CHAPTER II
: THE GOVERNANCE OF INSTITUTES
ARTICLE 1:
SUPERIORS AND COUNCILS
Can.
617 Superiors are to fulfil their office and exercise their authority in
accordance with the norms of the universal law and of their own law.
Can.
618 The authority which Superiors receive from God through the ministry of the
Church is to be exercised by them in a spirit of service. In fulfilling their
office they are to be docile to the will of God, and are to govern those
subject to them as children of God. By their reverence for the human person,
they are to promote voluntary obedience. They are to listen willingly to their
subjects and foster their cooperation for the good of the institute and the
Church, without prejudice however to their authority to decide and to command
what is to be done.
Can.
619 Superiors are to devote themselves to their office with diligence. Together
with the members entrusted to them, they are to strive to build in Christ a
fraternal community, in which God is sought and loved above all. They are
therefore frequently to nourish their members with the food of God's word and
lead them to the celebration of the liturgy. They are to be an example to the
members in cultivating virtue and in observing the laws and traditions proper
to the institute. They are to give the members opportune assistance in their
personal needs. They are to be solicitous in caring for and visiting the sick;
they are to chide the restless, console the fainthearted and be patient with
all.
Can.
620 Major Superiors are those who govern an entire institute, or a province or
a part equivalent to a province, or an autonomous house; the vicars of the
above are also major Superiors. To these are added the Abbot Primate and the
Superior of a monastic congregation, though these do not have all the authority
which the universal law gives to major Superiors.
Can.
621 A province is a union of several houses which, under one superior,
constitutes an immediate part of the same institute, and is canonically
established by lawful authority.
Can.
622 The supreme Moderator has authority over all provinces, houses and members
of the institute, to be exercised in accordance with the institute's own law.
Other Superiors have authority within the limits of their office.
Can.
623 To be validly appointed or elected to the office of Superior, members must
have been perpetually or definitively professed for an appropriate period of
time, to be determined by their own law or, for major Superiors, by the
constitutions.
Can.
624 §1 Superiors are to be constituted for a certain and appropriate period of
time, according to the nature and needs of the institute unless the
constitutions establish otherwise for the supreme Moderator and for Superiors
of an autonomous house.
§2 An
institute's own law is to make suitable provisions so that Superiors
constituted for a defined time do not continue in offices of governance for too
long a period of time without an interval.
§3 During
their period in office, however, Superiors may be removed or transferred to
another office, for reasons prescribed in the institute's own law.
Can.
625 The supreme Moderator of the institute is to be designated by canonical
election, in accordance with the constitutions.
§2 The
Bishop of the principal house of the institute presides at the election of the
Superior of the autonomous monastery mentioned in can. 615, and at the election
of the supreme Moderator of an institute of diocesan right.
§3 Other
Superiors are to be constituted in accordance with the constitutions, but in
such a way that if they are elected, they require the confirmation of the
competent major Superior; if they are appointed by the Superior, the appointment
is to be preceded by suitable consultation.
Can.
626 Superiors in conferring offices, and members in electing to office, are to
observe the norms of the universal law and the institute's own law, avoiding
any abuse or preference of persons. They are to have nothing but God and the
good of the institute before their eyes, and appoint or elect those whom, in
the Lord, they know to be worthy and fitting. In elections, besides, they are
to avoid directly or indirectly lobbying for votes, either for themselves or
for others.
Can.
627 §1 Superiors are to have their own council, in accordance with the
constitutions, and they must make use of it in the exercise of their office.
§2 Apart
from the cases prescribed in the universal law, an institute's own law is to
determine the cases in which the validity of an act depends upon consent or
advice being sought in accordance with can. 127.
Can.
628 §1 Superiors who are designated for this office by the institute's own law
are at stated times to visit the houses and the members entrusted to them, in
accordance with the norms of the same law.
§2 The
diocesan Bishop has the right and the duty to visit the following, even in
respect of religious discipline:
1° the
autonomous monasteries mentioned in can. 615;
2° the
individual houses of an institute of diocesan right situated in his territory.
§3 The
members are to act with confidence towards the visitator, to whom when lawfully
questioning they are bound to reply truthfully and with charity. It is not
lawful for anyone in any way to divert the members from this obligation or
otherwise to hinder the scope of the visitation.
Can.
629 Superiors are to reside each in his or her own house, and they are not to
leave it except in accordance with the institute's own law.
Can.
630 §1 While safeguarding the discipline of the institute, Superiors are to
acknowledge the freedom due to the members concerning the sacrament of penance
and the direction of conscience.
§2
Superiors are to take care, in accordance with the institute's own law, that
the members have suitable confessors available, to whom they may confess
frequently.
§3 In
monasteries of cloistered nuns, in houses of formation, and in large lay
communities, there are to be ordinary confessors, approved by the local
Ordinary after consultation with the community. There is however, no obligation
to approach these confessors.
§4
Superiors are not to hear the confessions of their subjects unless the members
spontaneously request them to do so.
§5 The
members are to approach their superiors with trust and be able to open their
minds freely and spontaneously to them. Superiors, however, are forbidden in
any way to induce the members to make a manifestation of conscience to
themselves.
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