CHAPTER II - THE MEMBERS OF
THE ORDER AND ITS HIERARCHY
1. The Order of Knights of Our
Lady is open to all without regard to status, in accordance with the spirit of
the Gospel and the fundamental principles of chivalry. However, it is evident
that the full exercise of the regular life presupposes a certain general
culture and a minimum of resources and free time, an appreciation of which is
left to the judgement of the sponsor and the Commander.
Although people who enjoy a
wide social influence are naturally fitted for chivalry, nevertheless one must
not follow purely human considerations in recruiting new members. It was not
the rich nor the powerful lords of this world who were the pioneers of the
orders of chivalry at their origin. It must always be remembered that the Order
is not a fortuitous gathering of individuals each pursuing his particular end,
nor an intellectual and worldly circle, but an organic body made up of members
united in life and in death by a common love of and service to the same great
realities.
For that reason the recruiting
and formation of young people is on the whole preferable to the recruiting of
mature men already formed outside the influence of chivalry.
2. The brethren are to abandon
any class prejudice, which is the source of mutual misunderstanding among so
many Christians, without for that reason neglecting to cultivate the virtues of
their family traditions.
If anyone in the Order is of
noble lineage, let him not be vain about it, but following the example of his
ancestors, let him surpass himself in generosity and holiness, in order to
become before God and before men a genuine aristocrat, a true knight.
For if the quality of knight
presupposes nobility of heart, the quality of Christian, in that it enables us
to share in the divinity of the King of Kings, raises us to the highest
nobility that there can be in the world.
3. Thus there will be in the
Order only those Members of Christ who take account of the value of each
person. In the new creation there is no
room for distinction between Greek
and Jew, slave and free man, but Christ is all in all[1] (45)
To enter the Order of Our Lady is to turn one’s back on the world to reach
higher: for a man who has signed on in
God’s army does not become embroiled in worldly affairs.[2] (46)
4. The Order welcomes all
those who wish to serve Christ the King and Our Lady according to its spirit
and its Code of Honour, either as members within the Observantia, or in its Familia,
or as Friends and Supporters. General points in this chapter are explained
in more detail in the Customary.
5. Every postulant who desires
to enter the Observantia must know that he is linking himself to the Order
temporarily or permanently, and that he accepts in advance, for himself and his
dependents, all the inconveniences which may result from his belonging to a
regular and militant catholic Order. The postulant will find in the Order a
Rule and way of life, a doctrine and a vast field of action in which to
practise his zeal, and in addition a truly human and Christian fellowship. He
will find an opportunity to exercise the Christian virtues of humility,
patience, endurance, courage, and perseverance; he will abandon all ambition or
search for advancement, even legitimate.
The Master of the Order or the
Prior, in a chapter of Honour, only calls to chivalry those judged worthy by
severe criteria. Dubbing is never a right for any member of the Order.
6. The postulant is entrusted
to the care of a knight or a mature squire, as a sponsor, selected by the
commander for his sure judgement, his fervent piety and his blameless
observance of the Rule.
The sponsor must examine
whether he has zeal for prayer, obedience and humility[3]
(47), whether he loves the Church and catholic truth, whether he has resolved
to strive for them till his death, whether he has come only to SERVE, following
the example of our Saviour and His holy Mother, and whether he is drawn in a
particular way to the service of Our Lady, for the reign of Christ the King,
which is the true touch-stone.
He must lead him to know, love
and observe the Rule, and show him that
one does not set out to win heaven with cowardice, but with courage and the
spirit of sacrifice[4].
(48) Also that it is vain to seek to establish in this world the Kingship
of Christ if one has not first submitted to it oneself.
In addition, he must develop
in him the love and reverence which knights have for Our Lady, the taste for
Holy Scripture and for the Liturgy, the respect for persons, places and objects
having a sacred character, the desire for Wisdom and for union with God.
Furthermore the sponsor will
see to the good physical balance of the postulant; he will inculcate into him a
Christian esteem for the body, with its purity, vigour and beauty; he will show
him how to discipline and toughen it to make it the docile instrument of the
mind and the Holy Spirit. If he is still young the sponsor will encourage him
to exercise his body, for a knight must be ever ready to fight for the Lord:
physical training is a part of chivalrous asceticism.
Finally, he will prepare him,
under the guidance of the Chaplain, for his profession of Faith, for his
consecration to the Blessed Virgin, and for his reception into the Order. The
period of postulancy shall never last less than three months.
7. On the day selected for his
reception, the postulant will make his profession of faith, make or renew his
consecration to the Blessed Virgin according to the method of St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort, and will be received
into the Order in the rank of sergeant or brother-at-arms by the Commander in
the presence of his chapter. Nobody may be received into the Militia or the Auxiliary
Corps if he has not given and consecrated himself to MARY, to whom the Order
belongs. >From the day of his reception the new brother is expected to
observe the Rule and attend the chapter meetings.
8. The Brother-Sergeants are
men of proven zeal and piety, who are militant men of action but who cannot or
do not wish to aspire to the full exercise of the chivalric and regular way of
life. An observance of the Rule, simplified and adapted to their circumstances,
permits them to participate in the prayer and work of the Order, to bring to
the Order the fruits of their work, and to spread its spirit into their
professional circles. On their reception into the Order, they promise to be
faithful to the Order for the period of one year, and tacitly renew this vow
year by year, unless they choose to resign.
9. The Brothers-at-Arms are
the novices of the Order. During the year or longer following their reception,
they join in the regular life of the Order and their essential task is their
chivalric training at all levels: spiritual, intellectual, moral and physical.
They are supplied with a programme of studies and at the end of a year, they
are examined on the knowledge they have acquired. The formation of the
Brothers-at-Aims, based on the Rule, will touch on theology, and Holy
Scripture, the traditional doctrine of the Church on social and political
matters, and the traditions of chivalry. It will be carried out in a spirit of
prayer by means of reading and oral instruction. It must always be borne in mind
that it is more important for the brothers to acquire supernatural Wisdom than
a mere culture of the mind. For it is of our wisdom, and not of our knowledge,
that the world has need, as it is written: A
great number of wise men cause the salvation of the world[5] (49)
One remains a Brother-at-Arms for at least one year, and for as long as the
prescribed studies are unaccomplished. Brothers-at-Arms may leave the Order at
any time by resignation.
10. Brothers-at-Arms who have
proved their knowledge and good observance of the Rule are nominated Squires.
They are henceforth regarded as full members of the Order and may carry out all
the functions entrusted to them, except hierarchical ones. The rank of Squire
is that to which any brother of the Order who is not a Sergeant may aspire. Its
duration is never less than one year, and may be prolonged indefinitely.
11. Squires who have given
several proofs of their fidelity to the Order and of their observance of the
Rule, and who have carried out satisfactorily the duties entrusted to them, may
be promoted, with their consent, at the discretion of the Master or Prior, to
the rank of Donat of Justice. Brothers-at-Arms or Sergeants who accomplish some
exceptional service, may be raised directly to the rank of Donat, in which case
they are known as Donats of Grace. Donats undertake for a period of three
years, renewable tacitly thereafter unless they resign, the triple solemn
promise of conversion of life, fidelity to the Order, and defence of the
Church.)
12. They undertake then, in
accordance with the ceremonial of the Order, the three perpetual vows which
constitute profession:
- Conversion of life, promising to live thenceforward in all the circumstances of life, with the family of which he is the head, according to the laws of chivalry and the Rule of the Order, as a vassal of Christ the King and Our Lady.
- Fidelity to the Order, giving obedience to the officers of the Order within the limits of the Rule, and observing the duty of giving fraternal support to all other members of the Order.
- Defence of the Church. This is a special undertaking, analogous to the crusader’s vow, to defend the Church, its faith, its hierarchy, its institutions, and its rights, even at the risk of one’s life; and to be prepared to answer any call made by the Sovereign Pontiff to accomplish any mission, however difficult or dangerous, which His Holiness might choose to entrust to the knights.
By this sacramental of the
Church, the knight officially receives the mission
to fight the enemies of God and man, to enlarge on earth the frontiers of
the Kingdom of God, together with the grace
necessary to accomplish this. From then on, his whole life will be
consecrated to the service of Christendom: may he make himself worthy of such
an honour.
The dubbing of knights of Our
Lady marks the whole Order with a chivalric character, in such a way that all
its members, engaged in the same combat, share in some way in the duties, the
dignity and the grace conferred by this venerable rite: all must consider
themselves as linked to the Queen of Heaven by the service of chivalry.
Dubbing conferred by a knight
may in certain circumstances, of which the Master and Priors are the judges, be
used in the place of the Benedictio Novi
Militis. It creates knights having the same mission and the same duties as
the others, and who would not lack the grace of God. Similarly, a knight may
dub a qualified candidate in case of serious peril, if he finds himself
isolated from his superior.
Dubbing, and the duties it
entails for the defence of the Church, cannot be lawfully conferred on persons
who are not suitable or qualified. No one may be a knight, who is not a man of
living faith, having reached the legal age of majority, healthy in mind and
body, of sound morals and good reputation, with a noble and loyal heart,
physically and morally courageous, having given proof by a series of positive
actions or by one outstanding act of valour of his determination to serve
Christendom, his country, his neighbour and the Order. He must be a man capable
of exercising a moral influence on others, and he must be animated with the
will to observe faithfully the chivalric Code of Honour and the Rule, even at
the peril of his possessions and his life[6]
(50). Every knight is a born leader, capable of drawing his brethren towards
the summits, and around whom people spontaneously group themselves in life’s
battles. Every knight has a field of influence.
To these general criteria must
be added the characteristics of a knight of Our Lady: humility, piety, love of
the Virgin Mary and the Church, irreproachable observance of the Rule,
regularity at chapter meetings and in the activities of the Order, and,
besides, complete loyalty to the Order and a preference given to chivalric
service over other forms of activity, remembering that one is a knight of Our Lady before all else, in everything, at all
times and everywhere.
13. Members of the Order who
wish to consecrate themselves entirely to God by vows of poverty, chastity and
obedience, and thereby lead a life of prayer, renunciation and chivalric action
in the service of the Order, may join a Conventual
Commandery under the direction of a commander assisted by a chaplain. They
have two years of noviciate before taking their religious vows. They carry out
individually or in community all the missions compatible with their vocation
which the Magisterium of the Order may entrust to them. The Magisterium will be
careful not to give to the conventual brothers tasks which would be better
accomplished by secular knights living in the natural communities out in the
world, so that the nature of the Order is not modified. The conventual brothers
are not and must not become the directing force of the Order, but they form a corps d’élite at the service of the
whole Order. Their status carries with it no hierarchic nor honorific
superiority. Furthermore, conventual knights voluntarily renounce the
possibility of becoming Master or Prior, and all dignities of the Order save
those of conventual visitor or commander. Just as the Templars of old were both
monks and soldiers, so they strive towards perfection of evangelical charity by
undertaking the double combat, against the visible and the invisible enemies of
the Church, and try to give all their brethren an example of a life of honour
in full readiness for the highest service. The Master’s Visitor is the superior
of all the Conventual Commanderies, is directly responsible to the Master, and
is a member of his Council. The Directory,
a part of the Customary, regulates
the details of the life of the Conventual Commanderies.
14. The priests who act as
chaplains to the various levels of the Order, after a year of probationary
ministry, are nominated either Chaplains of Devotion, with no juridical link,
or else Chaplains of Obedience, making a promise of fidelity to the Order. The
Chaplain General and the Chaplains to the Priories and Conventual Commanderies
should be Chaplains of Obedience.
Chaplains do not have
hierarchical powers within the Order, but their role is to teach and control
matters concerning doctrine, spirituality, morals, canon law and liturgy. They
belong to the chapter which corresponds to their function. They must be well
acquainted with the Rule, act as its guides to their brothers, and be living
images of our Lord Jesus whom they represent on earth. Besides the particular
duties of their pastoral charge, they undertake to pray and offer penance and
sufferings on behalf of the Order, for the sanctification of its members and
for their activities in the service of Christendom. At least twice a year they
will offer the sacrifice of the Mass for these intentions.
Prelates and priests who share
the chivalric ideal and whom the order wishes to honour are given the title of
Prelates or Chaplains of Honour. Bishops who officially recognise the Order in
their dioceses and grant it the use of a particular church are known as
Prelates of the Order. The Bishop of Chartres, the spiritual centre of the
Order, has the title of Primate of the Order.
15. The Order, looking upon
the family as a divine institution, sanctified by a sacrament, may accept with
the title of sister those wives,
daughters or sisters of members, who so desire. The wives of knights who wish
to be active in the order and belong to it in company with their husbands, may
be admitted to Profession after a suitable time of probation. These become the Ladies of the Order. Sisters and Ladies
have no hierarchic function in the Order, but they attend chapters and join in
the activities which are suitable to them. They help to give to their family
life, and especially to the education of their children, a truly chivalric
style, and they fulfil the duties of hospitality mentioned elsewhere in this
Rule with good grace and courtesy. They also help to forge bonds of friendship
between the families of the knights. They take as their model the Lady par
excellence, the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Heaven and earth. Like Her they
act as an inspiration by their love of manly virtue which makes heroes and
saints.
16. The Order likewise
receives boys and girls: they are known as Pages
and Demoiselles. The Pages,
grouped into mesnies receive a
spiritual, moral and physical formation in conformity with the traditions of
chivalry. In the service of a knight and of God’s creation they learn to forge
a noble soul and if possible a vigorous body, filled with the grace of God.
They are regulated by a book of usages
and customs.
The Young Ladies, daughters or
sisters of members of the Order, are put under the care of Ladies or Sisters of
the Order, who develop in them above all those virtues that distinguish a young
Christian girl as well as a lady of knightly tradition, a deep respect for what
is beautiful and noble, and a horror of vulgarity and low morals.
The Pages and Young Ladies can
join in the various activities of the Order as opportunity may occur.
17. The Familia comprises those persons who, without becoming part of the
order of chivalry wish to share its prayer and combat, help the Knights of Our
Lady, strengthen their action and their spirit to radiate. It is composed
specifically of the auxiliary Corps of the Servants of Our Lady and the body of
spiritual Supporters and prayer Friends, whether grouped or not, who undertake
to aid the Order by their prayers and alms.
The French term Mouvance designates any person or
movement which may come more or less directly under the influence of the Order
and of its members, or which may approve its spirit and be disposed to
co-operate with its activities.
18. The Order is governed by a
knight known as the Master, who is assisted by various officers and councillors
and by the General Chapter. The Master, Priors, Commanders and Preceptors, and
all those who receive the serious charge of directing their brethren in the
ways of chivalric honour, will remember that they derive their authority from
Christ the King, to whom they will one day have to render an account of their
actions, not only for themselves but for the fidelity of their peers and those
entrusted to their charge.
Let them beware then of
exercising a tyrannical power; let them never forget that leadership is a
service, the highest and most exacting of all. Let them always temper justice
with mercy, humility and discretion which is the mother of all virtues. Let
them profess an irreproachable doctrine, and show to all people an example of
perfect submission to the Holy Church. Let
them seek to be loved rather than feared. Above all let them observe this Rule,
so that after a life of faithful service they may hear themselves addressed,
like the good servant, by Our Lord: Truly I tell you, the Master will set him
over all his possessions[7] (51)
The knights, all of whom are
equal by virtue of their dubbing, participate by their counsels and fraternal
collaboration in knightly grace and the mission of the Order and in its smooth
running, as provided for in the customary.
19. This Rule, a handmaid of
the Gospels, constitutes the immutable basis of the Order. It may be completed,
interpreted and adapted, if necessary, to the circumstances of time or place by
the customary, a handbook of the
usages of the Order promulgated by the Master. Any modification to the customary must receive the assent of a
majority of the knights at a General chapter.
Beside the Rule and the customary there is a book of ceremonial.
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