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PURPOSE AND BASIS OF COMMON LIFE
“Before all else, dear brothers, love God and
then your neighbor, because these are the chief
commandments given to us. The following are the
precepts we order you living in the community to
observe. The main purpose for you having come
together is to live harmoniously in your house,
intent upon God in oneness of mind and heart
(Rule of Saint Augustine).” |
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APOSTOLIC FRATERNITY
“Our Order is one of apostolic fraternity, that
is, a community of brothers who live with the
People of God, offering them example in the
witness of charity and evangelical poverty and
presenting sound doctrine (see Jn.
15:16; Mt. 10; Lk. 10). In order that we may do
this more easily, going anywhere to help the
Church, we promise stability to no particular
place, but only to the entire Order, making our
profession and vowing obedience to the prior
general alone. For the same reason, namely, to
be better able to serve the needs of the Church,
the popes have granted exemption to our Order
(Constitutions, 10).” |