In her teaching the Abbess should always follow the Apostle's formula:"Reprove, entreat, rebuke" (2 Tim. 4:2); threatening at one time and coaxing at another as the occasion may require, showing now the stern countenance of a mistress, now the loving affection of a mother. That is to say, it is the undisciplined and restless whom she must reprove rather sharply; it is the obedient, meek and patient whom she must entreat to advance in virtue; while as for the negligent and disdainful, these we charge her to rebuke and correct. And let her not shut her eyes to the faults of offenders; but, since she has the authority, let her cut out those faults by the roots as soon as they begin to appear, remembering the fate of Heli, the priest of Silo (1 Kings 2-4).The well-disposed and those of good understanding let her correct with verbal admonition the first and second time. But bold, hard, proud and disobedient characters she should curb at the very beginning of their ill-doing by stripes and other bodily punishments, knowing that it is written, "the fool is not corrected with words" (Prov. 18:2; 29:19), and again, "Beat your son with the rod,and you will deliver his soul from death" (Prov. 23:13-14).

I recently offered that it is not our task to judge. Benedict disagrees.

The leader must, he argues, be very familiar with each member of the community. The leader must know the character, intention, and predilections of her colleagues.

Her leadership should be adapted to the individual: patient when patience is effective, punishing when punishment is effective.

The goal is not fairness. One may be treated very differently from another. The goal is to bring the individual to self-awareness and self-correction.

The ultimate goal is to remove whatever impedes the individual's full relationship with God.