Folia Theologica et Canonica 2. 24/16 (2013)

IUS CANONICUM - Szabolcs Anzelm Szuromi, O.Praem., Gradual Promotion asa Specific Form of Provision of Ecclesiastical Office

252

SZABOLCS ANZELM SZUROMI, O.PRAEM.

1. The Possible Forms of Provision of Ecclesiastical Offices

The Code of Canon Law in effect lists five kinds of provision of ecclesiastical office. They are as follows: free conferral (libera collatio)', appointment (institut io), where there has been a prior presentation according to the general or particular canonical forms (i.e. presentano)-, confirmation (confirmatio), which is made by the competent ecclesiastical authority to approve an election (i.e. elec- tio) that occurred in keeping with the general and particular law; the so called admission (admissio), which means granting of a dispensation, if the election occurred with postulation (postulano); and finally simple election (electio simplex), that takes place when the free and provable consent of the elected person does not need any further confirmation from a higher ecclesiastical authority.3 The content of Canon 147 of the CIC promulgated on 25th January, 19834 5 follows almost literally Canon 148 § 1 of the Pio-Benedictine CIC (1917).s After the publication of the new Code of Canon Law there developed serious professional debates of whether the listing of Canon 147 of the CIC is a taxatíve listing or not; that is, whether besides the listed forms of provision of office there may be other form for this in the canonical system of the Code in effect.6 Accepting the opinion of Péter Erdő explained already in 19887 we want to join to that standpoint, which does not regard the above mentioned five forms of provision of office as a list of exhaustive character. We base our opinion - besides the arguments sounded in the debate of this topic - upon the close relationship that exists between CIC Canon 147 and CIC (1917) Canon 148 § 1. It is well known that in Canon 6 § 2 of the CIC in effect we can read the principle that when the canons of the Code cite the old law, then we should interpret them according to the canonical tradition.8 This is evident in the case of Canon 148 § 1 of CIC (1917) and Canon 147 of CIC. But there can be no doubt of the

3 Erdő, P., Egyházjog (Szent István Kézikönyvek 7), Budapest 2005.4169-170; cf. Haering, S. - Schmitz, H. (dir.), Diccionarìo enciclopedico de Derecho Canònico (transi. Bernet, R. H., ed. espanola de Heredia, I. P. - Llaquet, V. J. L.), Barcelona 2008. 603-604.

4 CIC Can. 147 - Provisio officii ecclesiastici fit: per libérant collationem ab auctoritate ecclesiastica competenti; per institutionem ab eadem datant, si praecesserit praesentatio; per confirma- tionem vel admissionem ab eadem factam, si praecesserit electio vel postulatio; tandem per sim- plicem electionem et electi acceptationem, si electio non egeat confirmatione.

5 CIC (1917) Can. - § 1. Provisione officii ecclesiastici fit vel per liberam collationem a legitimo Superiore, vel per eius institutionem, si praecesserit praesentatio a patrono aut nominatio, vel per eius confirmationem aut admissionem, si praesserit electio aut postulatio, vel tandem per simplicem electionem et electi acceptationem, si electio non egeat confirmatione.

6 Cf. Lombardia, P. - Arrieta, J. I. (a cura di), Codice di Diritto Canonico. Edizione bilingue commentata, I. Roma 1986. 140-141.

7 Erdő, P., Questiones quaedam de provisione officiorum in Ecclesia, in Periodica 77 (1988) 363-379; cf. Erdő, P., Ministerium, munus et officium in Codice Iuris Canonici, in Periodica 78 (1989)411-436.

8 CIC Can. 6 - § 2. Canones huius Codicis, quatenus ius vetus referunt, aestimandi sunt ratione etiam canonicae traditionis habita.