CHAPTER II : OATHS

Can. 1199 §1 An oath is the invocation of the divine Name as witness to the truth. It cannot be taken except in truth, judgement and justice.

§2 An oath which is required or accepted by the canons cannot validly be taken by proxy.

Can. 1200 §1 A person who freely swears on oath to do something is specially obliged by the virtue of religion to fulfil that which he or she asserted by the oath.

§2 An oath extorted by deceit, force or grave fear is by virtue of the law itself invalid.

Can. 1201 §1 A promissory oath is determined by the nature and condition of the act to which it is attached.

§2 An act which directly threatens harm to others or is prejudicial to the public good or to eternal salvation, is in no way reinforced by an oath sworn to do that act.

Can. 1202 §1 The obligation of a promissory oath ceases:

1° if it is remitted by the person in whose favour the oath was sworn;

2° if what was sworn is substantially changed or, because of altered circumstances, becomes evil or completely irrelevant, or hinders a greater good;

3° if the purpose or the condition ceases under which the oath may have been made;

4° by dispensation or commutation in accordance with Can. 1203.

Can. 1203 Those who can suspend, dispense or commute a vow have, in the same measure, the same power over a promissory oath. But if dispensation from an oath would tend to harm others and they refuse to remit the obligation, only the Apostolic See can dispense the oath.

Can. 1204 An oath is subject to strict interpretation, in accordance with the law and with the intention of the person taking the oath or, if that person acts deceitfully, in accordance with the intention of the person in whose presence the oath is taken.