The Rule of Saint Benedict in English

CONTENTS
Preface ................................................................ 9
Chapters of the Rule Prologue..............................................................15
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. S. 9.
10.
11. 12.
13. 14.
15. 16.
17.
18. 19.
The Kinds of Monks . . . ■ ........................20 Qualities of the Abbot.................................. 21 Summoning the Brothers forCounsel. . .25 The Tools for Good Works.............................26 Obedience.....................................................29 Restraint of Speech........................................31 Humility.........................................................32
The Divine Office at Night............................38
The Number ofPsalms at the Night Office. .39 The Arrangement of the Night Office
in Summer...................................................40 The Celebration of Vigils onSunday . . .40 The Celebration of the Solemnity
ofLauds.........................................................41 The Celebration of Lauds on
Ordinary Days..............................................42 The Celebration of Vigils on the
Anniversaries of Saints.............................43 The Times for Saying Alleluia....................... 43 The Celebration of the Divine Office
during the Day..............................................44 The Number ofPsalms to Be Sung
at These Hours..............................................44 The Order ofthe Psalmody.............................45 The Discipline ofPsalmody.......................47
 6
20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26.
27. 28. 29.
30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47.
48.
Contents
Reverence in Prayer........................................48 The Deans ofthe Monastery.......................48 The Sleeping Arrangements ofthe Monks. .49 Excommunication for Faults........................49 Degrees of Excommunication....................... 50 Serious F a u l t s ............................................... 51 Unauthorized Association with the
Excommunicated........................................ 51 The Abbot's Concern for the
Excommunicated........................................ 51 Those Who Refuse to Amend after
Frequent Reproofs....................................52 Readmission of Brothers Who Leave
the Monastery..............................................53 TheMannerofReprovingBoys........................54 Qualifications of the Monastery Cellarer . . 54 The Tools and Goods of the Monastery . . 55 Monks and Private Ownership........................56 Distribution ofGoods According to Need. . 57 Kitchen Servers of the W eek........................57 The Sick Brothers.........................................59 The Elderly and Children.............................59 The Reader for the W eek.............................60 TheProperAmountofFood.............................61 The Proper Amount of Drink........................62 The Times for the Brothers’ Meals . . . .63 Silence after Compline...................................64 Tardiness at the Work of God or at Table . . 65 Satisfaction by the Excommunicated . . .66 Mistakes in the Oratory...................................67
Faults Committed in Other Matters . . .68 Announcing the Hours for the
Work of G o d .............................................. 68 The Daily Manual Labor.............................69

 Contents 7
49. The Observance ofLent...................................71
50. Brothers Working at a Distance orTraveling . 72
51. BrothersonaShortJourney.............................72
52. The Oratory of the Monastery........................72
53. The Reception of Guests.............................73
54. Letters or Gifts for Monks.............................75
55. The Clothing and Footwear of the Brothers . 75
56. The Abbot’s T able.........................................77
57. The Artisans of the Monastery........................77
58. The Procedure for Receiving Brothers . . .78
59. The Offering of Sons by Nobles or by
the Poor . 81
60. The Admission of Priests to the
M o n a s t e r y .................................................... 82
61. The Reception of Visiting Monks . . . .82
62. The Priests of the M onastery....................... 84
63. CommunityRank..............................................85
64. The Election of an Abbot.............................86
65. The Prior of the Monastery............................. 88
66. The Porter of the M onastery........................90
67. Brothers Sent on a Journey............................. 91
68. Assignment of Impossible Tasks
to a Brother................................................... 92
69. The Presumption of Defending Another
in the Monastery........................................92
70. The Presumption of Striking Another
Monk at W ill....................................... . 93
71. Mutual Obedience........................................ 93
72. The Good Zeal of Monks.............................94
73. ThisRuleOnlyaBeginningofPerfection .95