The Rule of Benedict by Benedict of Nursia

Author:Benedict of Nursia
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780241251737
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2015-11-29T00:00:00+00:00

33

The question of private ownership

It is vitally important to eradicate this bad practice from the monastery: no one should presume to give or receive anything without the abbot’s permission, or to possess anything of his own – nothing whatever, not a book or writing tablet or pen or anything at all, for monks should not even count their own bodies and wills as their own. They must depend on the father of the monastery to provide everything they need. They are not allowed to have anything that the abbot has not given or permitted. As Scripture says, ‘Let everything be held in common’ (Acts 4:32), so no one should dare to claim private ownership of any possession. If anyone is found to be indulging in this wicked practice he should be rebuked once and a second time, but if he does not give it up, he must be punished.

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