Doubt II: Whether a religious who has superfluities by his superior's permission is a proprietor

It is CERTAIN that both the superior granting and the Religious having are guilty of a mortal sin, from the Council of Trent sess. 25. cap. 2., and the holy Congregation at Quarant. V. Reserved case, and the Clementine at Nauarr. Com. 4. on the Rules num. 27.

But whether he is an owner against Poverty; I judge this man guilty, for I do not see of what other crime he would be guilty, except ownership, since he uses superfluous things against the will of the Pontiff, the supreme Father, as is had in the Council of Trent loc. cit. Thus Maior in 4. d. 38. q. 9. Petr. Nauar. lib. 3. on Restitution cap. 1. d. 1. n. 168. Graff. 2. p. lib. 3. cap. 19. Bassaeus Baffaeus num. 11., where he explains the superfluity of things with D. Bernard in the Apology to William, and in the letter to the brothers of Mount Dei, and sermon 4. Adveniens.

S. Bonaventure defers it most excellently to c. 1. of the Rule in these words: Let them be clothed in poor garments.

The Saintly Doctor condemns superfluity in things, above all pomp in buildings, q. 6. on the Rule, where he says these act gravely against poverty. Moreover, he declares them guilty of scandal and of the sins of others.

IN the Apology of the poor, of the first response c. 2. and 3. he gravely reproves superfluity of food; more closely c. 3. respons. 3. But gravely cap. 2. respons. 5. He refutes what a certain adversary objects from the riches of the ancient Levites, from the august pomp of the temple of Solomon, in order to overturn Evangelical Poverty. And cap. 3. he approves a poverty that lacks abundance. He confirms the same, c. 4. and in the Letters to the Ministers.

These things one would have to transcribe with no Iota changed. But I beg you, run through and drink in the flowing wisdom of the Saintly Doctor. Truly I wonder at Baffaeus not to defer to S. Bonaventure; indeed, not even to name him.

The PRELATE, on the other hand, not ministering necessaries to his subjects, when he can, and offering a particular occasion, sins gravely. From D. Antonin. 3. part. tit. 16. c. 1. §. 11. Silvest. V Relig. 6. q. 7. Sanchez l. 7. c. 11. n. 26. Less. l. 2. c. 41. dub. 5. Val. disp. 10. q. 4 point 2. Baff. n. 13. He sins also by receiving more than can be sustained by revenues, or alms, as you have in the Council of Trent sess. 25. cap. 3. and in the Decree on the celebration of Mass under Urban VIII.

But those things which are necessary for the Religious life must be held in common. See the Saintly Doctor in the opuscula cited, with D. Basil. in the Constitutions of Monks c. 9. Chrysost. homily 58. to the people of Antioch.

Whether a Religious sins by accepting alms for others.