Chapter II
Acceptance into this Life

4. Those who through God’s inspiration come to us desiring to accept this way of life are to be received kindly. At the appropriate time, they are to be presented to the ministers of the community who hold responsibility to admit them.

5. The ministers shall ascertain that the aspirants truly adhere to the Catholic faith and the Church’s sacramental life. If the aspirants are found fitting, they are to be initiated into the life of the community. Let everything pertaining to this gospel way of life be explained to them, especially these words of the Lord: “If you want to be perfect (Mt 19:21), go sell all your possessions (cf. Lk 18:22) and give to the poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Mt 16:24).

6. Led by God, let them begin a life of penance, conscious that all of us must be continuously and totally converted. As a sign of their conversion and consecration to gospel life, they are to clothe themselves plainly and live in simplicity.

7. When their initial formation is completed, they are to be received into obedience promising to observe this life and rule always. Let them put aside all attachment as well as every care and worry. Let them only be concerned to serve, love, adore and honor God, as best they can, with a single heart and pure mind.

8. Within themselves, let them always make a dwelling place and home for the one who is Lord God almighty, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, so that with undivided hearts, they may increase in universal love by continually turning to God and to neighbor (Jn 14:23).

 

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Chapter III
The Spirit of Prayer

9. Everywhere and in each place, and in every season and each day, the brothers and sisters are to have a true and humble faith. From the depths of their inner life, let them love, honor, adore, serve, praise, bless and glorify our most high and eternal God who is Father and Son and Holy Spirit. With all that they are, let the adore God because “we should pray always and not lose heart” (Lk 18:1): This is what God desires. In this same spirit let them also celebrate the Liturgy of the Hours in union with the whole Church.

The sisters and brothers whom God has called to the life of contemplation (Mk 6:31), with a daily renewed joy should manifest their special dedication and celebrate the divine love for the world. It was God who created us, who redeemed us, and who shall save us by mercy alone.

10. With all creatures the brothers and sisters should praise the Ruler of heaven and earth (cf. Mt 11:25), and give thanks because, by the holy will and through the only Son with the Holy Spirit, God created all things spiritual and material, and created us in the divine image and likeness.

11. Since the sisters and brothers are to be totally conformed to the Gospel, they should reflect upon and keep in their hearts the words of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the word of God, as well as the words of the Holy Spirit which “are spirit and life” (Jn 6:63).

12. Let them participate in the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ and receive his Body and Blood with great humility and reverence remembering the words of the Lord: “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life” (Jn 6:54). Further, they are to show the greatest possible reverence and honor for the most sacred name, written words and most holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom all things in heaven and on earth have been brought to peace and reconciliation with Almighty God (Col 1:20).

13. Whenever they commit sin the brothers and sisters, without delay, are to do penance interiorly by sincere sorrow and exteriorly by confessing their sins to a priest. They should also do worthy deeds that manifest their repentance. They should fast an always strive to be simple and humble. They should desire nothing else but our Savior, who offered himself in his own Blood as a sacrifice on the altar of the Cross for our sin, giving us an example that we might follow in his footsteps.

 

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Chapter IV
The Life of Chastity for the Sake of the Kingdom

14. Let the sisters and brothers keep in mind how great a dignity God has given them “because God created them and formed them in the image of the beloved Son according to the flesh and in God’s own likeness according to the Spirit” (Col 1:16). Since they are created through Christ and in Christ, they have chosen this form of life which is founded on the words and deeds of our Redeemer.

15. Professing chastity “for the sake of the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 19:12), they are to care for the things of the Lord and “they seek nothing else except to follow the will of God and to please God” (1 Co 7:32). In all of their works the love of God and all people should shine forth.

16. They are to remember that they have been called by a special gift of grace to manifest in their lives that wonderful mystery by which the Church is joined to Christ her spouse (cf. Ep 5:23-26).

17. Let the brothers and sisters keep the example of the most blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God and our Lord Jesus Christ, ever before their eyes. Let them do this according to the exhortation of Blessed Francis who held Holy Mary, Lady and Queen, in highest veneration, since she is “the virgin made church.” Let them also remember that the Immaculate Virgin Mary whose example they are to follow called herself “The handmaid of the Lord” (Lk 1:38).

 

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Chapter V
The Way to Serve and Work

18. As poor people, the sisters and brothers to whom God has given the grace of serving or working should serve and work faithfully and devoutly. Let them avoid idleness which is the enemy of the soul. They should not be so busy, however, that they would extinguish the spirit of holy prayer and devotion which all earthly goods should serve.

19. In exchange for their service or work, they may expect anything necessary for their own temporal needs and for that of their sisters or brothers. Let them accept it humbly as is expected of those who are servants of God and followers of the most holy poverty. Whatever they may have over and above their needs, they are to give to the poor. Let them never want to be over others. Instead they should be servants and subjects to every human creature for God’s sake (1 P 2:13).

20. Let the brothers and sisters be peaceful, gentle and unassuming, mild and humble, speak respectfully to all in accord with their vocation. Wherever they are, or wherever they go throughout the world they should not be quarrelsome, contentious, or judgmental toward others. Rather, it should be obvious that they are “joyful, good-humored,” and happy in the Lord as they ought to be (cf. Ph 4:4). And in greeting other, let them say, “God give you peace.”

 

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Chapter IV
The Life of Poverty

21. Let all the sisters and brothers zealously follow the poverty and humility of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though rich beyond measure (2 Co 8:9), He emptied himself for our sake (Ph 2:7) and with the most Blessed Virgin, his mother, he chose poverty in this world. Let them be mindful that they should have only those goods of this world which, as the Apostle says, “having something to eat and something to wear, with these we are content” (1 Tim 6:8). Let them particularly beware of money. And let them be happy to live among the outcast and despised, among the poor, the weak, the sick, the lepers and those who beg on the street.

22. The truly poor in spirit, following the example of the Lord, live in this world as pilgrims and strangers (cf. 1P 2:1). They neither appropriate nor defend anything as their own. So excellent is this most high poverty that it makes us heirs and rulers of the kingdom of heaven. It makes us materially poor, but rich in virtue (cf. Jm 2:5). Let this poverty alone be our portion because it leads to the land of the living (Ps 141:6). Clinging completely to it let us, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, never want anything else under heaven.

 

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Chapter VII:  
 Love of Brothers and Sisters

23. Because God Loves us, the brothers and sisters should love each other, for the Lord says, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (Jn 15:12). Let them manifest their love for each other in deeds (cf. 1 Jn 3:18).With confidence let them make known their needs to one another so that each can find and offer to the other that which is necessary. Blessed are those who love the others when they are sick and unable to serve, as much as when they are healthy and of service to them. Whether in sickness or in health, they should only want what God wishes for them. For all that happens to them, let them give thanks to their Creator.

24. If discord caused by word or deed should occur among them, they should immediately (Mt 18:35) and humbly ask forgiveness of one another even before their gift of prayer before God (cf. Mt 5:24). If anyone seriously neglects the form of life all profess, the minister, or others who may know of it, are to admonish that person. Those giving the admonition should neither embarrass nor speak evil of the other, but show great kindness. Let all be carefully attentive not to become angry or upset because of another’s sin. For anger and disturbance impede love in themselves and in others.

 

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Chapter VIII
The Obedience of Love

25. Following the example of Our Lord Jesus Christ who made his own will one with the Father’s, the sisters and brothers are to remember that for God, they should give up their own wills. Therefore, in every kind of chapter they have let them “seek first the kingdom of God and His justice” (Mt 6:33), and exhort one another to observe with greater dedication the rule they have professed and to follow faithfully in the footprints of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Let them neither dominate nor seek power over one another, but let them willingly serve and obey “one another with that genuine love which comes from each one’s heart (cf. Ga 5:13). This is the true and holy obedience of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

26. They are always to have one of their number as minister and servant of the fraternity whom they are strictly obliged to obey in all that they have promised the Lord to observe, and which is not contrary to conscience or this rule.

27. Those who are ministers and servants of the others should visit, admonish, and encourage them with humility and love. Should there be brothers of sisters anywhere who know and acknowledge that they cannot observe the rule according to its spirit, it is their right and duty to have recourse to their ministers. The ministers are to receive them with such love, kindness, and sympathy that the sisters or brother can speak and act toward them as an employer would with a worker. This is how it should be. The ministers are to be servants of all.

28. No one is to appropriate any office or ministry as if it were a personal right; rather each should willingly relinquish it when the time comes.

 

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Chapter IX
Apostolic Life

29. The brother and sisters are to love the Lord “with their whole heart, with their whole soul and mind, and with all their strength,” and to love their neighbor as themselves. Let them glorify the Lord in all they do. For He has sent them into the world so that they might give witness by word and work to His voice and to make known to all that the Lord alone is God (cf. Mk 12:30, Mt 22:30).

30. As they pronounce peace with their lips, let them be careful to have it even more within their own hearts. No one should be roused to wrath or insult on their account, rather all should be moved to peace, goodwill and mercy because of their gentleness. The sisters and brothers are called to heal the wounded, to bind up those who are bruised, and to reclaim the erring. Wherever they are, they should recall that they have given themselves up completely and handed themselves over totally to Our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, they should be prepared to expose themselves to every enemy, visible and invisible, for the love of the Lord because he says, “Blessed are they who suffer persecution for the sake of justice, theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:10).

31. In that love which is God (1 Jn 4:16) all the brothers and sisters, whether they are engaged in prayer, or in announcing the word of God, or in serving, or in doing manual labor, should strive to be humble in everything. They should not because of a good work or word God does or speaks in or through them, seek glory or rejoice or exult interiorly. Rather, in every place and circumstance, let them acknowledge that all good belongs to the Most High God, Ruler of all things. Let them always give thanks to the one from Whom all good proceeds.

Exhortation and Blessing

32. Let the sisters and brothers always be mindful that they should desire one thing alone, namely, the Spirit of God at work within them. Always obedient to the Church and firmly established in the Catholic faith, let them live according to the poverty, the humility and the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ which they have solemnly promised to observe.

“Whoever will observe these things shall be filled with the blessings of the most high Father in heaven, and on earth with the blessing of the beloved Son, with the Holy Spirit, and with all the virtues and with all the saints.

And I, Brother Francis, your little servant, in so far as I am able, confirm to you within and without this most holy blessing.”

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