CHAPTER 63
116 The Rule, Chapter 63 When Benedictinism was transplanted to the United States, there was no doubt about the monks' need to become involved in parishes, missions, and chaplaincies. Many a monk entered his community as a young man, professed vows, was ordained, and then spent the remaining active years of his life in assignments outside the monastery. The monastic community needs priestly services, but so does the Church at large.
This has been the American Benedictine tradition.
Chapter 62, although addressed to monks who are priests, applies to everyone else. It says: Avoid conceit, pride, presumption. Be obedient, subject to the Rule. Don't be rebellious.
CHAPTER 63
Community Rank Our Brother Vital had already outlived several of his contemporaries and when another much younger monk died, he commented, "The trouble with this place is that no one dies in seniority." Brother Vital didn't like to see people dying out of rank. St. Benedict doesn't like to see them stepping out of rank. "The monks keep their rank in the monastery according to the date of their entry, . . . When they lead psalms or stand in choir, they do so in the order decided by the abbot or already existing among them."
You are familiar with seniority, too, at the places where you work and in the organizations to which you belong. There is even seniority in families. Older children have a status different from younger children. Seniority is part of good order, and St. Benedict is all for orderliness in his monastery. "For example, someone who came to the monastery at the second hour of the day must recognize that he is junior to someone who came at the first hour, regardless of age or distinction."
The Rule, Chapter 63 117 Seniority in the monastery is attained by having arrived on the scene first.
St. Benedict does suggest that monks can be promoted.
'The virtue of their lives and the decision of the abbot" can have bearing on the position a monk achieves in the monastery. Yet, St. Benedict cautions the abbot "not to disturb the flock entrusted to him nor make any unjust arrangements, as though he had the power to do whatever he wished. He must constantly reflect that he will have to give God an account of all his decisions and actions." A monk should not be given a responsible position merely because he is virtuous. He should also be competent lest he botch up things for the whole community. The abbot must use some common sense in the matter of appointments.
"Absolutely nowhere shall age automatically determine rank. Remember that Samuel and Daniel were still boys when they judged their elders (1 Sam 3; Dan 13:44-62)." In chapter
3, St. Benedict insists that "all should be called for counsel" because "the Lord often reveals what is better to the younger." St. Benedict has confidence in his young monks. When modern-day monks of my generation or older tend to disregard the opinions of junior monks, we need to recall St. Benedict's attitude. The juniors may be telling us something important, and we should be willing to listen. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the young people in every home and in every parish had an opportunity to speak and to be listened to? St. Benedict recommends that we keep open the lines of communication.
He also says, "The younger monks, then, must respect their seniors, and the seniors must love their juniors."
St. Benedict moves on to the subject of titles. "When they address one another, no one should be allowed to do so simply by name." For St. Benedict, addressing one another on a firstname basis was a sign of disrespect. When I was a young monk, it certainly was not customary for us to address one an-
118 The Rule, Chapter 63 other without using the proper titles before our names: Father,
Frater (a student for the priesthood), and Brother. In fact, it was forbidden, but of course, it happened, especially among one's peers. In this day most of us in the ranks address one another more informally. It not only seems more modern but more American as well. Even so, the Rule still obliges us to show proper respect. The quote from the Letter to the Romans used by St. Benedict in chapter 63 still applies: "They should each try to be the first to show respect to the other (Rom 12:10)/'
Keeping this in mind, we may be able to avoid namecalling, which is always disrespectful.
Our old laundryman (and infirmarian), Brother Alexius, had all of our laundry numbers memorized, and he often greeted us with them. "Hello, 94!" or "What can I do for you, 67?"
St. Benedict probably would have been aghast to hear monks called by a number. But we were amazed that Brother Alexius could identify all of us in this fashion. We liked to shout out numbers to him, and he would quickly name the monk who had that number stamped on all his articles of clothing.
In this chapter of the Rule, St. Benedict provides us with two examples of etiquette. The junior is to ask for a blessing whenever he meets a senior. In our day, both the junior and the senior would find this impractical and unnecessary. The second point of etiquette is the young monk's standing whenever an older monk enters the room and offering the older man his chair. Our parents, long before we had read the Rule of St.
Benedict, told us to do the same thing.
St. Benedict concludes chapter 63 by saying that "In the oratory and at table, small boys and youths are kept in rank and under discipline." Outside of these places "they should be supervised and controlled until they are old enough to be responsible." Even Maurus and Placid had to be supervised.
In our age of getting ahead, sometimes by stepping over (and on) people, St. Benedict says, stay where you are. If you