Secreta Monita Societatis Jesu. The Secret Counsels of the Society of Jesus, in Latin and English — John Shaqi
Secreta Monita Societatis Jesu. The Secret Counsels of the Society of Jesus, in Latin and English
History
Secreta Monita Societatis Jesu. The Secret Counsels of the Society of Jesus, in Latin and English
Jesuits -- Controversial Literature
II. Vetandum tamen ex altera parte devotabus nostris, ne monasteria
fæminarum frequentent, ne vivendi ratio illa ipsis magis arrideat, et
sic societas expectatione omnium bonorum, quæ possident, frustretur;
inducantur vero ad præstandum votum castitatis et obedientiæ in manibus
confessarii sui, ostendanturque illam vivendi rationem esse conformem
primitivæ ecclesiæ moribus, utpote lucentem in domo, et non sub modio
sine proximi ædificatione ac fructu animarum; præterquam quod exemplo
viduarum illarum evangelicarum Christo in sociis suis benefaciant de
substantia sua: denique omnia quæ in præjudicium claustralis vitæ sunt,
exponantur, eique applicent, hujusmodi instructiones illis sub secreti
sigillo communicent, ne forte ad aures religiosorum perveniant.
CHAP. XV.
_Concerning the treatment of nuns and devotees._
I. The confessors and preachers should be extremely careful not to
offend nuns, nor tempt them from their vocation, but on the contrary by
conciliating the affection, especially of the superiors, they should
bring it about, that at least the principal confessions will be heard,
and discourses delivered by themselves, receiving in return the gratitude
of the nuns; for noble and rich abbesses can render great service to the
society, both personally and through their parents and friends, so that
by the aid of the principal monasteries, they may, by degrees obtain the
favor and friendship of almost the whole city where they reside.
II. On the other hand, our devotees should be forbidden to frequent
nunneries, lest they become too fond of that manner of life, and our
society be, in that way, cheated of its expectation, of obtaining all
their property: but, let them be induced to perform the vow of chastity
and obedience, under the guidance of their confessor, having instructed
them that this is the true method agreeably to the practice of the
primitive church, rather to let their light shine through the house,
than to hide it under a bushel, useless to our neighbor and barren of
good to souls: imitating those holy widows who ministered to Christ, let
them bestow their goods on his companions: in short, let every thing
prejudicial to a cloistered life be told, and urged against it; but such
instructions as these must be given under the seal of secrecy, lest they
come to the knowledge of other orders.
CAP. XVI.
_De contemptu divitiarum palam præ se ferendo._
I. Ne sæculares nobis adscribant nimium affectum erga divitias, juvabit
nonnunquam recusare eleemosynas minoris momenti, quæ pro officiis à
societate præstitis offeruntur; quamquam ab iis qui omnino nobis sunt
addicti, etiam minimas quascumque acceptare conveniat, ne avaritiæ
arguamur, si tantum dona insigniora admittamus.
II. Negandæ erunt sepulturæ personis vilibus, in templis nostris, quamvis
valde addicti fuerint societati, ne videamur pluralitate mortuorum
divitias venari, et constet de beneficiis quæ à mortuo recipimus.
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