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SUMMARY In every cathedral
church and other churches also that have sufficient means, a master is to be
appointed to instruct gratis the clerics and poor students. The
metropolitan church ought to have a theologian who shall teach the clergy
whatever pertains to the cura animarum (i.e. care of souls).
Text. Since there are some
who, on account of the lack of necessary means, are unable to acquire an
education or to meet opportunities for perfecting themselves, the Third Lateran
Council in a salutary decree provided that in every cathedral church a suitable
benefice be assigned to a master who shall instruct gratis the clerics
of that church and other poor students, by means of which benefice the material
needs of the master might be relieved and to the students a way opened to
knowledge. But, since in many churches this is not observed, we, confirming the
aforesaid decree, add that, not only in every cathedral church but also in
other churches where means are sufficient, a competent master be appointed by
the prelate with his chapter, or elected by the greater and more discerning
part of the chapter, who shall instruct gratis and to the best of his
ability the clerics of those and other churches in the art of grammar and in
other branches of knowledge. In addition to a master, let the metropolitan
church have also a theologian, who shall instruct the priests and others in the
Sacred Scriptures and in those things especially that pertain to the cura
animarum. To each master let there be assigned by the chapter the revenue of
one benefice, and to the theologian let as much be given by the metropolitan;
not that they thereby become canons, but they shall enjoy the revenue only so
long as they hold the office of instructor. If the metropolitan church cannot
support two masters, then it shall provide for the theologian in the aforesaid
manner, but for the one teaching grammar, let it see to it that a sufficiency
is provided by another church of its city or diocese.
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