Folia Theologica 22. (2011)

Szuromi Szabolcs Anzelm O.Praem.: Medieval Canonical Sources and Categories of Singular Administrative Acts

FOLIA THEOLOGICA 22 (2011)

109

Anzelm Sz. SzuROMi

MEDIEVAL CANONICAL SOURCES AND CATEGORIES OF SINGULAR ADMINISTRATIVE ACTS*

Introduction

"Sicut Romana ecclesia omnium ecclesiarum disponente Domino mater est et magistra, ita etiam nos, qui eidem ecclesiae, licet immerit, supernae dispositionis providentia praesidemus, et prout Dominus nobis ministraverit, consultationibus respondere cogimur singulorum, et quae videntur dubia apostolicae circumpspectionis providentia declarare."1 This excerpt of Pope Alexander Ill's letter (1159-1181), which is found in the Liber Exta 1.3.1, must be kept in mind if we want to understand the legal basis, character, classification and interpretation of medieval administrative acts that led to the categories of the singular administrative acts of the current canon law.

A singular administrative act is a decision bound to ecclesiastical executive power that creates a right regarding certain individuals.2 * 1

* This paper was written at Saint Michael's Abbey of the Norbertine Fathers (Silverado, CA) and at Christendom College (Front Royal, VA).

1 X 1.3.1: Sicut Romana ecclesia omnium ecclesiarum disponente Domino mater est et magistra, ita etiam nos, qui eidem ecclesiae, licet immerit, supernae dispositionis providentia praesidemus, [et] prout Dominus nobis ministraverit, consultationibus respondere cogimur singulorum, et quae videntur dubia apostolicae circumspectionis providentia declarare. Sane Quaesitum est a nobis ex parte tua, utrum, si alicuius causa inter aliquos delegatis iudicibus sublato remedio appellationis committitur, et literis apos- tolicis altera pars munita, quibus ei generaliter est indultum, ut libere sibi liceat appellare, si in vocem appellationis proruperit, an eius in eadem causa debeat appellationi deferr? Huic igitur Inquisitionis tuae praesentibus literis taliter respondemus, quod eius in hac parte appellatio non debet admitti, postquam est causa iudicibus appellatione remota commissa quia speciae mandatum derogat generali. Friedberg II. 16; cf. Regesta Pontificum Romanorum ab condita ecclesia ad annum post Christum natum MCXCVI11, ed. Jaffé, P. - Wattenbach, G. curaverunt Loewenfeld, S. [JL] - Kaltenbrunner, F. [JK] - Ewald, P. [JE], I. Lipsiae 1885.2 JL 12293.