Rule of Life

Rule of Life
Constitutions
of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart Rome 2007 Table of Contents Decree of Approbation of the Institute (1894)
Decree of Approbation of the Rule of Life (2007) Rule of Life Preamble
Part One
We are gathered together Chapter I - At the Heart of the Church
Chapter II - The Institute of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart
Chapter III - Community of Brothers
Part Two
We are Consecrated Chapter IV - Consecrated Life
Chapter V - Chastity
Chapter VI - Poverty
Chapter VII - Obedience
Part Three
We are United and Consecrated in the Heart of Jesus Chapter VIII - The Heart of Jesus
Chapter IX - Life of Prayer
Chapter X - Apostolic Life
Part Four
We are Helped to Grow Toward the Fullness of Love Chapter XI - Formation
Chapter XII - The Service of Fraternal Authority
1. Local Government
2. Provincial Government
3. General Government
Appendix 1. Structures
2. Priesthood
Index of Sources
Subject Index
Decree of Approbation of the Institute Pias Inter Societates
Among those pious Associations founded to render ineffectual, with the help
of God, the attacks of the impious who, in our days, tend to undermine the
Authority of the Church, in Christian and civil education, it is most
fitting to count the Institute of men, all lay, which bears the name of
Congregation of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart. This pious association of Brothers was founded, in 1821, in France, by the
very devoted priest Andre Coindre, of the Diocese of Lyon. Besides their own sanctification, the end, which they pursue with ardor, is
to cultivate the spirit of intelligence and piety, always taking into
account the character of each one as well as the conditions of time and
place, of boys and young men whom they assemble in their various
establishments. The Brothers, under the direction of a Superior General, lead a common life
and observe the three ordinary, simple vows of Poverty, Chastity and
Obedience, first temporary, then perpetual. They apply themselves with such great zeal to attain the end of their
Institute that, to the very great advantage of the Catholic religion and of
civil society, they have spread with the help of God into several dioceses
of France and even in various countries of both Europe and of America. Therefore, it is not to be wondered at that, on the petition of the Bishop
of Le Puy, and according to the wishes of the Bishops of other dioceses,
Our Most Holy Father, Pope Leo XIII, May 16, 1891, granted to the said
pious Institute of Brothers the honor of a magnificent Eulogium. Quite recently also, that is, during the year of 1893, the Superior
General, Brother Norbert, made an earnest petition to our Most Holy Father
to deign to fortify his pious Institute by the Apostolic Approbation, and
in the audience accorded to the undersigned, Pro-Secretary of the Sacred
Congregation of Bishops and Regulars, July 20, 1894, taking into account
the recommendation of the Bishop of Le Puy and the Bishops of other
dioceses, His Holiness approved and confirmed, as He does approve and
confirm by the present Decree, the said pious Association as an Institute
of simple vows, governed by a Superior General, safeguarding the
jurisdiction of the Ordinaries, conformable to the Sacred Canons and to the
Apostolic Constitutions. His Holiness has postponed to a more opportune time the approbation of the
Constitutions in regard to which subject, while awaiting, He has ordered
that several remarks be made. Given at Rome, at the Secretariat of the Sacred Congregation of Bishops and
Regulars, twenty-second of July, 1894. J. Cardinal Verga, Prefect A. Trombetta, Pro-secretary
Decree of Approbation of the Rule of Life
The Brothers of the Sacred Heart, a religious institute of Brothers whose
general house is in Rome, live out their religious consecration in the
footsteps of Christ through brotherhood lived in community; they
participate in the mission of the Church as religious educators by
announcing the Gospel message to children and youth, especially through
their ministry in Christian schools. In conformity with the decrees of Vatican Council II and with the norms for
implementing them, the Brothers elaborated, at the General Chapter of
1982, a new text of constitutions which the Holy See approved March 19,
1984. The institute's General Chapter of 2000 and that of 2006 approved revisions
to the Rule of Life out of a desire to integrate the teachings of the post-
synodal apostolic exhortation Vita Consecrata of Pope John Paul II of March
25, 1996 and to adapt its structures of government to the needs of today. In the name of the General Chapter, the Superior General presented this
text to the dicastery and requests its approbation. By this present Decree the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life
and Societies of Apostolic Life, after attentive examination, approves this
revised text of the constitutions as found in the French language edition
preserved in its archives. The Congregation earnestly hopes that through the faithful observance of
this renewed Rule of Life, the Brothers of the Sacred Heart might live
according to the example of their founder, Father Andre Coindre, and their
first superiors general, in particular the Venerable Brother Polycarp, and
in so doing continue to spread in the world the fire of redeeming love
whose source is the Heart of Christ. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary.
Issued at the Vatican, February 7, 2007.
80th anniversary of the definitive approbation of the first constitutions
by the Apostolic See.
Franc Card. Rodé, c.m.,
Prefect ( Gianfranco A. Gardin, o.f.m. conv.,
Archbishop Secretary
Rule of Life
Preamble
To rescue young people from ignorance, to prepare them for life, and to
give them a knowledge and love of religion, Father Andre Coindre, in 1821,
founded the Institute of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart. In the spirit of evangelism that marked the period, the founding of the
Institute expressed a response to the needs of the time and place on behalf
of neglected and dechristianized youth. Father Coindre wanted the members of the Institute to be brothers living
the values specific to the religious life and committing themselves in a
stable way to the service of the Church and society. Brother Borgia, Brother Xavier, and Brother Polycarp took care to preserve
the heritage of the founder. The Rule of 1843 describes in a definite way
the original grace of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart. It expresses
clearly the elements essential to the life of a religious educator. By the apostolic decree of July 22, 1894, the Church acknowledged the
action of the Holy Spirit in the founding and history of our Institute,
which it has approved as a pontifical institute of simple vows. By the same
action, the Church has confirmed the members of the Institute in their
vocation and their mission. The Spirit who inspired our founding and who has sustained us throughout
our history remains constantly active in the Institute. The present Rule of
Life strives to translate the spiritual and apostolic thrust of our first
Brothers into language which speaks to us today.
Part One We Are Gathered Together
. in the Church
. as an Institute
. in Community Such is the measure of the love
we should have for our Brothers:
to love them as Jesus Christ has loved us.
Brother Polycarp,
Circular of January 1, 1844 Chapter I At the Heart of the Church 1. Revelation of Love "God is love." (1 Jn 4:16)
Out of love he created the world
and made us in his image.
Out of love the Father sent his beloved Son to be
"the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (Jn 14:6)
for the salvation of the world.
Through his incarnation,
death, and resurrection,
Jesus accomplishes his Father's plan
to establish on earth the kingdom of heaven.
2. People of God Because we have believed in the Word of God
and have been baptized,
we have become
"partakers in the divine nature" (2 Pet 1:4)
and members of the People of God.
The grace of communion with the Father
is also the grace of communion
with our neighbor.
Christ joins us to his own mission:
he pours out his love
that must flow through us to others.
3. A Personal Call With all men and women
we are called to holiness
in keeping with a personal vocation
in the Mystical Body,
which the Holy Spirit
sanctifies and directs through his gifts.
It is this same Spirit who has caused
the religious life to arise
at the heart of the Christian community.
It is he who has inspired in us
the desire to consecrate ourselves to God
in the Institute
of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart.
4. Sons of the Church As sacrament of salvation,
the Church is our source of life.
She passes her faith on to us and nurtures it
through the grace of her sacraments
and through the light of her teachings.
She offers us the divine gift
of the evangelical counsels,
receives our self-offering
through the mediation of our superiors,
and sustains our faithfulness.
She confirms the value of our Rule of Life
and recognizes its effectiveness
as a guide to union with God
and with our brothers in Christ.
5. A Sign in the Church Through our community life