Title XXI: Of Seminaries

The Church has the proper and exclusive right of instructing those who desire to devote themselves to ecclesiastical ministries.

Let priests, especially pastors, give effort that boys who show signs of an ecclesiastical vocation be kept by peculiar cares from the contagions of the world, be formed to piety, be imbued with the first studies of letters, and that the seed of divine vocation in them be fostered.

§ 1. Each diocese is to have, in a convenient place chosen by the Bishop, a Seminary or college in which, according to the measure of faculties and the extent of the diocese, a certain number of adolescents is to be instructed for the clerical state.

§ 2. Care is to be taken that, especially in larger dioceses, two Seminaries be constituted, namely a minor one for boys to be imbued with the knowledge of letters, and a major one for students devoting themselves to philosophy and theology.

§ 3. If a diocesan Seminary cannot be constituted, or if in a constituted Seminary fitting instruction, especially in philosophical and theological disciplines, is desired, the Bishop is to send the students to another Seminary, unless an interdiocesan or regional Seminary has been constituted by apostolic authority.

For the constitution of the Seminary and the support of the students, if proper revenues are lacking, the Bishop can:

1° Order pastors and other rectors of churches, even exempt ones, at set times to seek alms in the church for this end.

2° Impose a tribute or tax in his diocese.

3° If these things do not suffice, assign some simple benefices to the Seminary.

§ 1. Subject to the tax for the Seminary, any appeal being removed, any contrary custom reprobated, and any contrary privilege abrogated, are the episcopal mensa, all benefices, even regular ones or those of the right of patronage, parishes or quasi-parishes, although they have no other revenues besides the offerings of the faithful, a hospital house erected by ecclesiastical authority, canonically erected sodalities and church fabrics if they have their own revenues, and any religious house, even exempt, unless it lives by alms alone or in it there is actually held a college of students or teachers for promoting the common good of the Church.

§ 2. This tax must be general and of the same proportion for all, greater or lesser according to the necessity of the Seminary, but not exceeding yearly five-hundredth parts (5 percent) of taxable revenue, to be diminished as the revenues of the Seminary are increased.

§ 3. The revenue subject to the tax is that which remains in the year after burdens and necessary expenses have been deducted; nor in this revenue should daily distributions be computed, or, if all the fruits of the benefice consist in distributions, a third part of the same; nor the offerings of the faithful, nor, if all revenues of the parish come together from offerings of the faithful, a third part of the same.

§ 1. It belongs to the Bishop to decide all and individual things which seem necessary and opportune for the right administration, governance, and progress of the diocesan Seminary, and to take care that they are faithfully observed, with the prescriptions issued by the Holy See for peculiar cases preserved.

§ 2. Let the Bishop especially strive to visit the Seminary frequently in person, to watch carefully over the instruction which is handed on to the students, whether literary and scientific or ecclesiastical, and to acquire for himself fuller knowledge concerning the character, piety, vocation, and progress of the students, especially on the occasion of sacred ordinations.

§ 3. Each Seminary is to have its own laws approved by the Bishop, in which both those who in the same Seminary are instructed for the hope of the Church and those who expend their labor in the instruction of these are to be taught what they should do and what they should observe.

§ 4. The whole governance and administration of an interdiocesan or regional Seminary is governed by norms established by the Holy See.

Care is to be taken that in any Seminary there be present a rector for discipline, teachers for instruction, an economist distinct from the rector for taking care of household affairs, at least two ordinary confessors, and a director of spirit.

§ 1. In diocesan Seminaries two groups of deputies are to be constituted, one for discipline, the other for the administration of temporal goods.

§ 2. Each group of deputies consists of two priests, chosen by the Bishop after the Chapter has been heard; but the Vicar General, members of the Bishop's household, the rector of the Seminary, the economist, and ordinary confessors are excluded.

§ 3. The office of deputies lasts for six years, nor are those chosen to be removed without grave cause; but they can be chosen again.

§ 4. The Bishop must seek the counsel of the deputies in affairs of greater importance.

§ 1. With the prescription of can. 891 remaining firm, for the office of rector, director of spirit, confessors, and teachers of the Seminary, priests are to be chosen who are outstanding not only in doctrine, but also in virtues and prudence, and who can benefit the students by word and example.

§ 2. All must obey the rector of the Seminary in fulfilling their own duties.

§ 1. Besides ordinary confessors, other confessors are to be designated to whom the students can freely approach.

§ 2. If these confessors live outside the Seminary and a student asks that one of them be called, the rector is to summon him, in no way inquiring the reason for the petition nor showing that he bears it badly; if they live in the Seminary, the student can freely approach them, with the discipline of the Seminary preserved.

§ 3. When there is question of admitting a student to orders or expelling one from the Seminary, the vote of confessors is never to be sought.

Revenues of a legacy for instructing clerics can be assigned to students duly received into either a major or minor Seminary, although they have not yet been initiated by clerical tonsure, unless another thing is expressly provided in the documents of foundation.

§ 1. No one is to be admitted by the Ordinary into the Seminary except legitimate sons whose character and will bring hope that they will serve fruitfully in ecclesiastical ministries perpetually.

§ 2. Before they are received, they must exhibit documents concerning legitimacy of birth, concerning baptism and confirmation received, and concerning life and morals.

§ 3. Those dismissed from other Seminaries or from some religion are not to be admitted unless first the Bishop, even secretly, has requested information from Superiors or others concerning the cause of dismissal, and concerning the morals, character, and temperament of those dismissed, and has certainly found out that there is nothing in them which is less fitting to the priestly state; Superiors must supply this information, conformed to the truth, their conscience being gravely burdened.

In the lower schools of the Seminary:

1° Religious discipline is to hold the principal place, which, in a manner accommodated to the temperament and age of each one, is to be explained most diligently.

2° Let students accurately learn languages, especially Latin and their native language.

3° In the other disciplines, that instruction is to be handed on which is suitable to the common culture of all and to the state of clerics in the region where the students must exercise sacred ministry.

§ 1. Let the students devote themselves to rational philosophy with related disciplines for at least a complete two years.

§ 2. The theological course is to be contained in at least a complete four years, and besides dogmatic and moral theology, must especially embrace the study of sacred Scripture, ecclesiastical history, canon law, liturgy, sacred eloquence, and ecclesiastical chant.

§ 3. Let there also be lectures concerning pastoral theology, with practical exercises added, especially concerning the manner of handing on catechism to children or others, hearing confessions, visiting the sick, and assisting the dying.

§ 1. For the office of teaching in philosophical, theological, and juridic disciplines, all else being equal, in the judgment of the Bishop and the deputies of the Seminary, those are to be preferred who have obtained a doctoral laurea in a university of studies or Faculty recognized by the Holy See, or, if there is question of religious, who have a similar testimonial from their major Superiors.

§ 2. Let professors treat studies of rational philosophy and theology, and the instruction of students in these disciplines, entirely according to the method, doctrine, and principles of the Angelic Doctor, and let them hold these things sacredly.

§ 3. Care is to be taken that at least for sacred Scripture, dogmatic theology, moral theology, and ecclesiastical history there be just as many distinct teachers.

Let Bishops take care that students of the Seminary:

1° Recite morning and evening prayers in common each day, devote some time to mental prayer, and be present at the sacrifice of the Mass.

2° At least once a week approach the sacrament of penance and frequently, with the piety that is fitting, refresh themselves with the Eucharistic bread.

3° On Sundays and feast days, be present at the solemnities of Masses and Vespers, serve the altar, and perform the sacred ceremonies, especially in the cathedral church, if this, in the judgment of the Bishop, can be done without detriment to discipline and studies.

4° Each year devote themselves for several continuous days to spiritual exercises.

5° At least once a week be present at instruction concerning spiritual things, which is to be closed with a pious exhortation.

Let the Seminary be exempt from parochial jurisdiction; and for all who are in the Seminary, let the rector of the Seminary or his delegate perform the office of pastor, except in matrimonial matter and with the prescription of can. 891 remaining firm, unless in certain Seminaries it has been otherwise constituted by the Apostolic See.

§ 1. Let the rector of the Seminary and all other moderators under his authority take care that the students observe exactly the statutes approved by the Bishop and the plan of studies, and be imbued with a truly ecclesiastical spirit.

§ 2. Let them more often hand on to them the laws of true and Christian courtesy, and by their own example stir them up to cultivate those laws; moreover let them exhort them to observe continually hygienic precepts, cleanliness of clothing and body, and a certain courtesy in conversing joined with modesty and gravity.

§ 3. Let them carefully watch that teachers duly perform their office.

As often as students for any cause live outside the Seminary, the prescription of can. 972, Sec. 2 is to be observed.

Let the unruly, incorrigible, seditious be dismissed from the Seminary, and those who by reason of morals and character do not seem suitable for the ecclesiastical state; likewise those who advance so little in studies that hope does not shine forth that they will obtain sufficient doctrine; but especially let those be dismissed at once who perhaps have offended against good morals or faith.