A monastic community is a human community.
While striving for union with God and one another and for harmony with the
created world, a Benedictine monastery is dependent upon tangible goods
and services. Thus it must concern itself with temporalities. Temporalities
include provision for those things which pertain to the needs of all: formation
programs for new members and continuing formation of all community members;
educational requirements and health care; opportunities for relaxation;
programs for meeting future community needs, including the retirement needs
of the members. A Benedictine monastery must prudently acquire what is necessary
to meet its corporate responsibilities in these areas.
Out of the abundance of God's love, Benedictine communities have enjoyed
many good things (RB 2:35-36). As stewards, they are called to share these
resources among themselves and with others of the human family who have
needs.
Corporate ownership obliges each sister to use all things with care and
in moderation. The official administrators of the temporal goods of the
community, as well as the members, are responsible for the wise use of the
monastery's resources. Benedictine communities must administer their corporate
holdings justly so that they will be able to witness publicly to the evangelical
poverty each member has promised in her commitment to monastic life. Detachment
in the use of material goods will free communities and enable them to hear
more clearly the cry of the poor (RB 53:15). In a culture which acquires
wealth for its own sake, Benedictine communities will thus be reminders
of the transient value of earthly things and of everyone's right to share
in God's abundant gifts.
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© Federation of St. Scholatica, 1997