Przypadki naruszenia reguły zakonnej: próba przedstawienia zagadnienia na podstawie akt kapituł karmelitów dawnej obserwancji w Polsce w latach 1668–1688 – zarys problematyki

This chapter addresses cases of infringement of the religious rule by members of the Carmelites of the Ancient Observance in Poland in the 2nd half of the 17th century. The source texts were the files of chapters of the Carmelites of the Polish province from the years 1668–1688. The records have helped to identify a few areas of concern, primarily relating to violations of canon law and secular (common) law committed by members of the monastic community. Of particular prominence were offenses against religion, such as apostasy and heresy, along with various forms of misconduct detrimental to the monastic community, including theft of money or material goods (including acts of sacrilege) and mismanagement of monastic property. Additionally, a significant number of cases involved unauthorized departures from the monastic enclosure, frequently accompanied by larceny. There were instances of theft from lay people and even suspicions of violent crimes, including robbery and homicide, allegedly involving members of the clergy. Equally important was the broad issue of moral and disciplinary violations, including the presence of women within monastic premises, inappropriate relationships between monks and nuns, improper behavior by Carmelite friars in the lead-up to major liturgical feasts, and infractions related to the wearing of improper clothing. Corruption-related offenses were reported, too, particularly related to appointments to key positions within the monastic administrative hierarchy.