The decision may seem technical, but it is of major importance.
In a rescript published on Wednesday, and signed by Brazilian Cardinal João Braz de Aviz, the Vatican announced that bishops can no longer set up public associations of the faithful without the approval of Rome.
“Before establishing — by decree — a public association of the faithful with a view to becoming an institute of consecrated life or a society of apostolic life of diocesan right, the diocesan bishop must obtain the written authorization from the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life”, the decree reads.
It says Pope Francis actually approved the text on February 7 but gave no reason for the delay in its publication.
Action “in the name of the Church”
It comes just days after the Vatican suspended ordinations in the French Diocese of Fréjus-Toulon due to the presence of communities outside the control of the local ordinary, Bishop Dominique Rey.
These communities include many public associations of the faithful.
“It is possible that a blockage occurred in the Secretariat of State in the meantime, and that the situation in Toulon contributed to the publication,” explained a Vatican official.
Defined by canon law, a public association of the faithful can act publicly on behalf of the Church.
In particular, it is authorized to teach Catholic doctrine and to promote public worship. It cannot incardinate its own priests, but clerics can be members.
“A public association… is constituted a juridic person by the decree by which it is erected by competent ecclesiastical authority,” says Canon 313 of the Code of Canon Law.
“It also thereby receives a mission to pursue the ends which it proposes for itself in the name of the Church, to the extent that such a mission is required,” the same canon says.
“Bishops do not have the means to exercise real vigilance”
Rome’s decision to tighten the screws represents a new stage in the takeover of certain associations or diocesan institutes.
Bishops used to have the authority to recognize new institutes of consecrated life in their diocese without Vatican permission.
But the pope put a stop to that in November 2020, ruling that they would henceforth need approval from the Holy See.
With the new rescript, the same now applies regarding public associations of the faithful.
“Allowing bishops to decide on the creation of these institutes or associations was a fruit of the Second Vatican Council, which wanted to give more power and responsibility to bishops,” noted a Vatican source.
“But over the years, it was realized that they did not have the means or even the will to exercise real pastoral vigilance over these emerging realities,” the source said.
As a result, the Roman dicasteries are handling many cases of abuse linked to these associations, whether it be abuse of power or sexual abuse.
Through the changes made in November 2020 and then this week, the Holy See intends to prevent possible aberrations, linked either to the charism put forward to create institutes, or to the mission that the public associations of the faithful propose to fulfill.
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