairman. In it, he shall also present a report on the
spiritual and temporal welfare of the province.
32.5. The
prior provincial with the consent of his council can make rules and
directives, which bind the entire province. Where it seems necessary,
he can also issue rules and directives on his own authority affecting
individual persons or communities.
32.6. If
the prior provincial deems it necessary to take certain punitive or
restrictive actions, he should keep in mind what our father Augustine
wrote in his Rule: “to serve through love rather than lord it over
others by force” (Rule of
Augustine,
n. 46).
32.7 A
prior proprovincial is a major superior but his power of governance
may be limited by the provincial statutes and the proper law.
33.0
Council of the Prior Provincial
33.1 The
council has, together with the prior provincial, the responsibility
of coordinating and inspiring, and shall work in true collaboration;
it should reach its decisions through mutual and open deliberation,
by consensus insofar as possible. The council should strive to
stimulate unity and collaboration between the local communities, and
with the proprovinces. Consequently, the prior provincial is to keep
his council informed of all problems arising in the province (except
those involving matters of conscience), and although he fully retains
his own proper responsibility, he is to consider these problems with
his council. For important decisions, as specified in the provincial
statutes, the consent of the council is necessary. The council of the
prior provincial is to receive regular reports concerning the
spiritual and temporal welfare of the province. These should include,
among other subjects, the financial status of the province.
Chapter 9: The
Order as a Whole
34.0
Composition
34.1 All
provinces together form the full community of the Canons Regular of
the Order of the Holy Cross, an exempt institute of pontifical right,
and participate in the general government through the general
chapter.
35.0
General Chapter
35.1 The
general chapter holds the supreme authority of the Order. The
responsibility of the general chapter especially includes taking all
steps necessary to insure and promote the unity of the Order and to
stimulate cooperation between the provinces, safeguarding moreover
the autonomy of the individual provinces.
35.2 The
general chapter is to be convoked once every six years by the master
general under whose leadership the chapter is to be conducted. The
master general with the consent of his council may also convoke an
extraordinary general chapter. The master general must convoke an
extraordinary general chapter if a majority of his council requests
it. The norms of an ordinary general chapter are to be applied to an
extraordinary chapter except the term of the convocation and the
specific agenda.
35.3 The
general chapter is composed of the master general, the priors
provincial, the other general councilors, the priors proprovincial,
and the delegates elected in accordance with the General Statutes.
35.4 The
general chapter elects the master general and has the power to make
decisions binding the entire Order.
35.5 All
decisions of the chapter are enacted by a simple majority of the
votes, with due regard to the procedures mentioned elsewhere in these
Constitutions, together with the approval of the master general and
his council acting collegially. This approval must be given or
withheld while the chapter is in session. Should the master general
and his council withhold approval, the proposition may be submitted
again to the chapter, which can then enact it with a two-thirds
majority.
35.6. The
general chapter retains a privilege, granted by Pope Innocent IV when
first approving the Order in the Papal Bull of 1248, Religiosam
vitam eligentibus. The privilege allows the chapter to approve
new measures or changes in our Constitutions without seeking
ecclesiastical approval. In order to maintain this privilege, the
chapter follows these procedures: changes become a provisional part
of the Constitutions and are effective immediately upon promulgation;
however, any change requires the approval of three consecutive
chapters before becoming a permanent part of the Constitutions. This
procedure also discourages frequent changes and amendments to the
Constitutions.
35.7. All
other decisions enacted by a general chapter, including changes in
the General Statutes, are effective upon promulgation and remain in
effect until rescinded or changed.
35.8. The
general chapter has the power to make authentic interpretations of
the Constitutions. Between chapters, the master general with the
consent of his council has the power to make interpretations that
remain in effect until the next chapter.
35.9. The
general chapter is to receive reports concerning the situation in the
provinces and proprovinces, as well as a report from the master
general on the overall state of affairs in the Order.
36.0
Master General
36.1 The
master general bears the primary responsibility of keeping alive the
Order’s unity and its own charismatic gifts, as well as promoting a
fruitful religious life in its members. He is the general superior of
the Order with the power of governance over the provinces and members
as defined by the Constitutions. His governmental and administrative
powers and functions include his obligation to see that the decisions
of the general chapter are implemented. One of the principal means
for fulfilling these responsibilities is the visitation, which the
master general must make at least once every term in all the local
communities of each province and proprovince of the Order.
36.2 In
addition to his obligations within the Order, he also is its chief
representative to outside ecclesiastical and governmental bodies.
36.3 The
master general is elected by the general chapter for a term of six
years. He may be elected for a second consecutive six-year term.
Thereafter he may be elected for consecutive terms but only by a
two-thirds majority on the first ballot, otherwise he is ineligible
for election even by postulation. To be eligible for the office of
master general, a confrere must be in solemn vows for at least five
years and have attained the age of forty years.
36.4
Although legislative power belongs to the general chapter, the master
general can give directives and, in special circumstances,
regulations for the entire Order or for different provinces insofar
as they do not violate the Constitutions and are necessary for the
fulfillment of his responsibilities, with due regard for
Constitutional norm. The master general needs the consent of his
council to issue regulations or directives extending to the entire
Order. All directives or regulations properly given by the master
general remain in force until the following general chapter.
36.5
Whenever the office of master general becomes vacant, it is to be
filled according to the provisions of proper law.
36.6 When
a master general is elected outside an ordinary general chapter, his
term of office continues until the second ordinary chapter following
his election. The time between his election and the first ordinary
chapter following the election is not counted in his six-year term.
37.0
Council of the Master General
37.1 The
council of the master general is composed of the priors provincial
and two additional general councilors elected by the general chapter.
The council, in true collaboration with the master general, cares for
matters concerning the whole Order and is seriously charged with
concern for the various parts of the Order.
37.2 With
the consent of his council, the master general may appoint a
substitute council of up to four members to meet particular
requirements of canon law in dealing with individual members of the
Order, including novices and postulants.
37.3 The
master general with the consent of his council can make authentic
interpretations of the General Statutes.
38.0
Voting Procedures
38.1
Voting shall be by secret ballot for all elections. In all other
cases, it shall be by secret ballot unless determined otherwise by
the voting body. In all cases, each member shall have one vote only.
38.2 In
matters requiring consent, the presiding officer neither has a vote
nor can the presiding officer break a tie. If the vote is collegial,
the presiding officer shall vote as an individual member of the body
and may not cast an additional vote to break a tie.
39.0
Dispensation
39.1
Unless otherwise provided in the Constitutions, the master general
with the consent of his council may dispense from provisions of the
Constitutions. He may not dispense from procedural and constitutive
norms. Unless otherwise provided in the Constitutions, the master
general may dispense from the General Statutes. He may not dispense
from procedural and constitutive norms contained in the General
Statutes.
39.2
Unless otherwise provided in the provincial statutes, the prior
provincial with the consent of his council may dispense from the
provincial statutes. In all other cases, the prior provincial may
dispense on his own authority. He may not dispense from procedural
and constitutive norms.
39.3
Unless otherwise provided in the proprovincial statutes, the prior
proprovincial with the consent of his council may dispense from the
proprovincial statutes. In all other cases, the prior proprovincial
may dispense on his own authority. He may not dispense from
procedural and constitutive norms.
39.4
Unless prohibited by universal law, the master general delegates to
each prior provincial authority to dispense from the universal law.
The prior provincial may sub-delegate this authority.
39.5 The
authority of the prior to dispense should be defined in the
provincial statutes.
40.0
Unforeseen Circumstances
40.1
Should these Constitutions lack norms required for unforeseen
circumstances, the master general with the consent of his council has
full competence to provide for the matter. The master general shall
report the actions to the next general chapter, and, if necessary,
submit norms for approval by the general chapter.