Third Order SSF Rule of Life for John Sturdy

• I aim to put God first always.
• I shall read the Bible every day; I shall set aside at least fifteen minutes each day for Bible reading, prayer, and study.
  • Bible reading will either be systematic, or with a commentary (or both)
  • Prayer will include intercessory as well as meditative or contemplative prayer
  • Study will normally be theology, mathematics / philosophy / science, or modern languages
  I will sometimes combine some of these, for example, lectio divina, or reading the Bible in a foreign language.

  August 1997: I probably ought to cut down on the Bible reading in the future, to make more time for prayer. Reading right through the Bible in a different language each year is probably a bit much!

• I shall receive the Eucharist every Sunday, and attend an Office service at least once each week when possible, and say such a service privately if not able to attend a public Office. I will set Sunday aside as not being a working day.
• When it is readily available I shall receive the Eucharist at least one weekday each week.
• I shall try to facilitate ongoing conversio morum, by various means including:
  • stopping for thought and prayer before taking decisions
  • examen of consciousness
  • written notes and essays, and journalling (taking care to avoid the self-centred kind of introspection but being prepared to draw on observations of myself where useful)
  • cognitve / scriptural techniques drawing largely on the wisdom of Proverbs
  • weekly review of my behaviour, and longer prayer, typically towards the end of the week, with Sacramental Confession as appropriate
  This is in the hope of breaking up old habits that hinder my remembrance of my Creator, and of avoiding stagnating into new such habits.
• I shall take at least an Annual Retreat, typically for a week, usually in the autumn. This will usually be at a Franciscan or other Religious House, and will normally be an individual and silent retreat.
• I shall work among the Parish as directed by my Parish Priest. I shall take an active part in local Church ministry, both in work behind the scenes and in work that involves people directly. In practice, this includes serving at the Altar, bell-ringing and at times serving on committees as elected.
• I shall make my time and abilities available to the Church in general. This includes such work as preparation of Web sites, and handiwork such as bicycle repair for mission projects, and flower arranging.
• I shall be mindful of quality as well as creativity, for example writing habitually in a legible calligraphic hand rather than my old handwriting (which is no faster).
• In hope of tying my secular employment into my spiritual life, I shall be mindful of quality of my work, bearing in mind the Giver of my abilities. I shall reinforce this with a prayertime at the start of the working day, usually in the form of the ``Oremus'' electronic daily office from the Internet.
• I aim to tithe when this is possible, and set a basic target of one part in twenty of my income to be given away.
• I will attempt to be be continually aware of encroachments of consumerism on my way of life,
  • weighing up the merits of buying things, making them myself, or doing without them
  • repairing, re-using, and recycling materials as appropriate
  • On Fridays and Sundays, not buying anything other than for immediate use
• I shall consider the appropriate form of transport for each journey, choosing from cycling, driving, walking, and using public transport. I will normally cycle and not drive for at least one day per week.
• In choosing food, I will consider not only what is dietarily appropriate but also the production of the foods, bearing in mind the possibilities of something have been produced by exploited labour, or with harmful chemicals, or transported long distances when an alternative from nearby is available, or packaged in excessive non-reusable non-recyclable packaging. In giving thanks for the food, I will remember the many effects of its production. I will eat economically for my day-to-day meals.
• I will aim to be aware of resources used in various ways, such as domestic water use.
• In choosing things to do, I will consider what is good use of time and other resources, being respectful of the usefulness of activity that is not immediately or measurably productive (such as tidying up after other activities, or leaving more journey time for the sake of goodwill to those who get in the way).
• I will set aside typically an evening a week for being at home, tidying, reading and writing.
• In interacting with anyone I find difficult, I will attempt to combine kindness with integrity, being prepared to do what is genuinely helpful but not letting myself be pressured by demands for pseudo-solutions. In particular, this includes
  • those begging for money, particularly when it seems likely they will use it for things which make an addiction situation worse
  • those wanting to corner someone into talking to them so they can pretend to be friends, particularly when it seems likely they will use it to make a dependence situation worse
• I will make prompt but considered replies to correspondence.
• I will normally ask a member of a Franciscan or other Religious community to be my Spiritual Director. I would hope to discuss my keeping of the Rule and the Way of Life with him or her at least twice a year.
• As well as consulting my spiritual director at intervals, and asking for advice at sacramental confessions, in making decisions and considering changes I will ask suitable friends or relevant profession people for advice on important matters, rather than taking them in isolation from my own ideas. I will also be prepared to share such points with my Third Order smallgroup for comments and advice.

Brother Thomas Anthony SSF is my present Spiritual Director.

This is the result of considerable revision from my original Rule.

John C. G. Sturdy

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Last modified: Sun Jun 10 22:27:50 GMT Daylight Time 2007