31. The Manager of the Monastery
Let there be chosen from the community a manager for the monastery who is wise and mature in character, temperate, not forever hungry nor arrogant, not troubled nor hurtful, not late nor wasteful; 2 rather, fearing God, he is to be like a father to the whole community.
3 Let him take care of everyone and everything, 4 but do nothing without the abbot’s command. 5 Whatever is commanded he should guard.
6 He should not grieve the brothers. 7 If perhaps some brother asks him for something without a good reason, let him not grieve the person by spurning him, but let him with reason and humility deny the one who has made this improper request.
8 He should guard his own soul, remembering always that apostolic saying:
The one who manages well will acquire for himself a good place. (1 Tim 3:13)
9 For the infirm, the young, the guests, and the poor, he should show every care and concern, knowing and not doubting that he will have to render an account for them all on the day of judgment.
10 Let him look upon all the vessels and all the goods of the monastery as though they were the consecrated vessels of the altar. 11 Under his leadership, nothing should be neglected. 12 He should not pursue greed; nor should he be wasteful or squander the goods of the monastery; rather, let him do all things with measure and according to the abbot’s command.
13 Above all things, let him have humility, and if he does not have the resources to grant something, let him offer a kind response, 14 as it is written:
A good word is above the best gift. (Sir 18:17)
15 Everything that the abbot entrusts to him, he should have under his own care, and he should not presume to do whatever the abbot has forbidden him. 16 To the brothers, let him offer without any vainglory or delay their appointed allowance of food lest it cause them to stumble, and let him be mindful of what the Divine Word says about the reward of anyone who “causes one of the little ones to stumble” (Matt 18:6).
17 If the community is larger, let him be given help so that, with their assistance, he may fulfill the office assigned to him with an even temper. 18 At the proper times, let what needs to be handed out be handed out, and let what needs to be asked for be asked for, 19 so that no one may be troubled or grieved in the House of God.
