the rule of life 72 CHAPTER SEVEN Superiors 1. One Superior will govern your whole Congregation for a sixyear term. At the end of this term — as indicated below27 — you will either choose another or confirm the same one. It is his office to admit or dismiss members, to approve confessors, preachers andNoviceMasters, moderators of your Confraternity, to approve books to be published, to create or depose Local Superiors, to accept endowments, to make visitation of the houses, correct those erring and, if it be necessary, also to punish them. It is also up to him to establish, impose and carry out other responsibilities which are proper to the office of General Superiors. 2. Let all of the Superiors remember this warning of the Divine Spirit: “If they make you ruler, do not be puffed up, [but] be among them as one of them” (cf. Sir 32:1) [LV].28 Therefore, be not a dictator, but be an example that the flock can follow” (cf. 1 Pet 5:3). Let him then first do by example what he is about to order others by word. He is equally an observer of the law with others, not only its custodian. Let him be endowed with piety, discretion and prudence, moderating zeal with mildness and moderating mildness with zeal, lest through too much strictness or indulgence he hurts the Institute, rather than contributing to its good. He should not aggravate his own men with rigid penances or commands. Rather, he should burden each with what conforms to his strength, talents and abilities. Since his subjects are bound to obey without any excuses, the one in command must foresee that he imposes on each such things as they will be able to fulfill for God’s glory and their own merit. 3. For their part, the members should not trouble the Superiors either by their impudence or stubbornness, but they should agreeably acquiesce, in the Lord, to the Superior’s wishes, respecting them out of love rather than being afraid of them out of empty 27 Ch. 9, n. l. 28 This Scripture quotation was directly translated from the Latin Vulgate to better convey the meaning intended by Stanislaus.
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