54. Whether a Monk Ought to Receive Letters or Anything Else
On no account should a monk be permitted, without the abbot’s instruction, to give or receive letters or blessed objects or small gifts, either from his parents or from any other person, or from one another. 2 If anything is sent to him even by his parents, he should not presume to receive the thing without showing it first to the abbot. 3 Even if the abbot commands its acceptance, he still has the power to command who will receive it. 4 In any case, the brother to whom it was sent should not be sad, so that no occasion is given to the devil (Eph 4:27; 1 Tim 5:14).
5 Whoever presumes otherwise should be subject to the discipline of the Rule.
