Table of Contents
Introduction 1
The Rule of Our Holy Father St. Benedict
Prologue 11
Chapter 1 The Kinds of Monastics 25
Chapter 2 Qualities of the Superior 28
Chapter 3 Calling the Community for Counsel 42
Chapter 4 The Tools for Good Works 46
Chapter 5 Obedience 56
Chapter 6 Restraint of Speech 61
Chapter 7 Humility 64
Chapter 8 The Divine Office during the Night 95
Chapter 9 The Number of Psalms at the Night Office 98
Chapter 10 How the Office Is to Be Said in Summer 101
Chapter 11 The Night Office on Sundays 104
Chapter 12 The Solemnity of Lauds 107
Chapter 13 Lauds on Ordinary Days 110
Chapter 14 The Night Office on the Feasts of Saints 113
Chapter 15 When Alleluia Is to Be Said 115
Chapter 16 The Work of God during the Day 118
Chapter 17 The Number of Psalms to Be Sung at These Hours 120
Chapter 18 The Order of the Psalmody 123
Chapter 19 The Discipline of the Psalmody 131
Chapter 20 Reverence at Prayer 133
Chapter 21 The Deans of the Monastery 135
Chapter 22 The Sleeping Arrangements 138
Chapter 23 Excommunication for Faults 141
Chapter 24 The Manner of Excommunication 143
Chapter 25 Serious Faults 145
Chapter 26 Unauthorized Association with the Excommunicated 148
Chapter 27 The Superior's Concern for the Excommunicated 150
Chapter 28 Those Who Do Not Amend after Frequent Corrections 153
Chapter 29 Readmission of Those Who Leave the Monastery 156
Chapter 30 Correction of the Young 158
Chapter 31 Qualifications of the Cellarer 161
Chapter 32 The Tools and Goods of the Monastery 165
Chapter 33 Private Ownership 168
Chapter 34 Distribution According to Need 170
Chapter 35 Weekly Kitchen Servers 173
Chapter 36 The Sick Members 177
Chapter 37 The Elderly and Children 180
Chapter 38 The Weekly Reader 182
Chapter 39 The Quantity of Food 185
Chapter 40 The Quantity of Drink 188
Chapter 41 The Times for Community Meals 191
Chapter 42 Silence after Compline 194
Chapter 43 Tardiness at the Work of God or at Table 197
Chapter 44 Satisfaction by the Excommunicated 201
Chapter 45 Mistakes in the Oratory 204
Chapter 46 Faults in Other Matters 206
Chapter 47 The Signal for the Work of God 208
Chapter 48 The Daily Manual Labor 210
Chapter 49 The Observance of Lent 217
Chapter 50 Those Working at a Distance or Traveling 220
Chapter 51 Those on a Short Journey 223
Chapter 52 The Oratory of the Monastery 225
Chapter 53 The Reception of Guests 228
Chapter 54 Letters or Gifts for Monastics 233
Chapter 55 The Clothing and Footgear of the Community 236
Chapter 56 The Superior's Table 241
Chapter 57 The Artisans of the Monastery 243
Chapter 58 The Procedure for Receiving Members 246
Chapter 59 The Offering of Children by Nobles or the Poor 251
Chapter 60 Admission of Priests to the Monastery 254
Chapter 61 The Reception of Visiting Monastics 257
Chapter 62 The Priests of the Monastery 261
Chapter 63 Community Rank 264
Chapter 64 The Election of a Superior 269
Chapter 65 The Prior of the Monastery 274
Chapter 66 The Porter of the Monastery 279
Chapter 67 Those Sent on a Journey 282
Chapter 68 Assignment of Impossible Tasks 285
Chapter 69 The Presumption of Defending Another 288
Chapter 70 The Presumption of Striking Another 290
Chapter 71 Mutual Obedience 292
Chapter 72 Good Zeal 294
Chapter 73 This Rule Only a Beginning 297
