VINCENTIAN STUDIES COURSE

BOQUERON, CHIRIQUI, PANA

JOHN P. PRAGER, C.M. 1995

1. THE COMMON RULES

GOAL: Understand how St. Vincent tried to organize the community through rules inspired by the charism.

READINGS FOR THE TEACHER:

Coppo, A., "La prima Stresura delle Regole e Costituzioni della Missione," Vincentiana 3 (l957), p. 206ff.

 Corera, J., La Comunidad en las Reglas Comunes," in Diez Estudios Vicencianos, (Salamanca:CEME,l983), p.89-106.

 --, "Las Reglas o Constituciones Comunes de la C.M.," in Vicente de Paúl: La Inspiración Permanente, (Salamanca:CEME, l982), p. 187-215.

 Pérez-Flores, M., "La Legislación Vicenciana y la Evangelización de los Pobres,"Vincentiana 31 (l987), p. 706- 724.

 Rybolt, J., "Codex Sarzana," Vincentiana 33 (l991), p. 303-406.

READINGS FOR THE NOVICES:

The Common Rules

 Coste, I, 469-479.

OPTIONAL READINGS:

Davitt, T., "St. Vincent, the Common Rules and the Individual Confrere," Colloque 12 (l985), p. 454-463.

 Community Life in the Time of St. Vincent and Our Own, (Document of the Preparatory Commision for the l980 General Assembly).

POINTS OF EMPHASIS:

1. It's important to understand the Common Rules in the context of the 17th Century. Many things only make sense when viewed in that light.

2. The focal point of the whole document is the first paragraph on the end of the congregation. The end, evangelization of the poor, is rarely mentioned explicitly again.But it's understood that all of the other rules flow from this.

3. SOURCES & INFLUENCES

a. The experience of living the Vincentian charism
b. The life of Christ(every chapter begins with Jesus)
c. Other rules(especially the Jesuits).

4. Goals of the Common Rules

a. Institutionalize the spirit.
b. Protect the spirit from outside influences
c. Organize community life
d. Promote uniformity.

5. Some things that are missing from the Common Rules

a. The fulness of the Vincentian vision: It's a good compendium and a reference point. But, even St. Vincent felt compelled to give more in his conferences.

b. Government: The Rules deal more with the spirit. Norms for the government of the community were given in other documents: Select Constitutions,etc.

c. Punishment: The Rules say:" we will do this..." They never say what are the consequences for not fulfilling the norms. This reflects the Vincentian tradition of giving the local superior wide authority. The reason was not to raise the superior above everyone else. Rather it was a way to humanize the rules by having someone on the local scene capable of adapting the rules to particular circumstances.