La constitution des cisterciens de la stricte observance de 1946 a 1985. Evolution legislative et fonctionnement des institutions
Institution:
Paris 11Disciplines:
Directors:
Abstract EN:
The constitution of the order of cistercians of the strict observance is founded on the carta caritatis, a 12th century text whose basic principle is unity of observance between the different monasteries. Since the 19th century this unity had been understood as rigorous uniformity, which the entire system of institutions was aimed at maintaining. But, especially after 1946, the order was faced with growing internationalization and with changes in mentality which put a premium on diversity. Hence in 1969 a radical decentralization in favor of the monasteries, which were allowed to determine themselves, within certain limits, the concrete forms which their observances would take. Henceforth unity rests upon a shared monastic experience. Although this reinterpretation of a basic constitutional principle makes the functioning of the order' institutions more difficult and more haphazard, it appears in conformity with cistercian tradition. On the contrary, the legislative autonomy imposed on the nuns of the order by the holy see in 1970 does not answer the particular situation of cistercian women, who, in order to be faithful to their "original inspiration", must rather develop the autonomy of their monasteries within a juridical structure common to the houses both of men and of women. Finally, practical necessities increase the personnalization of authority within the order, as they result in growing exercise of executive power by the abbot general to the detriment of the general chapter which, according to proper law, is the true "supreme moderator".
Abstract FR:
La constitution de l'ordre cistercien de la stricte observance a pour fondement la carta caritatis, texte du 12e siecle qui pose comme principe de base l'unite d'observance entre les differents monasteres. A partir du 19e siecle cette unite avait ete entendue comme une uniformite rigoureuse, que l'ensemble du systeme institutionnel visait a maintenir. Or l'ordre a du faire face surtout apres 1946 a une internationalisation croissante et a des changements de mentalite valorisant la diversite. D'ou en 1969 une decentralisation radicale en faveur des monasteres, autorises a determiner eux-memes, a l'interieur de certaines limites, la forme que prendraient leurs observances. L'unite repose desormais sur la communion dans l'experience monastique. Bien que cette reinterpretation d'un principe constitutionnel de base rende plus difficile et plus incertain le fonctionnement institutionnel, il apparait conforme a la tradition cistercienne. En revanche, l'autonomie legislative imposee aux moniales de l'ordre par le saint-siege en 1970 repond mal a la situation specifique des cisterciennes, qui pour etre fideles a leur "inspiration originelle" ont plutot a developper l'autonomie de leurs monasteres a l'interieur d'une structure juridique commune aux maisons d'hommes et de femmes. Des necessites pratiques accentuent enfin la personnalisation de l'autorite dans l'ordre, entrainant un exercice croissant du pouvoir executif par l'abbe general au detriment du chapitre general qui, aux termes du droit particulier, en est le veritable "moderateur supreme".