This Rule is an inspirational document. In the Church's constant tradition and experience, contrary to common opinion, a Rule is not a set of laws but rather a complex of attitudes by which one lives the Gospel. Living the Gospel - besides being the duty of every Christian - is the public and solemn commitment of every religious. And, as there are various ways and characteristics of living the Gospel, it follows that there are diverse Rules. A  «particular way or characteristic of living the Gospel» constitutes a distinct  «spirituality». Thus we easily see the direct correlation between Rule and spirituality. Correlation, but not identification.

As there are not many «spiritualities» in the history of the consecrated life, or religious life, there are not very many Rules. In fact, there have not been many Rules in the history of the Church: up until the time of Francis there were mainly only three: those of St. Basil, St. Augustine, and St. Benedict. It is already an exception that there are three Rules for the Order of St. Francis, one for each of the three Orders he established. It would be inconceivable for the Third Order Regular to have more than one Rule.

A Rule, on the other hand, does not have to contain the entire spirituality of a religious order which follows it. (Thus, for example, we see that today more than 150 religious orders and congregations follows the Rule of St. Augustine; these do not have a common origin, purpose and spirituality). The spirituality, however, should be expressed well in the constitutions which are different for each religious order or congregation.

A Rule, therefore, is different than the constitutions. These also, in certain aspects, are inspirational documents, but they must first of all completely express the particular charism of a certain congregation.

This Rule, which is intended for the large Third Order Regular family, both male and female, (the approximately 400 congregations which compose it) should, therefore, represent and express the basic unity of this Franciscan family, while the constitutions which are proper to each of the congregations represent their plurality and pluralism.

In summary, we can therefore affirm that this Rule:

a) is a spiritual document which presents a characteristic way of living the Gospel: a way of living prayer, fraternity, the apostolic life, etc.;

b) presents the principal basic and common attitudes and behavior of the entire Franciscan family of the Third Order Regular;

c) contains a  «common storehouse» that is at the basis of our unity. Here we find the fundamental values of the Franciscan family: poverty, minority, penance-conversion, and the contemplative life values woven into the fabric of the fraternity and lived in simplicity and joy;