Folia Canonica 12. (2009)

STUDIES - Péter Artner: The remuneration of diocesan clerics

STUDIES

FOLIA CANONICA 12 (2009) 7-22.

PÉTER ARTNER

THE REMUNERATION OF DIOCESAN CLERICS

1. Introduction; II. Historical backgrounds; Í. The Bible; 2 The Middle Ages; 3 The íPi 7 Code of Canon Law; 4. The Vatican Council II; III. The 1983 Code of Canon Law; I Remuneration or Sustentation; 2 The Remuneration as the Right of the Cleric; 3 Incardination; 4 Diocesan fund; 5 The Fitting Support; 6 The amount of the income; 1 The duty of the bishop; IV. Permanent Deacons; V. Clerics Under Penalty; VI. Comparing the CIC and CCEO; VII. Support of other ECCLESIASTICALS; VIII. CONCLUSION.

I. Introduction

The work of the clergy cannot be simply compared with economic or productive works.1 The ecclesiastical service is not a job, it is a 24/7 ministry. It can be said that a cleric is not working for money, but for his work he deserves remuneration.1 2 A cleric, just as any other human being, has needs of material goods for his upkeep, but it is true, that an ecclesiastical office is not to be regarded as a source of profit.3 In this article we try to show the canonical backgrounds of the sustentation of the clerics, especially the priests.

After a short look back on the historical status, within the teaching of the Vatican Council II, the right and duty of the clergy’s support will be studied according to the 1983 CIC, compared with the CCEO, in those points, where there are differences between the two Codes.

The starting point of this study is c. 281 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law, which prescribes the remuneration for clerics; “(§Í) Since clerics dedicate themselves to ecclesiastical ministry, they deserve remuneration which is consistent with their condition, taking into account the nature of their function and the conditions of places and

1 L. Chiapetta, II codice di diritto canonico. Commentogiuridico-pastorale, vol. I, Napoli 1998, 394; Communicationes 1982 172; T. Bertone, Obblighi e diritti dei chierici missione e spiritualità del presbitero nel nuovo Codice, in Monitor ecclesiasticus 109 (1984) 65-66.

2 Chiapetta 394.

2 PO 17.