III. SOME FUNDAMENTAL NORMS

The revised Code of Canon Law transcribes into canonical norms the rich conciliar and post-conciliar teaching of the Church on religious life. Together with the documents of the Second Vatican Council and the pronouncements of successive Popes in recent years, it gives the basis on which current Church praxis regarding religious life is founded. The natural evolution necessary for ordinary living will always continue, but the period of special experimentation for religious institutes, as provided by the motu proprio Ecclesiae Sanctae II, ended with the celebration of the second ordinary general chapter after the special chapter of renewal. Now the revised Code of Canon Law is the Church's juridical foundation for religious life, both in its evaluation of the experience of experimentation and its looking to the future. The following fundamental norms contain a comprehensive synthesis of the Church's provisions.

§1. Religious life is a form of life to which some Christians, both clerical and lay, are freely called by God so that they may enjoy a special gift of grace in the life of the Church and may contribute each in his or her own way to the saving mission of the Church (cf. LG 43) §2. The gift of religious vocation is rooted in the gift of baptism but is not given to all the baptized. It is freely given and unmerited: offered by God to those whom he chooses freely from among his people and for the sake of his people (cf. PC 5) §3. In accepting God's gift of vocation, religious respond to a divine call: dying to sin (cf. Rm 6:11), renouncing the world, and living for God alone. Their whole lives are dedicated to his service and they seek and love above all else "God who has first loved us" (cf. I Jn 4:10; cf. PC 5, 6) The focus of their lives is the closer following of Christ (cf. ET 7) §4. The dedication of the whole life of the religious to God's service constitutes a special consecration (cf. PC 5) It is a consecration of the whole person which manifests in the Church a marriage effected by God, a sign of the future life. This consecration is by public vows, perpetual or temporary, the latter renewable on expiry. By their vows, religious assume the observance of the three evangelical counsels; they are consecrated to God through the ministry of the Church (can. 607, 654), and they are incorporated into their institute with the rights and duties defined by law. §5. The conditions for validity of temporary profession, the length of this period and its possible extension are determined in the constitutions of each institute, always in conformity with the common law of the Church (can. 655-658) §6. Religious profession is made according to the formula of vows approved by the Holy See for each institute. The formula is common because all members undertake the same obligations and, when fully incorporated, have the same rights and duties. The individual religious may add an introduction and/or conclusion, if this is approved by competent authority. §7. Considering its character and the ends proper to it. every institute should define in its constitutions the way in which the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty, and obedience are to be observed in its own particular way of life (can. 598.1).

§8. Community life, which is one of the marks of a religious institute (can. 607.2), is proper to each religious family. It gathers all the members together in Christ and should be so defined that it becomes a source of mutual aid to all, while helping to fulfill the religious vocation of each (can. 602) It should offer an example of reconciliation in Christ, and of the communion that is rooted and founded in his love. §9. For religious, community life is lived in a house lawfully erected under the authority of a superior designated by law (can. 608) Such a house is erected with the written approval of the diocesan bishop (can. 609) and should be able to provide suitably for the necessities of its members (can. 610.2), enabling community life to expand and develop with that understanding cordiality which nourishes hope (cf. ET 39) §10. The individual house should have at least an oratory in which the Eucharist may be celebrated and is reserved so that it is truly the center of the community (can. 608) §11. In all religious houses according to the character and mission of the institute and according to the specifications of its proper law, some part should be reserved to the members alone (can. 667.1) This form of separation from the world, which is proper to the purpose of each institute, is part of the public witness which religious give to Christ and to the Church (cf. can. 607.3) It is also needed for the silence and recollection which foster prayer. §12. Religious should live in their own religious house, observing a common life. They should not live alone without serious reason, and should not do so if there is a community of their institute reasonably near. If, however, there is a question of prolonged absence, the major superior with the consent of his or her council, may permit a religious to live outside the houses of the institute for a just cause, within the limits of common law (can. 665.1).

§13. Religious should regard the following of Christ proposed in the Gospel and expressed in the constitutions of their institute as the supreme rule of life (can. 662). §14. The nature, end, spirit, and character of the institute, as established by the founder or foundress and approved by the Church, should be preserved by all, together with the institute's sound traditions (can. 578). §15. To safeguard the proper vocation and identity of the individual institutes, the constitutions of each must provide fundamental norms concerning the government of the institute, the rule of life for its members, their incorporation and formation, and the proper object of the vows (can. 587). This is in addition to the matters referred to in III §14. §16. The constitutions are approved by competent ecclesiastical authority. For diocesan institutes, this is the local Ordinary; for pontifical institutes; the Holy See. Subsequent modifications and authentic interpretations are also reserved to the same authority (can. 576, 587.2). §17. By their religious profession, the members of an institute bind themselves to observe the constitutions faithfully and with love, for they recognize in them the way of life approved by the Church for the institute and the authentic expression of its spirit, tradition, and law. IV.

§18. The evangelical counsel of chastity embraced for the Kingdom of heaven is a sign of the future life and a source of abundant fruitfulness in an undivided heart. It carries with it the obligation of perfect continence in celibacy (can. 599). §19. Discretion should be used in all things that could be dangerous to the chastity of a consecrated person (cf. PC 12; can. 666).

§20. The evangelical counsel of poverty in imitation of Christ calls for a life poor in fact and in spirit, subject to work and led in frugality and detachment from material possessions. Its profession by vow for the religious involves dependence and limitation in the use and disposition of temporalities according to the norms of the proper law of the institute (can. 600). §21. By the vow of poverty, religious give up the free use and disposal of goods having material value. Before first profession, they cede the administration of their goods to whomsoever they wish and, unless the constitutions determine otherwise, they freely dispose of their use and usufruct (can. 668). Whatever the religious acquires by personal industry, by gift, or as a religious, is acquired for the institute; whatever is acquired by way of pension, subsidy, or insurance is also acquired for the institute unless the proper law states otherwise (can. 668.3).

§22. The evangelical counsel of obedience, lived in faith, is a loving following of Christ who was obedient unto death. §23. By their vow of obedience, religious undertake to submit their will to legitimate superiors (can. 601) according to the constitutions. The constitutions themselves state who may give a formal command of obedience and in what circumstances. §24. Religious institutes are subject to the supreme authority of the Church in a particular manner (can. 590.1). All religious are obliged to obey the Holy Father as their highest superior in virtue of the vow of obedience (can. 590.2). §25. Religious may not accept duties and offices outside their own institute without the permission of a lawful superior (can. 671). Like clerics, they may not accept public offices which involve the exercise of civil power (can. 285.3; cf. also can. 672 with the additional canons to which it refers).

§26. The first and principal duty of religious is assiduous union with God in prayer. They participate in the Eucharistic sacrifice daily insofar as possible and approach the sacrament of penance frequently. The reading of Sacred Scripture, time for mental prayer, the worthy celebration of the liturgy of the hours according to the prescriptions of proper law, devotion to the Blessed Virgin, and a special time for annual retreat are all part of the prayer of religious (can. 663, 664, 1174). §27. Prayer should be both individual and communitarian. §28. A generous asceticism is constantly needed for daily conversion to the Gospel (cf. Paul VI, Apostolic Constitution Paenitemini, 17 February 1966, II-III, 1, c). For this reason, religious communities must not only be prayerful groups but also ascetical communities in the Church. In addition to being internal and personal, penance must also be external and communal (cf. CDm 14; cf. SC 110).

§29. The apostolate of all religious consists first in the witness of their consecrated life which they are bound to foster by prayer and penance (can. 673). §30. In institutes dedicated to works of the apostolate, apostolic action is of their very nature. The life of the members should be imbued with an apostolic spirit, and all apostolic activity should be imbued with the religious spirit (can. 675.1). §31. The essential mission of those religious undertaking apostolic works is the proclaiming of the word of God to those whom he places along their path, so as to lead them towards faith. Such a grace requires a profound union with the Lord, one which enables the religious to transmit the message of the Incarnate Word in terms which today's world is able to understand (cf. ET 9). §32. Apostolic action is carried out in communion with the Church, and in the name and by the mandate of the Church (can. 675.3). §33. Superiors and members should faithfully retain the mission and works proper to the institute. They should accommodate them with prudence to the needs of times and places (can. 677.1). §34. In apostolic relations with bishops, religious are bound by canons 678-683. They have the special obligation of being attentive to the magisterium of the hierarchy and of facilitating for the bishops the exercise of the ministry of teaching, and witnessing authentically to divine truth (cf. MR 33; cf. LG 25).

§35. The witness of religious is public. This public witness to Christ and to the Church implies separation from the world according to the character and purpose of each institute (can. 607.3). §36. Religious institutes should strive to render a quasi-collective witness of charity and poverty (can. 640). §37. Religious should wear the religious garb of the institute, described in their proper law, as a sign of consecration and a witness of poverty (can. 669.1).

§38. No one may be admitted to religious life without suitable preparation (can. 597.3). §39. Conditions for validity of admission, for validity of novitiate, and for temporary and perpetual profession are indicated in the common law of the Church and the proper law of each institute (can. 641-658). So also are provisions for the place, time, program and guidance of the novitiate and the requirements for the director of novices. §40. The length of time of formation between first and perpetual vows is stated in the constitutions in accordance with common law (can. 655). §41. Throughout their entire life, religious should continue their spiritual, doctrinal and practical formation, taking advantage of the opportunities and time provided by superiors for this (can. 661).

§42. It belongs to the competent ecclesiastical authority to constitute stable forms of living by canonical approval (can. 576) To this authority are also reserved aggregations (can. 580) and the approval of constitutions (can. 587.2) Mergers, unions, federations, confederations, suppressions, and the changing of anything already approved by the Holy See, are reserved to that See (can. 582-584) §43. Authority to govern in religious institutes is invested in superiors who should exercise it according to the norms of common and proper law (can. 617) This authority is received from God through the ministry of the Church (can. 618) The authority of a superior at whatever level is personal and may not be taken over by a group. For a particular time and for a given purpose, it may be delegated to a designated person. §44. Superiors should fulfill their office generously, building with their brothers or sisters a community in Christ in which God is sought and loved before everything. In their role of service, superiors have the particular duty of governing in accordance with the constitutions of their institute and of promoting the holiness of its members. In their person, superiors should be examples of fidelity to the magisterium of the Church and to the law and tradition of their institute. They should also foster the consecrated lives of their religious by their care and correction, their support and their patience (cf. can. 619) §45. Conditions for appointment or election, the length of term of office for the various superiors, and the mode of canonical election for the superior general are stated in the constitutions according to common law (can. 623-625) §46. Superiors must each have their own council, which assists them in fulfilling their responsibility.

In addition to cases prescribed in the common law, proper law determines those cases in which the superior must obtain the consent or the advice of the council for validity of action (can. 627.1 and 627.2) §47. The general chapter should be a true sign of the unity in charity of the institute. It represents the entire institute and when in session exercises supreme authority in accordance with common law and the norms of the constitutions (can. 631) The general chapter is not a permanent body; its composition, frequency, and functions are stated in the constitutions (can. 631.2) A general chapter may not modify its own composition but it may propose modifications for the composition of future chapters. Such modifications require the approval of the competent ecclesiastical authority. The general chapter may modify those elements of proper law which are not subject to the authority of the Church. §48. Chapters should not be convoked so frequently as to interfere with the good functioning of the ordinary authority of the major superior. The nature, authority, composition, mode of procedure and frequency of meeting of chapters and of similar assemblies of the institute are determined exactly by proper law (can. 632) In practice, the main elements of these should be in the constitutions. §49. Provision for temporal goods (can. 634-640) and their administration as well as norms concerning the separation of members from the institute by transfer, departure, or dismissal (can. 684-704) are also found in the common law of the Church and must be included, even if only in brief, in the constitutions.

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Essential Elements in the Church's Teaching on Religious Life (1983)

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