Article — 1917 Code of Canon Law
Article II: Of the Discussion of the Informative Process
Superseded as law in 1983 — read why this Code still matters. Each canon links to its 1983 counterpart.
The informative process prepared by the Ordinary and transmitted to Rome, after the integrity of the seals has been recognized by the Protonotary of the Sacred Congregation, if nothing obstructs, with the special decree of the Roman Pontiff acceding, is to be opened before the Cardinal Prefect of the Sacred Congregation, who commits it to the chancellor to be transcribed.
Processus informativus ab Ordinario confectus et Romam transmissus, postquam sigillorum integritas recognita fuerit a Protonotario Sacrae Congregationis, si nihil obstet, accedente Romani Pontificis speciali decreto, aperiatur coram Cardinali Praefecto Sacrae Congregationis qui eum cancellario transcribendum committat.
The Cardinal Ponens is to take care that, if there is need, a translation of the process be made in the City through an approved interpreter, which afterward is to be subjected to the examination of a reviser.
Cardinalis Ponens curet ut, si opus sit, per interpretem probatum versio processus in Urbe fiat, quae postea revisoris examini subiiciatur.
The transcript of the process sent by the Ordinary is to be preserved in the archive of the Sacred Congregation; and a copy of it, recognized by the chancellor according to the prescription of law, is to be handed to the postulator.
Transumptum processus ab Ordinario missum in tabulario Sacrae Congregationis asservetur; eiusque exemplar a cancellario ad iuris praescriptum recognitum postulatori tradatur.
§ 1. The advocate and procurator are to prepare a summary of the transcript or, if there are several, of all the transcripts, and the information which is to be attached to the summary.
§ 2. To the summary must be added the attestation of the Sub-promoter General of the Faith testifying that the summary itself agrees with the acts exhibited to the Sacred Congregation.
§ 1. Advocatus et procurator transumpti vel, si plura sint, omnium transumptorum summarium conficiant et informationem quae summario adnectatur.
§ 2. Summario addi debet fides Sub-promotoris generalis fidei testantis summarium ipsum concordare cum actis Sacrae Congregationi exhibitis.
Postulatory letters, by which persons more notable in dignity, whether ecclesiastical or civil, or moral persons ask from the Supreme Pontiff that a hand be applied to the cause of beatification of some Servant of God, are usefully exhibited, provided that they have been given spontaneously and from proper knowledge.
Litterae postulatoriae, quibus personae insigniores in dignitate sive ecclesiastica sive civili constitutae vel personae morales expostulant a Summo Pontifice ut causae beatificationis alicuius Servi Dei manus apponatur, utiliter exhibentur, dummodo sponte et ex propria scientia datae sint.
If, the writings having been weighed, it has been decreed that one can proceed to further matters, the Promoter General of the Faith is to draw up his objections against the introduction of the cause, to which the advocate of the cause is to respond.
Si, scriptis perpensis, decretum fuerit ad ulteriora procedi posse, Promotor generalis fidei obiectiones suas exaret contra causae introductionem, quibus respondeat advocatus causae.
§ 1. The Promoter General of the Faith is to place before the objections to be prepared by himself for the introduction of the cause a sober and clear synopsis which exhibits the life of the Servant of God.
§ 2. For writing this synopsis he is to employ not only the documents related in the summary, but also others, if there are any, to be consulted opportunely.
§ 1. Fidei Promotor generalis obiectionibus ab ipso pro causae introductione concinnandis praemittat sobriam et perspicuam synopsim, quae Servi Dei vitam exhibeat.
§ 2. Ad hanc synopsim conscribendam adhibeat non modo documenta in summario relata, sed etiam alia, si qua sint, opportune consulenda.
Objections and responses are to be drawn up briefly and clearly, almost by a scholastic method, according to the old customs of the Sacred Congregation.
Obiectiones et responsiones breviter et perspicue, scholastica fere methodo, secundum veteres Sacrae Congregationis consuetudines, exarentur.
Oral informations are prohibited not only to the judges but also to all those who must cast a vote, both in that judgment and in the others which are to follow.
Informationes orales non solum ad iudices, sed etiam ad eos omnes qui suffragium ferre debent, tam in isto iudicio quam in ceteris, quae secutura sunt, prohibentur.
The judgment concerning the value of the informative process instructed by the Ordinary, concerning the fame of sanctity or martyrdom, and concerning the absence of any peremptory obstacle, is brought forth by the Cardinal Fathers in ordinary meetings, with the Cardinal Ponens reporting and proposing the doubt: whether the commission of introduction of the cause is to be signed in the case and for the effect of which there is question.
Iudicium circa valorem processus informativi ab Ordinario instructi, circa famam sanctitatis vel martyrii et circa absentiam cuiuslibet obstaculi peremptorii profertur a Patribus Cardinalibus in comitiis ordinariis, Cardinali Ponente referente ac proponente dubium: an signanda sit commissio introductionis causae in casu et ad effectum de quo agitur.
§ 1. If the judgment of the Cardinal Fathers has been favorable, it is to be proposed to the Most Holy One that he sign, if it pleases him, the commission of introduction of the cause.
§ 2. If the Most Holy One has signed the commission, the Secretary of the Sacred Congregation is to prepare a decree concerning this matter and make it public.
§ 1. Si Patrum Cardinalium iudicium fuerit favorabile, proponatur Sanctissimo ut signet, si placeat, commissionem introductionis causae.
§ 2. Si Sanctissimus commissionem signaverit, Secretarius Sacrae Congregationis hac de re decretum conficiat et publici iuris faciat.
§ 1. Once the decree of introduction of the cause has been issued, the Ordinaries can do nothing further concerning it without the express permission of the Sacred Congregation.
§ 2. It is prohibited that a Servant of God whose cause has only been introduced be adorned with the title venerable; and let postulators beware lest, on the occasion of the introduction of the cause, anything be done in honor of the Servant of God which savors of public cult.
§ 1. Edito decreto introductionis causae, Ordinarii nihil ultra circa eam agere possunt sine expressa licentia Sacrae Congregationis.
§ 2. Servum Dei, cuius causa introducta tantum est, venerabilis titulo decorari prohibitum est; et caveant postulatores ne occasione introductionis causae quidquam fiat in honorem Servi Dei, quod publicum cultum redoleat.