Chapter 24
the time of St. Benedict, it was not yet a prerequisite that a "spiritual father" be also an ordained priest. In the light of this circumstance, it becomes appar ent that these "spiritual fathers" were not necessarily ministers of the sacra ment of penance.
As soon, however, as the "spiritual fathers" were as a general rule also ordained priests, especially in the cloisters, it was no longer a far step towards the sacrament of penance, at least from an extrinsic point of view. But the Holy Rule belonged as yet to the old monastic tradition in this matter. It was the Scotch-Irish monks, in the seventh century, who introduced private sacra mental confession and penance to the West. They thereby brought to a head a long overdue development.
TWENTY-FOURTH CHAPTER
What the Measure of Excommunication should be The severity of an excommunication, above all its nature as a punishment, should be based upon the kind of the transgres sion; and the decision as to the kind of the transgression lies with the abbot.
Nevertheless, should a brother be found guilty of a minor in fraction, he shall be excluded from attendance at the (common) table. This exclusion from meals with the brethren means, in effect, that a brother shall be forbidden to intone a psalm or antiphon or read a lesson in the oratory until he makes satisfac tion. He shall take his refection, his meals, alone after the brethren, so that if his confreres, for example, dine at the sixth hour, he shall do so at the ninth; or if the brethren dine at the ninth hour, he shall eat in the evening, until he has obtained pardon by means of some adequate atonement.
TWENTY-FIFTH CHAPTER
Of graver Faults But a brother who has been found guilty of more grievous faults shall be excommunicated at the same time from the com mon table and from the oratory. None of the brethren may as sociate with him or speak to him. He shall labor alone at his