A Tree Is Known by its Fruit
“Wait a little, daughter, and you shall see great things.”After about five years at the first foundation of St. Joseph’s in Avila, Spain, perhaps the reputation of the new monastery had reached the ears of the Father General of the Order, Fr. Juan-Baptiste Rossi, called Rubeo, who came to Avila from Rome. Such travels were unusual for Father Generals. When Saint Teresa heard of his presence, she invited him to the monastery. He was so impressed by what he saw that he ordered St. Teresa to make as many foundations as possible. It was not long before he approved her Constitutions as well. That the Father General approved the Constitutions was testified by the Provincial of the Carmelites of Castile, Father Angel de Salazar, a contemporary of St. Teresa (The Constitutions – Introduction, The Complete Works of St. Teresa of Avila, Vol. 3, translated by Kieran Kavanaugh, OCD, and Olitio Rodriguez, OCD, Institute of Carmelite Studies, Washington, DC.). The bishop of Avila, Alvaro de Mendoza, and Pope Pius IV both approved her Constitutions in 1565 (A Teresian Chronology, Ibid.). St. Teresa completed her classic teaching on prayer, The Way of Perfection, which served as “a commentary on the constitutions she drafted for them (The Way of Perfection, Introduction, Ibid.),” in 1566 and mentioned there her Constitutions (The Way of Perfection, Chapter 4, Ibid.).
Some of the Last Shall be First
There are many admonitions in the Gospels regarding those who are called to the religious estate: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it (Mt 10:37,38,39).” “Some seed fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots (Mt 13:5,6).” “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn (Mt 13:30).” “Many who are first will be last, and the last will be first (Mt 19:30).” “The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve (Mt 20:28).” “A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ He said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards he changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did his father’s will?” They answered, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you (Mt 21 28-31).” “The kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit (Mt 21:43).” “Many are called, but few are chosen (Mt 22:14).” “They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces (Mt 23 6,7).” “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted (Mt 23:12).” “You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence (Mt 23:25).” “You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing (Mt 23: 27,28).” “You are the children of those who murdered the prophets (Mt 23:31).” “You serpents, you brood of vipers, how can you flee from the judgment of Gehenna? (Mt 23:33).” And then there is the foreboding parable of the ten virgins. When those who had let their lamps go out asked to be admitted to the marriage feast, they were told, “Amen, I say to you, I do not know you (Mt 25:12).”
It seems that none of these warnings applied to the founders of the first reformed monastery of St. Joseph’s in Avila. St. Teresa described them as “angelic souls:” “They didn’t seem to me to be anything else, for there was no fault they hid from me, even if interior. And the favors, and ardent desires, and detachment the Lord gave them were great (Foundations 1:6).” It is significant that these “ardent souls” loved solitude, which is a characteristic of those who are receiving infused contemplative prayer, according to Carmelite teaching. “Their consolation was their solitude. They assured me that they never tired of being alone.… The one who had the greater opportunity to remain in a hermitage considered herself the luckiest (Foundations 1:6).” More women came until the number reached thirteen.
Saint Teresa Prays in a Hermitage for the Salvation of Souls
A Franciscan missionary named Alonso Maldonado came to the monastery to ask for prayers. He told St. Teresa about the great number of souls being lost because of the lack of Christian instruction. St. Teresa was profoundly affected by his visit; she went to a hermitage on the grounds of the monastery and begged the Lord to give her a way to win souls for Him, at least through her prayer since that was all she could do. Jesus appeared to her “in His usual way” and consoled her with the words, “Wait a little, daughter, and you will see great things (Foundations 1:8).” At the time she did not understand these words, but after the visit of the Father General leaving numerous letters of permission for more monasteries, and the numerous foundations that followed, which she says she could not have even imagined, our Lord’s prediction proved true.
St. Teresa often felt that God had a purpose in gathering together such gifted and courageous women. Her intuitions proved to be right when the Father General encouraged her to found more monasteries. Some of these Sisters brought the founding charism to the new foundations: for example, Maria (of Ocampo) Bautista (who is credited with having the original idea “to found a monastery (Life 32: 10)” and Ana of the Angels, who went with her, along with four nuns from her former monastery (the Incarnation in Avila), to establish a foundation in Medina del Campo, about 50 miles northeast of Avila.
Old Friends and New Enemies
St. Teresa always spoke well of the newly founded Society of Jesus (Jesuits). They had guided her soul through the tempests of spiritual betrothal, of persecution and misunderstanding on the part of other nuns and confessors, and many of them had assured her that her prayer and mystical experiences were authentic, particularly the future canonized Saint Francis Borgia. So when she contacted the new Provincial in Medina del Campo, where there were many Jesuits, he agreed to help. He happened to be her old confessor, who had not understood her soul very well although he had been kind to her: Father Balthasar de Alvarez.
St. Teresa had her permissions from the Father General, but no money. On top of that, the criticism coming from the town, including some of her friends, was harsh. Some people said she was mentally ill; others dismissed the idea as foolishness. But St. Teresa felt sure that God had made His will known to her, and so she began to plan for the foundation.
A young woman named Isabel Fontecha, who had wanted to enter St. Joseph’s but was unable due to lack of a room, offered a small amount with the agreement that she would enter the new foundation in Medina. Later this women made her vows at the new foundation in Medina, taking the name Isabel of Jesus. St. Teresa wrote to an Abbot of the Carmelite monastery in Medina named Anthony of Heredia, who bought a house in a good location, the gift of a devout woman who was willing to sell without any collateral. However, the house was entirely collapsed with the exception of one room, so another house was rented. (Fr. Anthony of Jesus later helped to found the first monastery of men, along with St. John of the Cross, in Duruelo. He helped the new foundations throughout his life, and assisted at the deaths of both St. Teresa and St. John of the Cross.) So, with the help of two new friends, the Saint slowly traveled to the festive city of Medina del Campo, where the bulls had just been corralled for the bullfights on the next day, with her small band of founders (two from St. Joseph’s and four from her former monastery), and Fr. Julian of Avila, a diocesan priest who had been assigned to the chaplaincy of St. Joseph’s, which he served until his death. (His sister Maria Davila de San Jose, Maria of St. Joseph, was one of the first four nuns to take the habit there.)
Arriving at nightfall in the town of Arevalo, the little band was greeted by a priest-friend who informed them that the Augustinian friars who lived near the house where they had intended to lodge were not pleased by their arrival, and would begin a lawsuit. This was just one of many lawsuits St. Teresa contended with during her lifetime. The Augustinians apparently did not want to share the resources available in the area, or perhaps were threatened by the new community of reformed religious. Whatever the reason, God’s mysterious providence again revealed itself because lodging in that same town of Arevalo was “a very great servant of God (Foundations 3:5),” a Dominican friar named Domingo Banez who came to see St. Teresa, consoling her with the opinion that all would be well. This man, who was one of the greatest theologians of the sixteenth century, had defended St. Joseph’s in Avila, and later proved to be one of the Saints greatest friends and advocates.
St. Teresa and friends agreed the next day to begin in the tumbledown house, having been assured by Fr. Anthony that it was adequate and that there was an area near the entrance that could be made into a little chapel. So the group continued on their way to Medina the next morning, arriving just before midnight on the eve of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. Saint Teresa was horrified by the condition of the house, and feared that it was not worthy of the Blessed Sacrament. But the Lord seemed to want them to press on, providing tapestries given by the owner of the house and nails from the unplastered walls. Working hurriedly, they were able to ring the bell and celebrate the first Mass on the feast of the Assumption. But after the Mass, St. Teresa’s fears were confirmed in the daylight shock of seeing the condition of the courtyard, where all the walls but one had tumbled to the ground. Her anguish was intensified because they had reserved the Blessed Sacrament, and she feared that it would not be safe there.
She put some men in charge of the Blessed Sacrament, and stayed awake herself at night, where she could watch from a window. Her distress was somewhat alleviated by the great number of people who came to the new monastery, seeming very devout and pleased. Surely this was God’s encouragement, she thought. After eight days of seeking a rent where they could stay until the house was repaired, a merchant in the town offered a floor in his house where there was a beautiful gilded room that could be used as a chapel. Another layperson, a woman named Elena of Quiroga, offered to pay for the construction of the chapel, and to make accommodations for the nun’s enclosure in the meantime. This consoled them very much, and so they lived there for two months. The house was made ready, and served well as a monastery for several years. I mention these good people here because in her writings St. Teresa frequently asks prayers for the people who helped her, many (if not most) of whom were of the laity.
“In the running waters of their Spouse:” The Saint’s Desire for Enclosure From the Beginning of the Foundations
A frequent theme of all of the Saint’s writings is her love for enclosure. Of the first foundation, St. Joseph’s in Avila, she writes that she promised God that she would come there and make a vow of enclosure as soon as possible: “… drawing up all my strength, I promised before the Blessed Sacrament to do all I could to obtain permission to come and live in this house and to make a promise of enclosure when able to do it in good conscience (Life 36:9).” Securing enclosure was possible at St. Joseph’s. The Saint even spoke of it in her Constitutions, written during her five-year stay there. She insisted that the door to the chapel be boarded up, thus making any unseen entrance or exit from the monastery impossible. She established visiting parlors for guests. Necessary people such as confessors for sick nuns were accompanied by two nuns. These measures were taken as a way of guarding the solitude and silence of the monastery.
After the tempestuous trials of the foundation at Medina, St. Teresa wrote these words: “Now I was able to calm down because we were able to keep strict enclosure (Foundations 3:15).” She spoke of her gratitude to a benefactor for providing that “accommodations be made so we could observe the rule of enclosure (Foundations 3:14).”
After the difficult foundation in Burgos, she wrote “No one but those who experience it will believe the joy that is felt in these foundation once we are enclosed … It seems to me comparable to taking many fish from the river with a net; they cannot live until they are in the water again. So it is with souls accustomed to living in the running streams of their Spouse. When taken out of them and caught up in the net of worldly things, they do not truly live until they find themselves back in those waters. This I always observe in each of these Sisters; this I know from my own experience (Foundations 31:46).”
What Is the Rule of Enclosure Now?
Carmelite nuns make their vow of obedience with these words: “I, Sister Jennifer of Jesus, desiring to live a life of allegiance to Jesus Christ, with my sisters as witnesses, into your hands, [mother prioress] vow to Almighty God forever chastity, poverty and obedience according to the Rule and Constitutions of the Discalced Nuns of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel.” According to the approved Constitutions, obedience is rendered to the prioress when she commands according to the Rule and Constitutions. The obligation of observing canonical enclosure according to the Church document Verbi Sponsa (Spouse of the Word): Instruction on the Contemplative Life and on the Enclosure of Nuns is included in both of the approved Constitutions.
It seems worthwhile here to quote directly from this beautiful document, which was promulgated by Pope Saint John Paul II in 1999:
“The Holy Father Pope John Paul II has often exhorted nuns to remain faithful to the cloistered life in keeping with their particular charism; and in the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Vita Consecrata he decreed that to this end specific norms be given for the practical regulation of enclosure, continuing the path of renewal already undertaken, so that it may better suit the range of contemplative Institutes and the various monastic traditions. Thus, reborn of the Holy Spirit and faithful to their character and mission, cloistered nuns may move into the future with genuine momentum and renewed vigor… (Verbi Sponsa: Introduction 2).”
NORMS FOR THE PAPAL ENCLOSURE OF NUNS
General Principles
14. § 1. The enclosure of nuns of the wholly contemplative life is called papal, because the rules governing it must be confirmed by the Holy See, even in the case of norms to be specified in the Constitutions and in other legislative texts of the Institute (Statutes, Directories, etc.). (65)
Given the great variety of Institutes dedicated to the wholly contemplative life and given the variety of their traditions, some aspects of their separation from the world are left to particular law, and are subject to the approval of the Holy See.
Particular law can also lay down stricter norms regarding enclosure.
Extent of enclosure
§ 2. The law of papal enclosure extends to the residence and to all areas, indoors and outdoors, reserved to the nuns.
The means by which the monastery building itself, the choir, the parlours and all areas reserved to the nuns are separated from the outside must be physical and effective, not just symbolic or “neutral”. These means are to be defined in the Constitutions and supplementary legislative documents, with due regard both for the places themselves and for the different traditions of individual Institutes and monasteries.
The participation of the faithful in the liturgy is not a reason for the nuns to leave the enclosure nor for the faithful to enter the nuns’ choir. Guests cannot be allowed to enter the monastery enclosure.
The obligation of enclosure
§ 3. a) By virtue of the law of enclosure, nuns, novices and postulants must live within the enclosure of the monastery, and it is not permissible for them to leave it, except in cases provided for by law; nor it is permissible for anyone to enter the area of the enclosure of the monastery, with the exception of cases provided for by law.
§ 3. b) Norms concerning the separation from the world of extern Sisters are to be defined by particular law.
§ 3. c) The law of enclosure entails a grave obligation of conscience both for the nuns and for outsiders.
Entering and leaving the enclosure
15. The granting of permission to enter and to leave the enclosure always requires a just and grave cause, (66) dictated, that is, by genuine need on the part of the individual nun or the monastery: this is required to safeguard the conditions demanded by the wholly contemplative life and, on the part of the nuns, it is a requirement of consistency with the vocation they have chosen. By its very nature then, every entry into or exit from the enclosure must constitute an exception.
The custom of recording entrances and exits in a book may be maintained, at the discretion of the conventual Chapter, also as a contribution to knowledge of the monastery’s life and history.
16. § 1. The Superior of the monastery is responsible directly for the custody of the enclosure, for ensuring the practical conditions of separation from the world, and for promoting, within the monastery, the love of silence, recollection and prayer.
It is she who makes a judgement regarding the advisability of entries and exits from the enclosure, weighing with prudence and discretion whether they are necessary in the light of the wholly contemplative vocation, in accordance with to the norms of the present document and of the Constitutions.
§ 2. The entire community has the moral obligation of protecting, promoting and observing papal enclosure, in such a way that secondary or subjective motivations do not take precedence over the purpose of separation.
17. § 1. Permission to leave the enclosure, apart from particular indults of the Holy See or cases of extremely grave and imminent danger, is given by the Superior in ordinary cases involving the health of the nuns, the care of infirm nuns, the exercise of civil rights and needs of the monastery which cannot otherwise be provided for.
§ 2. For other just and grave reasons the Superior, with the consent of her Council or the conventual Chapter, and in accordance with the norms contained in the Constitutions, can authorize a departure for whatever time is needed, not however beyond one week. If the stay outside the monastery has to be further extended, up to three months, the Superior will seek the authorization of the Diocesan Bishop, (67) or the regular Superior if there is one. Should the absence exceed three months, other than in cases of health care, permission must be obtained from the Holy See.
The Superior will also apply these rules in authorizing departures for the sake of taking part, when necessary, in courses of religious formation organized by monasteries. (68)
It should be kept in mind that the norm of Canon 665, 1 concerning residence outside the Institute does not apply to cloistered nuns.
§ 3. To send novices or professed nuns, when necessary, (69) for part of their formation in another monastery of the Order, and to effect temporary or definitive transfers (70) to other monasteries of the Order, the Superior will express her consent, with the intervention of her Council or of the conventual Chapter as required by the Constitutions.
18. § 1. Entry into the enclosure is permitted, apart from particular indults of the Holy See:
– to Cardinals, who may have someone accompanying them; to Apostolic Nuncios and Delegates in places subject to their jurisdiction; to Visitators during a canonical visitation, and to the Diocesan Bishop or the regular Superior, for a just reason.
– § 2. With the permission of the Superior:
– to a priest for the purpose of administering the Sacraments to the sick, assisting those suffering from protracted or serious illness and, when necessary celebrating Holy Mass for them from time to time. When the occasion arises, for liturgical processions and funerals;
– to those whose work or skills are needed to care for the health of the nuns or to provide for the needs of the monastery.
– to the monastery’s own aspirants and to visiting nuns, should this be provided for in particular law.
The means of social communications
20. Rules regarding the means of social communications in all their present-day forms are aimed at safeguarding the spirit of recollection; contemplative silence can in fact be undermined when noise, news and talk fill the enclosure.
The communications media should be used with moderation and discretion, (71) not only with regard to the content but also the amount and the medium itself. It should be remembered that, inasmuch as contemplatives are accustomed to interior silence, the media have a more powerful impact on their sensitivity and emotions, making recollection more difficult.
The use of radio and television can be permitted on particular occasions of a religious character.
With prudent discernment and for everyone’s benefit, in accordance with the decisions of the conventual Chapter, the use of other modern means of communication, such as fax machines, cellular telephones or the Internet, may be permitted in the monastery, for the exchange of information or for reasons of work.
Nuns should make efforts to be duly informed about the Church and the world, not through the great volume of news, but by wise discernment of what is essential in the light of God, in order to make this a part of their prayer, in union with the heart of Christ.
Vigilance over the enclosure
21. The Diocesan Bishop or the regular Superior are to exercise vigilance over the custody of the enclosure of monasteries entrusted to their care and are to defend it, to the extent of their competence, assisting the Superior, who is responsible for its direct custody.
The Diocesan Bishop or the regular Superior do not ordinarily intervene in the granting of dispensations from enclosure, but only in particular cases, as provided for in the present Instruction.
During the canonical visitation, the Visitator must ascertain whether the norms of enclosure and the spirit of separation from the world are being observed.
The Church, by virtue of her profound esteem for their vocation, encourages nuns to remain faithful to the cloistered life and to express responsibly in their lives the spirit and discipline of enclosure, in order to foster in the community a fuller and more fruitful contemplation of the Triune God.
Some of the Last Shall be First
There are many admonitions in the Gospels regarding those who are called to the religious estate: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it (Mt 10:37,38,39).” “Some seed fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots (Mt 13:5,6).” “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn (Mt 13:30).” “Many who are first will be last, and the last will be first (Mt 19:30).” “The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve (Mt 20:28).” “A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ He said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards he changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did his father’s will?” They answered, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you (Mt 21 28-31).” “The kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit (Mt 21:43).” “Many are called, but few are chosen (Mt 22:14).” “They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces (Mt 23 6,7).” “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted (Mt 23:12).” “You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence (Mt 23:25).” “You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing (Mt 23: 27,28).” “You are the children of those who murdered the prophets (Mt 23:31).” “You serpents, you brood of vipers, how can you flee from the judgment of Gehenna? (Mt 23:33).” And then there is the foreboding parable of the ten virgins. When those who had let their lamps go out asked to be admitted to the marriage feast, they were told, “Amen, I say to you, I do not know you (Mt 25:12).”
It seems that none of these warnings applied to the founders of the first reformed monastery of St. Joseph’s in Avila. St. Teresa described them as “angelic souls:” “They didn’t seem to me to be anything else, for there was no fault they hid from me, even if interior. And the favors, and ardent desires, and detachment the Lord gave them were great (Foundations 1:6).” It is significant that these “ardent souls” loved solitude, which is a characteristic of those who are receiving infused contemplative prayer, according to Carmelite teaching. “Their consolation was their solitude. They assured me that they never tired of being alone.… The one who had the greater opportunity to remain in a hermitage considered herself the luckiest (Foundations 1:6).” More women came until the number reached thirteen.
Saint Teresa Prays in a Hermitage for the Salvation of Souls
A Franciscan missionary named Alonso Maldonado came to the monastery to ask for prayers. He told St. Teresa about the great number of souls being lost because of the lack of Christian instruction. St. Teresa was profoundly affected by his visit; she went to a hermitage on the grounds of the monastery and begged the Lord to give her a way to win souls for Him, at least through her prayer since that was all she could do. Jesus appeared to her “in His usual way” and consoled her with the words, “Wait a little, daughter, and you will see great things (Foundations 1:8).” At the time she did not understand these words, but after the visit of the Father General leaving numerous letters of permission for more monasteries, and the numerous foundations that followed, which she says she could not have even imagined, our Lord’s prediction proved true.
St. Teresa often felt that God had a purpose in gathering together such gifted and courageous women. Her intuitions proved to be right when the Father General encouraged her to found more monasteries. Some of these Sisters brought the founding charism to the new foundations: for example, Maria (of Ocampo) Bautista (who is credited with having the original idea “to found a monastery (Life 32: 10)” and Ana of the Angels, who went with her, along with four nuns from her former monastery (the Incarnation in Avila), to establish a foundation in Medina del Campo, about 50 miles northeast of Avila.
Old Friends and New Enemies
St. Teresa always spoke well of the newly founded Society of Jesus (Jesuits). They had guided her soul through the tempests of spiritual betrothal, of persecution and misunderstanding on the part of other nuns and confessors, and many of them had assured her that her prayer and mystical experiences were authentic, particularly the future canonized Saint Francis Borgia. So when she contacted the new Provincial in Medina del Campo, where there were many Jesuits, he agreed to help. He happened to be her old confessor, who had not understood her soul very well although he had been kind to her: Father Balthasar de Alvarez.
St. Teresa had her permissions from the Father General, but no money. On top of that, the criticism coming from the town, including some of her friends, was harsh. Some people said she was mentally ill; others dismissed the idea as foolishness. But St. Teresa felt sure that God had made His will known to her, and so she began to plan for the foundation.
A young woman named Isabel Fontecha, who had wanted to enter St. Joseph’s but was unable due to lack of a room, offered a small amount with the agreement that she would enter the new foundation in Medina. Later this women made her vows at the new foundation in Medina, taking the name Isabel of Jesus. St. Teresa wrote to an Abbot of the Carmelite monastery in Medina named Anthony of Heredia, who bought a house in a good location, the gift of a devout woman who was willing to sell without any collateral. However, the house was entirely collapsed with the exception of one room, so another house was rented. (Fr. Anthony of Jesus later helped to found the first monastery of men, along with St. John of the Cross, in Duruelo. He helped the new foundations throughout his life, and assisted at the deaths of both St. Teresa and St. John of the Cross.) So, with the help of two new friends, the Saint slowly traveled to the festive city of Medina del Campo, where the bulls had just been corralled for the bullfights on the next day, with her small band of founders (two from St. Joseph’s and four from her former monastery), and Fr. Julian of Avila, a diocesan priest who had been assigned to the chaplaincy of St. Joseph’s, which he served until his death. (His sister Maria Davila de San Jose, Maria of St. Joseph, was one of the first four nuns to take the habit there.)
Arriving at nightfall in the town of Arevalo, the little band was greeted by a priest-friend who informed them that the Augustinian friars who lived near the house where they had intended to lodge were not pleased by their arrival, and would begin a lawsuit. This was just one of many lawsuits St. Teresa contended with during her lifetime. The Augustinians apparently did not want to share the resources available in the area, or perhaps were threatened by the new community of reformed religious. Whatever the reason, God’s mysterious providence again revealed itself because lodging in that same town of Arevalo was “a very great servant of God (Foundations 3:5),” a Dominican friar named Domingo Banez who came to see St. Teresa, consoling her with the opinion that all would be well. This man, who was one of the greatest theologians of the sixteenth century, had defended St. Joseph’s in Avila, and later proved to be one of the Saints greatest friends and advocates.
St. Teresa and friends agreed the next day to begin in the tumbledown house, having been assured by Fr. Anthony that it was adequate and that there was an area near the entrance that could be made into a little chapel. So the group continued on their way to Medina the next morning, arriving just before midnight on the eve of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. Saint Teresa was horrified by the condition of the house, and feared that it was not worthy of the Blessed Sacrament. But the Lord seemed to want them to press on, providing tapestries given by the owner of the house and nails from the unplastered walls. Working hurriedly, they were able to ring the bell and celebrate the first Mass on the feast of the Assumption. But after the Mass, St. Teresa’s fears were confirmed in the daylight shock of seeing the condition of the courtyard, where all the walls but one had tumbled to the ground. Her anguish was intensified because they had reserved the Blessed Sacrament, and she feared that it would not be safe there.
She put some men in charge of the Blessed Sacrament, and stayed awake herself at night, where she could watch from a window. Her distress was somewhat alleviated by the great number of people who came to the new monastery, seeming very devout and pleased. Surely this was God’s encouragement, she thought. After eight days of seeking a rent where they could stay until the house was repaired, a merchant in the town offered a floor in his house where there was a beautiful gilded room that could be used as a chapel. Another layperson, a woman named Elena of Quiroga, offered to pay for the construction of the chapel, and to make accommodations for the nun’s enclosure in the meantime. This consoled them very much, and so they lived there for two months. The house was made ready, and served well as a monastery for several years. I mention these good people here because in her writings St. Teresa frequently asks prayers for the people who helped her, many (if not most) of whom were of the laity.
“In the running waters of their Spouse:” The Saint’s Desire for Enclosure From the Beginning of the Foundations
A frequent theme of all of the Saint’s writings is her love for enclosure. Of the first foundation, St. Joseph’s in Avila, she writes that she promised God that she would come there and make a vow of enclosure as soon as possible: “… drawing up all my strength, I promised before the Blessed Sacrament to do all I could to obtain permission to come and live in this house and to make a promise of enclosure when able to do it in good conscience (Life 36:9).” Securing enclosure was possible at St. Joseph’s. The Saint even spoke of it in her Constitutions, written during her five-year stay there. She insisted that the door to the chapel be boarded up, thus making any unseen entrance or exit from the monastery impossible. She established visiting parlors for guests. Necessary people such as confessors for sick nuns were accompanied by two nuns. These measures were taken as a way of guarding the solitude and silence of the monastery.
After the tempestuous trials of the foundation at Medina, St. Teresa wrote these words: “Now I was able to calm down because we were able to keep strict enclosure (Foundations 3:15).” She spoke of her gratitude to a benefactor for providing that “accommodations be made so we could observe the rule of enclosure (Foundations 3:14).”
After the difficult foundation in Burgos, she wrote “No one but those who experience it will believe the joy that is felt in these foundation once we are enclosed … It seems to me comparable to taking many fish from the river with a net; they cannot live until they are in the water again. So it is with souls accustomed to living in the running streams of their Spouse. When taken out of them and caught up in the net of worldly things, they do not truly live until they find themselves back in those waters. This I always observe in each of these Sisters; this I know from my own experience (Foundations 31:46).”
What Is the Rule of Enclosure Now?
Carmelite nuns make their vow of obedience with these words: “I, Sister Jennifer of Jesus, desiring to live a life of allegiance to Jesus Christ, with my sisters as witnesses, into your hands, [mother prioress] vow to Almighty God forever chastity, poverty and obedience according to the Rule and Constitutions of the Discalced Nuns of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel.” According to the approved Constitutions, obedience is rendered to the prioress when she commands according to the Rule and Constitutions. The obligation of observing canonical enclosure according to the Church document Verbi Sponsa (Spouse of the Word): Instruction on the Contemplative Life and on the Enclosure of Nuns is included in both of the approved Constitutions.
It seems worthwhile here to quote directly from this beautiful document, which was promulgated by Pope Saint John Paul II in 1999:
“The Holy Father Pope John Paul II has often exhorted nuns to remain faithful to the cloistered life in keeping with their particular charism; and in the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Vita Consecrata he decreed that to this end specific norms be given for the practical regulation of enclosure, continuing the path of renewal already undertaken, so that it may better suit the range of contemplative Institutes and the various monastic traditions. Thus, reborn of the Holy Spirit and faithful to their character and mission, cloistered nuns may move into the future with genuine momentum and renewed vigor… (Verbi Sponsa: Introduction 2).”
NORMS FOR THE PAPAL ENCLOSURE OF NUNS
General Principles
14. § 1. The enclosure of nuns of the wholly contemplative life is called papal, because the rules governing it must be confirmed by the Holy See, even in the case of norms to be specified in the Constitutions and in other legislative texts of the Institute (Statutes, Directories, etc.). (65)
Given the great variety of Institutes dedicated to the wholly contemplative life and given the variety of their traditions, some aspects of their separation from the world are left to particular law, and are subject to the approval of the Holy See.
Particular law can also lay down stricter norms regarding enclosure.
Extent of enclosure
§ 2. The law of papal enclosure extends to the residence and to all areas, indoors and outdoors, reserved to the nuns.
The means by which the monastery building itself, the choir, the parlours and all areas reserved to the nuns are separated from the outside must be physical and effective, not just symbolic or “neutral”. These means are to be defined in the Constitutions and supplementary legislative documents, with due regard both for the places themselves and for the different traditions of individual Institutes and monasteries.
The participation of the faithful in the liturgy is not a reason for the nuns to leave the enclosure nor for the faithful to enter the nuns’ choir. Guests cannot be allowed to enter the monastery enclosure.
The obligation of enclosure
§ 3. a) By virtue of the law of enclosure, nuns, novices and postulants must live within the enclosure of the monastery, and it is not permissible for them to leave it, except in cases provided for by law; nor it is permissible for anyone to enter the area of the enclosure of the monastery, with the exception of cases provided for by law.
§ 3. b) Norms concerning the separation from the world of extern Sisters are to be defined by particular law.
§ 3. c) The law of enclosure entails a grave obligation of conscience both for the nuns and for outsiders.
Entering and leaving the enclosure
15. The granting of permission to enter and to leave the enclosure always requires a just and grave cause, (66) dictated, that is, by genuine need on the part of the individual nun or the monastery: this is required to safeguard the conditions demanded by the wholly contemplative life and, on the part of the nuns, it is a requirement of consistency with the vocation they have chosen. By its very nature then, every entry into or exit from the enclosure must constitute an exception.
The custom of recording entrances and exits in a book may be maintained, at the discretion of the conventual Chapter, also as a contribution to knowledge of the monastery’s life and history.
16. § 1. The Superior of the monastery is responsible directly for the custody of the enclosure, for ensuring the practical conditions of separation from the world, and for promoting, within the monastery, the love of silence, recollection and prayer.
It is she who makes a judgement regarding the advisability of entries and exits from the enclosure, weighing with prudence and discretion whether they are necessary in the light of the wholly contemplative vocation, in accordance with to the norms of the present document and of the Constitutions.
§ 2. The entire community has the moral obligation of protecting, promoting and observing papal enclosure, in such a way that secondary or subjective motivations do not take precedence over the purpose of separation.
17. § 1. Permission to leave the enclosure, apart from particular indults of the Holy See or cases of extremely grave and imminent danger, is given by the Superior in ordinary cases involving the health of the nuns, the care of infirm nuns, the exercise of civil rights and needs of the monastery which cannot otherwise be provided for.
§ 2. For other just and grave reasons the Superior, with the consent of her Council or the conventual Chapter, and in accordance with the norms contained in the Constitutions, can authorize a departure for whatever time is needed, not however beyond one week. If the stay outside the monastery has to be further extended, up to three months, the Superior will seek the authorization of the Diocesan Bishop, (67) or the regular Superior if there is one. Should the absence exceed three months, other than in cases of health care, permission must be obtained from the Holy See.
The Superior will also apply these rules in authorizing departures for the sake of taking part, when necessary, in courses of religious formation organized by monasteries. (68)
It should be kept in mind that the norm of Canon 665, 1 concerning residence outside the Institute does not apply to cloistered nuns.
§ 3. To send novices or professed nuns, when necessary, (69) for part of their formation in another monastery of the Order, and to effect temporary or definitive transfers (70) to other monasteries of the Order, the Superior will express her consent, with the intervention of her Council or of the conventual Chapter as required by the Constitutions.
18. § 1. Entry into the enclosure is permitted, apart from particular indults of the Holy See:
– to Cardinals, who may have someone accompanying them; to Apostolic Nuncios and Delegates in places subject to their jurisdiction; to Visitators during a canonical visitation, and to the Diocesan Bishop or the regular Superior, for a just reason.
– § 2. With the permission of the Superior:
– to a priest for the purpose of administering the Sacraments to the sick, assisting those suffering from protracted or serious illness and, when necessary celebrating Holy Mass for them from time to time. When the occasion arises, for liturgical processions and funerals;
– to those whose work or skills are needed to care for the health of the nuns or to provide for the needs of the monastery.
– to the monastery’s own aspirants and to visiting nuns, should this be provided for in particular law.
The means of social communications
20. Rules regarding the means of social communications in all their present-day forms are aimed at safeguarding the spirit of recollection; contemplative silence can in fact be undermined when noise, news and talk fill the enclosure.
The communications media should be used with moderation and discretion, (71) not only with regard to the content but also the amount and the medium itself. It should be remembered that, inasmuch as contemplatives are accustomed to interior silence, the media have a more powerful impact on their sensitivity and emotions, making recollection more difficult.
The use of radio and television can be permitted on particular occasions of a religious character.
With prudent discernment and for everyone’s benefit, in accordance with the decisions of the conventual Chapter, the use of other modern means of communication, such as fax machines, cellular telephones or the Internet, may be permitted in the monastery, for the exchange of information or for reasons of work.
Nuns should make efforts to be duly informed about the Church and the world, not through the great volume of news, but by wise discernment of what is essential in the light of God, in order to make this a part of their prayer, in union with the heart of Christ.
Vigilance over the enclosure
21. The Diocesan Bishop or the regular Superior are to exercise vigilance over the custody of the enclosure of monasteries entrusted to their care and are to defend it, to the extent of their competence, assisting the Superior, who is responsible for its direct custody.
The Diocesan Bishop or the regular Superior do not ordinarily intervene in the granting of dispensations from enclosure, but only in particular cases, as provided for in the present Instruction.
During the canonical visitation, the Visitator must ascertain whether the norms of enclosure and the spirit of separation from the world are being observed.
The Church, by virtue of her profound esteem for their vocation, encourages nuns to remain faithful to the cloistered life and to express responsibly in their lives the spirit and discipline of enclosure, in order to foster in the community a fuller and more fruitful contemplation of the Triune God.