Question VIII: Concerning Religious and Nuns

I. Special obligations of religious. - Religious of either sex are bound by reason of their state:

1. To tend to perfection conformably to their rule and constitutions.

2. To observe the three vows of obedience, perfect chastity, and poverty.

3. To devote themselves to mental prayer, daily assistance at the Sacrifice of the altar, and other offices of piety.

4. At least every week to make sacramental confession, and frequently to approach Holy Communion.

5. To recite the divine office in choir, if this belongs to their religious institute; but those who have emitted solemn vows are bound in conscience also to private recitation.

6. To wear the habit of their religious institute.

7. To observe cloister.

8. To lead the common life.

9. To abstain from secular affairs, unbecoming arts, and worldly delights which are unbecoming to them, in the same way as was said for priests.

Superiors are bound to watch over all these things, and are moreover bound by special precepts.

II. Religious are to be questioned and admonished concerning their obligations, if any are of neglected conscience:

A. A religious of any kind: whether he has admitted any defect against the vows: against poverty, by receiving, giving, or using without permission; against perfect chastity, even by indulging impure fantasies or desires, by not avoiding occasions of sin, or by not sufficiently guarding his heart; against obedience, by not obeying special precepts of superiors or by despising them; whether he has not indulged tepidity or has not contemned the perfect life.

B. A nun in particular: whether she has recited the divine office; whether she has not nourished some dangerous friendship, for example if there have been at least words, or amorous letters, or dangerous familiarities; whether she is not held by some aversion toward her sisters; whether she has carefully fulfilled a particular office, if she has any, and does not abuse it.

C. A superior: whether she employs due diligence when men enter the monastery or stay there; whether she shows great goodness together with firmness in governing the monastery; whether she does not connive at abuses, especially new ones; while observing, says St. Alphonsus,¹ that although individual nuns sin lightly by transgressing a light rule, nevertheless superiors who do not take care to impede, when they can, the relaxation of observance, sin in a grave matter.

¹ Praxis Conf., n. 54.

III. The superior is especially to be admonished: 1. that she love all the religious without distinction as most dear daughters, and willingly hear each one and assist her; 2. that she not show herself credulous to denunciation, but inquire cautiously, and if she must correct, that she do this for the most part privately; 3. that she procure regular observance and herself go before all by her example; 4. that she take pains prudently to cut off abuses, if there are any; 5. that she have at heart that the sick be well cared for and often visited by their fellow sisters; 6. that she abstain from avarice and at the same time from luxury and superfluity; 7. that she use great consideration in admitting or dismissing novices; 8. that in extraordinary circumstances she consult the Ordinary in good time; 9. that she not prohibit to her subjects the liberty, sanctioned by the canons, of approaching an outside confessor for tranquility of conscience (can. 522); likewise that she not prohibit them from frequent or daily communion, except in the case of grave scandal until they have approached the sacrament of Penance (can. 595, sections 2 and 3).

IV. Counsels for the confessor of religious women, especially nuns.² - Certain things are to be observed by the confessor of religious women, certain things to be avoided.

² Aertnijs, Th. P., nn. 149-150.

A. Things to be observed. 1. Let the confessor strive to know those things which pertain to the perfection of the religious state, and those which pertain to the proper vocation of the respective religious institute.

2. Let him provide that religious women lay open their conscience to him with full confidence, which is supremely necessary, since they have almost their only refuge, especially if they are nuns, in the confessor; and if they are deprived of this, they are exposed to various anxieties and temptations like sheep destitute of a shepherd. Hence let his patience and paternal meekness be great; and if a religious woman shows signs of shame, let him earnestly help her.

3. Let him strive that religious women advance in virtues, such as: love of God, not sensible, but strong, impelling them to do the will of God even in arduous things; humility and modesty, both internal and external, joined with spiritual joy; obedience toward the rule, constitutions, superiors, and confessor, so that they obey promptly, faithfully, cheerfully, and blindly; charity toward sisters, so that they offend or sadden no one, forgive from the heart offenses received, bear the defects of others patiently and meekly, and help them when they can; chastity, which guards against every affection and familiarity.

4. Let him procure regular observance, exhorting them to perform all prescribed things accurately and from a true religious spirit.

5. Let him guard safe and intact the authority of the superior.

B. Things to be avoided. 1. Let the confessor converse with nuns rarely rather than frequently, and, where conversation is necessary, let him strive for brevity.

2. In giving responses let him not be too hasty, but in graver or doubtful questions let him take time for reconsidering.

3. Let him be too familiar with no one, nor show himself favoring one rather than another; otherwise dangers, aversions, and disturbances are apt to arise.

4. In hearing confessions let him disclose no weariness, impatience, or haste, because this diminishes confidence.

5. Let him not be disturbed or scandalized if at times he hears that graver sins have been committed, for example of the flesh or sacrilege; persons consecrated to God are more vehemently tempted, whence they are worthy of compassion rather than indignation.

6. Let him give no suspicion that he uses knowledge from confession for doing something external.

7. In no way let him involve himself in domestic governance, or in affairs pertaining to the Ordinary or to the superior, but let him remain within the limits of his office. Let him remember that he enjoys no authority in the external forum; wherefore let him beware lest he introduce novelties, unless perhaps for grave reasons and with the counsel and will of the superior and of the greater part of the community.

V. Observation concerning directing penitents in piety and perfection. - In this direction the confessor will be able to use those things which we have said in our little work Concerning Various Categories of Penitents, where concerning the pious and devout, and concerning the perfect and contemplative, c. 3, q. 1 and 2.