The Rule of St. Benedict - Chapter 66. The Porter Of The Monastery

(1) At the door of the monastery, place a sensible old man who knows how to take a message and deliver a reply, and whose age keeps him from roaming about.
(2) This porter will need a room near the entrance so that visitors will always find him there to answer them.
(3) As soon as anyone knocks, or a poor man calls out, he replies, "Thanks be to God" or "Your blessing, please";
(4) then, with all the gentleness that comes from the fear of God, he provides a prompt answer with the warmth of love.
(5) Let the porter be given one of the younger brothers if he needs help.

(6) The monastery should, if possible, be so constructed that within it all necessities, such as water, mill and garden are contained, and the various crafts are practiced.
(7) Then there will be no need for the monks to roam outside, because this is not at all good for their souls.

(8) We wish this rule to be read often in the community, so that none of the brothers can offer the excuse of ignorance.

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The Rule of St. Benedict - Chapter 65. The Prior Of The Monastery

(11) For the preservation of peace and love we have, therefore, judged it best for the abbot to make all decisions in the conduct of his monastery.
(12) If possible, as we have already established, the whole operation of the monastery should be managed through deans under the abbot's direction.
(13) Then, so long as it is entrusted to more than one, no individual will yield to pride.
(14) But if local conditions call for it, or the community makes a reasonable and humble request, and the abbot judges it best,
(15) then let him, with the advice of God-fearing brothers, choose the man he wants and himself make him his prior.
(16) The prior for his part is to carry our respectfully what his abbot assigns to him, and do nothing contrary to the abbot's wishes or arrangements,
(17) because the more he is set above the rest, the more he should be concerned to keep what the rule commands.

(18) If this prior is found to have serious faults, or is led astray by conceit and grows proud, or shows open contempt for the holy rule, he is to be warned verbally as many as four times.
(19) If he does not amend, he is to be punished as required by the discipline of the rule.
(20) Then, if he still does not reform, he is to be deposed from the rank of prior and replaced by someone worthy.
(21) If after all that, he is not a peaceful and obedient member of the community, he should even be expelled from the monastery.
(22) Yet the abbot should reflect that he must give God an account of all his judgments, lest the flames of jealousy or rivalry sear his soul.

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The Rule of St. Benedict - Chapter 65. The Prior Of The Monastery

(1) Too often in the past, the appointment of a prior has been the source of serious contention in monasteries.
(2) Some priors, puffed up by the evil spirit of pride and thinking of themselves as second abbots, usurp tyrannical power and foster contention and discord in their communities.
(3) This occurs especially in monasteries where the same bishop and the same abbots appoint both abbot and prior.
(4) It is easy to see what an absurd arrangement this is, because from the very first moment of his appointment as prior he is given grounds for pride,
(5) as his thoughts suggest to him that he is exempt from his abbot's authority.
(6) "After all, you were made prior by the same men who made the abbot."

(7) This is an open invitation to envy, quarrels, slander, rivalry, factions and disorders of every kind,
(8) with the result that, while abbot and prior pursue conflicting policies, their own souls are inevitably endangered by this discord;
(9) and at the same time the monks under them take sides and so go to their ruin.
(10) The responsibility for this evil and dangerous situation rests on the heads of those who initiated such a state of confusion.

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The Rule of St. Benedict - Chapter 64. The Election Of An Abbot

(7) Once in office, the abbot must keep constantly in mind the nature of the burden he has receive, and remember to whom he will have, "to give an account of his stewardship," (Luke 16:2).
(8) Let him recognize that his goal must be profit for the monks, not preeminence for himself. '
(9) He ought, therefore, to be learned in divine law, so that he has a treasury of knowledge from which he can, "bring out what is new and what is old," (Matt 13:52). He must be chaste, temperate and merciful.
(10) He should always, "let mercy triumph over judgement," (Jas 2:13) so that he too may win mercy.
(11) He must hate faults but love the brothers.
(12) When he must punish them, he should use prudence and avoid extremes; otherwise, by rubbing too hard to remove the rust, he may break the vessel.
(13) He is to distrust his own frailty and remember, "not to crush the bruised reed," (Isa 42:3).
(14) By this we do not mean that he should allow faults to flourish, but rather, as we have already said, he should prune them away with prudence and love as he sees best for each individual.
(15) Let him strive to be loved rather than feared.

(16) Excitable, anxious, extreme, obstinate, jealous or over suspicious he must not be. Such a man is never at rest.
(17) Instead, he must show forethought and consideration in his orders, and whether the task he assigns concerns God or the world, he should be discerning and moderate,
(18) bering in mind the discretion of holy Jacob, who said, "If I drive my flocks too hard, they will all die in a single day," (Gen 33:13).
(19) Therefore, drawing on this and other examples of discretion, the mother of virtues, he must so arrange everything that the strong have something to yearn for and the weak nothing to run from.

(20) He must, above all, keep this rule in every particular,
(21) so that when he has ministered well he will hear from the Lord what that good servant heard who gave his fellow servants grain at the proper time,
(22) "I tell you solemnly," he said, "he sets him over all his possessions," (Matt 24:47).

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The Rule of St. Benedict - Chapter 64. The Election Of An Abbot

(1) In choosing an abbot, the guiding principle should always be the man placed in office be the one selected either by the whole community acting unanimously in the fear of God, or by some part of the community, no matter how small, which possesses sounder judgement.
(2) Goodness of life and wisdom in teaching must be the criteria for choosing the one to be made abbot, even if he is the last in community rank.

(3) May God forbid that a whole community should conspire to elect a man who goes along with its own evil ways. But if it does,
(4) and if the bishop of the diocese or the abbots or Christians in the area come to know of these evil ways to any extent,
(5) they must block the success of this wicked conspiracy, and set a worthy steward in charge of God's house.
(6) They may be sure that they will receive generous reward for this, if they do it with pure motives and zeal for God's honor. Conversely, they may be equally sure that to neglect to do so is sinful.

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The Rule of St. Benedict - Chapter 63. Community Rank

(10) The younger monks, then, must respect their seniors, and the seniors must love all their juniors.
(11) When they address one another, no one should be allowed to do so simply by name;
(12) rather, the seniors call the younger monks "brother" and the younger monks call their seniors "nonnus", which is translated as "venerable father."
(13) But the abbot, because we believe that he holds the place of Christ, is to be called "lord" and "abbot," not for any claim of his own, but out of honor and love for Christ.
(14) He, for his part, must reflect on this, and in his behavior show himself worthy of such honor.

(15) Wherever brothers meet, the junior asks his senior for a blessing.
(16) When an older monk comes by, the younger rises and offers him a seat, and does not presume to sit down unless the older bids him.
(17) In this way, they do what the words of Scripture say, "They should each try to be the first to show respect to the other," (Rom 12:10).

(18) In the oratory and at table, small boys and youths are kept in rank and under discipline.
(19) Outside or anywhere else, they should be supervised and controlled until they are old enough to be responsible.

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The Rule of St. Benedict - Chapter 63. Community Rank

(1) The monks keep their rank in the monastery according to the date of their entry, the virtue of their lives, and the decision of the abbot.
(2) The abbot is not to disturb the flock entrusted to him nor make any unjust arrangements, as though he had the power to do whatever he wished.
(3) He must constantly reflect that he will have to give God an account of all his decisions and actions.
(4) Therefore, when the monks come for the kiss of peace and for Communion, when they lead psalms or stand in choir, they do so in the order decided by the abbot or already existing among them.
(5) Absolutely nowhere shall age automatically determine rank.
(6) Remember that Samuel and Daniel were still boys when they judged their elders (1 Sam 3; Dan 13:44-62).
(7) Therefore, apart from those mentioned above whom the abbot has for some overriding consideration promoted, or for a specific reason demoted, all the rest should keep to the order of their entry.
(8) For example, someone who came to the monastery at the second hour of the day must recognize that he is junior to someone who came at the first hour, regardless of age or distinction.
(9) Boys, however, are to be disciplined in everything by everyone.

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