Regula, caput X
The Time of Testing
Christ has appointed a set time and manner for testing and receiving women into religious life.
Christ has set this as the time and the manner for testing and receiving women into the religious life.
The Year of Trial
A candidate is tested over a full year through repeated returns, examination of her motives, proclamation of the hard demands of the order, and inquiry into her canonical freedom before the bishop.
If anyone asks to be received into the religious life, she is never to be admitted before a full year, but let her be told first: 'Come back to us after three months, and in the meantime we'll deliberate about you.' And when she returns at the appointed time, let the abbess ask her with what desire she seeks the religious life, by what bonds she is held in the world, and having heard her reasons and purpose, let her be told: 'Daughter, sometimes under the appearance of good there lies hidden a snare of false thoughtlessness, and not thinking ahead about what's coming trips up many people.' So come back to us after some months and show us your desire, whether it holds steady in what is good! When she returns and humbles herself just as before, let the hard and rough demands of the order be proclaimed to her: contempt of the world and forgetting one's parents. If she promises she will observe all these things, then around the end of the year the whole community will give its consent regarding her. But if she is such a person that there is no doubt about her life right from the start of her petition, all can give their consent regarding her; still, she is by no means to be admitted before a year to entrance and profession or to receiving the habit. Once consent for entry has been obtained, therefore, let her be sent for the bishop, who on being asked will come and consecrate her. When the bishop arrives he will go down to the church door, and let him ask her, who is waiting to enter the religious life, saying: 'Are you free and clear of every bond of the church, namely of marriage, of a vow, and of excommunication?'
The Examination and Consecration
The bishop examines the candidate's true motives, leads her into the church beneath a red banner of Christ and Mary, and consecrates her ring with a solemn blessing over lit candles during Mass.
If she answers, 'I am truly free,' let the bishop add: 'Is it perhaps shame or the pain of worldly hardship that's driving you to the religious life?' Or perhaps the burden of your unpaid debts is pressuring you?' When she replies, 'Not at all — no pain or shame drives me to this, but a burning love for Christ, and I've already paid all my debts as far as I'm able,' then let the bishop add further: 'Do you ask,' he says, 'to enter this religious life in the name of Jesus Christ and in honor of his most holy Mother, the Virgin Mary?' When she says, 'I do,' let the bishop lead her into the church, saying: 'See, now she enters this religious life worthily!' And as she enters the church, let a red banner be carried before her, on which is painted on one side the image of my Body that suffered, and on the other side the image of my Mother, so that as the new bride looks upon the sign of the new Bridegroom suffering on the cross, she may learn patience and poverty, and as she looks upon the Virgin Mother, she may learn chastity and humility. Therefore, when she's been led into the church, let her stand near the doors of the church, and let the bishop, stepping a little apart from her, consecrate her ring. Now when two candles have been lit and placed before the banner near her, and they burn while the Mass is celebrated, let the bishop say: 'Almighty, eternal God, who in mercy and compassion have betrothed to yourself a new bride, bless this ring, so that just as your handmaid outwardly bears on her hands the sign of a new bride, so inwardly she may be found worthy to carry your faith and love. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
The community seals the consecration rite with its assent.
Amen.
Read the original Latin
Christus disponit hic tempus et modum probacionis et recepcionis monialium ad religionem .
"Si qua ad religionem suscipi rogauerit, numquam ante vnum annum integrum recipiatur sed dicatur ei primo: 'Reuertere ad nos post tres menses et interim deliberabimus de te.' Cumque statuto tempore redierit, inquirat ab ea abbatissa, quo desiderio petit religionem quibusue vinculis tenetur in mundo, et auditis causis eius et proposito dicatur ei: 'Filia, quandoque sub specie boni latet falsitatis laqueus et inconsideracio futurorum multos supplantat. Reuertere ergo ad nos post aliquos menses et ostende nobis desiderium tuum, si perseuerat in bono!' Reuertente ergo illa et humiliante se sicut prius, predicentur ei dura et aspera ordinis, contemptus mundi et obliuio parentum. Que omnia si se seruaturam promiserit, tunc circa finem anni omnis congregacio consenciet in eam. Que si talis persona fuerit, quod de eius vita non est dubium, in ipso principio peticionis eius omnes consentire possunt in eam sed ante annum ad introitum et professionem seu habitus recepcionem nullatenus admittatur. Adepto itaque consensu ingressionis mittatur pro episcopo, qui rogatus veniens consecrabit eam. Veniens autem episcopus descendet ad ianuam ecclesie; et eam, que religionem ingressura est, expectantem episcopus ante fores interroget dicens: 'Es tu libera et ab omni vinculo ecclesie immunis, scilicet coniugii, voti et excommunicacionis?'
Que si responderit: 'Vere libera sum', subiungat episcopus: 'Numquid pudor aut forte dolor mundane aduersitatis compellit te ad religionem? Aut forte copia debitorum tuorum non solutorum coartat te?' Respondente illa: 'Nequaquam dolor seu pudor aliquis incitat me ad ista sed feruens amor Christi et omnia debita mea iuxta facultatem meam iam solui', tunc adhuc addat episcopus: 'Petis', inquit, 'ingressum huius religionis in nomine Ihesu Christi et in honore sanctissime Matris eius, Marie Virginis?' Dicente illa: 'Peto', introducat eam episcopus in ecclesiam dicens: 'Ecce nunc illa digne ingreditur hanc religionem!' Et cum ingreditur ecclesiam, feratur ante illam vexillum rubeum, in quo ymago corporis mei passi depicta sit ex parte vna et ymago Matris mee ex parte altera, vt aspiciens noua sponsa signum noui sponsi in cruce passi discat pacienciam et paupertatem et aspiciens Virginem Matrem discat castitatem et humilitatem. Introducta igitur illa in ecclesiam statuatur circa fores ecclesie et episcopus in aliam partem modicum ab ea secedens consecrabit annulum eius. Accensis autem duabus faculis, que ante vexillum ad eam accense portabuntur et ardebunt, quamdiu missa celebratur, dicat episcopus: 'Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui desponsasti tibi sponsam nouam in misericordia et miseracionibus, benedic annulum istum, vt, sicut exterius famula tua signum noue sponse portat in manibus, sic interius fidem tuam et caritatem portare mereatur. In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti.
Amen.'"
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