Whether One Ought to Be Bound by Vow to Enter Religion?
Objection 1: It would seem that one ought not to be bound by vow to
enter religion. For in making his profession a man is bound by the
religious vow. Now before profession a year of probation is allowed,
according to the rule of the Blessed Benedict (lviii) and according
to the decree of Innocent IV [*Sext. Decret., cap. Non solum., de
Regular. et Transeunt, ad Relig.] who moreover forbade anyone to be
bound to the religious life by profession before completing the year
of probation. Therefore it would seem that much less ought anyone
while yet in the world to be bound by vow to enter religion.
Obj. 2: Further, Gregory says (Regist. xi, Ep. 15): Jews "should be
persuaded to be converted, not by compulsion but of their own free
will" (Dist. xlv, can. De Judaeis). Now one is compelled to fulfil
what one has vowed. Therefore no one should be bound by vow to enter
religion.
Obj. 3: Further, no one should give another an occasion of falling;
wherefore it is written (Ex. 21:33, 34): "If a man open a pit . . .
and an ox or an ass fall into it, the owner of the pit shall pay the
price of the beasts." Now through being bound by vow to enter
religion it often happens that people fall into despair and various
sins. Therefore it would seem that one ought not to be bound by vow
to enter religion.
_On the contrary,_ It is written, (Ps. 75:12): "Vow ye, and pay to
the Lord your God"; and a gloss of Augustine says that "some vows
concern the individual, such as vows of chastity, virginity, and the
like." Consequently Holy Scripture invites us to vow these things.
But Holy Scripture invites us only to that which is better. Therefore
it is better to bind oneself by vow to enter religion.
_I answer that,_ As stated above (Q. 88, A. 6), when we were treating
of vows, one and the same work done in fulfilment of a vow is more
praiseworthy than if it be done apart from a vow, both because to vow
is an act of religion, which has a certain pre-eminence among the
virtues, and because a vow strengthens a man's will to do good; and
just as a sin is more grievous through proceeding from a will
obstinate in evil, so a good work is the more praiseworthy through
proceeding from a will confirmed in good by means of a vow. Therefore
it is in itself praiseworthy to bind oneself by vow to enter religion.
Reply Obj. 1: The religious vow is twofold. One is the solemn vow
which makes a man a monk or a brother in some other religious order.
This is called the profession, and such a vow should be preceded by a
year's probation, as the objection proves. The other is the simple
vow which does not make a man a monk or a religious, but only binds
him to enter religion, and such a vow need not be preceded by a
year's probation.
Reply Obj. 2: The words quoted from Gregory must be understood as
referring to absolute violence. But the compulsion arising from the
obligation of a vow is not absolute necessity, but a necessity of
end, because after such a vow one cannot attain to the end of
salvation unless one fulfil that vow. Such a necessity is not to be
avoided; indeed, as Augustine says (Ep. cxxvii ad Armentar. et
Paulin.), "happy is the necessity that compels us to better things."
Reply Obj. 3: The vow to enter religion is a strengthening of the
will for better things, and consequently, considered in itself,
instead of giving a man an occasion of falling, withdraws him from
it. But if one who breaks a vow falls more grievously, this does not
derogate from the goodness of the vow, as neither does it derogate
from the goodness of Baptism that some sin more grievously after
being baptized.
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