NUNS
165
NUNS
the Order of Mercy by St. iMary of Cervellione. St.
Pius V took more radical measures by his constitution
"Circa pastoralis", of 25 May, 1.56(5. Not only did
he insist on the observance of the constitution of Boni-
face VIII, and the decree of the Council of Trent, but
compelled the tertiaries to accept the obligation of
solemn vows with the pontifical enclosure. For
nearly three centuries the Holy See refused all appro-
bation to convents bound by simple vows, and Urban
VIII by his constitution "Pastoralis" of 31 May,
1631 abolished an English teaching congregation,
founded by Mary Ward in 1609, which had simple
vows and a superior general.
This strictness led to the foimdation of pious as- sociations called secular because they had no per- petual vows, and leading a common life intended for their own personal sanctification and the practice of charity, e. g. the Daughters of Charity, founded by St. Vincent de Paul. The constitution of St. Pius V was not always strictly observed; communities ex- isted approved by bishops, and soon tolerated by the Holy See, new ones were formed with the sanctions of the diocesan ordinaries. So great were the services rendered by these new communities to the poor, the sick, the young, and even the missions, that the Holy See expressly confirmed several constitutions, but for a long time refused to approve the congregations them- selves, and the formula of commendation or ratification contained this restriction citra tamen approbalionem conservatorii (without approbation of the congre- gation). As political difficulties rendered less easy the observance of solemn vows, especially for women, the Holy See (rom the end of the eighteenth century declined to approve any new congregations with sol- emn vows, and even suppressed in certain countries, Belgium and France, all solemn professions in the old orders of women. The constitution of Benedict XVI, "Quamvis justo" of 30 April, 1749, on the subject of the Congregation of English Virgins was the prelude to the legislation of Leo XIII, who by his constitution "Condita;" of S December, 1900, laid down the laws common to congregations with simple vows, dividing these into two great classes, congregations under dioc- esan authority, subject to the bishops, and those under pontifical law.
II. V.4HI0US Kinds of Nuns. — (1) As regards their object they may be purely contemplative, seeking personal perfection by close union with God; such are most of the strictly enclosed congregations, as Pre- monstratensian Canonesses, Carmelites, Poor Clares, CoUettines, Redemptoristines; or they may combine this with the practice of works of charity, foreign missions, like the White Sisters of Cardinal Lavigerie, and certain Franciscan Tertiaries; the education of young girls, like the Ursulines and Visitandines; the care of the sick, orphans, lunatics, and aged persons, Ukemanyof thecongregation.s ciIIimI lIos|)ital!ers, Sis- ters of Charity, Daughters of St . \'inccnt dc Paul, and Little Sisti'rs of the Poor. When tlic works of mercy are corporal, and above all carried on outside the con- vent, the congregations are called active. Teaching communities are classed rather among those leading a mixed life, devoting themselves to works which in themselves require union with. God and contempla- tion. The constitution "Conditce" of Leo XIII (8 December, 1900) charges bishops not to permit sisters to open houses as hotels for the entertainment of strangers of both sexes, and to be extremely careful in authorizing congregations which live on alms, or nurse sick persons at their homes, or maintain infirmaries for the reception of infirm persons of both sexes, or sick priests. The Holy See, by its Regulations (Xor- mae) of 28 June, 1901, declares that it does not ap- prove of congregations whose object is to render c<t- tain services in seminaries or colleges for male pupils, or to teach children or young people of both sexes; and it disapproves their undertaking the direct care of
young infants, or of lying-in women. These services
should be given only in exceptional circumstances.
(2) As regards their origin, congregations are either connected with a first order or congregation of men, as in the case of most of the older congregations, Carmel- ites, Poor Clares, Dominicans, Reformed Cistercians of La Trappe, Redemptoristines etc., or are founded independently, like the Ursulines, Visitandines, and recent institution. In the regulations of 28 June, 1901, Art. 19, 52, the Holy See no longer approves of double foundations, which establish a certain subor- dination of the sisters to similar congregations of men.
(3) As regards their juridical condition, we distinguish (a) nuns properly so-called, having solemn vows with papal enclosure, whose houses are monasteries; (b) nuns belonging to the old approved orders with solemn vows, but taking only simple vows by special dispensa- tion of the Holy See; (c) sisters with simple vows de- pendent on the Holy See; (d) sisters under diocesan government. The house of sisters under simple vows, and the congregations themselves are canonically called conservatoria. These do not always fulfil all the essential conditions of the religious state. Those which do are more correctly called religious congrega- tions than the others, which are called pia; congrega- tiones, pice societales (pious congregations or pious soci- ties.) Nuns of the Latin Church only are considered here.
III. Ndns Properly So Called. — Nuns prop- erly so-called have solemn vows with a strict enclos- ure, regulated by pontifical law which prevents the religious from going out (except in very rare cases, ap- proved by the regular superior and the bishop), and also the entrance of strangers, even females, under pain of excommunication. Even admission to the grated parlour is not free, and interviews with regulars are subject to stringent rules. Though some mitiga- tions have been introduced partly by local usage, partly (In the case of certain convents in America) by express concession of the Holy See. The building should be so arranged that the inner courts and gardens cannot be overlooked from outside, and the windows should not open on the public road. By the fact of their enclosure, these monasteries are independent of one another. At the head of the community is a su- perior often called the abbess, appointed for hfe by the chapter, at least outside Italy, for in Italy, and es- pecially in the two Sicilies, the constitution "Exposcit debitum" (1 January, 1583) of Gregory XIII requires that they should be re-elected every three years (see "Periodica de Religiosis", n. 420, vol. 4, 158). The election must be confli'med by the prelate to whom the monastery is subject, the pope, the bishop, or the regu- lar prelate. The bishop presides over the ballot, ex- cept in the case of nuns subject to regulars, and he has always the right to be present at the election. The president collects the votes at the grating. Without having jurisdiction, the abbess exercises authority over all in the house, and commands in virtue of their vows. Monasteries not exempt are subject to the jurisdiction of the bishop; exempt monasteries are placed, some under the immediate authority of the Holy See, others vmder that of a regular First Order. In the absence of any other formal direction, the Holy See is understood to delegate to the bishop the annual visitation of monasteries immediately subject to the pope, to the exclusion of other superiors. This visita- tion is made by the regular prelate in the case of mon- asteries dependent on a First Order; but the bishop has in all cases authority to insist on the maintenance of the enclosure, and to control the temporal adminis- tration; he also approves the confessors.
The erection of a monastery requires the consent of the bishop, and (at least in practice nowadays) of the Apostolic See. The bishop, W himself, or in consulta- tion with the regular superior, determines the number of nuns who can be received according to the amount
