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praise the Lord of all by singing at the prescribed Hours.a This they should do with the greatest gravity and modesty, with humility and great devotion, so that those listening to them may be edified for salvation. Those who do not know the Psalms should strive, according to custom, to recite the Lord’s Prayer devoutly to their Creator during these hours.b
If there are some young or even older ones who are humble and capable of learning, the Abbess, if she sees fit, may appoint a capable and discerning mistress for them to teach them to read.
6Let a continuous silence be kept by all at all times, so that it is not allowed either for one to talk to another or for another to talk to her without permission, except for those on whom some teaching office or duty has been enjoined, which cannot be fittingly discharged in silence.c Permission may be given to these to speak about those things which pertain to their office or duty, where, when, and how the Abbess sees fit.
When some religious or secular person of whatever dignity seeks to speak to one of the ladies, let the Abbess be notified first.d If she gives permission, let the lady have at least two others appointed by the Abbess to accompany her to the parlor, who will listen to all that is said to her and what she says to others.
Let this be observed firmly by all, the sick as well as the healthy, so that they speak together neither among themselves nor with others unless there are at least three persons present. The exceptions to this are those who, as stated above, are assigned to various offices and duties, and those who need
- The question of singing or chanting the Divine Office is a difficult one which must be studied in the context of the liturgical reforms initiated by Innocent III and the Fourth Lateran Council and continued by Honorius III and Gregory IX. See Stephen A. Van Dijk, “Historical Liturgy and Liturgical History,” Dominican Studies 2 (1949) 161-182.
- The practice of substituting a certain number of Our Father’s for the Divine Office finds its origin in the requirements imposed on traveling monks. It was subsequently introduced in the context of the canonical distinction between clerical and lay members and their respective literacy. Cf. Stephen J.P. Van Dijk and J. Hazelden Walker, The Origins of the Modern Roman Liturgy: The Liturgy of the Papal Court and the Franciscan Order in the Thirteenth Century (Westminster: Newman Press; London: Darton, Longman & Todd, 1960).
- For further insights into the monastic tradition of silence, see Ambrose G. Wathen, The Meaning of Silence in the Rule of St. Benedict (Kalamazoo: Cistercian Studies 22, 1973). Also the introduction to Robert A. Barakat, The Cistercian Sign Language: A Study in Non-Verbal Communication (Kalamazoo: Cistercian Publications 22, 1975): 11-27. For a comparison with the practices of Cistercian nuns of the period, cf. Anonyma, “Certosine,” Dizionario degli Istituti di Perfezeione II, ed. Guerrino Pelliccia and Giancarlo Rocca (Roma: Edizioni Paoline, 1975): 773-775.
- The preferred term in this document is domina, lady. The Form of Life of Saint Clare uses soror, sister.