Title XVIII: Of Associations of the Faithful in General

The faithful are worthy of praise if they give their names to associations erected by the Church or at least commended by it; but they are to beware of associations that are secret, condemned, seditious, suspect, or that strive to withdraw themselves from the legitimate vigilance of the Church.

Associations distinct from religions or societies of which in canons 487-681 can be constituted by the Church either for promoting a more perfect Christian life among the members, or for exercising some works of piety or charity, or finally for the increase of public worship.

§ 1. No association is recognized in the Church which has not been erected or at least approved by legitimate ecclesiastical authority.

§ 2. To erect or approve associations belongs, besides the Roman Pontiff, to the local Ordinary, excepting those for whose institution the right has been reserved to others by apostolic privilege.

§ 3. Although a granted privilege is proved, nevertheless always, unless something else has been provided in the privilege itself, the consent of the local Ordinary given in writing is required for the validity of erection; moreover consent furnished by the Ordinary for the erection of a religious house is valid also for erecting in the same house or in a church attached to it an association which is not constituted after the manner of an organic body and is proper to that religion.

§ 4. A Vicar General by a general mandate alone, and a Capitular Vicar, cannot erect associations or furnish consent for their erection or aggregation.

§ 5. Letters of erection are to be granted gratis by those who erect an association by apostolic privilege, with only the tax for necessary expenses excepted.

According to the norm of can. 100, associations of the faithful acquire juridic personhood in the Church only when they have obtained a formal decree of erection from a legitimate ecclesiastical Superior.

An association is not to assume a title or name which savors of levity or absurd novelty, or expresses a form of devotion not approved by the Apostolic See.

§ 1. Each association is to have its own statutes, examined and approved by the Apostolic See or by the local Ordinary.

§ 2. Statutes which have not been confirmed by the Apostolic See always remain subject to the direction and correction of the local Ordinary.

§ 1. All associations, even those erected by the Apostolic See, unless a special privilege obstructs, are subject to the jurisdiction and vigilance of the local Ordinary, who has the right and duty of visiting them according to the norms of the sacred canons.

§ 2. Nevertheless associations which by force of apostolic privilege have been established by exempt religious in their own churches, local Ordinaries are not permitted to visit as regards those things which concern the internal discipline or spiritual direction of the association.

§ 1. A legitimately erected association, unless something else has expressly been provided, can possess and administer temporal goods under the authority of the local Ordinary, to whom it must render an account of administration at least each year, according to the norm of can. 1525, but by no means to the pastor, although it has been erected in his territory, unless the Ordinary himself has established otherwise.

§ 2. It can, according to the norm of the statutes, receive offerings and spend those received for the pious uses of the association itself, with the will of those offering always preserved.

§ 3. It is lawful for no association to collect alms unless either the statutes permit this or necessity demands it, and the consent of the local Ordinary is added and the form prescribed by the same is observed.

§ 4. For collecting alms outside the territory, permission of each Ordinary, given in writing, is required.

§ 5. An association is also to render an account to the local Ordinary of the faithful spending of offerings and alms.

To enjoy the rights, privileges, indulgences, and other spiritual graces of an association, it is necessary and sufficient that someone has been validly received into it according to the association's own statutes and has not been legitimately expelled from it.

§ 1. Non-Catholics and those enrolled in a condemned sect, or those notoriously bound by censure, and in general public sinners, cannot be validly received.

§ 2. The same person can be enrolled in several associations, with the prescription of can. 705 preserved.

§ 3. Absent persons are not to be enrolled in associations constituted after the manner of an organic body; those present, however, can be enrolled only knowingly and willingly.

§ 4. With the prescription of can. 704 preserved, religious can give their names to pious associations, excepting those whose laws, in the judgment of the Superiors, cannot be reconciled with observance of the rule and constitutions.

§ 1. Reception is to be done according to the norm of law and of the statutes of each association.

§ 2. But so that reception may be clear, inscription in the register of the association must absolutely be made; indeed this inscription, if the association has been erected as a moral person, is necessary for validity.

On the occasion of reception into an association, nothing is to be exacted directly or indirectly, except that which has been designated in legitimately approved statutes, or expressly permitted by the local Ordinary, by reason of special circumstances, in favor of the association.

§ 1. No one legitimately enrolled is to be dismissed from an association except for a just cause according to the norm of the statutes.

§ 2. Those who have fallen into the case of which in can. 693, Sec. 1 are to be removed, after a warning has been given, with the proper statutes observed and with the right of recourse to the Ordinary preserved.

§ 3. Even if nothing is expressly provided in the statutes, both the local Ordinary, as regards all associations, and the religious Superior, as regards associations erected by religious from an apostolic indult, can dismiss members.

§ 1. Legitimately erected associations have the right, according to the norm of the statutes and of the sacred canons, of holding assemblies, of issuing particular norms which concern the sodality itself, and of electing administrators of goods, officials, and ministers, with the prescription of can. 715 remaining firm.

§ 2. In those things which concern convocation to assemblies and elections, the common law, which is set forth in canons 161-182, and statutes not contrary to common law are to be observed.

§ 1. Unless an apostolic privilege expressly provides otherwise, the nomination of the moderator and chaplain belongs to the local Ordinary in associations erected or approved by him or by the Apostolic See, and in associations erected by religious by force of apostolic privilege outside their own churches; but in associations erected by religious in their own churches only the consent of the local Ordinary is required, if the moderator and chaplain are chosen by the Superior from the secular clergy.

§ 2. The moderator and chaplain can, during their office, bless the habit or insignia of the association, scapulars, etc., and impose them on those being enrolled; but as regards sermons, the prescriptions of canons 1337-1342 are to be observed.

§ 3. Those who nominated the moderator and chaplain, and their successors or Superiors, can revoke them for a just cause.

§ 4. The same person can be moderator and chaplain.

§ 1. For grave causes and with the right of recourse to the Apostolic See preserved, the local Ordinary can suppress not only an association erected by himself or by his predecessors, but also an association erected by religious from an apostolic indult with the consent of the local Ordinary.

§ 2. Associations erected by the Apostolic See itself, however, can be suppressed only by the same.