37 ??? Introduction Title and Aim of This Work Norma Vitae (NV), or the Rule of Life, is presented here in its final version of 1694-1698; the full title reads: Norma Vitae Religiosae Congregationi B. V. Mariae sine labe Conceptae Eremitarum Marianorum3 delibus defunctis praecipue Militibus et peste sublatis Suffragantium Proposita et ab Eminentissimo et Reverendissimo Domino Lucio [Leandro4] Cardinali Colloredo5 ex Commissione Sacrae Congregationis Regularium et Episcoporum Correcta. The NV is a legislative document intended as a rule or constitution of the Congregation of Marian Fathers, founded in 1670. The by-laws contained in the NV regulate, both spiritually and practically, the entire life of the Marian Fathers, and are intended for the sanctification of the members and the achievement of the community’s goals. Composition and Contents The Rule of Life, which consists of an Informative Preface (Prefatio Informatoria) and nine chapters, stipulates the means that the community’s members were to use in order to contribute to the greater glory of God and their own growth in perfection through their lifestyle and work. The Rule specifies what the Marians were to do daily and hourly in order to fulfill the vows of obedience, pov3 It was only in 1699—thanks to receiving papal approval— that the Marians ceased to be called the “Society of Marian Fathers,” bound merely by simple vows, and were no longer designated as “hermits.” They became an “Order” (Ordo), bound by solemn vows and free from the legal status of hermits; cf. Positio, pp. 537-557. 4 The Latin manuscript erroneously gives his name as “Lucio,” probably because the letter accompanying the corrected text of the NV only gave his name with the first initial L. 5 Leandro Colloredo (1639-1709) became a cardinal in 1684. He served on various Vatican committees and Congregations during the pontificates of Popes Innocent XI and Innocent XII; cf. Positio, p. 459, footnote 1.
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