Purpose of the Society of St Francis de Sales²

1. The purpose of the Salesian Society is the Christian perfection of its members; every kind of work of charity, spiritual and corporal, toward young people, especially poor [young people]; and also the education of young seminarians. It is composed of priests, clerical students and laymen.

2. Jesus Christ began to do and to teach;³ likewise shall the Salesian members also begin by perfecting themselves through the practice of every interior and exterior virtue, and through the acquisition of knowledge; and then shall they go to work for the benefit of their neighbour.

3. The first exercise of charity shall be that of gathering together poor and abandoned young people in order to instruct them in the holy Catholic religion, especially on Sundays and holy days.

4 Since it often happens that some young people are found that are so abandoned that, unless they are given shelter, every care in their case would be without effect—for this reason, as far as possible, houses shall be opened in which, with the means that Divine Providence will provide, shelter, food and clothing are supplied to them. And while they are instructed in the truths of the Catholic faith, they shall also be started on some trade or work.

5. Moreover, since the dangers that young people who aspire to the ecclesiastical state have to face are many and grave, this society shall take the greatest care to cultivate the piety of those who show a special aptitude for study, and are commendable for [their] good conduct. In admitting young people for the purpose of studies, those who are the poorest [or, poorer] shall be accepted by preference, for the very reason that they could not pursue their studies elsewhere—provided they give some hope of a vocation to the ecclesiastical state.

6. The need of upholding the Catholic Religion also among the Christian people at large is keenly felt, especially in villages— hence the Salesian members shall zealously endeavour to give spiritual retreats [designed] to strengthen and direct in piety those who come to hear them out of a desire to change their lives.

7. Likewise they shall endeavour to spread good books among the people, making use of all the means that Christian charity inspires. Lastly, through the spoken and written word, they shall try to erect a barrier against irreligion and heresy, which in so many ways attempt to make inroads among simple and uneducated people. To this end should be directed the sermons occasionally preached to the people, as well as the triduums, the novenas and the spreading of good books.

The form of this Society⁴

1. All the members lead the common life bound only by the bond of fraternal charity and of simple vows, which binds them [together] so that they form one heart and one soul, in order to love and serve God by the virtue of obedience, poverty and holiness of life, and by a committed Christian way of living.

2. Clerics and Priests, even after making their vows, shall retain possession of their patrimonies or simple benefices; but they shall neither administer them nor enjoy the fruits thereof, except in accordance with the Rector’s will.

3. The administration of patrimonies, benefices and of anything whatever that is brought into the Society pertains to the Superior General. He shall administer them either personally or through others; and for as long as the individual remains in the Congregation the same Superior shall receive their annual revenues.

4 Every priest is also bound to hand over the Mass stipends to the same general or local superior. Everyone then, priests, clerics or laymen will hand over all money and any gifts they may receive in any way.

5. Everyone is bound by his vows, whether triennial or perpetual. Nor can anyone be released from vows except through dispensation from the Supreme Pontiff or through dismissal from the Society by the Superior General.

6. Let each one persevere in his vocation until the end of his life. Let him call to mind daily those most weighty words of Our Lord and Saviour: Nemo mittens manum ad aratrum et respiciens retro aptus est regno Dei; No one who has put his hand to the plough and looks back, is fit for the kingdom of God.⁵

7. Nevertheless, should anyone leave the Society he shall not be entitled to claim anything for himself for the time he has spent therein. He shall, however, recover his full right over the immovable, as also the movable, goods the ownership of which he had reserved to himself upon entering into the Congregation. But he shall not be entitled to claim any fruit, nor demand any account of their administration for the time he has remained in the Society.

8. One who brings money, furniture or any other thing into the Congregation with the intention of retaining ownership of it must hand a list of all these things to the superior, who once he has seen it, will give him a receipt. Should the member then want to take back items that have become worn through use, he will receive them in the state in which they are then found and will not be entitled to any recompense of any kind.

The vow of obedience⁶

1. The prophet David would earnestly beseech God that He would teach him to do His holy will.⁷ The Lord, our Saviour has assured us that He came down to earth not to do His own will, but that of His Father in heaven.⁸ This is the purpose of the vow of obedience, namely, that we may be all the more certain of doing the holy will of God.

2. Let each one be submissive to his superior and look to him in all things as to a loving father; let him obey him unreservedly, promptly, cheerfully, and humbly, as the person who in that command expresses the very will of God.

3. Let no one be anxious to ask for any particular thing or to refuse it. but when one knows that a particular thing is harmful or necessary, let him respectfully mention the fact to his Superior, who will take care to see to [the member’s] needs.

4. Hence it is good that the members frequently give an account of their external life to their higher superiors of the Congregation. Let each one with simplicity spontaneously manifest to his Superiors external faults against the constitutions as well as his progress in virtue, so that he may receive from them counsels and comfort, and, if needs be, appropriate admonitions.

5. Let everyone obey without any sort of resistance, either in deed, or in word, or in heart, lest he lose the merit of the virtue of obedience. The more repugnant the thing commanded is to him who does it, the greater will be his merit before God for having faithfully obeyed.

The vow of poverty⁹ 

1. The vow of poverty of which we speak here has to do only with the administration of something, whatever it may be, and not with its possession; Those, therefore, who have made the vows in this Society can retain the radical ownership of their goods; but the administration and the disposal and use of their revenues is absolutely forbidden to them. Moreover, before taking the vows, they must cede, even if only in a private form, the administration, and the usufruct [revenues] and use thereof to anyone they wish, also to the Congregation, if they think they would like to do so. To this cession they may also attach the condition that it may be at any time revocable: but still the professed cannot in conscience use the right of revocation, without the consent of the Holy See. All the foregoing must likewise be observed with respect to those goods which the member may acquire by inheritance, after making his profession.

2. Nevertheless the members can freely dispose of the ownership, either by will-and-testament, or with the Rector Major’s permission by some public act. In this latter case, the concession which they have made of the administration, usufruct and use, shall cease, unless it is their desire that the concession should, notwithstanding the cession of ownership, still continue in force for a further such length of time as they may be pleased to specify.

3. The professed, moreover, shall not be forbidden to perform, with the Rector Major’s permission, all those acts in respect of property that the laws prescribe.

4 The professed are not allowed to appropriate or reserve to themselves anything that they have acquired either by their own industry, or by the means that the Congregation offers; but everything must be contributed to the common benefit of the Congregation.

5. It is part of this vow [that the members should strive] to keep the[ir] rooms in the simplest possible style, seeking with all their might to adorn the heart with virtue, and not the[ir] person or the walls of their room.

6. Let no one, either in the house or out of it, keep any money in his possession or deposited with others, for any reason whatsoever.

7. Finally, let each one keep his heart detached from every earthly thing. Let him be content with what the Society provides, as regards food and clothing; and let him not keep in his possession anything whatsoever, without the superior’s special permission.

The vow of chastity¹⁰ 

1. Whoever deals with abandoned youth must certainly make every effort to enrich himself with every virtue. But the virtue that must be cultivated most, which must always be kept before our eyes, the angelic virtue, the virtue dearest of all to the Son of God, is the virtue of chastity.

2. Whoever does not have the well-founded hope, with divine help, of preserving this virtue in words, works, thoughts, should not join this Congregation, because he would be exposed at every step to great danger.

3. Words, looks, including the most innocuous, are sometimes badly interpreted by the young who have already been victims of human passions. Therefore one must use the greatest caution in speaking and dealing with anything with young people of any age and circumstance.

4 Keep away from worldly gatherings where this virtue could be endangered, especially conversations with people of the other sex.

5. Let no one visit homes of friends or acquaintances without the consent of the superior, who, if he can, will always provide him with a companion.

6. Ways of diligently safeguarding this virtue are frequent Confession and Communion, exactly carrying out the advice of the confessor, fleeing idleness, mortification of the senses, frequent visits to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, frequent brief prayers to Mary most holy, St Joseph, St Francis de Sales, St Aloysius Gonzaga, who are the principal protectors of our Congregation.

Pratices of piety¹¹ 

1. The active life to which our society is mostly committed deprives its members of the opportunity of engaging in many practices in common. They shall accordingly endeavour to make up [for this lack] by mutual good example and by the perfect fulfilment of the general duties of a Christian.

2. Each member shall approach the sacrament of penance every week [administered] by confessors who are approved by the ordinary and who exercise that ministry toward the members with the Rector’s permission. The priests shall celebrate holy Mass every day: Seminarians [chierici] and Coadjutors shall take care to assist at the Sacrifice daily, receive holy Communion on Sundays and holy days and every Thursday. Personal composure, a clear, devout, distinct pronunciation of the words contained in the divine offices, modesty in speech, looks and gait both inside and outside the house, ought to be so outstanding in our members that particularly by these traits they are to be distinguished from others.

3. Every day each one, besides vocal prayers, shall devote no less than half-an-hour to mental prayer, unless one is prevented [from doing so] by the calls of the sacred ministry. In that case he shall make up for it by frequent ejaculatory prayers and by offering to God with greater fervour and love those labours that keep him from the prescribed exercises of piety.

4 Every day the third part of the Rosary of the Immaculate Mother of God shall be recited, and some time shall be devoted to spiritual reading.

5. Friday in every week shall be kept as a fast in honour of the passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

6. On the last day of every month each one, leaving all temporal cares aside, shall recollect himself and shall make the exercise which is customarily made [to prepare] for a good death. He shall dispose all his affairs both spiritual and temporal as though he had to leave the world and set out on the way to eternity.

7. Every year, each one shall make a retreat for about ten, or at least six, days which will conclude with his annual confession. Before being received into the Society, and before taking vows, each one shall devote ten days to a retreat directed by spiritual masters [and shall make] a general confession.

8. When Divine Providence calls a member, whether he be a layman, cleric or priest, to eternal life, the Rector of the house in which the member lived will immediately see that ten Masses are celebrated in suffrage for his soul. Other then, who are not priests, will approach holy Communion at least once to this end.

9. Whenever the parents of a member die, priests in the house where that member lives will likewise celebrate ten masses in suffrage for their souls. Those who are not priests will approach holy Communion.

10. On the death of the Rector Major all the priests of the Congregation shall celebrate Mass for him and all non-priest members will offer up the usual suffrages for two reasons: (1) out of gratitude for the pains and labours sustained in the government of the Society; (2) for his release from the pains of Purgatory of which we may have been the cause.

11. Every year after the Feast of St Francis de Sales all priests will celebrate Mass for deceased members. All the others will approach holy Communion and recite a third part of the Rosary of Our Lady with other prayers.

12. Each one will take special care: 1. not to adopt an special habits even in unimportant things; 2. to keep their clothing, bed and cell clean and decent; and everyone will avoid any kind of silly affectation or ambition. Nothing adorns the religious better than holiness of life, making him an example to others in everything.

13. Each one will be prepared, when the need arises, to suffer heat, cold, thirst, hunger, fatigue, scorn whenever these redound to the greater glory of God, are spirituall useful to others and for the salvation of his own soul.