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31. Common life imitates the example of the early Church, in which “the community of believers were of one heart and one mind” (Acts 4, 32), and consists in the oneness and sameness of consecration, spirit, love, prayer and activity. Out of the many members, led by the Spirit of the Father, common life forges one family gathered in the name of the Lord. This family enjoys the presence of the Lord, gives evidence of this experience (c. Matthew 18: 20), and enhances the effectiveness of the apostolic activity to which the individual members commit themselves.
32. Thus it is clear that our Order, as an ecclesial community, is “a people made one with the unity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit”[52].
For this reason, in their life together, let the Brothers strive to live the perfect communion which exists among the Divine Persons by showing unity in plurality and plurality in unity.
A community of Brothers must live in a legally constituted house under the authority of a Minister, who is elected according to the norms of law. Each house is to have at least a chapel in which the Eucharist is celebrated and reserved and which is, thus, the very center of the community[53].
33. The common life is achieved by the observance of the same Rule and Constitutions, whereby the members take part in community acts and share the same rights and responsibilities. Varying duties, however, may be assigned for the right reason to each of the Brothers, as if they were well coordinated members of the same body.
34. The Trinitarian community originates and grows from an intimate communion with God. This communion blooms in a special way in the frequent hearing and sharing of God’s Word and in the celebration of the liturgy, particularly the Eucharist and penance.
The community thrives and prospers through a frank and open communication among the Brothers. This communitarian dialogue, by a cordial acceptance of each other, by a joyful sharing of spiritual and temporal goods, and by rendering each other a service of charity that comes from the heart[54].
The Minister has charge of the Brothers. He exercises his authority primarily in the spirit of service and as the animator of the community.
35. Community life demands that the Brothers comply with those observances and laws that are prescribed by the Church and the Order.
In addition to other ordinances that are contained elsewhere in the Order’s legislation, here are some specific observances which, as the case may be, apply to the life of the local community, to the province or the whole Order:
-The Brothers are to wear the habit of the Order, made as it is prescribed in the Order’s legislation, as a sign of their consecration and of our brotherhood[55].
The Minister General can permit the use of other clothing when particular circumstances warrant and as long as these circumstances persist.
-The Brothers, in keeping with the demands of common life, “are to dwell in their own religious house and are not to absent themselves from it without the permission of their Superior”[56]. In granting this permission, the directives of the general law and of our own legislation are to be observed.
-To safeguard the Brothers’ privacy and meditative environment, and to enhance their ability to work and their general well-being, let the cloister be kept in all houses, “with some part of the religious house always being reserved to the members alone”[57].
-“Necessary discretion is to be observed in the use of the media of social communication and whatever is harmful to one’s vocation and dangerous to a consecrated person’s chastity is to be avoided”[58].
-Let all have great appreciation for the common table, the times of relaxation, the chapters and other community gatherings, which strengthen common life and attest to it.
-Let the care of the sick brothers, which proves the special love of the community for their less able members, and the hospitality shown toward guest be performed so graciously and joyfully as to contribute evermore to the bonding of all members of the Order.
-In keeping with the ancient custom of the Church and the Order, let the Brothers who have passed from this life and who are undergoing their purification enjoy the suffrages that are prescribed in our General Directory, in particular the Sacrifice of the Mass, which is to be said on set days in all the Order.
Since, however, the above said observances require arrangements that take into consideration the different conditions of times and places, they are detailed in the General Directory and in the statutes of the provinces. Church.
32. Thus it is clear that our Order, as an ecclesial community, is “a people made one with the unity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit”[52].
For this reason, in their life together, let the Brothers strive to live the perfect communion which exists among the Divine Persons by showing unity in plurality and plurality in unity.
A community of Brothers must live in a legally constituted house under the authority of a Minister, who is elected according to the norms of law. Each house is to have at least a chapel in which the Eucharist is celebrated and reserved and which is, thus, the very center of the community[53].
33. The common life is achieved by the observance of the same Rule and Constitutions, whereby the members take part in community acts and share the same rights and responsibilities. Varying duties, however, may be assigned for the right reason to each of the Brothers, as if they were well coordinated members of the same body.
34. The Trinitarian community originates and grows from an intimate communion with God. This communion blooms in a special way in the frequent hearing and sharing of God’s Word and in the celebration of the liturgy, particularly the Eucharist and penance.
The community thrives and prospers through a frank and open communication among the Brothers. This communitarian dialogue, by a cordial acceptance of each other, by a joyful sharing of spiritual and temporal goods, and by rendering each other a service of charity that comes from the heart[54].
The Minister has charge of the Brothers. He exercises his authority primarily in the spirit of service and as the animator of the community.
35. Community life demands that the Brothers comply with those observances and laws that are prescribed by the Church and the Order.
In addition to other ordinances that are contained elsewhere in the Order’s legislation, here are some specific observances which, as the case may be, apply to the life of the local community, to the province or the whole Order:
-The Brothers are to wear the habit of the Order, made as it is prescribed in the Order’s legislation, as a sign of their consecration and of our brotherhood[55].
The Minister General can permit the use of other clothing when particular circumstances warrant and as long as these circumstances persist.
-The Brothers, in keeping with the demands of common life, “are to dwell in their own religious house and are not to absent themselves from it without the permission of their Superior”[56]. In granting this permission, the directives of the general law and of our own legislation are to be observed.
-To safeguard the Brothers’ privacy and meditative environment, and to enhance their ability to work and their general well-being, let the cloister be kept in all houses, “with some part of the religious house always being reserved to the members alone”[57].
-“Necessary discretion is to be observed in the use of the media of social communication and whatever is harmful to one’s vocation and dangerous to a consecrated person’s chastity is to be avoided”[58].
-Let all have great appreciation for the common table, the times of relaxation, the chapters and other community gatherings, which strengthen common life and attest to it.
-Let the care of the sick brothers, which proves the special love of the community for their less able members, and the hospitality shown toward guest be performed so graciously and joyfully as to contribute evermore to the bonding of all members of the Order.
-In keeping with the ancient custom of the Church and the Order, let the Brothers who have passed from this life and who are undergoing their purification enjoy the suffrages that are prescribed in our General Directory, in particular the Sacrifice of the Mass, which is to be said on set days in all the Order.
Since, however, the above said observances require arrangements that take into consideration the different conditions of times and places, they are detailed in the General Directory and in the statutes of the provinces. Church.