American-Cassinese Congregation

The Constitutions and the Directory

Part I: Matters Pertaining to the Individual Monasteries

Chapter II: The Abbot and Governance of the Monastery

Article 4: The Officials of the Monastery

C 32.1. The abbot is to appoint certain officials who share his responsibility for the community in spiritual and temporal matters. In each monastery these officials are:

1. The claustral prior, who discharges those duties that the abbot has committed to him and presides over the community when the abbot is absent or impeded (RB 65);
2. The subprior, who assists the abbot and prior according to the abbot’s instruction and presides over the community when the abbot and the prior are absent or impeded;
3. The master of novices (RB 58:6; C 39);
4. The master of junior monks (C 57);
5. The procurator, who is the chief financial officer (RB 31; C 34).

C 32.2. With due regard for the provisions of C 39, all of the above-named officials must be capitulars of the monastery and are not to be appointed without previous consultation with the council of seniors.

D 32.1. Before appointing a prior the abbot is to consult the capitulars of the monastery.

D 32.2. In larger monasteries the abbot may appoint deans to have responsibility for a portion of the monastic community. They are to exercise their responsibility in accordance with the directives of the abbot (RB 21).

D 32.3. 1. In each monastery of the Congregation an archivist is to be appointed, so that important documentation of the monastery’s life and history can be properly maintained and preserved.

D 32.3. 2. When possible, the archivist should be trained in archival science.

D 32.4. The order of the community is established in D 131.3.

American-Cassinese Congregation * Table of Contents