This Rule is intended for those seeking a contemplative life in an urban setting. These are guidelines intended to be foundations for those who are a part of the Ordo Precis Contemplativae. This Rule is not exhaustive or legalistic, but simply a starting point. It can be interpreted for individuals with guidance of a Spiritual Director or O. P. C. leader. The sole intent of this Rule is to help us find the silence we need in our lives to enable us the space to be with and listen to God’s Love, Word, and Guidance.

I. Regularly attended meetings of the O. P. C.

It is within this group setting that we can find stability and direction in finding silence within our urban lives. If we are to commit ourselves to placing God in the center of our lives then we must be willing to place this as the foundation.

II. Daily Contemplative Prayer

Set aside time each day to come before God in silence and with an open heart.

III. Daily Divine Office

Pray one or more of the Daily Offices as given in the Book of Common Prayer, or Other Christian Prayer The Liturgy of the Hours commonly referred to as the Breviary. Or other accepted Daily Office of the religious. Let your prayer include Holy Scripture and the Psalms for contemplative inspiration.

IV. Weekly Eucharist

The Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist should be at the center of our prayerful lives. It is from our contemplative silence that we gain a greater understanding and experience of Christ’s gift of His very presence in our lives in the Body and Blood we receive at His table. We should engage in a discussion of life from the past week as deliberate preparation for the Eucharist. All that we do should be directed towards finding the presence of God in our lives, which is most evident in the Sacrament and Divine Mystery.

V. Spiritual Direction

Monthly, or as often as your Bishop may allow, Meet with your spiritual Director or O. P. C. leader for individual discernment and direction for your prayer life.

VI. Confession and Absolution

Meeting with a Priest Confessor at Least once a year (if only once a year, preferably during the Season of Lent) for the Rite of Reconciliation to confess your sins and seek Absolution.

VII. Retreats

Attend a retreat of O. P. C. at least once a year, and schedule additional retreats, as you are able.

VIII. Self-denial

Undertake regular fasting of food, drink, or some activity that will help you put God as the focus of your life. Through fasting and self-denial, we put aside our own needs to make room for God’s direction in our lives. Fast especially during the appropriate Liturgical Seasons to help prepare your Heart for God’s presence and love.

IX. Study

Engage, daily the writings of Holy Scripture, the Desert Fathers and Mothers, Contemplatives and other Holy men and women of faith to gain a greater understanding and experience of the contemplative life and practice.

Addendum

The Following is borrowed and adapted from the spirit of the order and rule Of Saint Francis of Assisi and from the rule of Saint Benedict, and adapted by Br. Stephen J Buckley IV, revised by Br. Kenneth Hosley

The Rule is to be sure in all cases to seek the allegiance and Guidance of the local Bishop of the Church

The Three Aims of the Order are:

To make our Lord known and loved everywhere.

By word and example, our members witness to Christ’s commandment of love for God and all those around us. By interior prayer and sacrifice, we humble our hearts into silence, so that we may be open to God. In humility, we seek to love all without the obstruction of prejudice, fear, or pride.

To spread the tradition of our contemplative spirituality

By discovering the many different means of contemplative prayer, living a life transformed in this spirituality, and teaching this tradition to any who seek an inner silence, our members work to bring contemplative spirituality back into our Church to allow its members a fuller communion with the Body of Christ. By living a contemplative life, being in prayer will all people regardless of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, education and opportunity, we seek to break down the divisions in the world and learn to see and love each other as God sees and loves each of us.

To live simply.

Acknowledging that everything belongs to God, we seek to use His gifts wisely and to be good stewards of this fragile earth, never destroying or wasting what God has made. We provide the things necessary for ourselves and our families without demanding luxuries. We seek never to forget the needs of others.

“We have been called to stand before God in silence, to seek God in all that we do, to feel God’s presence in every aspect of out lives, to see God in everyone we meet, and to listen to God’s direction with an open heart.”

The Calling to Our Life:

God, in His goodness, calls all Christian faithful in the Church to the perfection of love through different states of life in order to promote the holiness of each one and the salvation of the world.

Each one must give a response of love to this call with the greatest freedom, so that the dignity of the human person may be in harmony with the will of God.

All of us should gratefully rejoice over the special divine grace of the religious calling given to us.

By responding to our Order of Saint Anthony Contemplative Prayer, O. P. C. calling, we offer a public and social witness to the abiding and eternal presence of Christ's life; we follow the rejected and humble Christ, and spread His message to [all] people, especially to the rejected, wherever they may be.

In this way, in a brotherhood of pilgrims, of penitents in heart and deed, we devote ourselves to all in a spirit of minority and joy for the saving mission of the Church.

Concern for vocations arises above all from the brothers' and sisters’ awareness that they themselves are living and offering to others a program of life that is extremely rich in human and gospel values. By embracing this life candidates develop their own humanity and offer genuine service to God and people. If we are to present convincing witness to this way of life, we ourselves must be continually renewed.

All brothers should work together earnestly to foster vocations out of a desire to carry out God's design according to our charisma.

Mindful of Saint Francis' concern when he saw the growth of the primitive brotherhood, let all the brothers, especially the ministers and the individual Groups, exert indefatigable care in recognizing and cultivating genuine vocations especially by the example of their life, prayer and speech.

In this way we work together with God Who calls and chooses whomever He wishes, and we contribute to the good of the Church.

I. Rule On Chastity:

The Order of O. P. C. is a band of men and women who love God each according to there own capacity and live in common. If a brother or sister finds the lack of a life partner distracts them they should marry and if possible raise a family according to the love of God.

II. Rule On Poverty:

Poverty of spirit, each member is to be freely given to them according to the means of the local abbey and the order at large the things they need to live a safe, healthy and happy life also what they need for their daily endeavor no more then what is needed and no less and each should be content with little as Christ suggests for those that would follow him. Each member is to take up some reputable income-producing endeavor as long as it is reputable and service the greater good. We are called by Christ’s own example to learn to live within our needs not our frivolous wants.

III. Rule On Obedience:

The first degree of humility is obedience without delay. This is the virtue of those

who hold nothing dearer to them than Christ; who, because of the holy service they have professed, and the fear of hell, and the glory of life everlasting, as soon as anything has been ordered by the Superior, receive it as a divine command and cannot suffer any delay in executing it. Of these the Lord says, "As soon as he heard, he obeyed Me" (Ps. 17:45). And again to teachers He says, "He who hears you, hears Me" (Luke 10:16). Such as these, therefore, immediately leaving their own affairs and forsaking their own will, dropping the work they were engaged on

and leaving it unfinished, with the ready step of obedience follow up with their deeds the voice of him who commands. And so as it were at the same moment

the master's command is given and the disciple's work is completed, the two things being speedily accomplished together in the swiftness of the fear of God

by those who are moved with the desire of attaining life everlasting. That desire is their motive for choosing the narrow way, of which the Lord says, "Narrow is the way that leads to life" (Matt. 7:14), so that, not living according to their own choice nor obeying their own desires and pleasures but walking by another's judgment and command, they dwell in Abbey, or its dependent housing or independent housing and desire to have an Abbot over them. Assuredly such as these are living up to that maxim of the Lord in which He says, "I have come not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me" (John 6:38). But this very obedience will be acceptable to God and pleasing to all only if what is commanded is done without hesitation, delay, Luke warmness, grumbling, or objection. For the obedience given to Superiors is given to God, since He Himself has said, "He who hears you, hears Me" (Luke 10:16). And the disciples should offer their obedience with a good will, for "God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor. 9:7). For if the disciple obeys with an ill will and murmurs, not necessarily with his lips but simply in his heart, then even though he fulfill the command yet his work will not be acceptable to God, who sees that his heart is murmuring. And, far from gaining a reward for such work as this, he will incur the punishment due to murmurers, unless he amend and make satisfaction.

We are to live in obedience first to the will of God and the word of God second to the vows herein. Through these vows and obedience to them, each member will have no trouble being obedient. Further, this obedience should naturally extend to the will of the order, the members’ superiors, and the church at large.

IV. Rule On Stability:

Primarily, for postulants and vowed members, stability is returning to the Order each week for growth and contemplative spiritual direction. For those that live in common, stability is to that in and of itself when one is assigned a house that they are to be apart of unless requested by their superior. Each member is to live at the assigned house until assigned in obedience to live else where. In like manor in the case of individual housing, and independent housing those members are required to attend as much of the functions at the abbey as is possible, they should meet regularly with their spiritual advisor as well as their reporting to their superior, and Abbot.

V. Habits:

Should be the clothing of the common people of the day. According to the local and national customs and climate of the day and times. However, there is an “Official Liturgical Habit” that of Saint Anthony Contemplative that should be worn when possible and appropriate. The daily habit current to all times which should be the Liturgical Habit and worn when appropriate. When it is inappropriate a common day habit should be a simple shirt of color and embellishment befitting the Order (Do not be afraid of color if you need a Guide try the color of the liturgical season.) also, simple Pants, jeans, and kakis. Regarding, the daily non-liturgical habit of the sisters should be a simple and modest skirt or dress also modest in length or slacks.

VI. Daily Liturgy:

When living in common, Daily Office and Liturgy should be observed. However, for Sunday Service the entire community should observe at the local Parishes, serving as an example to the young and old alike in Liturgical Habit when permitted and possible. Be warned not to “take over.” When possible, let the lay serve in the parish liturgy as much as possible only serve when needed.

V. Leadership:

For those who would be leaders of the order must follow Christ’s command that they should be the servants of the order as they are the servants of God’s servants.