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It is necessary for the superior to remember the Holy Scripture which says: Do all things with counsel. QUESTION 105. Whether those who enter the brotherhood should immediately be taught trades. RESPONSE The superiors will discern. QUESTION 100. What penances should be used in the brotherhood for the conversion of sinners. RESPONSE. Let the time and the manner be determined by the discernment of the superiors, according to the age of the body, the disposition of the soul, and the nature of the sin. QUESTION 107. If someone says he has a desire to live with the brotherhood, but is often hindered by the care for his relatives according to the flesh, or also by taxes, from giving himself once for all to such a life, whether he should be permitted entry to the brothers. RESPONSE. To hinder the desire for what is good is not without danger; but neither is it safe to give the one entering time to make excuses about external matters and things foreign to the life according to God. But if, upon entering, he gives himself to the things within, bringing in nothing from the outside, he has a better hope. QUESTION 108. Whether it is proper for the superior to speak to any sister concerning things for the edification of the faith, apart from the superioress. RESPONSE. In these things the commandment of the Apostle is not kept, who said: Let all things be done decently and in order. QUESTION 109. Whether it is proper for the superior to converse continually with the superioress, and especially if some of the sisters are scandalized by this. RESPONSE. Since the Apostle said: For why is my liberty judged by another's conscience? it is good to imitate him when he says, We have not used this power, lest we should give some hindrance to the Gospel of Christ; and as much as is possible to shorten the meetings to be more infrequent and more easily ended. 31.1157 QUESTION 110. Whether, when a sister is confessing to the presbyter, the eldress should also be present. RESPONSE The confession to the presbyter will take place more decently and more reverently with the eldress, to him who is able knowledgeably to suggest the way of repentance and of correction. QUESTION 111. If the presbyter has ordered something to be done among the sisters without the knowledge of the eldress, whether the eldress is reasonably indignant. RESPONSE. And very much so. QUESTION 112. If someone comes to the life according to God, whether it is fitting for the superior to receive such a person without the consent of the brothers, or whether it must first be referred to them also. RESPONSE. The Lord teaches that concerning the one who repents, friends and neighbors are to be called together. Therefore it is much more necessary for the one who comes to be received with the knowledge of all the brothers, so that they may also rejoice with one another, and pray together. QUESTION 113. Whether one entrusted with the care of souls is able to keep the saying, “Unless you turn and become like children,” since he has to deal with many and different persons. RESPONSE. Since the most wise Solomon said, To every thing there is a season, one must know that for humility, and authority, and reproof, and exhortation, and forbearance, and boldness, and kindness, and severity, and, in a word, for every matter there is a proper season. So that at one time one should show humility, and imitate children in humility, and especially when it is the time for honors and duties towards one another, and of service or care for the body, as the Lord taught; and at another time to use the authority, which the Lord gave for building up and not for tearing down, when need calls for boldness. And, at a time of exhortation to show kindness, but at a time of severity to show zeal, and likewise for each of the others. 31.1160 QUESTION 114. Since the Lord commands, “If anyone compels you to go one mile, go with him two,” and the Apostle teaches to be subject to one another in the fear of Christ, whether one must obey everyone who commands anything whatsoever. RESPONSE. The difference of those who command ought in no way to harm the obedience of those

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προεστῶτα μνημονεύειν ἀναγ καῖον τῆς ἁγίας Γραφῆς λεγούσης· Μετὰ βουλῆς πάντα ποίει. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΡΕʹ. Εἰ χρὴ τοὺς εἰσερχομένους εἰς ἀδελφότητα εὐθέως τέχνας διδάσκειν. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Οἱ προεστῶτες δοκιμάσουσιν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ρʹ. Ποίοις ἐπιτιμίοις κεχρῆσθαι δεῖ ἐν ἀδελφότητι πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων ἐπιστροφήν. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἐν τῇ τῶν προεστώτων δοκιμασίᾳ γνωριζέσθω ὁ καιρὸς καὶ ὁ τρόπος κατά τε τὴν ἡλικίαν τοῦ σώ ματος καὶ ἕξιν ψυχῆς, καὶ ἁμαρτήματος διαφοράν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΡΖʹ. Ἐάν τις ἐπιθυμίαν ἔχειν λέγῃ τοῦ συζῇν ἀδελ φότητι, διὰ δὲ τὴν πρὸς τοὺς οἰκείους κατὰ σάρκα θεραπείαν, ἢ καὶ διὰ τελέσματα πολ λάκις ἐμποδίζηται, ἅπαξ ἑαυτὸν ἀποδοῦναι τῷ τοιούτῳ βίῳ, εἰ χρὴ συγχωρεῖν αὐτῷ τὴν πρὸς ἀδελφοὺς εἴσοδον. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Τὴν μὲν τοῦ καλοῦ ἐπιθυμίαν ἐγκόπτειν οὐκ ἀκίν δυνον· οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ τῷ εἰσίοντι καιρὸν διδόναι τὰ ἔξωθεν καὶ ἀλλότρια τοῦ κατὰ Θεὸν βίου λογοποιεῖν ἀσφαλές. Εἰ δὲ εἰσιὼν ἑαυτὸν ἀποδίδωσι τοῖς ἔσω θεν μηδὲν τῶν ἔξωθεν ἐπεισφέρων, ἐλπίδα ἔχει χρηστοτέραν ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΡΗʹ Εἰ χρὴ τὸν προεστῶτα ἐκτὸς τῆς προεστώσης λαλεῖν ἀδελφῇ τινι τὰ πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν τῆς πίστεως. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἐν τούτοις οὐ σώζεται τὸ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου παράγ γελμα, εἰπόντος· Πάντα εὐσχημόνως καὶ κατὰ τά ξιν γινέσθω. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΡΘʹ. Εἰ χρὴ τὸν προεστῶτα μετὰ τῆς προεστώσης συνεχῶς διαλέγεσθαι, καὶ μάλιστα ἐάν τινες τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἐπὶ τούτῳ βλάπτωνται. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Τοῦ Ἀποστόλου εἰπόντος· Ἵνα τί γὰρ ἡ ἐλευθερία μου κρίνεται ὑπὸ ἄλλης συνειδήσεως; καλὸν μιμήσασθαι αὐτὸν λέγοντα, ὅτι Οὐκ ἐχρησάμεθα τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ ταύτῃ, ἵνα μὴ ἐγκοπήν τινα δῶμεν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ· καὶ ὅση δύναμις ἐπὶ τὸ σπανιώτερον καὶ εὐαπαλλακτότερον συντέμνειν τὰς συντυχίας. 31.1157 ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΡΙʹ. Εἰ χρὴ, ἐξομολογουμένης ἀδελφῆς τῷ πρεσβυ τέρῳ, καὶ τὴν πρεσβυτέραν παρεῖναι. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Εὐσχημονέστερον καὶ εὐλαβέστερον μετὰ τῆς πρε σβυτέρας πρὸς τὸν πρεσβύτερον ἡ ἐξαγόρευσις γενήσεται, τὸν δυνάμενον ἐπιστημόνως τὸν τρόπον τῆς μετανοίας καὶ τῆς διορθώσεως ὑποθέσθαι. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΡΙΑʹ. Εἰ, τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου γενέσθαι τι προστάξαντος ἐν ταῖς ἀδελφαῖς παρὰ γνῶσιν τῆς πρεσβυ τέρας, εὐλόγως ἀγανακτεῖ ἡ πρεσβυτέρα. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Καὶ σφόδρα. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΡΙΒʹ. Ἐάν τις προσέλθῃ τῷ κατὰ Θεὸν βίῳ, εἰ ἀκόλου θόν ἐστι τὸν προεστῶτα ἄνευ γνώμης τῶν ἀδελφῶν τὸν τοιοῦτον προσδέχεσθαι, ἢ δεῖ καὶ αὐτοῖς πρότερον ἀνατίθεσθαι. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ὁ Κύριος ἐπὶ τοῦ μετανοοῦντος συγκαλεῖσθαι τοὺς φίλους καὶ τοὺς γείτονας διδάσκει. Ὥστε ἀναγκαῖον πολὺ μᾶλλον ἐν γνώσει πάντων τῶν ἀδελφῶν προσ δεχθῆναι τὸν προσερχόμενον, ἵνα καὶ συγχαρῶσιν ἀλλήλοις, καὶ συνεύξωνται. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΡΙΓʹ. Εἰ δύναται ὁ φροντίδα ψυχῶν ἐγκεχειρισμένος φυλάξαι τὸ, «Ἐὰν μὴ στραφῆτε καὶ γένη σθε ὡς τὰ παιδία·» ἐπειδὴ πρὸς πολλὰ καὶ διάφορα πρόσωπα ἔχει. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Τοῦ σοφωτάτου Σολομῶντος εἰπόντος, Καιρὸς τῷ παντὶ πράγματι, εἰδέναι χρὴ, ὅτι καὶ ταπεινοφρο σύνης, καὶ ἐξουσίας, καὶ ἐλέγχου, καὶ παρακλή σεως, καὶ φειδοῦς, καὶ παῤῥησίας, καὶ χρηστότη τος, καὶ ἀποτομίας, καὶ ἁπαξαπλῶς παντὸς πρά γματος καιρός ἐστιν ἴδιος. Ὥστε ποτὲ μὲν τὰ τῆς ταπεινοφροσύνης δεικνύειν, καὶ μιμεῖσθαι ἐν ταπεινώσει τὰ παιδία, καὶ μάλιστα ὅτε καιρός ἐστι τῶν εἰς ἀλλήλους τιμῶν καὶ καθηκόντων, καὶ τῆς περὶ τὸ σῶμα ὑπηρεσίας ἢ θεραπείας, ὡς ὁ Κύριος ἐδίδαξε· ποτὲ δὲ τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ κεχρῆσθαι, ἣν ἔδωκεν ὁ Κύριος εἰς οἰκοδομὴν, καὶ οὐκ εἰς καθαίρεσιν, ὅταν ἡ χρεία ἐπιζητῇ τὴν παῤῥησίαν. Καὶ, ἐν καιρῷ μὲν παρακλήσεως τὸ χρηστὸν ἐν δείκνυσθαι, ἐν καιρῷ δὲ ἀποτομίας τὸν ζῆλον ἐπι δείκνυσθαι, καὶ ἐφ' ἑκάστου τῶν ἄλλων ὁμοίως. 31.1160 ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΡΙ∆ʹ. Τοῦ Κυρίου προστάσσοντος, «Ἐάν τίς σε ἀγγα ρεύσῃ μίλιον ἓν, ὕπαγε μετ' αὐτοῦ δύο·» καὶ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου διδάσκοντος, ὑποτάσσεσθαι ἀλλήλοις ἐν φόβῳ Χριστοῦ, εἰ δεῖ παντὶ καὶ ὅ τι δήποτε ἐπιτάσσοντι ὑπακούειν. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Γῶν μὲν ἐπιτασσόντων ἡ διαφορὰ οὐδὲν ὀφείλει παραβλάπτειν τὴν ὑπακοὴν τῶν