The Guiding Document of Our Order
The Spirit of the Rule
The Rule speaks not to the heroic but to the faithful -- to those who are willing to return, each day, to the simplest and most honest acts of prayer, attention, and service.
It is strongly recommended reading for anyone considering membership of the Order, even before making formal enquiry. The Rule speaks for itself, and the spirit of Saint David is present on every page.
Dewi Sant
Sixth-century Abbot, Bishop, and Patron Saint of Wales. Founder of the monastic community at Mynyw (now St Davids). His witness of simplicity, austerity, and joy has guided the Order from its foundation.
The Rule of St David is the guiding document of the Order: its spiritual vision, its daily commitments, its structure of formation, and the shape of its common life. It is not a legal code but a way of life -- a practical wisdom document designed to help ordinary people live with greater intentionality, prayer, and love.
Like the ancient monastic rules from which it draws its inspiration, the Rule does not aim to impose an external burden. It offers, rather, an interior architecture: a quiet framework within which the whole of daily life -- work, rest, relationship, solitude -- can begin to take on the quality of a gift offered back to God. Members of the Order do not follow the Rule in spite of their ordinary lives. They follow it within them and through them.
The Rule takes its inspiration directly from Saint David and the tradition he embodied: a Christianity of radical simplicity, embodied prayer, and joyful perseverance. It draws also on the broader inheritance of Western monastic spirituality -- particularly the Rule of Saint Benedict, with its characteristic blend of wisdom, realism, and pastoral warmth -- and on the rich treasury of Celtic Christian prayer and practice preserved in sources such as the Carmina Gadelica.
At its heart is a conviction that holiness is not achieved by extraordinary acts but by faithful attention to the little things of daily life, offered day by day in love. This is the wisdom of Dewi Sant. It is as demanding as it is gentle, and it asks nothing that is not, in principle, available to every serious Christian living in the world.
What is the Rule?
"Be joyful, keep the faith, and do the little things."
Saint David of Wales · c. 589 AD
Its Character
A Rule of Wisdom
Three qualities define the spirit of the Rule and set the tone of everything within it. Together, they reflect the particular genius of the Davidic and Celtic tradition -- an approach to the holy life that is at once serious and humane, demanding and tender.
SIMPLICITY
Saint David is remembered above all for the simplicity of his way of life. He ploughed his own land, drank water, and wore undyed wool. The Rule carries this spirit forward not as an aesthetic preference but as a theological conviction: that the heart finds God most readily when it is unburdened by what is unnecessary. The Rule asks its members to cultivate simplicity in prayer, in possessions, in speech, and in expectation.
FIDELITY
The Celtic tradition understood the spiritual life as a long pilgrimage, not a series of dramatic conversions. What matters is not the intensity of any single moment but the quiet, consistent return to God, day after day, through joy and difficulty alike. The Rule is designed for perseverance. It is realistic about failure and generous in its encouragement to begin again. Fidelity, not perfection, is the measure of a member's life
Saint David's last recorded words to his community -- "Be joyful, keep the faith, and do the little things" -- set the tone for the entire Rule. Joy is not an optional extra in the Davidic tradition. It is a fruit of fidelity and a witness to the world. The Rule does not seek to produce members who are merely dutiful. It seeks to form people in whom the love of God has become, gradually and genuinely, a source of abiding gladness.
JOY
Prologue
A Letter to Those Who Seek
The opening address of the Rule, which sets out its spirit and invites the reader into the tradition of Davidic simplicity and Celtic fidelity.
Part One
The Evangelical Counsels
A sustained and practical treatment of chastity, poverty, and obedience as they are lived in secular life, with particular attention to the experience of married, single, and ordained members.
Part Two
The Life of Prayer
The daily rhythm of the Little Hours, the practice of lectio divina, the role of the anamchara, and the Order's particular approach to contemplative prayer in the midst of ordinary life.
Part Three
Community and Common Life
The shape of the Order's common life, including gatherings, retreats, correspondence, and the mutual support of members across distance.
Part Four
Formation and Profession
The stages of membership from initial enquiry through novitiate to temporary and final profession, with guidance on discernment at each stage.
Part Five
The Habit and Symbols
The distinctive symbols of the Order, the occasions on which the habit may be worn, and the significance of the Order's visual and liturgical identity.
Part Six
Saints Formed by David
Brief accounts of the saints who emerged from the community of Mynyw and whose lives illuminate the particular spirit and charism of the Davidic tradition.
Appendix
Questions and Answers
A comprehensive FAQ addressing the most common questions asked by those considering membership, those in formation, and those wishing to understand the Order's canonical situation.
Its Contents
The Structure of the Rule
The Rule is organised into a Prologue and a series of chapters, each addressing a distinct dimension of the life of the Order. Together they provide a complete account of what it means to live as a member of the Order of St David in the contemporary world.
How to Read It
Obtain a Copy of the Rule
The Rule of St David is available in print and as a digital edition. It is commended to all who are curious about the Order, whether or not they are considering membership. Those exploring a vocation are warmly encouraged to read the Rule before making any enquiry, as it gives the clearest possible account of what the Order is and what it asks.
Print Edition
The Rule of St David
A beautifully produced paperback edition, suitable for personal reading, formation, and use in retreats and gatherings. Available through the Order directly and through Amazon.
Digital Edition
Available as eBook
The digital edition of the Rule is available for those who prefer to read on a device or who are overseas. Formatted for ease of reading on any screen, with all content intact.
A NOTE ON READING THE RULE
The Rule is best approached slowly and prayerfully, a chapter or section at a time, with pauses for reflection. It is not primarily a document to be studied but a way of life to be tried. Many readers find it helpful to keep a journal alongside their reading, noting what resonates, what challenges, and what invites further prayer. The Rule will repay this kind of attentive, unhurried engagement far more richly than any quick reading could.
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