The "primitive Constitutions" Of St. Teresa Of Jesus For The D

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THE CONSTITUTIONS

 Constitutions For The Sisters 

   Of The Order Of Our Lady 

   Of  Mount Carmel 

   Of The Primitive Rule Unrelaxed, 

 Given By The Most Reverend Father 

    Fray Juan Bautista Rubeo, 

 General Of The Said Order, 

    In The Year 1568.                               

 

 

The Constitutions     Contents

1. The divine office. — 

2. Rising and chanting. — 

3. Communion. — 

4. Vespers. — 

5. Compline. — 

6. Spiritual reading. — 

7. Books. — 

8. Solitude. — 

9. Maintenance of the sisters. — 

10. All ownership forbidden. — 

11. The habit. — 

12. Furniture of the house. — 

13. En-closure and visitors. — 

14. Visits. — 

15. The attendant sister. — 

16. Kindred. — 

17. Novices. — 

18. Poverty. — 

19. Lay sisters. — 

20. Service of the house. — 

21. Special needs. — 

22. The infirmary. — 

23. Work done by the sisters. — 

24. Alms received in the day. — 

25. Meals. — 

26. No food to be taken between meals. — 

27. Recreation. — 

28. Rest after recreation. — 

29. Particular friendships. — 

30. Correction of faults; — 

31. Gifts. — 

32. Simplicity. — 

33. Penances. — 

34. The monastery to be poorly built. — 

35. The sick and the dead. — 

36. Of the prioress. — 

37. The sub-prioress and 

       the keepers of the keys. —

38. The sacristan. — 

39. The treasurer and the portresses. — 

40. Zelators.

 

 

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THE ORDER TO BE OBSERVED 

      IN SPIRITUALS 

1. The divine office. — 

1.

 Let matins be said after nine o'clock, 

       and 

   not before, 

   nor so long after 

        as not to leave 

             when they shall have been said 

        a quarter of an hour 

             for the examen of  conscience 

             touching the spending of the day. 

A signal  shall be given for the examen, 

   and one of the sisters, 

        appointed by the mother prioress, 

   shall read in Spanish 

        the mystery 

    on which the meditation is to be made

        the next day.                                     [2] 

The time to be spent herein 

    shall be such 

  that precisely at eleven o'clock 

      a bell shall be rung, 

            and 

   the nuns shall withdraw 

       for the night's rest. 

All the nuns must be together in choir 

    during the time 

   of the examen and prayer, 

and once the office begun 

   no sister may go out of the choir 

        without leave. 

2. Rising and chanting. — 

2. 

In summer they are to rise 

    at five, 

         and continue in prayer till six; 

in winter 

    at six, 

          and continue in prayer till seven. 

When prayer is over,

    the office is to be said 

    as far as None, 

    unless it be a holy day, 

    or the festival of a saint  

       to whom the sisters have 

              a special devotion; 

    then they will stop at Terce, 

       which they will sing before the mass. 

On Sundays and holy days mass, 

   vespers, and matins are to be sung; 

on the holy days of Easter, 

   or other solemn feasts,

         lauds may be sung, 

especially on the feast 

     of the glorious S. Albert. 

The singing must never be in harmony, 

   but in unison, the voices even; 

 ordinarily the office is to be said, 

   so also the mass, 

 for our Lord will be pleased to let us 

     have a little time to earn 

  what is necessary for us. 

Let every one be careful 

    never to be absent from choir 

 for light causes: 

when the office has been said,

   let them go to their duties in the house. 

Mass is to be said 

     in summer at eight,  

     in winter at nine. 

They, who go to communion,

    may remain awhile in the choir. 

3. Communion. — 

3. 

The days of communion are 

     - all Sundays, 

     - the feasts 

            of our Lady and 

            of our Lord, 

            of S, Albert and 

            of S. Joseph, 

               and 

     - whatever other days 

          the confessor may think meet,

   according to the devotion and spiritual 

                 state of each sister, 

         with the leave of the mother prioress. 

Communion is to be given also 

     on the feast-day of the house. 

Shortly before dinner signal shall be made 

    for the examen of  conscience 

touching what they have been doing 

    up to that time, 

            and

 the gravest fault they may discover 

    let them 

            try to correct, and s

            ay one paternoster 

       to obtain grace from God for that end. 

Wherever each one may be at the time, 

   let her 

        kneel down and 

        make her examen briefly.             [3]

4. Vespers. — 

4. 

At two o'clock vespers are to be said, 

   unless it be Lent, 

when they are to be said at eleven: 

at the end of  vespers, 

   when said at two o'clock, 

let there be spiritual reading for an hour. 

In Lent 

    the hour of spiritual reading is two o'clock,

                        and 

it is understood 

   that the bell rings for vespers at two. 

The vespers,

       being those of a feast, 

   the hour of spiritual reading 

       must be after compline. 

5. Compline. — 

5. 

Compline 

    in summer

         is to be said at six o'clock 

    in winter 

         at five. 

At eight, 

         both in summer and winter, 

   let the signal be given for silence, 

         which must be kept strictly 

          till after prime of the following day: 

at all other times 

    no sister may speak to another 

            without leave, 

    except those who are in office, 

    and then only when necessary. 

The prioress grants leave to speak 

   when she thinks 

          it will serve to quicken

                  more and more 

           the love of the Bridegroom. 

If a sister, 

       being in trouble or temptation, 

   speaks to another 

   in order to receive consolation from her, 

       she may do so: 

the prohibition does not extend to 

        a word, 

        a question, 

               or 

        an answer, 

   for so much may be done without leave. 

6. Spiritual reading. — 

6. 

The signal for prayer is to be given 

    an hour before matins: 

    during this hour of prayer 

        they may read a spiritual book, 

     beside the other hour 

       so to be spent after vespers: 

if they find they have the spiritual strength 

    to spend that hour in prayer, 

   let them do so 

     if they see it contributes the more 

         to recollection. 

7. Books. — 

7. 

Let the mother prioress see 

   that they have good books  —           [4]

    - the Carthusian, 

    - Flos Sanctorum, 

    - Contempus Mundi 

    - the Oratory of Religious, 

    - Fray Luis of Granada, or  

    - Fray Peter of Alcantara; 

   for this nourishment 

         is in part as necessary for the soul 

             as food is for the body. 

    Every sister must remain, 

           the whole time she is not

               present with the community, 

                   or 

               discharging the duties 

                   of  her office, 

     either in her cell 

     or       in the hermitage 

      which the prioress shall have assigned her

         as the place of her retreat, 

            doing some work there, 

             except on the holy days; 

    ______________________

    The whole time she is not

               present with the community, 

                   or 

               discharging the duties 

                   of  her office, 

     every sister must remain,        

        either in her cell 

        or       in the hermitage 

    which the prioress shall have assigned her

         as the place of her retreat, 

            doing some work there, 

             except on the holy days; 

         _____________________

and in the loneliness of this retreat, 

    fulfilling that which the rule enjoins, 

every sister shall be alone.                          [5] 

8. Solitude. — 

8. 

No sister may go into the cell of another

     without the leave of the prioress. 

OF TEMPORALS 

9. Maintenance of the sisters. — 

9. 

They must always live on alms, 

   having no revenues whatever; 

and so long as they can bear it,

   there must be no begging; 

but they may provide for themselves 

  by the work of their hands, 

     as S. Paul did;                                  [6]

                       

for our Lord will furnish them 

    with what is necessary, 

if they do not ask for more, 

     and are satisfied without comforts; 

He will not fail them, 

    and they will be able to support life; 

if they labour with all their might 

    to please our Lord 

 His Majesty will take care 

   that they shall want nothing. 

They will earn their bread, 

    not by any fine work 

    but by spinning — 

    not by anything that requires great skill,

    lest it should occupy their thoughts 

       and withdraw them from our Lord; 

  they must not work in gold or silver, 

                 and 

  they must not bargain about the price, 

  but accept at once 

       what may be offered, 

                and 

  if they find that work unprofitable 

     let them take up some other work. 

10. All ownership forbidden. — 

10. 

The sisters may not have anything 

    as their own in any way whatever, 

  nor is that ever to be allowed them, 

  either for their food or their clothing; 

they may not have a box or dish 

    or drawer or cupboard, 

unless they have some office 

   in the community: 

nothing is to be the property 

   of any one separately, 

and everything must be in common. 

This is of grave importance, 

for it is by little things 

   the devil is enabled to enter 

and destroy the perfection of poverty:

the prioress therefore 

    must be very careful, 

         should a sister be attached 

                 to anything, 

         whether it be a book or cell 

                or anything else, 

   to take it away from her. 

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 Should a sister be attached to anything, 

  whether it be a book or cell or anything else, 

the prioress therefore must be very careful, 

  to take it away from her. 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11. The habit. — 

11 . 

They must keep a fast 

    from the feast of the Exaltation 

           of the Cross, in September, 

     till Easter Day, Sundays excepted. 

They are never to eat meat 

    except in cases of necessity, 

according to the rule.                                [7]

The habit is to be 

    of frieze or some coarse cloth, 

    dark in colour, 

    without any ornament; 

and as little stuff as possible 

     is to be used in it, 

with sleeves, 

     not large, 

     nor wider at the wrists

          than at the shoulder; 

it must be 

     without plaits, 

     round, 

     not longer behind than in front, 

         and 

     reaching to the feet. 

The scapular is to be 

     made of the same stuff, 

     but shorter than the habit by four inches; 

the mantle to be worn in choir is to be 

     of the same material, 

     white in colour, 

      of the same length with the scapular, 

            and 

      as little stuff to be used in it as possible, 

      due regard being had 

           to what is necessary. 

12. Furniture of the house. — 

12. 

The coifs must be 

    of coarse linen, 

   not plaited; 

the tunics of serge, 

the sheets also; 

the sandals of hemp, 

and for decency stockings, 

    but of frieze or hempen cloth; 

the pillows must be of serge, 

   unless necessity requires it 

         to be otherwise, 

   when they may be made of coarse linen; 

there must be no feather beds, 

   but only straw mattresses. 

They, 

      who are neither strong nor healthy,

    have tried it, 

    and these things can be dispensed with. 

There are to be 

     no curtains of any kind 

     except in cases of necessity, 

and then only a matting of rushes 

    or a door-screen, 

which may be either a blanket of sackcloth 

    or any thing of that kind, 

but it must be poor. 

Each nun is to have her own separate cell: 

there are to be 

    no carpets 

          except in the church, 

    nor cushions to sit upon. 

All this belongs to the order, 

and  must be observed: 

it is spoken of thus distinctly 

because when laxness begins 

we forget 

   what the order and our obligations demand. 

There shall be nothing in colours, 

    either in their dress 

    or on their bed, 

         even if only so trifling a thing 

         as a bandage. 

They are never to use sheepskins, 

and if any one be unwell 

   she may have a gown of frieze. 

They must wear their hair close cut, 

   that they may waste no time 

        in dressing it: 

they must have nothing about them 

  of fine workmanship, 

but everything must show 

  a disregard of self 

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21. Special needs. — 

21. 

The sisters are bound 

          to make their wants known 

     to the mother prioress,

the novices 

     to their mistress, 

  whether of food or of raiment; 

and 

if they require anything out of the way, 

      however great their want may be, 

 they must in the first place

     lay it before our Lord, 

because 

  - nature very often asks 

       for more than we have need of, 

                and 

 - Satan from time to time helps it, 

      to make us afraid of penance and fasting. 

OF THE SICK SISTERS 

22. The infirmary. — 

22. 

Let the sick sisters be tended with 

        affection, 

        delicacy, and

        tenderness 

     consistently with our poverty, 

           and 

let them give thanks to our Lord 

 when they are well provided for; 

and 

if they want anything 

   to lighten their pain 

which the wealthy have in sickness

   they must not be less cheerful 

           on this account, 

for they came among us 

   resolved to bear it, 

for to be poor is to be in want, 

  perhaps in the greatest necessity. 

The mother prioress must 

    take great care of this, 

for the nuns who are well 

    must give up 

       what is necessary for themselves 

 before certain delicacies should be 

       withheld from the sick. 

The sick are to be 

      visited by the sisters and 

      consoled; 

an infirmarian is to be placed over them, 

   possessed of 

         the strength and 

         the charity 

     requisite for the discharge of her duty; 

and 

the sick sisters must then strive

   to show the perfection 

            they have gained when in health, 

   by 

       patience 

            and the

       asking for the fewest things possible; 

when the sickness is not great 

let them be obedient to the infirmarian,

  - that she might profit, 

            and 

  - that they may 

          -- merit, by the illness, 

                and 

          -- edify the sisters. 

Let them 

    have the use of linen and

    be treated with all charity. 

23. Work done by the sisters. — 

23. 

No task-work must be laid on the sisters, 

and 

each should contrive to work, 

   that all may eat. 

Consider carefully the prescription 

   in the rule,                                             [9] 

that she,

         who would eat, 

    must work, 

          as S. Paul did. 

If any one, of her own will, 

     undertake a certain work, 

     and to finish it daily, 

         she may do so, 

     but if the work be not finished 

          no penance is to be given 

          for the failure. 

24. Alms received in the day. — 

24. 

Every day, after supper or collation, 

   when the sisters are all together, 

the nun of the turn shall declare 

   - what alms had been received 

           during the day, 

   - with the names of the givers, 

that the sisters may be careful 

   to remember them

      in their prayers unto God. 

25. Meals. — 

25. 

As for dinner we cannot be regular,

   because that must be as our Lord gives. 

When we have anything to eat,

   the meal shall be in winter at eleven, 

and in summer 

   the signal for it shall be given at ten. 

Before sitting down to eat, 

  if our Lord inspires a sister 

        to do an act of mortification, 

  let her ask leave, 

            and 

  let not this good practice be lost, 

     out of which some profit is derived; 

  but it must be quickly done, 

  so that it shall not be in the way 

      of the reading. 

26. No food to be taken 

               between meals. — 

26. 

No sister may eat or drink 

   without leave 

    except at dinner or supper. 

27. Recreation. — 

27. 

When they come out from dinner,

      the mother prioress may dispense 

         with silence,

 that they may talk all together 

   - of anything they like; 

   - only it must be about things 

          a good religious may speak of, 

and

 let each of them have 

      her distaff and her work. 

All games are forbidden, 

    for our Lord will enable 

some of the sisters to amuse the others. 

Let them be all together at recreation, 

  for that is time well spent. 

28. Rest after recreation. — 

28. 

Let them strive 

   not to be wearisome one to another, 

but their words and their merry sayings

   must be in discretion. 

When the hour of recreation is over,

   they may sleep for another hour in summer, 

and she who does not sleep 

   must keep silence. 

After compline and collation, 

   in summer and winter, 

          as it is said before,

 the mother may dispense with silence, 

    and the sisters may speak all together, 

         each, as before, 

              having her own work; 

and 

the length of the recreation shall be 

   at the discretion of the mother prioress. 

29. Particular friendships. — 

29. 

No sister may embrace another 

     or touch her face or her hands. 

There must be no particular friendships, 

but all must address themselves 

     to all in general 

as Jesus Christ commanded His Apostles; 

it will be easy for them to do so, 

  because they are so few. 

Let them earnestly 

     regard their Bridegroom, 

who for us gave His life. 

To love one another all alike 

   is a matter of  great importance. 

30. Correction of faults; —

30. 

A sister may not correct another 

    for faults she may see her commit; 

if the faults be grave 

   let her remind her of them charitably 

when they are alone, 

and if no amendment follow 

   after three admonitions 

let her speak to the mother prioress. 

There are correctors of faults 

   who must look to this: 

let the others 

    be easy, and 

    bear with what they see; 

let them 

    look to their own faults, 

              and 

    meddle not with those 

        which are committed 

              in the discharge of the duties 

         of the house, 

    unless it be something grave, 

        which, as we have just said, 

        they are under obligations to observe. 

Let them be very careful 

  never to defend themselves 

      when found fault with, 

  unless it be on occasions 

     on which it is necessary, 

     for they will make great progress 

     thereby. 

The correctors of faults must be 

     very careful to mark 

   what is done amiss, 

and, 

by order of the prioress, 

at times 

    give the correction in public,

 though it be 

         by the younger to the elder nuns, 

    in order to try their humility; 

and therefore 

let no sister make answer, 

    though she be blameless. 

31. Gifts. — 

31. 

No sister may give or receive anything, 

   even from father or mother 

       without leave of the prioress, 

   to whom must be taken 

        whatever is received as alms. 

32. Simplicity. — 

32. 

Neither the prioress 

nor any of the sisters 

   may be ever addressed as ' madam.' 

33. Penances. — 

33. 

The punishment 

   for faults and shortcomings herein 

             — for everything is according 

                  to the rule — 

 shall be the penances laid down 

   at the end of these constitutions 

   for the lighter and more grievous faults; 

and 

the mother prioress may dispense,

  according as she shall judge it 

       to be right to do so, 

       prudently and charitably, 

and 

she may not bind them 

   to perform the penance 

          under pain of sin, 

   unless it be in a grave matter. 

34. The monastery to be poorly built. — 

  

34. 

There shall be

    no adornment  of the house, 

    but only of the church, 

    nor shall there be anything costly 

        about it. 

It shall be made of coarse material, 

   small in size 

   with low rooms 

          — a house to satisfy wants, 

               without anything unnecessary: 

let it be 

   as strong as it can be made, 

   surrounded by a high wall, 

and

 let it have a field 

 wherein to make hermitages 

    into which the nuns may withdraw 

          for prayer, 

    as our holy fathers used to do. 

OF THE SICK AND THE DEPARTED 

35. The sick and the dead. — 

35. 

The Sacraments must be administered 

 according to the ritual for the dead; 

for the funeral rites and 

      the burial vespers 

   are to be said with a Missa Cantata        

    (Blog note: 'Sung Mass'  (Latin)

and 

if  possible 

    let the Masses of St. Gregory be said  [10] 

                and 

if  that cannot be, 

    let the whole convent say 

        the Office of  the Dead. 

This for the nuns of the house. 

For the other nuns 

   either the Office of the Dead 

   or a Missa Cantata. 

This for the nuns of the primitive rule. 

For the nuns of the mitigation, 

   the Office of the Dead once.                [11]

OF THE SEVERAL DUTIES 

     OF EACH NUN 

36. Of the prioress. — 

36. 

The duty of the mother prioress is, 

   - to be very careful 

     that the rule and constitutions be

          in all things kept, 

              and 

  - to watch diligently over 

          the modesty 

                   and 

          enclosure of the house; 

  - to see that all the nuns do their duty, 

                   and also

  - to provide for their wants, 

          both spiritually and temporally; 

  - to be loved with the love of a mother, 

          in order to be obeyed. 

The prioress is to appoint 

     a portress and 

     a sacristan, 

   nuns 

     whom she can trust, 

                 and 

     whom she may remove 

          whenever she pleases, 

      lest it should give occasion 

           for making offices perpetual. 

To the other offices in the house,

    the prioress appoints, 

but not to that of sub-prioress, 

   who, 

         with the keepers of the keys, 

    is to be elected by the nuns. 

These must be able 

    to write and 

    to keep accounts, 

  at least two of them, 

37. The sub-prioress and 

       the keepers of the keys. —

37. 

The mother sub-prioress is 

   - to have the care of the choir 

         for her charge, 

   - to see that the singing 

         and reciting of the Divine Office 

      is performed with the proper pauses. 

This must be well looked to. 

In the absence of the prioress,

   she will 

      - take her place, 

      - be constantly with the community,

      - correct the faults made 

             in choir and refectory, 

    when the prioress is not present. 

The keepers of the keys 

    are to render their accounts 

      - month by month 

      - to the treasurer 

      - in the presence of the prioress,  

        who

         -- must take their opinion 

               in grave matters, 

                    and 

         -- have a chest with three keys 

                for the deeds and the funds 

                       of the convent 

             one of which 

                 the prioress is to hold, 

                           and 

             the other two 

[graciandelamadrededios]

37. 

The mother sub-prioress is 

   - to have the care of the choir 

         for her charge, 

   - to see that the singing 

         and reciting of the Divine Office 

      is performed with the proper pauses. 

This must be well looked to. 

In the absence of the prioress,

   she will 

      - take her place, 

      - be constantly with the community,

      - correct the faults made 

             in choir and refectory, 

    when the prioress is not present. 

The keepers of the keys 

    are to render their accounts 

      - month by month 

      - to the treasurer 

      - in the presence of the prioress,  

        who

         -- must take their opinion 

               in grave matters, 

                    and 

         -- have a chest with three keys 

                for the deeds and the funds 

                       of the convent 

             one of which 

                 the prioress is to hold, 

                           and 

             the other two 

                 the two senior keepers of the keys. 

38. The sacristan. — 

38. 

The duty of the sacristan is 

  - to take care of everything 

          belonging to the church, 

               and 

  - to see that all things therein 

           for the service of our Lord 

    are reverently and cleanly kept: 

she is to see 

  - that the nuns go orderly to confession, 

          and 

- that they do not fail to do so, 

         unless they have leave, 

    under pain of grave fault 

    — unless it be 

         that they are going to confession 

            to some one appointed 

            for the purpose. 

39. The treasurer and the portresses. — 

39. 

The duty 

                 of the treasurer and 

                 of the first portress, 

           who are one and the same, 

      - is to buy for the house 

           whatever may be necessary for it, 

       if our Lord from time to time 

           supplies the means; 

   - to speak gently to edification 

           at the turn, and 

   - charitably regard the necessities 

           of the sisters ; 

   - to keep an account in writing 

           of the expenditure and receipts; 

   - when buying anything for the house, 

       not to bargain, 

       but on being twice told the price 

          to take it or leave it. 

She is 

    - to let no sister go 

       without leave to the grating; 

    - to call the second portress to the turn

       when she herself has to go to the parlour; 

    - never to tell anyone 

       what goes on there, 

           except the prioress: 

    - not to give letters to anybody 

           but to her, 

           who is to read them first; 

    - never to give a message to anybody, 

       nor to send one out, 

          without first telling the prioress of it, 

       under pain of  grave fault. 

40. Zelators. —

40. 

The correctors of faults

          — for theirs is an important office — 

   must be careful 

     - to observe the faults committed, 

             and 

     - to tell the prioress of them, 

             as before. 

41. Mistress of novices. — 

41. 

The mistress of novices must be a nun 

   of great prudence, prayer, and spirituality: 

she must be careful to

   - read the constitutions to the novices, 

              and 

   - teach them all they have to do 

         in the observances of the house, 

                     as well as

         in their mortifications; 

and 

greater stress must be laid 

    on what is inward

 than on what is outward. 

She must have from them every day 

   an account 

       - of their progress in prayer, 

                      and 

       - of their meditation 

             on the mystery assigned them, 

                      and 

      - of the profit 

             they have derived therefrom; 

she must teach them 

  - how to make use of that profit, 

             and 

  - how to demean themselves 

        in times of dryness, 

             and 

  - how to go onwards 

        in subduing their own will, 

     even if only in trifles. 

Let her, 

        who is mistress of novices,

   see that she neglects nothing, 

for her work is 

   - to bring up souls 

         in whom our Lord may dwell. 

Let her 

   - treat them tenderly and lovingly, 

   - never surprised at their shortcomings, 

for they must advance step by step, 

and

 let her mortify every one of them, 

      according to her judgment 

         of what the spiritual state 

     of each  can bear: 

let her think 

  more of failure in goodness 

  than of  severity in penance. 

Let the prioress give orders 

  that one of the sisters help her 

    in teaching them to read. 

42. Manifestation of the interior state. — 

42. 

Let all the sisters, 

       once in each month,

   give the prioress 

      - an account of their progress 

           in the way of prayer 

           — how our Lord 

                is leading them on — 

for if they are not on the right road 

   His Majesty will give her light 

         to guide them: 

   the doing of which is 

         an act of humility 

              and 

         a mortification. 

To produce much fruit, 

it must be done willingly by her subjects. 

43. The prioress may be mistress 

         of novices. — 

43. 

When the prioress shall see

 that there is no nun qualified 

       to be mistress of novices 

she must 

   - be mistress herself, and 

   - undertake that duty, 

       which is so important 

                and

   - bid one of her sisters help her. 

44. Hours of prayer, — 

44. 

When any sister,

          having duties to fulfill,

    shall be hindered 

        from making her prayer 

        during the hour set apart for it 

  let her take another hour 

      during which she shall be less occupied; 

  that is to say, 

    an hour 

       during which, 

                or 

      during the greater part of which, 

  she may be able 

       to give the time to prayer. 

45. Alms. — 

45. 

Any alms 

     our Lord may give us in money 

  shall be always placed forthwith 

     in the chest of three keys, 

  unless it be a small sum, 

     which the nun 

             who has received it 

    may give to one 

             of the keepers of the keys, 

and every night 

    before the signal for silence is given,

she must give a minute account 

    to the prioress, 

           or 

    to the keeper of the keys 

           already mentioned; 

and

 the account given, 

let the whole of the alms 

   be entered in one sum 

       in the book kept for that end 

   in the convent, 

that it may be accounted for 

   to the visitor every year. 

OF FAULTS 

46. Chapter of  faults. — 

46. 

The chapter of faults is to be held, 

      according to the Rule, 

  once in each week; 

the faults of the sisters are 

  to be corrected with charity. 

The sisters must always 

    come to the chapter fasting, 

and then, 

when the signal is given and 

          the nuns are all assembled in chapter, 

  she, 

        whose office is that of reader 

    shall, 

               on a sign from the prioress 

               or the president, 

       read the constitutions 

                and the rule. 

The reader shall say                             

       'Jube, Domine benedicere'              

   ( Blog Note: 'Lord, grant me Thy blessing')

She, who holds the chapter,  shall answer,  

      'Regularibus disciplinis nos instituere

       digneris Magister  caelestis'; 

       (Blog note: Rough translation

        'Instruct us  

          by standard / principles education

       in determining 

          (what is fitting / worthy /   

            deserved/suitable ),

      Heavenly Lord'. )

       

and all the nuns,

      'Amen'. 

Then let the mother prioress, 

  if it seem good to her 

      to say a few words

         either as to the reading 

         or on the correction of the sisters, 

  say before beginning,  

       'Benedicite'         

         and 

  the sisters, 

        'Dominus',

     prostrating themselves, 

     and so remaining till bidden to rise. 

Then when they have risen, 

let them return to their places; 

the novices and lay sisters are to begin, 

  and then the elder sisters, 

who are to 

    - come two and two

       into the middle of the chapter-room,

              and 

   - tell their open faults and shortcomings 

      to the president; 

first of all, 

   the novices and lay sisters 

       should be dismissed, 

   with those who have 

        neither voice 

        nor seat in the chapter, 

47. Accusation of others. — 

47. 

The sisters may not speak in chapter 

    except 

       - to tell 

              their own or 

              a sister's faults 

           simply, 

               or 

      - in answer to a question 

           from the president. 

Let her,

          who accuses another,

    take care she does not speak 

          from mere suspicion. 

If any one should do so,

   she shall undergo the punishment 

         due to the fault 

   of which she has accused her sister; 

so also shall it be done to her,

   who shall accuse another 

       of a fault  for which she has 

       already made satisfaction. 

Lest evil habits or shortcomings 

   should be kept secret, 

a sister may tell 

       the mother prioress or the visitor 

   what she has seen or heard. 

She, 

    who shall accuse another sister falsely,

 shall be punished in the same way, 

and be obliged further 

    to make restitution of her good name 

to the utmost of her power. 

The sister accused 

   may not answer 

       unless ordered to do so, 

              and 

       then she must answer humbly 

         'Benedicite'; 

   if she betrays any impatience 

         in her answer, 

   then let her have a heavier penance, 

       according to the discretion 

            of the president, 

    when she shall have recovered her temper. 

48. Correction of faults. — 

48. 

The sisters must be careful 

   not to make known or reveal, 

         in any way whatever, 

   the deliberations or the secrets 

          of the chapter. 

No nun may ever make known, 

   by way of murmuring, 

any corrections or decisions made 

   by the mother in chapter, 

   for thereby 

      - disagreements ensue, 

      - the peace of the convent is destroyed, 

              and 

     -  the duties of the elders invaded. 

Let the mother prioress or the president, 

       with 

          the zeal of charity and 

          the love of justice, 

                    and 

       without any dissembling, 

   correct 

        the faults lawfully, 

               and 

        those which shall be clearly 

           discovered or confessed, 

     according to what shall be here laid down.

The mother prioress may 

      soften or shorten the penance 

        due to a fault 

        

         — at least the first, 

                 or the second, 

                 or the third time committed, 

&nb

[graciandelamadrededios]

OF SLIGHT FAULTS 

49. Of slight faults. — 

49. 

1. A slight fault is committed 

    if a sister, 

             on the signal being given, 

       delays to prepare herself 

             with due speed and haste

       to come to the choir, 

              orderly and composedly, 

       when she ought to do so. 

2. If any sister 

     enters the choir 

         after the office is begun, 

               or 

     reads or chants badly, 

               or 

     makes a mistake, 

               and 

     does not at once 

           make an act of  humility before all. 

3. If any sister through negligence 

      is without her breviary, or the book 

      out of which she is to recite. 

4. If any sister shall not be ready 

      with the lesson assigned to her 

     to read at the proper time. 

5. If any sister in choir 

       makes another laugh. 

6. If any sister 

           makes light of and 

           does not duly observe 

       the prostrations, 

       the bowings, 

              or 

       other ceremonies. 

7. If any sister causes 

         any disturbance or noise 

    in choir, or 

    in the dormitory or the cell. 

8. If any sister shall come late 

         into the chapter 

         or the refectory, 

         or to her work. 

9. If any sister shall 

          be guilty of, or 

          listen to, 

               any idle conversation, 

            or 

          make a disorderly noise. 

10. If any sister 

          shall handle carelessly

               the books or clothing, 

               or anything 

                  belonging to the monastery, 

                        or 

         shall break or lose anything used 

               in the service of the house. 

11. If any sister shall eat or drink 

      without leave from her 

           who has authority to give it. 

12. Let the sisters,

                accused of these faults, 

                 or 

        who accuse themselves 

                of anything of the kind, 

       have for their penance given them 

         - to say a prayer or  prayers 

               according to the nature of their fault, 

                          or 

         - some act of humility, 

                          or 

         - silence for a specified time 

             for having broken the silence 

                   of the order, 

                          or 

         - abstinence from some kind of food 

              at some meal of the community. 

OF GRAVER FAULTS                   [13]

50. Of graver faults. — 

50. 

1. It is a graver fault 

    if a sister shall not have entered the choir 

      when the first Psalm is over, 

    and 

     whenever they come in late 

         they must 

              prostrate themselves, 

              and so remain 

          till the mother prioress bids them rise. 

2. If any sister presumes to chant or read 

       in any other than the usual way. 

3. If anyone, 

       not attending to the divine office 

           with downcast eyes, 

       shall betray the levity of her  spirit. 

4. If any one irreverently handles

      the ornaments of  the altar. 

5. If any one 

         does not come 

             to the chapter, 

             to her work, 

                 or 

             to the sermon, 

                  or 

         shall be absent 

                  during  the common meal. 

6. If any one knowingly neglects 

         a general order. 

7. If any one is found careless 

         in the office assigned her. 

8. If any one speaks in chapter 

             without leave. 

9. If any one, being accused, 

      makes a noise during her accusation. 

10. If any one out of revenge 

          presumes to accuse another 

       by whom she, herself, 

          has been accused the same day. 

11. If any one behaves herself disorderly 

         in gait or  gesture. 

12. If any one swears or talks disorderly, 

       and, what is more serious,

         if she is in the habit of doing so. 

13. If a sister is quarrelsome, 

        or says anything 

       by which her sisters may be offended. 

14. If any one, on being asked, 

         refuses to forgive another 

       who has offended her. 

15. If any one in the offices 

        enters the monastery without leave: 

Of these and the like faults 

   let the correction be made in chapter, 

   one discipline to be ministered 

         by the president 

                or 

         by her whom she may order: 

She, who accused the guilty one, 

   is not to minister it, 

   nor may a young nun minister it 

         to the elders. 

OF GRIEVOUS FAULTS 

51. Of grievous faults, —                               

51. 

1. It is a grievous fault 

         if a sister disputes with another 

     in an unseemly way. 

2. If any one is found 

        repeating or uttering maledictions, 

                  or 

        using disorderly language, 

            unbecoming a religious, 

                or 

        angry with any one. 

3. If any one 

       forswears herself, 

              or 

       upbraids a sister 

           with any fault previously committed

              for which she has made satisfaction, 

           or 

          with any natural defects 

                or others of her forefathers. 

4. If any one defends 

        her own or another's fault. 

5. If any one is found to have 

      deliberately told an untruth falsely. 

6. If any one is in the habit 

      of not observing silence. 

7. If any one is in the habit of telling 

    what takes place in the world, 

          at her work or anywhere else. 

8. If any one, 

          without cause and without leave, 

     breaks the fasts of the order, 

     especially those appointed by the Church. 

9. If anyone exchanges cell or habit 

      with another, 

10. If any one, 

             during the hours of sleep, 

             or at any other time,

         enters the cell of another 

             without leave or 

             without pressing necessity. 

11. If any one is seen, 

                 without special leave 

                 from the prioress, 

           at the turn or 

           in the parlour 

        when strangers are by. 

12. If a sister shall in anger 

          threaten another sister, 

                or 

          shall raise her hand, 

                or anything else, 

             to strike her,

    let the penalty of the grievous fault 

          be doubled for her. 

    Those 

          who ask forgiveness 

              for faults of this kind, 

                   or 

          who are not accused, 

     shall receive in the chapter 

           a double correction, 

     - fast two days on bread and water, 

                  and 

     - take their meal on one day 

          below all the tables 

       in the sight of the whole community,      

         without a table or the furniture thereof; 

    but those who have been accused        [14]

         shall have one correction in addition 

          (to that of the one 

                who accuses themselves)

                    and 

          one more day of fasting 

                   on bread and water. 

OF THE MORE GRIEVOUS FAULTS 

52. Of the more grievous faults. —      

52. 

1. A more grievous fault is, 

     if any one shall dare 

        to dispute in an unmannerly way, 

                   or 

        to speak uncivilly to 

             the mother prioress or the president. 

2. If any one maliciously strikes her sister,

     such an one, 

           in the very act,

      lies under sentence of  excommunication,  

           and 

      must be separated from the others. 

3. If any one is found 

        sowing discord or misunderstandings

               between the sisters, 

                      or 

        in the habit to 

              slandering or evil-speaking in secret. 

4. If any one presumes 

           to speak to strangers 

       without leave from the mother prioress,

                    or 

       without a companion as witness 

           who distinctly hears what is said. 

53. Modes of correction. — 

53. 

If the nuns accused 

            of these or the like faults

    be found guilty, 

let them prostrate themselves at once, 

    asking forgiveness, and

    laying bare their shoulders 

          to receive the sentence 

          due to their deservings; 

let the discipline be given them 

   according to the discretion 

         of the mother prioress, 

and then, 

when bidden to rise, 

  let them withdraw 

         to the cell 

     assigned them by the mother prioress; 

None of the sisters may 

          go near them, 

                  or

          speak to them, 

                  or 

          send them anything, 

 that they may see 

    that they are 

       - severed from the community, 

                 and 

       - deprived of the society 

                 of the angels. 

So long as they are in penitence 

   they may 

      not go to communion, 

      nor be appointed to any office, 

      nor be entrusted with any duty, 

      nor bidden to do anything whatsoever: 

  yea, 

  rather they must be deprived 

     of any office they may hold, 

  and in chapter 

     they may neither vote nor sit, 

   unless it be to add to their own penance. 

They must be the last of all the nuns 

   until they have made full amends. 

In the refectory

    they may not sit with the rest, 

but in the middle of the refectory 

  let them sit, in their mantles; 

                and 

  let them have bread and water, 

      unless out of compassion 

   the mother prioress order anything else 

       to be given them. 

Let the mother prioress 

   deal tenderly with them, 

           and 

   send a sister, 

             if she sees that 

                  they humble themselves 

            from their heart, 

    - to console them, 

              and 

    - to help them in their good resolutions. 

Nuns thus sorrowing

    let the whole community 

               in the same way     

      - help and 

      - be kind to, 

and 

let the mother prioress make no objection 

   to their being thus compassioned, 

          sooner or later, 

          more or less, 

     according to 

         the nature of the offense 

                 and 

         the necessities of the case. 

54. Rebellion. — 

54. 

[graciandelamadrededios]

                  Foot Notes:

 [1]

  The father-general never had any   

      jurisdiction in or over 

   the Monastery of the Conception 

             in Alcala, 

      which Maria of Jesus had founded, 

      and could not therefore 

         give it any constitutions. 

    The inscription, then, 

shows that the constitutions 

     which S. Teresa gave the monastery, 

     at the request of the nuns, 

       were copied literally from those 

      which the Saint took with her 

              to Pastrana 

        (Foundations, ch. xvii. 3). 

       The Saint, ch. iii. 17, 

        makes mention of these constitutions 

        as being in force 

            in Avila and Medina. 

_________________

 [2] 

  The chronicler of the order 

    (reforma, bk. 1. ch. 1. 6)  says

   that this was changed 

          at a Later time, 

    experience having shown it to be better 

        to read the points of meditation, 

    not the night before, 

    but immediately before prayer . 

_______________

 [3]

  The chronicler, ut supra, says 

   - that this was also changed 

        by the reformers of the constitutions, 

      and 

  - that the nuns were to make 

        their examen in the choir, and 

    not in their cells or elsewhere. 

_______________

 [4]

   Mary of S. Francis, 

      a Carmelite of Medina, 

   in the depositions she made 

      to the process of the Saint, 

   says that the books she used to read 

      were 

          the Morals of S. Gregory, 

          the writings of the Carthusian, 

          the Abecedario of Francisco de Osuna,

          The Ascent of Mount Sion, 

          the works of Luis of Granada, 

          The Art of Serving God, 

               and 

          the Contemptus Mundi. 

   The Carthusian is Ludolf of Saxony,  

       about whose Life of Christ 

see Life, ch. xxxviii. 2, note 6; 

    Flos Sanctorum is the Spanish name

        of the Legenda Aurea. 

    There were two versions of the work, 

        the first called Vitae Patrum, 

     of which editions appeared 

          in 1498, 1511, 1538, and  1553, 

      one or other of which was 

          known to and 

          utilized by S. Teresa, 

    but the work was put on the Index of 1559

    and is therefore not mentioned  

          among the books to be placed 

          at the disposal of the nuns. 

    The other version bears the title,

            Flos Sanctorum 

     of which four editions 

          are known to have existed, namely 

      one the date 

          of which is not on record, 

     one of 1511, 

     another of 1521 

               and 

     one of about the middle 

          of the sixteenth century; 

     Contemptus Mundi is the titles 

        of the Imitation of Christ 

      (see Way of Perfection, ch. xi. 3). 

     The Oratory of  Religious, 

          by Antonio de Guevara, 

      appeared first 

           at Valladolid in 1542, 

                   and again 

           at Saragossa 

                   in the following year, 

          at Valladolid in 1567, 

                 and later on, 

                 after the publication 

                      of the Constitutions, 

         at Salamanca and Medina del Campo. 

     The books of Fray Luis de Granada 

         are probably 

           the Guide of Sinners and 

         the Book on Prayer. 

   On the writings of S. Peter of Alcantara,

        see Life, ch. xxx. 6. 

   For the works mentioned 

       by Mary of  S. Francis,

see the notes to the Life of S. Teresa,   

       namely on 

        - the Moralia of S. Gregory the Great, 

           ch. x. 16; 

       - the Abecedario of Francisco de Osuna,  

           ch. iv. 8; 

       - the Ascent of Mount Sion 

            by Bernardino de Laredo, 

            ch. xxiii. 13; 

      - the Art of Serving God 

            by Alonso de Madrid, 

            ch. xii. 2. 

      See A. Morel-Fatio, 

      Les lectures de Sainte Therese, 

      Bulletin Hispanique, 

      Bordeaux and Paris, 

      January — March 1908. 

_________________

 [5]

  See § 3 of the Rule. 

 {  Added here by blog

    "3. Cells and refectory. — 

    [Each of you shall have her own cell 

       in the place 

   wherein you shall have 

       made up your minds

           to dwell, 

      separated and apart each 

           from the other, 

      as it shall have been assigned you 

      by the prioress and the community, 

        or by the greater part thereof...

     None of the sisters 

        may change the place and cell 

             assigned her, 

                or 

       make an exchange with another, 

            without leave from the prioress 

              for the time being. 

         [ Foundations: The Carmelite Rule]  }

_________________

 [6] 

   I Thessal. iii. 8. 

   Nocte ac die operantes nc 

      quern vestrum gravaremus. 

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  Blog's rough translation:

   'Night and day working,

    that  we would not burden you'

      . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  Douay Rheims:  Thessalonians  2:9
  "For you remember, brethren, 

    our labour and toil: 

  working night and day, lest we should be

     chargeable to any of you, 

  we preached among you the Gospel of God."

_________________

 [7]

  See Rule, §§ 10, 11. 

_________________

 [8]

  See Rule, § 8. 

    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  Blog Note:

  See  'Carmelite Rule': Paragraph #7

  In "The book of the Foundations"

 "and let every sister have 

      what she requires...    

  the age and necessities of each sister 

    being most carefully considered."

    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 _______________   

 [9]

  See §13. 

    . . .  . . .  . . . . .

  Blog Note:

   See  'Carmelite Rule': Paragraph #13

   In "The book of the Foundations"

           or 

  See Paragraph #9 above in this writing

       and its Foot Note #6.

     . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . .  .

________________

 [10]

  That is to say (offer ) thirty Masses 

      distributed over a whole month. 

________________

 [11] 

  This is another proof of the antiquity 

      of these constitutions, 

                    and 

      of their having been received 

          in the monastery of Maria of Jesus 

           ( at Alcala de Henares )

      as they were given by S. Teresa; 

   the nuns of that house had nothing to do 

     with the Carmelites of the mitigation, 

   and therefore were under no obligation

     to pray specially for them. 

   But it was not so 

     with S. Teresa, and 

     with many nuns of S. Joseph's in Avila, 

      and in other foundations of the Saint, 

         who had been once nuns 

       of the monastery of the Incarnation 

              (De la Fuente).

__________________

 [12]

  In the edition of Don Vicente,

        the text is:

  ' no lo tuvieren de costumbre

    (except when committed habitually). 

  The particle no is  clearly 

        out of place. 

  . . . . . . . . .  . .  . . .  .

  Blog Note:

     no lo tuvieren de costumbre

     not having the custom of 

     not having as usual 

  . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

__________________

 [13]

    Media culpa— Middling faults. 

__________________

 [14]

  That is, 

  those who take the first opportunity of

    acknowledging and asking forgiveness 

         for their fault 

   are punished less severely 

   than those who wait 

   until they have been publicly accused

       by another. 

 

 

End of  The Constitutions 

                     of the 

          Book of the Foundations

             of S. Teresa of Jesus 

  of the Order of our Lady of Carmel 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[graciandelamadrededios]

Translation of the above Primitive Constitutions of St. Teresa from Spanish to English is from the following link:

 

http://carmelite-book-studies--foundations.blogspot.com/2011/11/book-of-foundations-constitutions-st.html

 

 

[Chiquitunga]

                  Foot Notes:

 [1]

  The father-general never had any   

      jurisdiction in or over 

   the Monastery of the Conception 

             in Alcala, 

      which Maria of Jesus had founded, 

      and could not therefore 

         give it any constitutions. 

    The inscription, then, 

shows that the constitutions 

     which S. Teresa gave the monastery, 

     at the request of the nuns, 

       were copied literally from those 

      which the Saint took with her 

              to Pastrana 

        (Foundations, ch. xvii. 3). 

       The Saint, ch. iii. 17, 

        makes mention of these constitutions 

        as being in force 

            in Avila and Medina. 

________________

________________

 [11] 

  This is another proof of the antiquity 

      of these constitutions, 

                    and 

      of their having been received 

          in the monastery of Maria of Jesus 

           ( at Alcala de Henares )

      as they were given by S. Teresa; 

   the nuns of that house had nothing to do 

     with the Carmelites of the mitigation, 

   and therefore were under no obligation

     to pray specially for them. 

   But it was not so 

     with S. Teresa, and 

     with many nuns of S. Joseph's in Avila, 

      and in other foundations of the Saint, 

         who had been once nuns 

       of the monastery of the Incarnation 

              (De la Fuente).

 

End of  The Constitutions 

                     of the 

          Book of the Foundations

             of S. Teresa of Jesus 

  of the Order of our Lady of Carmel 

 

Praised be Jesus Christ! Gracian, I've been meaning to ask you about the Monastery of the Conception in Alcalá. So were they not officially Discalced then at the beginning? I've seen flow charts of the first Spanish monasteries before and remembering noting that Alcalá was not on there although it was founded shortly after San Jose in Ãvila. So when did they become Discalced then, because they certainly are now and are under the 1990s ~ http://carmelitasdescalzas1990.blogspot.com/2008/12/directorio-de-monasterios-que-siguen.html (along with another Carmel in that place)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[graciandelamadrededios]

Praised be Jesus Christ! Gracian, I've been meaning to ask you about the Monastery of the Conception in Alcalá. So were they not officially Discalced then at the beginning? I've seen flow charts of the first Spanish monasteries before and remembering noting that Alcalá was not on there although it was founded shortly after San Jose in Ãvila. So when did they become Discalced then, because they certainly are now and are under the 1990s ~ http://carmelitasdescalzas1990.blogspot.com/2008/12/directorio-de-monasterios-que-siguen.html (along with another Carmel in that place)

 

 

They were not part of the Carmelite Reform but Maria de Jesus may have adopted the Constitutions of St. Teresa which is common practise at that time.

 

Just like the Monastery of the Incarnation, this monastery may have ask to be part of the Discalced Carmelite family after some time; they haver every right to do so since they are following the Constitutions of St. Teresa.  The question of when did they became officially a member of the OCD Family, that I cannot answer. 

 

The best source of the information are the Nuns in the monastery of Alcala de Henares but they probably became part of the OCD Family before Vatican II.

[VeniJesuAmorMi]

"All this belongs to the Order, and  must be observed: it is spoken of thus distinctly because when laxness begins we forget what the Order and our obligations demand."

 

Very good. :) ..... Its so beautiful that every little thing that is practiced (even though not really little) has a very particular meaning and reason in Carmel.

 

[graciandelamadrededios]

"All this belongs to the Order, and  must be observed: it is spoken of thus distinctly because when laxness begins we forget what the Order and our obligations demand."

 

Very good. :) ..... Its so beautiful that every little thing that is practiced (even though not really little) has a very particular meaning and reason in Carmel.

 

Yes, It is beautiful and St. Teresa has great common sense!