Chapter III: Of Those Things Which Must Precede Sacred Ordination

All, both seculars and religious, who are to be promoted to orders, by themselves personally or through others, are to disclose their intention at an opportune time before ordination to the Bishop or to another who acts in the Bishop's place in this matter.

Seculars, or religious who, as regards ordination, are governed by the law of seculars, who are to be promoted, are to bring:

1° A testimonial of the last ordination, or, if there is question of first tonsure, of baptism and confirmation received.

2° A testimonial concerning studies completed, required for the individual orders according to the norm of can. 976.

3° A testimonial of the rector of the Seminary, or of the priest to whom the candidate was commended outside the Seminary, concerning the good morals of the same candidate.

4° Testimonial letters of the Ordinary of the place in which the one to be promoted has dwelt for such time that he could have contracted a canonical impediment there.

5° Testimonials of the religious major Superior, if the one to be promoted is enrolled in some religious institute.

§ 1. The time during which the one to be promoted could have contracted a canonical impediment is, regularly, for soldiers three months, for others six months after puberty; but the ordaining Bishop, according to his prudence, can require testimonial letters even on account of a shorter time of residence, and also on account of the time which preceded puberty.

§ 2. If the local Ordinary, neither by himself nor through others, has sufficiently known the one to be promoted so that he can testify that, during the time in which he dwelt in his territory, he contracted no canonical impediment, or if the one to be promoted has wandered through so many dioceses that it becomes impossible or too difficult to seek all the testimonial letters, the Ordinary is to provide at least through a supplementary oath to be furnished by the one to be promoted.

§ 3. If, after testimonial letters have been obtained and before ordination has been completed, the one to be promoted has again dwelt in the same territory for the aforesaid space of time, new testimonial letters of the local Ordinary are necessary.

§ 1. A religious Superior also in his dimissorial letters must testify not only that the one to be promoted has emitted religious profession and is of the family of the religious house subject to him, but also concerning studies completed and concerning the other things required by law.

§ 2. The Bishop, having accepted these dimissorial letters, does not need other testimonial letters.

§ 1. Each one to be promoted, whether secular or religious, must undergo a prior and diligent examination concerning the order itself to be received.

§ 2. Those to be promoted to sacred orders, moreover, are also to make trial in other treatises of sacred theology.

§ 3. It belongs to Bishops to determine by what method, before which examiners, and in which treatises of sacred theology those to be promoted must make trial.

§ 1. This examination, whether for secular clerics or for religious, is received by the local Ordinary who ordains by proper right or gives dimissorial letters; nevertheless, for a just cause, he can also commit it to the Bishop who is to ordain, if that Bishop is willing to take up this burden.

§ 2. A Bishop ordaining another's subject, whether secular or religious, with legitimate dimissorial letters by which it is asserted that the candidate has been examined according to the norm of Sec. 1 and found suitable, can acquiesce in this attestation, but is not bound to do so; and if according to his conscience he judges that the candidate is not suitable, let him not promote him.

§ 1. The names of those to be promoted to the individual sacred orders, except religious of perpetual vows, whether solemn or simple, are to be publicly announced in the parochial church of each candidate; but the Ordinary, according to his prudence, can both dispense from this publication for a just cause, command that it be carried out also in other churches, and substitute for the publication a public affixing at the doors of the church for some days, in which at least one feast day is included.

§ 2. The publication is to be made on a feast day of precept in church during the solemnities of Masses, or on another day and hour in which a greater attendance of the people is had in the church.

§ 3. If within six months the candidate has not been promoted, the publication is to be repeated, unless something else seems good to the Ordinary.

All the faithful are held by the obligation of revealing to the Ordinary or pastor impediments to sacred orders, if they know any, before sacred ordination.

§ 1. To the pastor who carries out the publication, and also to another if it seems expedient, the Ordinary is to commit that he diligently inquire from persons worthy of trust concerning the morals and life of those to be ordained, and transmit to the Curia testimonial letters referring to the investigation itself and the publication.

§ 2. The same Ordinary is not to omit making other inquiries, even private ones, if he has judged this necessary or opportune.

§ 1. Those who are to be promoted to first tonsure and minor orders are to be free for spiritual exercises for at least three full days; those, however, who are to be promoted to sacred orders, for at least six full days; but if some, within six months, are to be promoted to several major orders, the Ordinary can reduce the time of exercises for ordination to the diaconate, yet not below three full days.

§ 2. If, after the exercises have been completed, sacred ordination is deferred for any cause beyond six months, the exercises are to be repeated; otherwise the Ordinary is to judge whether they are to be repeated or not.

§ 3. Religious are to perform these spiritual exercises in their own house or in another according to the prudent judgment of the Superior; seculars, however, in the Seminary, or in another pious or religious house designated by the Bishop.

§ 4. The Bishop is to be made certain concerning the completed spiritual exercises by a testimonial of the Superior of the house in which they were completed; or, if there is question of religious, by the attestation of their own major Superior.