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Code of Canon Law IntraText CT - Text |
Art. 2. The College of Bishops
Can.336 The college of bishops, whose head is the Supreme Pontiff and whose members are bishops by virtue of
sacramental consecration and hierarchical communion with the head and members of the college and in which
the apostolic body continues, together with its head and never without this head, is also the subject of supreme and
full power offer the universal Church.
Can.337 §1. The college of bishops exercises power offer the universal Church in a solemn manner in an ecumenical
§2. It exercises the same power through the united action of the bishops dispersed in the world, which the
Roman Pontiff has publicly declared or freely accepted as such so that it becomes a true collegial act.
§3. It is for the Roman Pontiff, according to the needs of the Church, to select and promote the ways by which
the college of bishops is to exercise its function collegially regarding the universal Church.
Can.338 §1. It is for the Roman Pontiff alone to convoke an ecumenical council, preside offer it personally or
through others, transfer, suspend, or dissolve a council, and to approve its decrees.
§2. It is for the Roman Pontiff to determine the matters to be treated in a council and establish the order to
be observed in a council. To the questions proposed by the Roman Pontiff, the council fathers can add others which
are to be approved by the Roman Pontiff.
Can.339 §1. All the bishops and only the bishops who are members of the college of bishops have the right and duty
to take part in an ecumenical council with a deliberative vote.
§2. Moreover, some others who are not bishops can be called to an ecumenical council by the supreme
authority of the Church, to whom it belongs to determine their roles in the council.
Can.340 If the Apostolic See becomes vacant during the celebration of a council, the council is interrupted by the
law itself until the new Supreme Pontiff orders it to be continued or dissolves it.
Can.341 §1. The decrees of an ecumenical council do not have obligatory force unless they have been approved
by the Roman Pontiff together with the council fathers, confirmed by him, and promulgated at his order.
§2. To have obligatory force, decrees which the college of bishops issues when it places a truly collegial action
in another way initiated or freely accepted by the Roman Pontiff need the same confirmation and promulgation.