Article I: On The Obligation Of Tending To Perfection

2152. • Principles. I. A Religious is held, UNDER GRAVE obligation, to tend to perfection. - For by force of his profession he is bound to wish to preserve his State, which is a state of perfection, or a state of those tending to perfection; although this perfection, of itself, is not of precept but of counsel.¹⁸

2153. • II. A Religious is bound to strive toward perfection: - 1) through ESSENTIAL means, which are the exercise of virtues, assiduity in prayer, and frequentation of the Sacraments; - 2) through the GENERAL means of regular life, i.e. through observance of the vows, for by these the roots of worldly life are cut away; - 3) through the SPECIAL means of his Order, i.e. through at least imperfect observation of the rules, which are not only as it were the outer wall of the vows, but also means necessary for attaining the special end which each Religion has proposed to itself for serving God and perfecting its own members.¹⁹

Hence, a Religious sins gravely against the obligation of tending to perfection: 1. If he casts aside all the means of perfection; for then he is not in the way of salvation. 2. If he frequently infringes the vows in a grave matter; because the vows are to be observed not only by reason of themselves, but also insofar as they are essential means of perfection. - 3. If he violates the rules of the Order from contempt, or with grave detriment to common discipline, as will be explained below (cf. n. 2170).

2154. IT IS ASKED. Does a Religious sin gravely who wishes to observe only those rules which oblige UNDER MORTAL sin, and to neglect the others?

Resp. St. Alphonsus: "Many excuse him; but many do not. But Sanchez says knowingly that it will happen with difficulty that such a one be excused from mortal sin, at least from other heads, namely on account of the danger to which he exposes himself, either of offending against the vows or of inducing relaxation of the rule in the Community"²⁰ (cf. n. 343).