Question VII: On novices

D. Bonaventure appends a third mirror, in which his Novices fashion their conduct exactly to it, and the Fathers destined to admit candidates to profession anatomically examine the life of the novices. A work indeed heavenly.

He appends another similar work. On the Institution of Novices; a work truly golden. But he gathers all things more fully discussed in the Rule of Novices.

Again, he appends another little work for nuns, on the perfection of life.

The holy Council of Trent decrees session 25. chapter 15. that the profession is not valid if the novice has not completed 16 years, and has not completed a full year of probation; and this our Rule observes, as S. Bonav. on chapter 2.

The year must be completed in the civil manner, so that if it be a bissextile year, two days count as one.

If a dying novice is admitted to profession by privilege, the parents succeed ab intestato, whatever Diana says with others part. 3. de dub. reg. resol. 17. and part. 5. tract. 5. resol. 139. The reason is, because it is granted only for spiritual solace, therefore it cannot in the external forum prejudice the legitimate heirs, and devolve the inheritance upon the monastery, where there is no right; and equally no debt.

The year must be whole and continuous, not interrupted; Rodriquez tomo 2. cap. 8. et tomo 3. qq. quaest. 15. art. 8. Sa V. Religio n. 9. Azor tract. 1. lib. XII. cap. 2. quaestio 8. Bonacina de claus. quaest. 2. puncto 10. diff. 2. Nauar. de reg. consil. 32. et 33. Henriquez lib. XIII. de excomm. cap. 40. Syluester V. religio 5. q. 4. D. Anton. 3. part. tit. 16. cap. 3. §. 2. Faust. in th. f. lib. V. quaest. 163. et 164. Sanchez lib. 5. cap. 4. Bassaeus V. Religio 3. num. 5.

If a novice runs away for two hours with the habit, and returns, the year is interrupted, according to the decision of the Cardinals in Barbosa de iur. can. lib. 1. c. 42. n. 139. Vecch. disp. 11. dub. 3. num. 6. et 15.

The year must be completed with the habit of Religion, as Sylvester teaches V. Religio 5. quaest. 5. Angel. V. novitius, Vecchius disp. 11. dub. 7. and others in Bassaeus num. 7.

If the novitiate was null, it must be repeated, because there is no cause, and there is no potency toward the past. Thus Nauar. and Rodriquez in Bassaeus num. 9.

Those receiving candidates to profession among the Mendicants, before the year is complete, are excommunicated, and suspended ipso facto from the faculty of admitting to profession chapter Non solum de reg. in 6. the same censure binds those who throughout that whole year impede the novice from freely passing to another order, unless he has made profession being over 16 years of age. In other Orders, however, they sin gravely against the precept of the Council of Trent session 25. de regul. cap. 15.

Superiors can for a cause prolong the profession, by the old law, from which the Tridentine Synod in this does not derogate. It is conceded indeed by Pius V, in Rodriquez in the place cited, and Bassaeus num. 10. provided that within six months he may be hoped to become fit.

NOVICES are not bound by the statutes of Religion, since they are not yet members. See Bassaeus n. 11. and 13.

They enjoy the privilege of Canon and Forum, Sanchez lib. IV. cap. 39. num. 17. et lib. VI. cap. 10. Layman lib. IV. tract. 5. cap. 4. Diana de dub. regular. Resol. 73.

ONE RETURNING to the world does not fall back into the censures or irregularities from which he was absolved in Religion by force of the privileges which Vecch. disp. 9. dub. 25. brings forward. See Suarez tract. 5. in 3. part. disp. 7. sect. 5. num. 35. Diana cit. resol. 44. Bonacina de leg. disp. IV. quaest. 2. puncto 7. §. 4. num. 28. This is the more probable opinion, says Bassaeus num. 16.