Law for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life: An Introduction to Canons 573-746

by Daniel Tibi

Overview

An up-to-date presentation of the Law of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life according to the 1983 Code of Canon Law.
 
This book provides an up-to-date, comprehensive presentation of the Law of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life according to the 1983 Code of Canon Law. It also outlines the process of legal protection in canonical administrative matters. It is intended as an introduction for superiors and members of institutes and societies, as well as for vicars and officials in ecclesiastical administration. It will also serve as a useful resource for novitiate formation, and an initial overview for students engaged in academic study.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798400802003
Publisher:	Liturgical Press
Publication date:	08/11/2025
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	5.12(w) x 8.19(h) x 0.63(d)

About the Author

Daniel Tibi, OSB, JCD, is a Benedictine monk of Kornelimünster Abbey in Aachen and professor of canon law at University of Salzburg. His interests focus on law of religious institutes. In addition to his academic work, he also works as a consultant in this area.

Table of Contents

Contents
Foreword   xi
Introduction   xiii
Abbreviations   xix
                          Part I
                    Institutes of Consecrated Life
     Chapter One
Norms Common to All Institutes of Consecrated Life (cc. 573–606)   3
     1. Fundamentals of Consecrated Life (cc. 573–577)   4
     2. Patrimony (c. 578)   6
     3. Erection of Institutes of Consecrated Life (c. 579)   8
     4. Aggregation (c. 580)   14
     5. Mergers and Unions, Confederations and Federations (c. 582)   14
          a) Merger   14
          b) Association   14
          c) Federation   14
          d) Confederation   15
     6. Changes in Institutes of Consecrated Life (c. 583)   16
     7. Suppression (c. 584)   16
     8. Erection and Suppression of Parts of Institutes of Consecrated Life (cc. 581, 585)   17
     9. Just Autonomy (c. 586)   18
     10. Constitutions and Proper Law (c. 587)   19
          a) Constitutions (c. 587 §§1–3  ) 19
          b) Other Codes (c. 587 §4)   25
     11. Typology (cc. 588–595)   26
           a) Clerical Institutes and Lay Institutes (c. 588)   26
             aa) Clerical Institutes   26
             bb) Lay Institutes   29
             cc) Mixed Institutes   30
          b) Institutes of Pontifical Right and Institutes of Diocesan Right (cc. 589–590, 592–595)   31
             aa) Institutes of Diocesan Right (cc. 594–595)   36
             bb) Institutes of Pontifical Right (cc. 592–593)   38
          c) Exempt and Non-Exempt Institutes (c. 591)   42
     12. Superiors and Chapters (c. 596)   43
     13. Basic Requirements for Admission (c. 597)   45
     14. The Evangelical Counsels (cc. 598–601)   47
     15. Communion of Life (c. 602)   50
     16. Other Forms of Consecrated Life (cc. 603–605)   50
          a) Diocesan Hermits (c. 603)   51
          b) Consecrated Virgins (c. 604)   54
          c) Consecrated Widows   59
          d) New Forms of Consecrated Life (c. 605)   60
     17. Equal Applicability of the Law (c. 606)   60
     Chapter Two
Religious Institutes (cc. 607–709)   63
     1. Religious Houses and Their Erection and Suppression (cc. 608–616)   63
     2. The Governance of Institutes (cc. 617–640)   67
          a) Superiors and Their Councils (cc. 617–630)   68
             aa) Authority of Superiors (cc. 618–619)   68
             bb) Types of Superiors (cc. 620–622)   69
             cc) Election and Designation of Superiors (cc. 623–626)   71
             dd) Obligations of Superiors (cc. 628–630)   74
             ee) Councils (c. 627)   76
     b) Chapters (cc. 631–633)   81
     c) Temporal Goods and Their Administration (cc. 634–640)   84
             aa) Finance Officer (cc. 636–637)   85
             bb) Ordinary and Extraordinary Administration (c. 638 §§1–2)   88
             cc) Alienation (c. 638 §§3–4)   88
             dd) Liability for Debts and Obligations (c. 639)   91
     3. Admission of Candidates and the Formation of Members (cc. 641–661)   93
          a) Admission to the Novitiate (cc. 641–645)   94
          b) The Novitiate and Formation of Novices (cc. 646–653)   102
          c) Religious Profession (cc. 654–658)   107
          d) Formation of Religious (cc. 659–661)   111
     4. Rights and Obligations of Institutes and Their Members (cc. 662–672)   113
          a) Spiritual Life (cc. 662–664)   113
          b) Common Life and Lawful Absence (c. 665)   115
          c) Use of Means of Social Communication (c. 666)   116
          d) Cloister (c. 667)   117
          e) Legal Implications of the Vow of Poverty (c. 668)   118
          f) Religious Habit (c. 669)   120
          g) Responsibility of the Institute to Care for the Members (c. 670)   121
          h) Functions and Offices Outside the Institute (c. 671)   121
          i) Further Obligations (c. 672)   121
          j) Permission to Publish Writings (c. 832)   124
     5. Apostolate of Institutes (cc. 673–683)   125
     6. Separation from the Institute (cc. 684–704)   128
          a) Transfer (cc. 684–685)   129
             aa) Transfer from One Institute to Another Institute (c. 684 §§1–2)   130
             bb) Transfer from One Autonomous Monastery to Another of the Same Institute, Federation, or Confederation (c. 684 §§3–4)   131
             cc) Transfer to or from a Secular Institute or a Society of Apostolic Life (c. 684 §5)   131
          b) Exclaustration (cc. 686–687)   131
             aa) Exclaustration Requested by the Member (c. 686 §1–2)   132
             bb) Imposed Exclaustration (c. 686 §3)   134
             cc) Rights and Obligations Arising from Exclaustration (c. 687)   134
          c) Departure (cc. 688–693)   135
             aa) Departure of a Religious in Temporary Vows (cc. 688–689)   135
             bb) Departure of a Religious in Perpetual Vows (cc. 691–693)   137
             cc) Readmission after Departure (c. 690)   139
          d) Dismissal (cc. 694–703)   139
              aa) Dismissal ipso facto (c. 694)   140
             bb) Dismissal through Dismissal Procedure (cc. 695–700)   142
             cc) Legal Effects of Dismissal (cc. 701–702)   146
             dd) Immediate Expulsion from a Religious House (c. 703)   146
          e) Report of Separations to the Apostolic See (c. 704)   146
     7. Religious Raised to the Episcopate (cc. 705–707)   147
     8. Conferences of Major Superiors (cc. 708–709)   149
     Chapter Three
Secular Institutes (cc. 710–730)   151
     1. Sacred Bonds (c. 712)   153
     2. Apostolic Activity (c. 713)   154
     3. Governance (c. 717)   155
     4. Administration of Temporal Goods (c. 718)   155
     5. Spiritual Life (c. 719)   156
     6. Admission and Formation (cc. 720–725)   157
     7. Separation from the Institute (cc. 726–730)   159
                         Part II
                    Societies of Apostolic Life
     Chapter Four
Societies of Apostolic Life (cc. 731–746)   165
     1. Houses and Local Communities (c. 733)   167
     2. Governance (cc. 734, 738)   167
     3. Admission and Formation (cc. 735–736)   168
     4. Obligations and Rights (cc. 737, 739–740)   169
     5. Administration of Temporal Goods (c. 741)   169
     6. Separation from the Society (cc. 742–746)   170
Appendix: Recourse in Administrative Matters   173
     Administrative Recourse (cc. 1732–1739)   173
     Appeal to the Apostolic Signatura   183
Bibliography   189

Editorial Reviews

Daniel Tibi provides a thorough discussion and review of the canons which apply to institutes of consecrated life. Of particular value may be the sections with background and application of the norms to be observed when difficulties arise around a member’s status or when hierarchical recourse is needed. The text is a good complement to the different handbooks, especially by the professional societies of canon law, that exist. Tibi’s work serves as a good refresher as well as a source for changes in the canons on consecrated life that have occurred since the 1983 Code was promulgated.”
Lynn Jarrell, OSU, JCD

From the Publisher