Friday, May 20, 2016

Regarding the creation of Diocesan Institutes

The Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, aware that every new Institute of Consecrated Life, even though they should come to light and be developed within a particular Church, is a gift given to the Church, sees the necessity to avoid the possibility of creating at the diocesan level, new Institutes without sufficient discernment which verifies the originality of the charism, which define the specific traits that consecration will bestow through profession of the evangelical counsels and that individuals will have real possibilities for personal development, has indicated the opportunity to better determine the need, established by Canon 579 of the Code of Canon Law, to request its opinion before proceeding to the erection of a new Diocesan Institute.

Therefore, acting on the advice of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, the Holy Father, Pope Francis, in an audience granted to the under-signed Secretary of State on 4 April 2016, has established that the prior consultation of the Holy See is to be understood as being necessary ad validitatem for the erection of a Diocesan Institute of Consecrated Life, on pain of nullity of the decree of erection of the Institute in question.

This present Rescript will be promulgated by publication in L'Osservatore Romano, and will enter into effect on 11 June 2016, and then published in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis.

From the Vatican
11 May 2016

Cardinal Pietro Parolin
Secretary of State

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