Rule of St Benedict for the day

It frequently happen that the appointment of a prior gives rise to serious scandals in monasteries, when there are men puffed up by an evil spirit of pride who regard themselves as equal to the abbot, and arrogating to themselves tyrannical power foster troubles and dissensions in the community. This happens especially in those places where the prior is appointed by the same bishop, or by the same abbots, as appoint the abbot. But it is very clear that this is a foolish procedure, for it gives the prior matter for pride from the very beginning of his appointment, since his thoughts will suggest to him that he is not subject to the abbot: ‘For,’ he will say to himself, ‘you were appointed by the same people that appointed the abbot.’ Hence arise envies, quarrels, detraction, rivalry, dissensions and disorders. For while the abbot and prior are at variance, it must needs be that their souls are endangered by this dissension, and their subjects also, currying favour with this side or that, run headlong to perdition. The responsibility for this dangerous state of affairs rests ultimately on those whose action caused such disorder.