Saint Bruno Carthusian Constitutions

Night Office Reading

St. Bruno - Vatican

ST. BRUNO. October 6th.

Born at Cologne about the year 1035. After being educated at Paris and ordained priest, he taught theology; subsequently he became Chancellor of the diocese of Rheims. He aspired to the solitary life and visited St. Robert and the hermits of Colon, but not finding what he wanted with them he pressed on to Grenoble where he was received by Hugh its Bishop. Bruno built a tiny chapel and a few huts in a remote corner of his diocese. This became known as 'Chartreuse' which means a small isolated hut or cottage. In 1090 Bruno was summoned to Rome by Pope Urban II to assist in the Gregorian Reform and attend the Council of Benevento in 1091. After being released from the Pope's service he spent the rest of his life at La Torre in Calabria where he built a, monastery similar to La Grande Chartreuse. He died in 1101. He was never formally canonised and it was not until 1514 that his Order obtained permission to keep his feast.

The following are quotations from
the Carthusian Constitutions published in 1971

'Our principle endeavour and goal is to devote ourselves to the silence and solitude of the cell. This is holy ground, a place where the Lord and his servant often speak together, as a man to his friend, there is the bride made one with her spouse, there is earth joined to heaven, the divine to the human.^' (Para 1)

'Let the monk make a practice of resorting to a tranquil listening of the heart, that allows God to enter through all its doors and passages' (Para 2)

'The fruit that silence brings is known to him who has experienced it. In the early stages of our Carthusian life we may find silence a burden; however if we are faithful, there will gradually be born within us, springing from that very silence, something which will draw us to still greater silence.' (Par-a 3)

The Election of the Prior.

'A vote is taken to see whether the community wishes to elect a new Prior or have a Prior appointed by the Prior General. If' no one is elected, with an absolute majority

after four ballots the Prior General nominates one.' (Para 4)

The Prior should offer an example of peaceful repose, stability, solitude, and of all the other observances of the life.' (Para 4.)

'If someone comes to his cell, let him receive him with all love, and always give a willing hearing to each one.' (Para 4)

'Before making an appointment to an obedience he should consult others, especially those who have been more closely associated with the person he propose to appoint. He should willingly allow the candidate himself also to speak his mind, before anything is finally decided. (Para 13)

The Prior should not act as if good external order were his: sole concern, but rather by his docility to the Spirit, he should mirror to all the love of Christ. For the peace and concord of the house depend in great measure on the Prior and his officers being in full accord and of one mind.' (Para 15)

"        'When the Prior seeks counsel, he does not give any

inclination of his own leaning, so that each may be able to say freely what he thinks.' (Para 2 Bk. 5)

'Let the sick realise, that just as healthy monks differ from healthy lay folk, so too, sick monks should differ from sick lay folk' (Para 3)

' ... the continuing quality of our life will depend more on the fidelity of each individual member than on the multiplication of laws or the updating of customs, or even of the zeal of the Prior' (Para 3)

These extracts were taken from a copy of the Constitutions donated by Dom Bernard, Prior of Parkminster and given to a monk of Portglenone.