Chapter VII — On the games of Regulars, and other things which fight with the vow of poverty

I. QUESTION I. Are games of dice and of chance lawful to Regulars? ANSWER. That Religious can indulge in games which consist in jesting speech and sportive deeds, which exercise the body, and which are directed to gladdening the spirit and restoring strength, all with St. Thomas, II-II, q. 168, art. 2, concede.

II. On the contrary all theologians and all the Rules approved by the Apostolic See most severely forbid games of dice to Religious bound by the vow of poverty. By the name of dice all games of chance are understood. What of this, that these games are forbidden to Christians themselves; nay all the heathen Philosophers execrated games of this kind, as I have made plain in Vol. VII of the Christian Theology? The Constitutions of the Order of Preachers condemn to the penalty of prison Brethren who shall have been found playing at dice, no otherwise than those guilty of the flesh and of theft. A game of chance is the fruit of avarice alone and of a desire of growing rich. What is more adverse to evangelical poverty than this desire of increasing riches?

III. QUESTION II. Whether it repugn the vow of poverty that Regulars have silver instruments, as spoons, a knife, a fork, a box for tobacco, watches, and things of that kind? ANSWER. All these things are opposed to the solemn vow of poverty, and overturn the state of monastic discipline. For poverty and the preciousness of gold and silver directly fight. These things are discovered by their own nature. All the monastic Rules forbid the use of gold and silver in instruments of this kind. The Constitutions of the Order of Preachers, distinction 1, chapter 10, prescribe these things: Let no Brother or Sister of our Order, of whatsoever grade (N.B.) or condition he be, use spoons and instruments of gold or silver, or even of precious stones, whether at table, or in girdles, or in cloaks, or in knives or their sheaths, or in any other utensils of things whatsoever. But if any transgressors of these things be found, let them be utterly deprived of those instruments, and let them be applied to the community, and let the transgressors moreover be GRAVELY punished. A grave punishment supposes a grave fault. Nor should you object that constitutions of this kind do not oblige to fault. Constitutions do not oblige to fault which do not expose the vow of poverty. But that vow binds to fault, and indeed a grave one. Do you dare therefore to condemn a use so common? Not I, but regular discipline; not I, but the vows which have marked your lips for God, detest all the aforesaid. But Religious learned and upright use these instruments. What thence? They sin the more gravely, because by their own doctrine and probity they inflict a graver scandal upon the rest of the little ones.