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"[T]he
parish exists solely for the good of souls." (Second Vatican
Council)
"Priests
are to be appointed to parish churches by the bishops, to whom
they shall answer for the care of souls and for those matters
which pertain to the bishop." (First Lateran Council)
"A
diocese is a portion of the [Church] which is entrusted to a
bishop to be shepherded by him with the cooperation of the
presbytery." (Second Vatican Council)
"Can.
374 §1 Each diocese or other particular Church is to be divided
into distinct parts or parishes. §2 To foster pastoral care by
means of common action, several neighboring parishes can be joined
together in special groups, such as vicariates forane." (1983
Code of Canon Law)
"Can.
516 §1 Unless the law provides otherwise, a quasi-parish is
equivalent to a parish. A quasi-parish is a certain community of
Christ's faithful within a particular Church, entrusted to a
priest as its proper pastor, but because of special circumstances
not yet established as a parish." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"Can.
547 The diocesan Bishop freely appoints an assistant priest
(parochial vicar); if he has judged it opportune, he will have
consulted the parish priest or parish priests of the parishes to
which the assistant is appointed, and the Vicar forane, without
prejudice to can. 682 §1." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"We
add further that each archbishop or bishop, either in person or
through his archdeacon or through suitable honest persons, should
visit twice or at least once in the year any parish of his in
which heretics are said to live." (Fourth Lateran Council)
"Can.
534 §1 When he has taken possession of his parish, the parish
priest is bound on each Sunday and holyday of obligation in his
diocese to apply the Mass for the people entrusted to him. If he
is lawfully impeded from this celebration, he is to have someone
else apply the Mass on these days or apply it himself on other
days." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"Can.
368 Particular Churches, in which and from which the one and only
Catholic Church exists, are first of all dioceses, to which,
unless it is otherwise evident, are likened a territorial
prelature and territorial abbacy, a vicariate apostolic and an
apostolic prefecture, and a permanently established apostolic
administration." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"Can.
431 §1 Neighboring particular Churches are to be grouped into
ecclesiastical provinces, with a certain defined territory. The
purpose of this grouping is to promote, according to the
circumstances of persons and place, a common pastoral action of
various neighboring dioceses, and the more closely to foster
relations between diocesan Bishops." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"Can.
1748 The good of souls or the necessity or advantage of the Church
may demand that a parish priest be transferred from his own
parish, which he governs satisfactorily, to another parish or
another office. In these circumstances, the Bishop is to propose
the transfer to him in writing and persuade him to consent, for
the love of God and of souls." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"Can.
1751 §1 If, when these things have been done, the parish priest
still refuses and the Bishop still believes that a transfer ought
to take place, the Bishop is to issue a decree of transfer stating
that, when a prescribed time has elapsed, the parish shall be
vacant. §2 When this time has elapsed without result, he is to
declare the parish vacant." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"In
forming a judgment on the suitability of a priest for the
administration of any parish the bishop should take into
consideration not only his knowledge of doctrine but also his
piety, apostolic zeal and other gifts and qualities which are
necessary for the proper exercise of the care of souls."
(Second Vatican Council)
"Can.
550 §1 The assistant priest (parochial vicar) is bound to reside
in the parish or, if he is appointed for a number of parishes at
the same time, in one of them. For a just reason, however, the
local Ordinary may permit him to reside elsewhere, especially in a
house common to several priests, provided the carrying out of the
pastoral duties does not in any way suffer thereby." (1983
Code of Canon Law)
"We
therefore decree that nobody is to be appointed parish priest
unless he is suitable by knowledge, morals and age. Any
appointments from now of those younger than twenty-five are to
lack all validity. The person appointed is obliged to reside in
the parish church of which he has become rector, in order that he
may take more diligent care of the flock entrusted to him."
(Second Council of Lyons)
"Can.
539 When a parish is vacant, or when the parish priest is
prevented from exercising his pastoral office in the parish by
reason of imprisonment, exile or banishment, or by reason of
incapacity or ill health or some other cause, the diocesan Bishop
is as soon as possible to appoint a parochial administrator, that
is, a priest who will take the place of the parish priest in
accordance with can. 540." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"Can.
540 §1 The parochial administrator is bound by the same
obligations and has the same rights as a parish priest, unless the
diocesan Bishop prescribes otherwise. §2 A parochial
administrator may not do anything which could prejudice the rights
of the parish priest or could do harm to parochial property. §3
When he has discharged his office, the parochial administrator is
to give an account to the parish priest." (1983 Code of Canon
Law)
"Can.
538 §3 A parish priest who has completed his seventy fifth year
of age is requested to offer his resignation from office to the
diocesan Bishop who, after considering all the circumstances of
person and place, is to decide whether to accept or defer it.
Having taken account of the norms laid down by the Episcopal
Conference, the diocesan Bishop must make provision for the
appropriate maintenance and residence of the priest who has
retired." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"Can.
515 §1 A parish is a certain community of Christ's faithful
stably established within a particular Church, whose pastoral
care, under the authority of the diocesan Bishop, is entrusted to
a parish priest as its proper pastor. §2 The diocesan Bishop
alone can establish, suppress or alter parishes. He is not to
establish, suppress or notably alter them unless he has consulted
the council of priests. §3 A lawfully established parish has
juridical personality by virtue of the law itself." (1983
Code of Canon Law)
"Can.
372 §1 As a rule, a portion of the [Church] which constitutes
a diocese or other particular Church is limited to a definite
territory so that it includes all the faithful living in the
territory. §2 If however, in the judgement of the supreme
authority in the Church, after consultation with the Episcopal
Conferences concerned, it is thought to be helpful, there may be
established in a given territory particular Churches distinguished
by the rite of the faithful or by some other similar
quality." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"Can.
521 §1 To be validly appointed a parish priest, one must be in
the sacred order of priesthood. §2 He is also to be outstanding
in sound doctrine and uprightness of character, endowed with zeal
for souls and other virtues, and possessed of those qualities
which by universal or particular law are required for the care of
the parish in question. §3 In order that one be appointed to the
office of parish priest, his suitability must be clearly
established, in a manner determined by the diocesan Bishop, even
by examination." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"The
bishop will be unaware of many things and many things will be
hidden from him if he does not visit every part of his diocese
himself and if he does not look, listen, and examine everywhere
for which evils a remedy may be prepared. He should probe the
causes of those evils and then take preventive measures lest they
come to life again. The condition of human weakness is such that
thorn bushes, prickles, and weeds grow gradually in the Lord's
field, the cultivation of which is entrusted to the bishop. If the
gardener does not return frequently to pluck them out, his
seedlings will wither with the passage of time." (Pope
Benedict XIV, "Ubi Primum", 1740 A.D.)
"Can.
545 §1 Whenever it is necessary or opportune for the due pastoral
care of the parish, one or more parochial vicars (assistant
priests) can be associated with the parish priest. As cooperators
with the parish priest and sharers in his solicitude, they are to
offer service in the pastoral ministry by common counsel and
effort with the pastor and under his authority. §2 An assistant
priest may be assigned either to assist in exercising the entire
pastoral ministry for the whole parish, a determined part of the
parish, or a particular group of the faithful within it, or even
to help in carrying out a specific ministry in a number of
parishes at the same time." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"Can.
1741 The reasons for which a parish priest can lawfully be removed
from his parish are principally: 1° a manner of acting which
causes grave harm or disturbance to ecclesiastical communion; 2°
ineptitude or permanent illness of mind or body, which makes the
parish priest unequal to the task of fulfilling his duties
satisfactorily; 3° the loss of the parish priest's good name
among upright and responsible minded parishioners, or aversion to
him, which appears will not cease in a brief time; 4° grave
neglect or violation of parochial duties, which persists after a
warning; 5° poor administration of temporal goods with grave harm
to the Church, when no other remedy can be found to eliminate this
harm." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"Can.
530 The functions especially entrusted to the parish priest are as
follows: 1° the administration of baptism; 2° the administration
of the sacrament of confirmation to those in danger of death, in
accordance with can. 883, n. 3; 3° the administration of Viaticum
and of the anointing of the sick, without prejudice to can. 1003
§§2 and 3, and the imparting of the apostolic blessing; 4° the
assistance at marriages and the nuptial blessing; 5° the
conducting of funerals; 6° the blessing of the baptismal font at
paschal time, the leading of processions outside the church, and
the giving of solemn blessings outside the church; 7° the more
solemn Eucharistic celebration on Sundays and holy days of
obligation." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"Can.
777 In a special way, the parish priest is to ensure, in
accordance with the norms laid down by the diocesan Bishop, that:
1° an adequate catechesis is given for the celebration of the Sacraments; 2° children are properly prepared for first
Confession and first Holy Communion, and for the Sacrament of Confirmation, by means of catechetical formation over an
appropriate period of time; 3° children, after they have made
their first Holy Communion, are given a richer and deeper
catechetical formation; 4° as far as their condition allows,
catechetical formation is given to the mentally and physically
handicapped; 5° the faith of young people and of adults is
strengthened, enlightened and developed by various catechetical
methods and initiatives." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"Let
our parish priests, therefore, while providing of course for the
normal needs of the faithful, dedicate the better part of their
endeavors and their zeal to winning back the laboring masses to
Christ and to His Church. Let them work to infuse the Christian
spirit into quarters where it is least at home. The willing
response of the masses, and results far exceeding their
expectations, will not fail to reward them for their strenuous
pioneer labor. This has been and continues to be our experience in
Rome and in other capitals, where zealous parish communities are
being formed as new churches are built in the suburban districts,
and real miracles are being worked in the conversion of people
whose hostility to religion has been due solely to the fact that
they did not know it." (Pope Pius XI, "Divini
Redemptoris", 1937 A.D.)
"Can.
548 §1 The obligations and rights of a parochial vicar, besides
being defined in the canons of this chapter, diocesan statutes,
and the letter of the diocesan bishop, are more specifically
determined in the mandate of the pastor. §2 Unless the letter of
the diocesan bishop expressly provides otherwise, a parochial
vicar is obliged to assist the pastor in the entire parochial
ministry by reason of office, with the exception of the
application of the Mass for the people. Likewise, if a matter
should arise in accordance with the law, he is bound to take the
place of the parish priest. §3 A parochial vicar is to report to
the pastor regularly concerning proposed and existing pastoral
endeavors in such a way that the pastor and the vicar or vicars,
through joint efforts, are able to provide for the pastoral care
of the parish for which they are together responsible." (1983
Code of Canon Law)
"Can.
535 §1 In each parish there are to be parochial registers, that
is, of baptisms, of marriages and of deaths, and any other
registers prescribed by the Episcopal Conference or by the
diocesan Bishop. The parish priest is to ensure that entries are
accurately made and that the registers are carefully preserved.
§2 In the register of baptisms, a note is to be made of Confirmation and of matters pertaining to the canonical status of
the faithful by reason of marriage, without prejudice to the
provision of can. 1133, and by reason of adoption, the reception
of sacred Order, the making of perpetual profession in a religious
institute, or a change of rite. These annotations are always to be
reproduced on a baptismal certificate. §3 Each parish is to have
its own seal. Documents regarding the canonical status of the
faithful, and all acts which can have juridical significance, are
to be signed by the parish priest or his delegate and secured with
the parochial seal. §4 In each parish there is to be an archive,
in which the parochial registers are to be kept, together with
episcopal letters and other documents which it may be necessary or
useful to preserve. On the occasion of visitation or at some other
opportune time, the diocesan Bishop or his delegate is to inspect
all of these matters. The parish priest is to take care that they
do not fall into unauthorized hands. §5 Older parochial registers
are also to be carefully safeguarded, in accordance with the
provisions of particular law." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
Also
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& Responsibilities of the Faithful Towards Priests | Stability
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