Apostolic Constitution
Anglicanorum coetibus
Providing for Personal Ordinariates for
Anglicans
Entering into Full Communion with the
Catholic Church
In recent times the Holy Spirit has moved groups of Anglicans to petition
repeatedly and insistently to be received into full Catholic communion
individually as well as corporately. The Apostolic See has responded
favorably to such petitions. Indeed, the successor of Peter, mandated by
the Lord Jesus to guarantee the unity of the episcopate and to preside
over and safeguard the universal communion of all the Churches,
could not fail to make available the means necessary to bring this holy
desire to realization.
The Church,
a people gathered into the unity of the Father, the Son and the Holy
Spirit,
was instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ, as “a sacrament – a sign and
instrument, that is, of communion with God and of unity among all people.”
Every division among the baptized in Jesus Christ wounds that which the
Church is and that for which the Church exists; in fact, “such division
openly contradicts the will of Christ, scandalizes the world, and damages
that most holy cause, the preaching the Gospel to every creature.”
Precisely for this reason, before shedding his blood for the salvation of
the world, the Lord Jesus prayed to the Father for the unity of his
disciples.
It is the Holy Spirit, the principle of unity, which
establishes the Church as a communion.
He is the principle of the unity of the faithful in the teaching of the
Apostles, in the breaking of the bread and in prayer.
The Church, however, analogous to the mystery of the Incarnate Word, is
not only an invisible spiritual communion, but is also visible;
in fact, “the society structured with hierarchical organs and the Mystical
Body of Christ, the visible society and the spiritual community, the
earthly Church and the Church endowed with heavenly riches, are not to be
thought of as two realities. On the contrary, they form one complex
reality formed from a two-fold element, human and divine.”
The communion of the baptized in the teaching of the Apostles and in the
breaking of the eucharistic bread is visibly manifested in the bonds of
the profession of the faith in its entirety, of the celebration of all of
the sacraments instituted by Christ, and of the governance of the College
of Bishops united with its head, the Roman Pontiff.
This single Church of Christ, which we profess in the Creed as
one, holy, catholic and apostolic “subsists in the Catholic Church, which
is governed by the successor of Peter and by the Bishops in communion with
him. Nevertheless, many elements of sanctification and of truth are found
outside her visible confines. Since these are gifts properly belonging to
the Church of Christ, they are forces impelling towards Catholic unity.”
In the light of these ecclesiological principles, this
Apostolic Constitution provides the general normative structure for
regulating the institution and life of Personal Ordinariates for those
Anglican faithful who desire to enter into the full communion of the
Catholic Church in a corporate manner. This Constitution is completed by
Complementary Norms issued by the Apostolic See.
I.
§1 Personal Ordinariates for Anglicans entering into full communion with
the Catholic Church are erected by the Congregation for the Doctrine of
the Faith within the confines of the territorial boundaries of a
particular Conference of Bishops in consultation with that same
Conference.
§2 Within the territory of a particular Conference of Bishops, one or
more Ordinariates may be erected as needed.
§3 Each Ordinariate possesses public juridic personality by the law
itself (ipso iure); it is juridically comparable to a diocese.
§4 The Ordinariate is composed of lay faithful, clerics and members of
Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, originally
belonging to the Anglican Communion and now in full communion with the
Catholic Church, or those who receive the Sacraments of Initiation within
the jurisdiction of the Ordinariate.
§5 The Catechism of the Catholic Church is the authoritative
expression of the Catholic faith professed by members of the Ordinariate.
The Personal Ordinariate is governed according to the norms of universal
law and the present Apostolic Constitution and is subject to the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and the other Dicasteries of
the Roman Curia in accordance with their competencies. It is also
governed by the Complementary Norms as well as any other specific Norms
given for each Ordinariate.
Without excluding liturgical celebrations according to the Roman Rite, the
Ordinariate has the faculty to celebrate the Holy Eucharist and the other
Sacraments, the Liturgy of the Hours and other liturgical celebrations
according to the liturgical books proper to the Anglican tradition, which
have been approved by the Holy See, so as to maintain the liturgical,
spiritual and pastoral traditions of the Anglican Communion within the
Catholic Church, as a precious gift nourishing the faith of the members of
the Ordinariate and as a treasure to be shared.
A Personal Ordinariate is entrusted to the pastoral care of an Ordinary
appointed by the Roman Pontiff.
The power (potestas) of the Ordinary is:
ordinary:
connected by the law itself to the office entrusted to him by the Roman
Pontiff, for both the internal forum and external forum;
vicarious:
exercised in the name of the Roman Pontiff;
personal:
exercised over all who belong to the Ordinariate;
This power is to be exercised jointly with that of the local
Diocesan Bishop, in those cases provided for in the Complementary Norms.
§1 Those who ministered as Anglican deacons, priests, or bishops, and
who fulfill the requisites established by canon law
and are not impeded by irregularities or other impediments
may be accepted by the Ordinary as candidates for Holy Orders in the
Catholic Church. In the case of married ministers, the norms established
in the Encyclical Letter of Pope Paul VI Sacerdotalis coelibatus,
n. 42
and in the Statement In June
are to be observed. Unmarried ministers must submit to the norm of
clerical celibacy of CIC can. 277, §1.
§2. The Ordinary, in full observance of the discipline of celibate clergy
in the Latin Church, as a rule (pro regula) will admit only
celibate men to the order of presbyter. He may also petition the Roman
Pontiff, as a derogation from can. 277, §1, for the admission of married
men to the order of presbyter on a case by case basis, according to
objective criteria approved by the Holy See.
§3. Incardination of clerics will be regulated according to the norms of
canon law.
§4. Priests incardinated into an Ordinariate, who constitute the
presbyterate of the Ordinariate, are also to cultivate bonds of unity with
the presbyterate of the Diocese in which they exercise their ministry.
They should promote common pastoral and charitable initiatives and
activities, which can be the object of agreements between the Ordinary and
the local Diocesan Bishop.
§5. Candidates for Holy Orders in an Ordinariate should be prepared
alongside other seminarians, especially in the areas of doctrinal and
pastoral formation. In order to address the particular needs of
seminarians of the Ordinariate and formation in Anglican patrimony, the
Ordinary may also establish seminary programs or houses of formation which
would relate to existing Catholic faculties of theology.
The Ordinary, with the approval of the Holy See, can erect new Institutes
of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, with the right to
call their members to Holy Orders, according to the norms of canon law.
Institutes of Consecrated Life originating in the Anglican Communion and
entering into full communion with the Catholic Church may also be placed
under his jurisdiction by mutual consent.
§1. The Ordinary, according to the norm of law, after having heard the
opinion of the Diocesan Bishop of the place, may erect, with the consent
of the Holy See, personal parishes for the faithful who belong to the
Ordinariate.
§2. Pastors of the Ordinariate enjoy all the rights and are held to all
the obligations established in the Code of Canon Law and, in cases
established by the Complementary Norms, such rights and obligations are to
be exercised in mutual pastoral assistance together with the pastors of
the local Diocese where the personal parish of the Ordinariate has been
established.
Both the lay faithful as well as members of Institutes of Consecrated Life
and Societies of Apostolic Life, originally part of the Anglican
Communion, who wish to enter the Personal Ordinariate, must manifest this
desire in writing.
§1. The Ordinary is aided in his governance by a Governing Council with
its own statutes approved by the Ordinary and confirmed by the Holy See.
§2. The Governing Council, presided over by the Ordinary, is composed of
at least six priests. It exercises the functions specified in the Code of
Canon Law for the Presbyteral Council and the College of Consultors, as
well as those areas specified in the Complementary Norms.
§3. The Ordinary is to establish a Finance Council according to the norms
established by the Code of Canon Law which will exercise the duties
specified therein.
§4. In order to provide for the consultation of the faithful, a Pastoral
Council is to be constituted in the Ordinariate.
Every five years the Ordinary is required to come to Rome for an ad
limina Apostolorum visit and present to the Roman Pontiff, through the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and in consultation with the
Congregation for Bishops and the Congregation for the Evangelization of
Peoples, a report on the status of the Ordinariate.
For judicial cases, the competent tribunal is that of the Diocese in which
one of the parties is domiciled, unless the Ordinariate has constituted
its own tribunal, in which case the tribunal of second instance is the one
designated by the Ordinariate and approved by the Holy See.
XIII. The Decree establishing an Ordinariate will determine the
location of the See and, if appropriate, the principal church.
We desire that our dispositions and norms be valid
and effective now and in the future, notwithstanding, should it be
necessary, the Apostolic Constitutions and ordinances issued by our
predecessors, or any other prescriptions, even those requiring special
mention or derogation.
Given in Rome, at St. Peter’s, on November 4, 2009, the
Memorial of St. Charles Borromeo.
CONGREGATION FOR
THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH
Complementary
Norms
for the Apostolic
Constitution Anglicanorum coetibus
Jurisdiction of the Holy See
Article 1
Each Ordinariate is subject to the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. It maintains close relations
with the other Roman Dicasteries in accordance with their competence.
Relations with Episcopal Conferences and Diocesan Bishops
Article 2
§1. The Ordinary follows the directives
of the national Episcopal Conference insofar as this is consistent with
the norms contained in the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum coetibus.
§2. The Ordinary is a member of the
respective Episcopal Conference.
Article 3
The Ordinary, in the exercise of this
office, must maintain close ties of communion with the Bishop of the
Diocese in which the Ordinariate is present in order to coordinate its
pastoral activity with the pastoral program of the Diocese.
The Ordinary
Article 4.
§1. The Ordinary may be a bishop or a
presbyter appointed by the Roman Pontiff ad nutum Sanctae Sedis,
based on a terna presented by the Governing Council. Canons 383-388,
392-394, and 396-398 of the Code of Canon Law apply to him.
§2. The Ordinary has the faculty to
incardinate in the Ordinariate former Anglican ministers who have entered
into full communion with the Catholic Church, as well as candidates
belonging to the Ordinariate and promoted to Holy Orders by him.
§3. Having first consulted with the
Episcopal Conference and obtained the consent of the Governing Council and
the approval of the Holy See, the Ordinary can erect as needed territorial
deaneries supervised by a delegate of the Ordinary covering the faithful
of multiple personal parishes.
The Faithful of the Ordinariate
Article 5
§1. The lay faithful originally of the
Anglican tradition who wish to belong to the Ordinariate, after having
made their Profession of Faith and received the Sacraments of Initiation,
with due regard for Canon 845, are to be entered in the apposite register
of the Ordinariate. Those baptized previously as Catholics outside the
Ordinariate are not ordinarily eligible for membership, unless they are
members of a family belonging to the Ordinariate.
§2. Lay faithful and members of
Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, when they
collaborate in pastoral or charitable activities, whether diocesan or
parochial, are subject to the Diocesan Bishop or to the pastor of the
place; in which case the power of the Diocesan Bishop or pastor is
exercised jointly with that of the Ordinary and the pastor of the
Ordinariate.
The Clergy
Article 6
§1. In order to admit candidates to
Holy Orders the Ordinary must obtain the consent of the Governing
Council. In consideration of Anglican ecclesial tradition and practice,
the Ordinary may present to the Holy Father a request for the admission of
married men to the presbyterate in the Ordinariate, after a process of
discernment based on objective criteria and the needs of the Ordinariate.
These objective criteria are determined by the Ordinary in consultation
with the local Episcopal Conference and must be approved by the Holy See.
§2. Those who have been previously
ordained in the Catholic Church and subsequently have become
Anglicans, may not exercise sacred ministry in the Ordinariate. Anglican
clergy who are in irregular marriage situations may not be accepted for
Holy Orders in the Ordinariate.
§3. Presbyters incardinated in the
Ordinariate receive the necessary faculties from the Ordinary.
Article 7
§1 The Ordinary must ensure that
adequate remuneration be provided to the clergy incardinated in the
Ordinariate, and must provide for their needs in the event of sickness,
disability, and old age.
§2.
The Ordinary will enter into discussion with the Episcopal Conference
about resources and funds which might be made available for the care of
the clergy of the Ordinariate.
§3. When necessary, priests, with the
permission of the Ordinary, may engage in a secular profession compatible
with the exercise of priestly ministry (cf.
CIC, can. 286).
Article 8
§1. The presbyters, while constituting
the presbyterate of the Ordinariate, are eligible for membership in the
Presbyteral Council of the Diocese in which they exercise pastoral care of
the faithful of the Ordinariate (cf.
CIC,
can. 498, §2).
§2. Priests and Deacons incardinated in
the Ordinariate may be members of the Pastoral Council of the Diocese in
which they exercise their ministry, in accordance with the manner
determined by the Diocesan Bishop (cf.
CIC, can. 512, §1).
Article 9
§1. The clerics incardinated in the
Ordinariate should be available to assist the Diocese in which they have a
domicile or quasi-domicile, where it is deemed suitable for the pastoral
care of the faithful. In such cases they are subject to the Diocesan
Bishop in respect to that which pertains to the pastoral charge or office
they receive.
§2. Where and when it is deemed
suitable, clergy incardinated in a Diocese or in an Institute of
Consecrated Life or a Society of Apostolic Life, with the written consent
of their respective Diocesan Bishop or their Superior, can collaborate in
the pastoral care of the Ordinariate. In such case they are subject to the
Ordinary in respect to that which pertains to the pastoral charge or
office they receive.
§3. In the cases treated in the
preceding paragraphs there should be a written agreement between the
Ordinary and the Diocesan Bishop or the Superior of the Institute of
Consecrated Life or the Moderator of the Society of Apostolic Life, in
which the terms of collaboration and all that pertains to the means of
support are clearly established.
Article 10.
§1. Formation of the clergy of the
Ordinariate should accomplish two objectives: 1) joint formation with
diocesan seminarians in accordance with local circumstances; 2)
formation, in full harmony with Catholic tradition, in those aspects of
the Anglican patrimony that are of particular value.
§2. Candidates for priestly ordination
will receive their theological formation with other seminarians at a
seminary or a theological faculty in conformity with an agreement
concluded between the Ordinary and, respectively, the Diocesan Bishop or
Bishops concerned. Candidates may receive other aspects of priestly
formation at a seminary program or house of formation established, with
the consent of the Governing Council, expressly for the purpose of
transmitting Anglican patrimony.
§3. The Ordinariate must have its own
Program of Priestly Formation, approved by the Holy See; each house of
formation should draw up its own rule, approved by the Ordinary (cf.
CIC, can. 242, §1).
§4. The Ordinary may accept as
seminarians only those faithful who belong to a personal parish of the
Ordinariate or who were previously Anglican and have established full
communion with the Catholic Church.
§5. The Ordinariate sees to the
continuing formation of its clergy, through their participation in local
programs provided by the Episcopal Conference and the Diocesan Bishop.
Former Anglican Bishops
Article 11
§1. A married former Anglican Bishop is
eligible to be appointed Ordinary. In such a case he is to be ordained a
priest in the Catholic Church and then exercises pastoral and sacramental
ministry within the Ordinariate with full jurisdictional authority.
§2. A former Anglican Bishop who
belongs to the Ordinariate may be called upon to assist the Ordinary in
the administration of the Ordinariate.
§3. A former Anglican Bishop who
belongs to the Ordinariate may be invited to participate in the meetings
of the Bishops’ Conference of the respective territory, with the
equivalent status of a retired bishop.
§4. A former Anglican Bishop who
belongs to the Ordinariate
and
who has not been ordained as a bishop in the Catholic Church, may request
permission from the Holy See to use the insignia of the episcopal office.
The Governing Council
Article 12
§1. The Governing Council,
in accord with Statutes which the Ordinary must approve,
will have the rights and responsibilities accorded by the Code of Canon
Law to the College of Consultors and the Presbyteral Council.
§2. In addition to these
responsibilities, the Ordinary needs the consent of the Governing Council
to:
admit a candidate to Holy Orders;
erect or suppress a personal parish;
erect or suppress a house of formation;
approve a program of formation.
§3. The Ordinary also consults the
Governing Council:
a. concerning the pastoral activities
of the Ordinariate and the principles governing the formation of clergy.
§4. The Governing Council has a
deliberative vote:
when choosing a terna of names
to submit to the Holy See for the appointment of the Ordinary;
when proposing changes to the
Complementary Norms of the Ordinariate to present to the Holy See;
when formulating the Statutes of the
Governing Council, the Statutes of the Pastoral Council, and the Rule for
houses of formation.
§ 5. The Governing Council is composed according to the Statutes of the
Council. Half of the membership is elected by the priests of the
Ordinariate.
The Pastoral Council
Article 13
§1. The Pastoral Council, constituted
by the Ordinary, offers advice regarding the pastoral activity of the
Ordinariate.
§2. The Pastoral Council, whose
president is the Ordinary, is governed by Statutes approved by the
Ordinary.
The Personal Parishes
Article 14
§1. The pastor may be assisted in the
pastoral care of the parish by a parochial vicar, appointed by the
Ordinary; a pastoral council and a finance council must be established in
the parish.
§2. If there is no vicar, in the event
of absence, incapacity, or death of the pastor, the pastor of the
territorial parish in which the church of the personal parish is located
can exercise his faculties as pastor so as to supply what is needed.
§3. For the pastoral care of the
faithful who live within the boundaries of a Diocese in which no personal
parish has been erected, the Ordinary, having heard the opinion of the
local Diocesan Bishop, can make provisions for quasi-parishes (cf.
CIC,
can. 516, §1).
The Supreme Pontiff Benedict XVI, at the Audience granted to the
undersigned Cardinal Prefect, approved these Complementary Norms for the
Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum coetibus, adopted in the Ordinary
Session of the Congregation, and ordered their publication.
Rome, from the Offices of the Congregation
for the Doctrine of the Faith, November 4, 2009, the Memorial of St.
Charles Borromeo.
Press Release
On October 20, 2009,
Cardinal William Levada, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of
the Faith, announced a new provision
responding to the many requests that have been submitted to the Holy See
from groups of Anglican clergy and faithful in different parts of the
world who wish to enter into full visible communion with the Catholic
Church.
The Apostolic Constitution
Anglicanorum coetibus
which is published today introduces a canonical structure that provides
for such corporate reunion by establishing Personal Ordinariates, which
will allow the above mentioned groups to enter full communion with the
Catholic Church while preserving elements of the distinctive Anglican
spiritual and liturgical patrimony. At the same time, the Congregation
for the Doctrine of the Faith is publishing a set of Complementary Norms
which will guide the implementation of this provision.
This Apostolic Constitution
opens a new avenue for the promotion of Christian unity while, at the same
time, granting legitimate diversity in the expression of our common
faith. It represents not an initiative on the part of the Holy See, but a
generous response from the Holy Father to the legitimate aspirations of
these Anglican groups. The provision of this new structure is consistent
with the commitment to ecumenical dialogue, which continues to be a
priority for the Catholic Church.
The possibility envisioned by the Apostolic Constitution for
some married clergy within the Personal Ordinariates does not signify any
change in the Church’s discipline of clerical celibacy. According to the
Second Vatican Council, priestly celibacy is
a sign and a stimulus for pastoral charity
and radiantly proclaims the reign of God (Cf. Catechism of the Catholic
Church, 1579).
