Holy Rule for April 7
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St. Mary's Monastery
Apr 6, 2026, 4:48:35 PMApr 6
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Br. Jerome Leo’s Daily Reflection on the Holy Rule
April 7, August 7, December 7
Chapter 55: On the Clothes and Shoes of the Brethren (1-14)
Let clothing be given to the brethren according to the nature of the place in which they dwell and its climate; for in cold regions more will be needed, and in warm regions less. This is to be taken into consideration, therefore, by the Abbot. We believe, however, that in ordinary places the following dress is sufficient for each monk: a tunic, a cowl (thick and woolly for winter, thin or worn for summer), a scapular for work, stockings and shoes to cover the feet.
The monks should not complain about the color or the coarseness of any of these things, but be content with what can be found in the district where they live and can be purchased cheaply. The Abbot shall see to the size of the garments, that they be not too short for those who wear them, but of the proper fit. Let those who receive new clothes always give back the old ones at once, to be put away in the wardrobe for the poor. For it is sufficient if a monk has two tunics and two cowls, to allow for night wear and for the washing of these garments; more than that is superfluity and should be taken away. Let them return their stockings also and anything else that is old when they receive new ones. Those who are sent on a journey shall receive drawers from the wardrobe, which they shall wash and restore on their return. And let their cowls and tunics be somewhat better than what they usually wear. These they shall receive from the wardrobe when they set out on a journey, and restore when they return.
REFLECTION
Stringent rules regarding the habit could give some the feeling of being "incarcerated" in the habit. Hearing anecdotes about the past, I have no doubt that is true. I find that terribly out of balance. However, and this is certain to displease some, I wonder if the best answer to too much habit is no habit at all.
Having said that, and underscoring that I am not incarcerated in the habit, nor do I wish anyone else to be, let me embark on something more than just a hymn of praise for the habit. It will, trust me, be very much more of a love song.
My habit is not ALL of me, would that it were! I could greatly profit from being ALL monk. But my habit is a large part of me. I have kissed every piece while donning or doffing it, every single time for years now. I can assure you that those kisses are sincere, not mindless. I love it deeply and the sense of blessing in wearing it has never left me.
The habit doesn't advertise ME to the world, I would be the first to tell you that that would hardly be worthwhile or honest. It DOES advertise my Benedictine heritage to the world and that humbles me. For that witness of the habit I am very, very grateful. I am no icon of holiness, but our habit is. I am an icon-bearer and that is a lofty thing, a humbling thing, a thing greatly desirable.
People have come to me in Boston that really needed help who never, ever would have approached me in an Oxford cloth button down shirt, in the preppy style of lay clothes I admittedly love. Wouldn't have happened. Couldn't have happened.
One of those people is dead now, gone to God a new Oblate, a homebound and nearly blind woman in a wheelchair. She was sunning herself in her wheelchair, outside her apartment in East Boston and still had enough eyesight to recognize the habit and call out as I walked by. Thanks be to God, I had my habit on that day. I got delegated to invest her as an Oblate in her own apartment and she went to God before she could make her Final Oblation. I hope she made that in heaven. What a gift Teresa was- and is- to us!
I could go on and on. There was a terribly sincere man on the Boston Common whose question had just gotten dumped on by an insensitive priest. He would never have known me otherwise. There was the European woman who spoke very little English and felt safer asking a monk for directions.
In choir, as no place else, does the habit sing to me. Our cowls (cucullas to some of you,) are voluminous garments of prayer, mini- enclosures, formal attire of serious business and great holiness. How deeply grateful I am to wear one. Whatever choices others may have taken about the habit, I feel sorry for any of them without a choir garment. It is a treasure of unity and joy.
I have known people who were taunted, even treated with scarcely believable meanness for wearing the habit, for choosing the "wrong" option (when, in fact, one option only was what was meant!) In years past, "optional" was often nothing more than a euphemism for "abolished." And, to be always and everywhere without the habit? I could never stand that.
Br. Jerome Leo Hughes, OSB (RIP)
Br. Jerome Leo’s Daily Reflection on the Holy Rule
April 7, August 7, December 7
Chapter 55: On the Clothes and Shoes of the Brethren (1-14)
Let clothing be given to the brethren according to the nature of the place in which they dwell and its climate; for in cold regions more will be needed, and in warm regions less. This is to be taken into consideration, therefore, by the Abbot. We believe, however, that in ordinary places the following dress is sufficient for each monk: a tunic, a cowl (thick and woolly for winter, thin or worn for summer), a scapular for work, stockings and shoes to cover the feet.
The monks should not complain about the color or the coarseness of any of these things, but be content with what can be found in the district where they live and can be purchased cheaply. The Abbot shall see to the size of the garments, that they be not too short for those who wear them, but of the proper fit. Let those who receive new clothes always give back the old ones at once, to be put away in the wardrobe for the poor. For it is sufficient if a monk has two tunics and two cowls, to allow for night wear and for the washing of these garments; more than that is superfluity and should be taken away. Let them return their stockings also and anything else that is old when they receive new ones. Those who are sent on a journey shall receive drawers from the wardrobe, which they shall wash and restore on their return. And let their cowls and tunics be somewhat better than what they usually wear. These they shall receive from the wardrobe when they set out on a journey, and restore when they return.
REFLECTION
Stringent rules regarding the habit could give some the feeling of being "incarcerated" in the habit. Hearing anecdotes about the past, I have no doubt that is true. I find that terribly out of balance. However, and this is certain to displease some, I wonder if the best answer to too much habit is no habit at all.
Having said that, and underscoring that I am not incarcerated in the habit, nor do I wish anyone else to be, let me embark on something more than just a hymn of praise for the habit. It will, trust me, be very much more of a love song.
My habit is not ALL of me, would that it were! I could greatly profit from being ALL monk. But my habit is a large part of me. I have kissed every piece while donning or doffing it, every single time for years now. I can assure you that those kisses are sincere, not mindless. I love it deeply and the sense of blessing in wearing it has never left me.
The habit doesn't advertise ME to the world, I would be the first to tell you that that would hardly be worthwhile or honest. It DOES advertise my Benedictine heritage to the world and that humbles me. For that witness of the habit I am very, very grateful. I am no icon of holiness, but our habit is. I am an icon-bearer and that is a lofty thing, a humbling thing, a thing greatly desirable.
People have come to me in Boston that really needed help who never, ever would have approached me in an Oxford cloth button down shirt, in the preppy style of lay clothes I admittedly love. Wouldn't have happened. Couldn't have happened.
One of those people is dead now, gone to God a new Oblate, a homebound and nearly blind woman in a wheelchair. She was sunning herself in her wheelchair, outside her apartment in East Boston and still had enough eyesight to recognize the habit and call out as I walked by. Thanks be to God, I had my habit on that day. I got delegated to invest her as an Oblate in her own apartment and she went to God before she could make her Final Oblation. I hope she made that in heaven. What a gift Teresa was- and is- to us!
I could go on and on. There was a terribly sincere man on the Boston Common whose question had just gotten dumped on by an insensitive priest. He would never have known me otherwise. There was the European woman who spoke very little English and felt safer asking a monk for directions.
In choir, as no place else, does the habit sing to me. Our cowls (cucullas to some of you,) are voluminous garments of prayer, mini- enclosures, formal attire of serious business and great holiness. How deeply grateful I am to wear one. Whatever choices others may have taken about the habit, I feel sorry for any of them without a choir garment. It is a treasure of unity and joy.
I have known people who were taunted, even treated with scarcely believable meanness for wearing the habit, for choosing the "wrong" option (when, in fact, one option only was what was meant!) In years past, "optional" was often nothing more than a euphemism for "abolished." And, to be always and everywhere without the habit? I could never stand that.
Br. Jerome Leo Hughes, OSB (RIP)
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