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

FOLIA THEOLOGICA ET CANONICA (2013) 251-261

Szabolcs Anzelm Szuromi, O.Praem.

GRADUAL PROMOTION AS A SPECIFIC FORM OF PROVISION OF ECCLESIASTICAL OFFICE*

I. The Possible Forms of Provision of Ecclesiastical Offices; II. The Peculiarity of Offices of the Chapters and their Provision; III. The Corpus iuris canonici And the Aggravation of General Prescriptions regarding Chapters; IV. Optio And graduaus promotio In The Codified Canon Law; Conclusion

“(...) pro statu ecclesiarum simus solliciti, et earum profectibus et incrementis integro studio intendamus, (...) per apostolica scripta praecipiendo mandamus, quatenus (...) ut ecclesiasticae personae (...) de his, quae sibi de bonis ecclesiarum proveniunt. aut ratione ipsarum accesserint, nullum audeant condere testamentum, sed bona ipsa ecclesiis ipsis, prout iustum est et canonicum cedant. Si autem aliquae de personis ipsis intestatae decesserint, bona, quae ipsis pro ecclesiis aut ratione ipsarum accesserunt, nihilominus ecclesiis eis- dem cedere decemas. Sane de bonis illis, quae iure patrimonii aut aliunde favore personae aquisita sunt, testandi liberam habeant facultatem (...)” - writes Pope Alexander III (1159—1181)1 about the provision of ecclesiastical office, which became inserted into the Liber Extra in 1234 (i.e. X 1.9.4)2 as one of the most important sources of this topic, besides it had a decisive role in the arrangement of the regulation of canonica provisio (canonical provision) at the compilation of CIC (1917), and so it had a direct influence on the chapter De provisione officii ecclesiastici of the CIC in effect.

* Prepared in Rome and presented at the yearly International Canon Law Conference of the Canon Law Institute “ad instar facultatis” of the Pázmány Péter Catholic University, on February 10th, 2013; supported by OTKA K 106300 and TAMOP 4.2.2 research project.

1 Regesta Pontificum Romanorum ab condita ecclesia ad annum post Christum natum MCXCVIII, ed. Jaffé, P. - Wattenbach, G. curaverunt Loewenfeld, S. [JL]-Kaltenbrunner, F. [JK]— Ewald, P. [JE], I. Lipsiae 1885.2 JL 16629 (10262): Cuidam respondet, cum nemo „beneficium multis forte expensis et laboribus acquisitum et quo sustentari debet, sine magna causa sponte resignet, supervacuum non esse, causam resignationis diligenter inquiri.

2 Friedberg II. 104; vő. X 3.7.7: Friedberg II. 1040.