Constitutions of the Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré
DESIRING TO PROMOTE COMMUNION AMONG MEN
WE NEED THE COMMUNION OFFERED BY CHRIST
- - - - - - - -
OUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE FAMILY
OF THE ENTIRE CONTEMPORARY HUMAN RACE
1.
In our days, we are involved in profound changes of every kind. We are passing
from a more static world-view to a more dynamic and evolutionary one. From this
basic fact there arises a new complex of problems which
challenge us to new analyses and syntheses.[1-1]
We are constantly forced to adapt our lives, both individual and collective, to
new conditions.
Moved by desire for authenticity and sincerity, we are in the process of
determining and subjecting to critical evaluation the social and ecclesial
institutions, including even those of our Order, which have come to us from the
past. We are examining them for their relevance to our personal and social
lives. Although this critical examination concerns us, men of this age, perhaps
more deeply, it is not an exclusive phenomenon of this time, inasmuch as it is
rooted in the very nature of man.
2.
From birth, man, as a person, is necessarily a part of human society. In this
apparently simple fact lies the source of the tension fundamentally inherent in
our life. In our nature, at the same time individual and social, it happens that
we experience the necessity of both affirming ourselves as persons through
conscious and free choices and of relating ourselves to human society. A genuine
participation of this kind is accomplished only through the commitment of a
mature personality. The development and evolution of a human
person and the growth of society are mutually dependent.[1-2]
A balance between person and society will always remain a desideratum. If guided
by self-centeredness (egotism) and pride, man excessively desires his own
self-affirmation, he will be alienated from society; even so, if he is forced by
interpersonal relationships and institutions to renounce essential personal
values, his faculty of affirming himself will be frustrated.
3.
The mature person seeks an authentic balance in this matter by choosing those
relationships and institutions which are responsive to the needs of his time and
in which a mutual respect for human uniqueness allows individuals to live in
harmony, giving themselves to society for the sake of a fuller life. In this
way, the mature person becomes capable of shaping society while he, in turn, is
formed and completed by it.
Our
Relationship To the Family of the
Entire Contemporary Human Race
4.
Through personal experience and the instruments of social communication, the
problems and needs of men living in every part of the world affect our lives and
demand our concern. The world of today is vividly conscious of its oneness, of
the mutual interdependence of everyone, as well as of the need for solidarity.
However, it is gravely split by men fighting among themselves.
For there persist bitter political. social, economic, racial and ideological
dissensions.[1-3]
Individuals, societies, and nations overcome, only with difficulty, their own
self-interest and greeds. Hence, in fact, the human family remains divided.
5.
Meanwhile, the conviction grows that the enormous advantages provided by
technology and culture can and should be extended in reality to all men.
Solicitous about himself and his neighbor, modern man experiences the necessity
of overcoming obstacles arising from the inequities among individuals, societies
and nations in order that a true community of mankind may be finally attained.
Among individual men, assemblies and nations, there is a growing desire to form
community with others. Hence, movements aspiring to a healthy socialization, to
associations and to various international meetings are being multiplied.
However, a true union of men will be promoted not merely by a more equitable
distribution of material goods but more profoundly by a communion of persons
themselves.
6.
Intimately involved in all these facts, conditions, needs, and desires regarded
today as the principal "signs of the times", the people of God are anxious to
discern, by the light of faith, which of them are true signs of the presence or
design of God. For faith illustrates with a new light the relationship of men to
society and their desire and effort to renew universal brotherhood "and
manifests the divine design for man's total vocation and thus
directs the mind to solutions which are fully human."[1-4]
Indeed, the Lord sustains the life of all men even if they do not explicitly
acknowledge Him.
For One Another In Christ
7.
God created men to His image and likeness (cf. Gen. 1:26), according to His own
essence, which is love (cf. I Jn. 4:8). God calls us to share the joy of the
unity and love found in Him. To foster this intimate union with Him among men,
God Himself became man, notwithstanding the rights of divinity and dignity. For
God came as one of us to meet us in Christ, who "emptied himself to assume the
condition of a slave ... he was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a
cross. On account of which God also raised Him on high ..." (Phil. 2: 6-9).
Through his resurrection Christ transfigured the lot of mankind. "Firstborn of
many brethren, among all who receive Him in faith and love .... by the gift of
His Spirit he founded a new brotherly community, namely in His Body, which is
the Church, in which all, as members one of the other, would
render mutual service according to the different gifts bestowed on each."[1-5]
8.
Christ, therefore, although he was rich, became poor for our sake (cf. II Cor.
8:9) and made Himself a servant. "For the sake of the joy which was still in the
future, He endured the cross" (Hebr. 12:2), in order to reunite by love those
whom sin had dispersed.
This free choice of Christ must also be the free choice of the Church and the
free choice of each one of us. Christ showed in Himself the way of human
existence, commanding us to live in a similar way. "Anyone who wants to be first
among you, must be your servant, just as the Son of Man came not to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mt. 20:27-28).
9.
Whoever wishes to be a disciple of Christ, ought to die as a grain of wheat that
he may bear much fruit in love, otherwise he remains alone (cf. Jn. 12:24).
Participating by faith and by the sacrament of faith (baptism) in the mystery of
the death and resurrection of Christ, we ought to experience in ourselves what
is also in Christ Jesus (cf. Phil. 2: 3-5). The Spirit of Christ urges us, that
denying and transcending ourselves we may break out of our self-centeredness and
live for God and the brethren.
10.
Only in this manner will we be led to the genuine "communion" which our hearts
seek so profoundly and which the Lord begged for, praying: "May they all be one.
Father, may they be one in Us, as You are in Me and I am in You, so that the
world may believe it was You who sent Me" (Jn. 17: 21).
One Heart and One Mind on the Way to God (communio-koinonia)
11.
The already mentioned signs of the times, discerned in the light of Christ's
free choice, and the original inspiration of the Premonstratensian Order, invite
us to propose by dynamic faith that the spiritual influences of the
patrimony of our Order be actualized for this age under the
form of an ecclesial "communio."[1-6]
For this reason it would seem opportune here to give a synoptic explanation of
the full meaning of this communion.
12.
"Communio" signifies the existence of persons in relation to and for one
another: "communio" is our internal union expressed in external form. Human
communion, already founded in the will of the Creator, consists in mutual
esteem, trust, sincerity, faith, responsibility: briefly, in that zealous
humanity which love produces (cf. I Cor. 13). It is expressed through every kind
of service, counsel, edification and courtesy and also through dialogue,
communication, consultation, collaboration and a truly common life.
13.
God has called us into the communion of His Son Jesus Christ (cf. I Cor. 9).
Since we have died and risen with Christ, we are all one in Christ Jesus (cf.
Gal. 3: 28). The Son of God made Man always offers Himself to our desire and
effort to renew "communio" so that, removing the sin of division, He may
transform us by the gift of His Spirit into a new fraternal communion, which He
unceasingly strives to build in the Church.
14.
With our whole-hearted cooperation, the "communion" of the Church is founded,
constituted and manifested by the fact that collectively and individually we are
moved by the Spirit of Christ: to believe, hope in and love God, One and Three,
and to hold to the same sacraments (communion in the sacraments of faith); to
maintain communion with one and the same Head, Christ in heaven, and with the
college of bishops and its head, the Roman Pontiff, representing Christ on earth
(communion with the hierarchy); to labor both internally and externally as
members of the one people of God and on behalf of and for the benefit of that
one people of God (communion of saints - Christians).
15.
From this unity arises our own intimate association of members to members in one
communion, vivified and directed by the Holy Spirit, and constituting that "one
heart and one mind on the way to God." This communion which exists with God in
the brethren and with the brethren in God is given to us to be actualized by us
wherever we are. It therefore requires the daily practice of the Lord's word:
"Anyone who loses his life for my sake, will find it" (Mt. 10:39). This unity of
brethren manifests the coming of Christ and from it arises
great apostolic strength (cf. Jn. 13:35; 17:21).[1-7]
16.
The communion of the Church, which is "a people unified in
accordance with the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit"[1-8]
is on a pilgrimage toward the one and triune God, Who is the origin, exemplar
and consummation of all human and Christian communion.
CHAPTER 2
IN THE
COMMUNION WITH GOD IN THE BRETHREN
AND WITH THE BRETHREN IN GOD
OUR PLACE IN THE COMMUNION OF THE
I, Brother NN, offer and give myself to a
17.
Where two or three are gathered
together in His name, there is Jesus
in the midst of them (
Natural groups of persons are always
determined, possessed of their own human
character, their own joy, their own sin,
their own culture, thirst and hunger.
There the Spirit of Christ summons men
of various personalities to a loving
unity of faith and love. These
persons--clerics, religious, and lay - - gathered
together into a church, constitute the
people of God in a specific place, in
a parish, a mission station, a school or a
hospital. An assembly of this kind,
established by Christ in a
"communio" of life, love and truth is
accepted by Him as an instrument of
redemption,[2-2]
and tends towards God and is
fulfilled in Him.
18.
On the day of profession each one
of us offers and gives himself to
a specific church in which the
Our Communities
19.
The act of giving which constitutes
our perpetual profession binds us fully
to a community of our brethren. From this
stable fellowship, our community arises
as something living and autonomous which has
struck deep roots in a territory, occasionally
for centuries.
Among the people of God, we should
put into practice day after day
the gift of self we have made, whether
in the principal house (abbey) or
in dependent houses, or in other
assemblies of the brethren. There, while
cooperating with one another and holding
all our goods in common, we cherish
the growth of that one
mind and one heart which makes us the
Our community should be the school and
the daily training ground to actualize
the "communio" of the
In deciding upon the types of
apostolate the procedure should be circular
so that with the abbey, priory or
house as a center, the apostolate is developed in
such a way that we may the more
vigorously dedicate ourselves to the service
of humanity. We should do this in the manner
or life style of those nearby with
appropriate regard for the needs of
the locality and region. The concrete forms
which "communio" adopts to manifest
itself outside the community depends on
what needs to be done.
Communion with Neighbors
20.
Serving in the midst of parishes and
institutions, our communities should be
aware of the human and ecclesial reality
of the place and region, cultivate
human and Christian exchange, and should
be prepared to collaborate in promoting
the life of the Church and developing
society in a more humane manner.
Communion With the Diocese and Its Bishop
21.
The nature of human and Christian
communion, whose culmination is found in
the celebration of the Eucharist, ought
to be evident in our relations with
the bishop, clergy and laity of
the locality wherever we reside.
22.
Consecrated to the solidarity of the
collegial and pastoral mission, the
priests of our churches are bound
by sacramental fraternity with the bishop
and other members of the clergy.[2-4]
Through the sacrament of Orders and
through the apostolic mission received from
the bishop, but also through canonical
profession which has the character of
incorporating them into a particular
church, they are constituted members of
his "presbyterium" by an intimate and
specific title.[2-5]
Wherefore, through the truly common life
which they have embraced, they should
be a leaven of communion among the diocesan
priests.
Likewise, the apostolate, to which lay
brothers and sisters are already assigned
by Baptism and Confirmation, becomes
operative more fully in a diocese through
incorporation in a specific church.[2-6]
In the exercise of the apostolate our
priests and lay people, both religious
as well as those living in the
world, complement one another. Our apostolate
embraces the essential needs of the
people of God rather than an individual
action.
Universal Communion
23.
Christ, the Apostle of God (Hebr.
3:1), makes us participants of His
mission through His Spirit. Although we are
domiciled in the specific place where
we manifest "communio" more concretely,
nevertheless the mission of our church
is universal; it extends to
believers or all non-believers, close or
at a distance wherever they may be.[2-7]
24.
By means of exemption, which looks to
the internal ordering of our communities
and the unity of our Order, fidelity
toward our own charism is supported in
so far as it is at the
service of dioceses, episcopal conferences and
mission.
Since exemption is designed for the
sake of "communio", it ought to
strengthen our concern for other churches and
foster solidarity with the college of
bishops.
Whenever we are sent to assist or
establish another church, we ought to
be solicitous that, in accord with the
charism of our Order, we take care
to regard the people of that
locality as neighbors without distinguishing persons
or social status, and to share on
our part the pastoral office of
the bishop and his priests.
Living Examples of Communion
25.
Life in accord with the Gospel of
Christ and the apostolic way of
life, the Rule of St. Augustine as
proposed by St. Norbert, and the lives
of the saints of the Order
constitute living examples for the ordering
of our lives.
26.
The life according to the Gospel,
which St. Norbert proposes for
us, is "to follow the sacred scriptures
and to have Christ as a guide"[2-8]
and thus to preach the Gospel in
poverty; to observe the counsels
of self-denial, mildness and humility;
"to carry daily the cross of Christ"
in a spirit of penance[2-9]
to supply whatever is lacking to the
passion of Christ in the flesh for
the sake of His Body which is the
Church (cf. Col. 1:24), in order
that we may live with the resurrected
Christ.
27.
The apostolic way of life, under the
guidance of the Spirit of Christ,
is to have one heart and one mind,
to have all things in common; to
persevere in the teaching the Apostles;
to persevere together in prayer with Mary,
the mother of Jesus and the
brethren; to break bread with joy,
that is, to have the Eucharist as the
center of all life; to give
witness to the resurrection of Jesus
Christ our Lord by preaching, by good
example and by every form of the
apostolate (cf. Acts 1:13-14; 2:42-47; 4:31-35;
6:1-7, etc.). This apostolic way of
life should be considered as the
highest ideal which ought to distinguish our
entire life.
28.
We consider
A vivid expression of our profession can
be found in those communities of
lay brothers and sisters which Augustine
founded, but especially in the community
of the cathedral church of Hippo where
clerics, in accord with the example
of the apostles, lived a common life
in accordance with certain vital
monastic traditions: "and I wish ... to
have with me a monastery of clerics."[2-10]
29.
St. Norbert, reformer of the canonical
order, gave us the apostolic way as
a norm of life. This, he, a proven
imitator of the disciples of Christ,
also lived, stimulated by a courageous faith,
true penance, voluntary poverty,
zealous preaching of conversion, vigilant
care of the poor, and finally becoming
all things to all men.[2-11]
This spirit of Norbert must continually
and increasingly permeate our minds,
customs, actions and our individual and
community life.
30.
We must return continually to the form
of apostolic life proposed here in
order to draw from it a newness of
spirit and, animated by creative
fidelity, to express the values of the
apostolic way of life in contemporary
forms for a better fulfillment of our
mission.
THE NEED FOR THE CONTINUAL BUILDING
OF COMMUNIO WITHIN OUR CHURCHES
31.
The unity of the
Those who offer and give themselves to our Churches by religious profession are
called to strive for the unity both within our Churches and within the whole
Church by life in common. Moreover, they should observe an equilibrium between
the fellowship which is with God in the brethren and with the brethren in God
since the Christian and religious authenticity of their lives depends on it.
Concerning the Members of Our Order
32.
Among all members of our Order there is "a common dignity as members reborn in
Christ, the common grace of sonship, the common call to
perfection, one salvation, one hope, and undivided charity."[3-2]
The diversity of graces, of ministries, and of works which distinguish us ought
to bring us together, because "one and the same Spirit works all of these
things" (I Cor. 12: 1 1).
33.
There are those laity attached to our Order, living their lives in the midst of
the world and worldly business, who are called by God to exercise their
apostolate in the particular context of their lives so that
they may be as leaven placed in the mass.[3-3]
Other laity, participating in various degrees in our life, are joined more
closely to our communities.
34.
In another way, there are joined to us particularly: the parents of confreres,
who take the first place among our benefactors; those who work with us or who
contribute their services towards the various needs of our life and apostolates;
and of course, friends and benefactors of the canonry. The bond with the family
of a deceased confrere is not to be neglected.
35.
There are priests and laity of both sexes who, led by some spiritual attraction,
seek a "retreat" and a place of human and Christian exchange, so that, while
continuing in their respective life styles, they may be spiritually enriched and
experience a strengthening of faith, and may be led to desire to be more closely
connected with a specific community of the Order. It is strongly suggested that
the specific communities and the individuals concerned,
through mutual deliberation, agree upon the form of this sort of relationship.[3-4]
36.
Those adult laymen may be received as oblates who are tested in faith and piety,
who wish to live with us and who wish to dedicate themselves to God and a
specific church of the Order. Before anyone is received as an oblate, he should
undergo at least one full year probation. If he perseveres in his intention, the
prelate may receive him with the consent of the council and according to some
form worked out by common deliberation for such an offering of self. Once a man
has given himself to a community, that community is strictly bound to provide
for his spiritual and material welfare. Should this bond be broken, care should
be taken lest the oblate suffer material disadvantage.
37.
Religious of the Order of Premontre are those who, having renounced property and
matrimony, dedicate themselves to our churches by profession of the vows, in
order that they might live the apostolic life in fraternal communion, following
in the footsteps of Saints Augustine and Norbert. Our way of life consists of a
definite ordered relationship of Christian and religious values. All members of
our Order - sisters, lay brothers, juniors, and the priest brothers - direct
their efforts to follow this design of life, allowing, of course, for reasonable
pluriformity according to the character and grace of each.
38.
Nuns of our Order are called upon especially to fulfill the contemplative duty
of our life, accommodated to the needs of the world of our time, and led by a
truly apostolic spirit as canonesses regular; they live in monasteries sui iuris
and their lives are ruled by their own constitutions.
Other congregations of Sisters dedicate themselves more to external activities.
Although they are imbued with the same spirit as the other brothers and sisters
of our Order, their life is ruled by their own particular constitutions.
Lay brothers, joined together with their clerical brothers in one religious
community, continue to share the apostolic and human responsibility of other lay
people, in order that they may be a leavening force for Christian life in the
midst of the people of God.
The brothers who are Juniors must be educated for full incorporation into the
community. Rising above themselves, they ought to learn to place themselves
generously at the disposal of the church so that they may be prepared to build
community both within the Order and in its apostolates.
Priest brothers are ordained to fulfill a particular ministry within the Church:
they are members of the body of Christ who, by the Sacrament of
Orders, "are configured to Christ the Priest, so that they may act in the
name of Christ the Head,[3-5]
for His body, which is the Church. "Exercising the function of Christ the
Shepherd and Head and by His authority, they bring the family
of God together in one mind, and lead them through Christ in the Spirit to God
the Father."[3-6]
On
the Communion Which Ought to be
Manifested by the Practice of Our
Profession
39.
The formula for the perpetual profession of the confreres is:
I, Brother N, offer and give myself to the Church of N, and I promise a
conversion of my ways and life in community, especially in poverty, consecrated
celibacy, and obedience, according to the Gospel of Christ and the apostolic way
of life, according to the rule of St. Augustine and the Constitutions of
the Order of Premontre; I promise this before N, the Prelate
of this Church and the Brothers.[3-7]
Profession: I Offer and Give Myself and I Promise
40.
In order that we may live the consecration and the fraternal unity of the grace
of Baptism more and more each day, we freely associate ourselves with a
particular community of Norbertines. Our profession expresses the surrender of
ourselves: by one and the same impulse, we offer ourselves to God and to the
community which is at the service of the people of God. Profession does not draw
us in upon ourselves, but rather compels us to seek the
Conversion
of Life
41.
Since we are drawn together to be united both to God and to the brethren, we
should work together for the conversion which we profess. Pardon, which ought to
be sought and given, and penance, which ought to be exercised, aid in this
conversion. Charity and humble service should be the token of our conversion.
"For we know that we have passed from life to death, because we love the
brethren" (I Jo. 3:14).
The
Evangelical Counsels and the Vows
42.
Christ upon entering the world said: "Behold I come, O God, that I may do your
will" (Hebr. 10:5,7), and having accepted the form of a slave, he was made
obedient to death (cf. Phil. 2:7 ff.), reconciling all things through the blood
of the Cross. Christ having been raised from the dead, continues to fulfill the
same will of the Father in the world through the Church which is His Body.
We, as members of the Church, should be obedient to this same salvific will of
the Father. In faith and charity, we are aware of the voice of the Father
inviting us to devote ourselves by celibacy with an undivided heart to our God
and to the brethren, and to undertake voluntary poverty because of our following
of Christ.
When we bind ourselves to the three evangelical counsels by vows, our vocation
and obligation is to give ourselves with undivided heart to the service of God
and man. In order that we may be faithful to this vocation, we should
continually keep before our eyes the example of Christ proposed to us in the
Gospel, and we should also continually seek ways of authentically bringing the
evangelical counsels into operation in a manner accommodated to the needs of our
time and locality. Thus, through our lives, the Church will truly be able to
witness Christ better each day, whether it be before the
faithful or before those who do not yet know Christ.[3-8]
Poverty
43.
By the vow of living without anything we can call our own, and having all things
in common, we ought to say that all we have is at the service of those with whom
our profession has joined us. All things which are given to the community should
be distributed to each one as each one has need.
Those things which we possess in
common should also be placed at the
disposal of the poor. The spirit of
Christ impels us to demonstrate true
solidarity with those oppressed by hunger
and need. We should show love of
neighbor according to the mind
of St. Norbert in being hospitable
both to our guests and to the poor.[3-9]
Keeping in mind the circumstances of
time and place, each confrere and the
community as a whole should express
voluntary poverty and a spirit of service,
chosen because of the Gospel, in
our manner of life and dress, in
whatever work we do, in
fulfilling our duties towards civil society,
and in the prudent administration of
goods.[3-10]
A truly common life is not restricted
simply to putting all material goods
in common, as Adam Scotus says: "Know
therefore, that you have offered and
surrendered yourself to the Church of
God; in everything that you are,
in all that you know, and in
everything that you can do.[3-11]
Thus, we shall be witnesses, following
the example of Christ, that all man
has, and all that he is, has been
given to him to be placed at
the service of men to help them
to obtain the happiness for which they
are destined; thus also we shall
be giving witness that the Kingdom of
God, already begun in Christ, should be
held in higher esteem than created
things.
Consecrated Celibacy
44.
In order that we may be able to
respond to the vocation of manifesting
the presence of the
We should work so that our community
is the environment in which each
confrere can live as a mature person
and bring his personality to perfection.
Each of the brethren should hold
in honor those human relationships among
themselves which man needs as a social
being.
We should also realize that the
cross, burdens, mortification, and
the custody of one's senses are
necessarily included in the celibate life.[3-12]
Obedience
45.
Our community in which "the prelate is to be obeyed as a
Father,[3-13]
is placed within the "mystery" of the obedience of Christ, whose food it was to
do the will of the Father "so that the sons of God which were dispersed, might
be brought together in unity" (Jo. 11:52). We should all seek the will of the
Father by being open to the Spirit of Christ and dedicate our own wills through
obedience to the service of God and the brethren so that the unity for which
Christ offered himself may be increased in our community. Through the light of
the Word of God and the teachings of the Church, the
Divine Will is made known to us
through the internal workings of grace,
by the discerning of spirits in fraternal
dialogue, by the exigencies of our
common life and constitutions, by the
direction of superiors, by the example
of the brothers, by the demands of
our work, by the signs of the
times and by the events surrounding
our lives.
46.
Let the confreres make clear their
wants, their problems, their talents, and
their shortcomings to their superiors. Also,
in matters concerning the general
community, let the confreres consult with the
superiors and the other confreres,
particularly in the canonry and community
chapters. Furthermore, the authority
of deciding and establishing what things
are to be done[3-14]
rests with the superiors upon whom the
responsibility for decision-making normally
falls, excepting in those situations specifically
set forth in these Constitutions. Even
in obedience, we have an active
role in fulfilling the mission of community.
47.
While exercising the service of authority,
the superiors should listen to the
confreres with an active benevolence, and
should provide for their needs, thus
promoting that reciprocal trust which so
greatly contributes to the good of the
community. Let the superiors foster the
creative talents of the individual confreres,
communicate essential information to them
and collegially seek out with the brethren
the appropriate means for achieving the
goals of the community.
According the Gospel of Christ and the Apostolic Way of Life
48.
By our profession of vows, we give
response to the mercy of God, who
calls us, that, dead to sin but
living in God in a fraternal "communio"
characterized by the evangelical counsels,
we may follow Christ and imitate Him
more closely. The prime norm
for our religious life is the
following of Christ, as outlined in the
Gospels.[3-15]
49.
Our "raison d'être" is, in a special
way, inspired by the life which the
early Church led around the Apostles and
which the Lord Himself had initiated
in the company of the Apostles and
the other disciples. (cf. Act.
1:13-14, 2:42-47, 4:31-35, 6:2-4; Mc.
3:14, ff.; Jn. 12:6; Lc. 9:1-6, 10:
1-16; and parallel texts.)[3-16]
According
to the Rule of
50.
Saint Norbert, furthermore, admonishes us: "Without organization and without a
rule, and without the instructions of the Fathers, it is
impossible to fulfill the apostolic and evangelical mandates.[3-17]
Such assistance is offered to us in the Rule of St. Augustine and in the
Constitutions of the Order of Premontre, whereby the churches of our Order are
inspired and directed in conforming our lives to Christ's Gospel and the
apostolic teaching.
Profession
and Human Happiness
51.
As participants in the joys and hopes of man, we believe in the Good News of the
On
the Communion which is to be
actualized in carrying out of our
Mission Consisting of the Three Complementary
Ministries
52.
We must implement our gift of self daily in our participation in the life of the
Church and the apostolic ministries: through the ministry of hearing and
announcing the word of God, (the prophetic ministry), the ministry of
celebrating the liturgy and consecrating the temporal order (the priestly
ministry) and the ministry of building the community in charity (the kingly
ministry).
These three ministries, which complement one another, are incumbent on us in the
name of Christ for the life of the world. Christ, who is the apostle of our
confession (cf. Hebr. 3:1), continues to exercise His mission or His prophetic,
priestly and kingly ministries through His church as through a living organism.
These three ministries, which make up the apostolate of our communities and of
our Order, unite all men into the one community for which Christ gave His life
(cf. Jo. 11:52).
On the Ministry of Hearing and Preaching the Word of God
53.
"In former days God spoke to our Fathers through the prophets in diverse ways;
in these last days He has spoken to us in His Son" (Hebr. 1:1-2). Christ is
present to our community in His Word, and we who cling to that Word through
faith are more closely united with Christ and with one another.
We who hear the word of God faithfully in the liturgy and in spiritual reading,
are disposed to discem the Word of God in the events and circumstances of human
life, in our brothers, and especially in their specific needs.
Hearing the Word of God, whether alone, with the community, or by way of
dialogue, nourishes sincerity, perseverance, docility and recollection.
Therefore, the houses of our Order should be so set up that if there are places
freely set aside for silence, reflection, diligent study and fraternal dialogue.
54.
By constantly uniting reflection on the Gospel with their ministry, all the
brethren should share with others the Word of God, which they have contemplated,
through the testimony of a life which is truly Christian and religious; the
priest-confreres, moreover, should also do this through the preaching of
conversion, through education and Christian formation, and by the encouragement
of perfection.
On
the Ministry of Celebrating the Liturgy
and Consecrating the Temporal Order
55.
The Word of God which we hear and announce (the prophetic ministry), is made
more available to men in the Sacraments of faith. The Sacraments are both signs
and sources of the unity of the Church. Since we are incorporated into the death
and resurrection of Christ through Baptism, we are made members of Christ; by
the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation we are assigned to an active and
social participation both in the liturgy and in the sanctification of the
world; by the Eucharist, we are made "sharers of the Body
and Blood" of Christ and of all other Christians.[3-19]
56.
Since the whole People of God united in Christ exercises a common priesthood,
the celebration of the Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours, to which the
communities of canons regular especially dedicate themselves, should be so
ordered that the entire community and the faithful in attendance may actively
participate. To that same end, all members must be integrated harmoniously into
the liturgical life of the community, and each community is to celebrate the
liturgy according to its own proper character and according to the principle of
sound pluriformity. The liturgy is to be conducted according to the proper rite
either in its proper language or in the vernacular according to the legitimately
introduced local customs.
57.
Singing in the liturgy is strongly recommended as it is more conformable to the
nature of this prayer and can be a mark of a fuller and more profound union of
hearts in carrying out the praises of God. All the singing ought to be carefully
prepared.
58.
In all of our communities in the midst of the people of God the Eucharist is to
be celebrated daily with the faithful participation of the
members since it is the culmination of our communion.[3-20]
Indeed, no "Christian community can be built up unless, as its root and
keystone, it has the celebration of the Most Holy Eucharist,
from which all formation toward the spirit of community must take its origin,"[3-21]
since the loaf of bread is one, we, many though we are, are one body, for all
partake of the one loaf (I Cor. 10, 17).
59.
In each of our canonries, the conventual Mass is to be celebrated regularly for
the intention of the canonry, of the Order and of our benefactors.
Concelebration, "in which the Church is more fully manifested, more clearly
expresses the unity of the priesthood and of the sacrifice
at the one altar, in a single act of thanksgiving,"[3-22]
is strongly commended in houses and groups where several priests are gathered.[3-23]
60.
Ecclesial prayer, as the table of the Word and a sacrifice of praise, is
intimately connected with the celebration of the Eucharist;
with psalms, canticles, and prayers, the Church responds to the word of God
speaking to Us.[3-24]
61.
Since the sanctification of the entire day and of all human effort both pertain
to the very purpose of the Liturgy of the Hours, it must be celebrated in our
communities in such a manner that the proper time for the
Hours is observed and, at the same time, account is taken of the conditions of
modern life.[3-25]
62.
In the houses of the Order, the Liturgy of the Hours is to be carried out
chorally. As to the obligation of celebrating the Liturgy of the Hours, which
must be carried out according to our proper calendar, the following norms apply
for our Order by virtue of canon 1174.
In the principal house of the canonry due attention is to be paid to the
importance of the Hours which constitute its hinges, Lauds
and Vespers. These hours are not to be omitted except for grave cause.[3-26]
The Office of
According to the canonical character of our Order, all members of the
community are corresponsible for the public prayer of the
Church which must be carried out daily.[3-27]
In small groups which cannot carry out the prayer of the Church, frequent common
prayer every day is commended. By being constantly attentive
to prayer we praise the Lord and intercede for the salvation of the whole world.[3-28]
Each solemnly professed religious is bound to pray those hours which are carried
out in his community, maintaining the obligation of clerics as indicated in
canon 276.2, n.3
63.
Though we are called to pray in common, nevertheless, we are also to pray to the
Father in secret (cf. Mt. 6:6). In all prayer, there should explicitly emerge an
exemplification of the man who, through faith, constantly clings to his God and
lives in intimate relationship with Him. Thus, we should and can pray always.
64.
For all members, hearing the Word of God, the celebration of the liturgy, common
and private prayer, which are of the essence of the contemplative aspect of our
way of life, constitute the dearest form of the apostolate; in fact, they are
the very soul of the apostolate.
65.
Since we have professed a conversion of our ways, we should cooperate with the
Lord Jesus who brings about this conversion through the Sacraments of the
Eucharist and Penance, in so far as by celebrating the mysteries of the Lord's
death and resurrection, we die more to sin and live more for God and the
brethren.
The Eucharist presupposes human harmony. Those brothers who need the mercy of
God due to discord ought to be reconciled with one another before approaching
the celebration of the Eucharistic sacrifice (cf. Matthew 5:23-24).
By our confessing the wretchedness of our sins and the mercy
of God[3-29]
in the sacrament of Penance, a multifaceted peace with God and the Church is
offered to us, a peace which likewise must be shared with our brethren.
Communal penitential celebrations, which fittingly express the social aspect of
sin and reconciliation, are to be fostered.
We are intimately united to Christ our Savior by frequent reception of the
sacrament of Penance which, when accompanied by an examination of conscience,
certainly fosters to a great degree the necessary conversion of heart to the
love of the Father of mercies.
66.
By the fact of our common priesthood, all our works, prayers and apostolic
endeavors, our daily work, both mental and physical relaxation, the duration of
our lives, if abiding in the Divine Spirit, "and even the hardships of life, if
borne patiently, become spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus
Christ (cf. I Pet. 2:5). These sacrifices are offered most lovingly to the
Father during the celebration of the Eucharist along with
the offering of the Body of the Lord."[3-30]
In this way we consecrate the whole world itself to God. On the Ministry of
Building Up the Ecclesial and Human Community in Charity
67.
The fruit of the Word and the Sacraments is the visible and invisible gathering
together of the sons of God. The unity of the People of God is brought about,
above all, by the celebration of the Eucharist. The pastoral expertise and
activity of priests, together with the work of the laity, complement one another
to create, promote, and stabilize this unity. True unity in a specific ecclesial
community is the culmination of Christian sacrifice. "This
is the sacrifice of Christians: many become one Body in Christ."[3-31]
68.
This unity in Christ which must be fostered both within and outside our churches
is their primary apostolic mission. We are taught by
69.
We do not all have the same duties to carry out in the pastoral office: "Just as
each of our bodies has several parts and each part has a separate function, so
all of us, in union with Christ form one body, and as parts of it we belong to
each other" (Rom. 12:4-5). Therefore, our pastoral activity should be collegial.
70.
The pastoral activities of our communities are to be inserted into the pastoral
program of the dioceses and are to be carried out according to the norms
determined by local Ordinaries. In our relationships with non-Catholic churches
and non-Christian religions we shall strive to be attentive to ecumenical
necessities.
71.
In choosing forms of the apostolate for the Canonry, the more pressing needs of
the Church and the contemporary world should be kept in mind. Our communities,
although they carry out their work chiefly in the dioceses in which they are
situated, nevertheless, should be prepared to be at the service of the universal
Church. The missionary spirit of St. Norbert has been a mark of our Order from
the beginning.
72.
The mission of our Order is not only to announce Christ and the grace He has
brought to men, but also to imbue the temporal order with the spirit of the
Gospel and bring it to perfection, since the human community must also be built
up in charity.
Since we are joined intimately with the entire human family and with its
progress, we ought to work at full strength with others in the building of a
more humanely organized world, thus observing the great
command to extend ourselves toward to the service of our brothers.[3-32]
Our communities ought to be centers which promote a synthesis of faith and
culture. Christ himself revealed to us that "the new commandment
of love was the basic law of human perfection, and hence of the world's
transformation."[3-33]
For God intends "in Christ to appropriate the whole universe
into a new creation, initially here on earth, fully on the last day."[3-34]
On
the Participation of the Members in
Fulfilling the
73.
In our churches, where priests and lay brothers make up our religious family,
there is surely oneness of mission, but yet diversity of ministry. In carrying
out this mission, the priests and the laity, both religious and those living
their lives in the world, complement each other. Thus, in the practice of the
various forms of apostolates, there ought to be close cooperation
between the priests and brothers of our churches and
likewise with other priests and the laity.[3-35]
74.
We firmly believe that the enormous task whereby people involve themselves in
ameliorating the material, social, and cultural conditions
of their lives, considered in itself, is a response to God's call.[3-36]
It is proper for the confreres to animate the laity so that they assume as their
proper ministry the renewal of the social order, which enjoys its own autonomy,
its own ends and particular laws.
Wherever we ourselves live, and according to our capabilities, we ought to
promote the goods of life and family, social conditions, culture, the education
of youth, economic affairs, liberty, justice and peace
especially for those people who because of racial or social conditions are
virtually ostracized.[3-37]
75.
The priests confreres, in their own right, share the pastoral ministry of the
local bishop and in a special way are associated with his presbyterium. It is of
the utmost importance that they integrate that participation and association
into one living synthesis with the life of the community.
76.
Thus care should be taken through appropriate means that the bishops become familiar with the communities of our Order and with our mode of living and working, so that they may place firm confidence in us as persons stably incorporated into a specific church; s