(11)                          The ABBESS:

11:1 With great benevolence, you should love the Matriarch, who has ever care for you and obey the order without a murmur lest she is grieved in her charity. For they preside over you with charity and true piety and strive to preserve discretion as well as the rule. She corrects the restless and console the faint-hearted and sustain the sick, always thinking about how to render an account to God for you. Whence by holy obedience, you should take more pity on them than on yourselves; for the more superior in their order some among you are seen to be, the more serious are the perils they face. For that reason, you are to obey not only the Matriarch but also the order, with humble reverence.

(11) 2

11:a) The Abbess first duty is obedience to the Mystical Order and its Leadership

11:b) Abbesses are, like bishops, major superiors according to Mystical Rule. They receive the vows of the office of the church and have full authority in its administration. As they do not receive Holy Orders in the Mystical Order Churches they do not possess certain powers conferred upon bishops, nor do they exercise authority outside of their church.

11:c) They receive the vows of the office of the church; they may admit candidates.

11:d)  They have full authority in its administration. However, there are certain limitations: they may not administer the sacraments and related functions whose celebration is reserved to bishops, priests, deacons (the male clergy), namely, Holy Orders.

11:e) Shall be appointed by the Patriarch on the advice of the Archbishop and shall hold this office at the pleasure of the  Presiding Prelate and the Ordination and Consecration Committee or until appointed to another office of higher status. Shall be Ordained and or Consecrated, Licensed and Registered as such.

11:f) Shall be responsible for the preparation of the Temple for service.

11:g) Shall assist in the maintaining of order, good behaviour and safety in the Temple.

11:h) Shall be an armour bearer to the Matriarch and Crowned Queen Abbess

11:i) Shall assist with baptism, Funerals, Ordinations and any other function deem fit by the Archbishop and or Thr Patriarch and Presiding Prelate

11:j) All Abbesses shall be seated on the Executive Council

11:k) After being confirmed in her office by the Patriarch, an abbess is solemnly admitted to her office by a formal blessing, conferred by the Archbishop in whose territory the church is located, or by another bishop with appropriate permission from the Patriarch. Unlike the bishop, the abbess receives only the ring and a copy of the rule of the order. She does not receive a mitre nor is given a crosier as part of the ceremony.

11:l) The office of abbess is of considerable social dignity filled with pride and respectability.