31. The Kind of Man the Cellarer of the Monastery Ought to Be
Let there be chosen from the brotherhood as Cellarer of the monastery a wise man, of settled habits, temperate and frugal, not conceited, irritable, resentful, sluggish, or wasteful, but fearing God, who may be as a father to the whole brotherhood.
Let him have the charge of everything, let him do nothing without the command of the Abbot, let him do what has been ordered him and not grieve the brethren.
If a brother should perchance request anything of him unreasonably let him not sadden the brother with a cold refusal, but politely and with humility refuse him who asks amiss.
Let him be watchful of his own soul, always mindful of the saying of the Apostle: "For they that have ministered well, shall purchase to themselves a good degree" (1 Tm 3:13).
Let him provide for the sick, the children, the guests, and the poor, with all care, knowing that, without doubt, he will have to give an account of all these things on judgment day.
Let him regard all the vessels of the monastery and all its substance, as if they were sacred vessels of the altar.
Let him neglect nothing and let him not give way to avarice, nor let him be wasteful and a squanderer of the goods of the monastery; but let him do all things in due measure and according to the bidding of his Abbot.
Above all things let him be humble; and if he has not the things to give, let him answer with a kind word, because it is written: "A good word is above the best gift" (Sir 18:17).
Let him have under his charge everything that the Abbot has entrusted to him, and not presume to meddle with matters forbidden him.
Let him give the brethren their apportioned allowance without a ruffle or delay, that they may not be scandalized,
mindful of what the Divine Word declares that he deserves who shall scandalize one of these little ones: "It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea" (Mt 18:6).
If the community is large, let assistants be given him, that, with their help, he too may fulfil the office entrusted to him with an even temper.
Let the things that are to be given be distributed, and the things that are to be gotten asked for at the proper times, so that nobody may be disturbed or grieved in the house of God.
32. Of the Tools and Goods of the Monastery
Let the Abbot appoint brethren on whose life and character he can rely, over the property of the monastery in tools, clothing, and things generally, and let him assign to them, as he shall deem proper, all the articles which must be collected after use and stored away.
Let the Abbot keep a list of these articles, so that, when the brethren in turn succeed each other in these trusts, he may know what he gives and what he receives back.
If anyone, however, handles the goods of the monastery slovenly or carelessly let him be reprimanded and if he does not amend let him come under the discipline of the Rule.
33. Whether Monks Ought to Have Anything of Their Own
The vice of personal ownership must by all means be cut out in the monastery by the very root, so that no one may presume to give or receive anything without the command of the Abbot;
nor to have anything whatever as his own, neither a book, nor a writing tablet, nor a pen, nor anything else whatsoever, since monks are allowed to have neither their bodies nor their wills in their own power.
Everything that is necessary, however, they must look for from the Father of the monastery; and let it not be allowed for anyone to have anything which the Abbot did not give or permit him to have.
Let all things be common to all, as it is written. And let no one call or take to himself anything as his own (cf Acts 4:32).
But if anyone should be found to indulge this most baneful vice, and, having been admonished once and again, does not amend, let him be subjected to punishment.
34. Whether All Should Receive in Equal Measure What Is Necessary
It is written: "Distribution was made to everyone according as he had need" (Acts 4:35).
We do not say by this that respect should be had for persons (God forbid), but regard for infirmities.
Let him who has need of less thank God and not give way to sadness, but let him who has need of more, humble himself for his infirmity, and not be elated for the indulgence shown him; and thus all the members will be at peace.
Above all, let not the evil of murmuring appear in the least word or sign for any reason whatever. If anyone be found guilty herein, let him be placed under very severe discipline.
35. Of the Weekly Servers in the Kitchen
Let the brethren serve each other so that no one be excused from the work in the kitchen, except on account of sickness or more necessary work, because greater merit and more charity is thereby acquired.
Let help be given to the weak, however, that they may not do this work with sadness; but let all have help according to the size of the community and the circumstances of the place.
If the community is large, let the Cellarer be excused from the kitchen, or if, as we have said, any are engaged in more urgent work; let the rest serve each other in charity.
Let him who is to go out of the weekly service, do the cleaning on Saturday.
Let him wash the towels with which the brethren wipe their hands and feet.
Let him who goes out, as well as him who is to come in, wash the feet of all.
Let him return the utensils of his department to the Cellarer clean and whole.
Let the Cellarer give the same to the one who comes in, so that he may know what he gives and what he receives back.
An hour before meal time let the weekly servers receive each a cup of drink and a piece of bread over the prescribed portion that they may serve their brethren at the time of refection without murmuring and undue strain. On solemn feast days, however, let them abstain till after Mass.
As soon as the morning office on Sunday is ended, let the weekly servers who come in and who go out, cast themselves upon their knees in the oratory before all, asking their prayers.
Let him who goes out of the weekly service, say the following verse: Benedictus es, Domine Deus, qui adjuvisti me et consolatus se me (Dan 3:52; Ps 85[86]:17).
The one going out having said this three times and received the blessing, let the one who comes in follow and say: Deus in adjutorium meum intende; Domine, ad adjuvandum me festina (Ps 69[70]:2).
And let this also be repeated three times by all, and having received the blessing let him enter upon his weekly service.
36. Of the Sick Brethren
Before and above all things, care must be taken of the sick, that they be served in very truth as Christ is served;
because He has said, "I was sick and you visited Me" (Mt 25:36). And "As long as you did it to one of these My least brethren, you did it to Me" (Mt 25:40).
But let the sick themselves also consider that they are served for the honour of God, and let them not grieve their brethren who serve them by unnecessary demands.
These must, however, be patiently borne with, because from such as these a more bountiful reward is gained. Let the Abbot's greatest concern therefore, be that they suffer no neglect.
Let a cell be set apart for the sick brethren, and a God-fearing, diligent, and careful attendant be appointed to serve them.
Let the use of the bath be offered to the sick as often as it is useful, but let it be granted more rarely to the healthy and especially the young.
Thus also let the use of meat be granted to the sick and to the very weak for their recovery. But when they have been restored let them all abstain from meat in the usual manner.
But let the Abbot exercise the utmost care that the sick are not neglected by the Cellarer or the attendants, because whatever his disciples do amiss falls back on him.
37. Of the Aged and Children
Although human nature is of itself drawn to feel compassion for these life-periods, namely, old age and childhood, still, let the decree of the Rule make provision also for them:
Let their natural weakness be always taken into account and let the strictness of the Rule not be kept with them in respect to food, but let there be a tender regard in their behalf and let them eat before regular hours.
38. Of the Weekly Reader
Reading must not be wanting at the table of the brethren when they are eating.
Neither let anyone who may chance to take up the book venture to read there; but let him who is to read for the whole week enter upon that office on Sunday.
After Mass and Communion let him ask all to pray for him that God may ward off from him the spirit of pride.
And let the following verse be said three times by all in the oratory, he beginning it: Domine, labia mea aperies, et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam (Ps 50[51]:17), and thus having received the blessing let him enter upon the reading.
Let the deepest silence be maintained that no whispering or voice be heard except that of the reader alone.
But let the brethren so help each other to what is needed for eating and drinking, that no one need ask for anything. If, however, anything should be wanted, let it be asked for by means of a sign of any kind rather than a sound.
And let no one presume to ask any questions there, either about the book or anything else, in order that no cause to speak be given [to the devil] (Eph 4:27; 1 Tm 5:14), unless, perchance, the Superior wishes to say a few words for edification.
Let the brother who is reader for the week take a little bread and wine before he begins to read, on account of Holy Communion, and lest it should be too hard for him to fast so long.
Afterward, however, let him take his meal in the kitchen with the weekly servers and the waiters. The brethren, however, will not read or sing in order, but only those who edify their hearers.
39. Of the Quantity of Food
Making allowance for the infirmities of different persons, we believe that for the daily meal, both at the sixth and the ninth hour, two kinds of cooked food are sufficient at all meals; so that he who perchance cannot eat of one, may make his meal of the other.
Let two kinds of cooked food, therefore, be sufficient for all the brethren. And if there be fruit or fresh vegetables, a third may be added.
Let a pound of bread be sufficient for the day, whether there be only one meal or both dinner and supper. If they are to eat supper, let a third part of the pound be reserved by the Cellarer and be given at supper.
If, however, the work has been especially hard, it is left to the discretion and power of the Abbot to add something, if he think fit, barring above all things every excess, that a monk be not overtaken by indigestion.
For nothing is so contrary to Christians as excess, as our Lord says: "See that your hearts be not overcharged with surfeiting" (Lk 21:34).
Let the same quantity of food, however, not be served out to young children but less than to older ones, observing measure in all things.
But let all except the very weak and the sick abstain altogether from eating the flesh of four-footed animals.
40. Of the Quantity of Drink
"Everyone has his proper gift from God, one after this manner and another after that" (1 Cor 7:7). It is with some hesitation, therefore, that we determine the measure of nourishment for others.
However, making allowance for the weakness of the infirm, we think one hemina of wine a day (note: approximately half a pint, about 1/4 litre) is sufficient for each one.
But to whom God grants the endurance of abstinence, let them know that they will have their special reward.
If the circumstances of the place, or the work, or the summer's heat should require more, let that depend on the judgment of the Superior, who must above all things see to it, that excess or drunkenness do not creep in.
Although we read that wine is not at all proper for monks, yet, because monks in our times cannot be persuaded of this, let us agree to this, at least, that we do not drink to satiety, but sparingly; because "wine makes even wise men fall off" (Sir 19:2).
But where the poverty of the place will not permit the aforesaid measure to be had, but much less, or none at all, let those who live there bless God and murmur not. This we charge above all things that they live without murmuring.