Testimonial Letters of Ordinaries for Those to be Admitted into Religion

To n. 262 bis.

Errata: 262 bis, Note: No one can licitly be admitted to the habit, or to beginning the novitiate, and then to profession, whether in an Institute of men of solemn vows, or in an Institute of men and women of simple vows, but by no means in an Institute of women of solemn vows, without testimonials, etc.

Correct: 262 bis, Note: No one can licitly be admitted to the habit, or to beginning the novitiate, and then to profession, whether in an Institute of men of solemn vows, or in an Institute of men of simple vows, but by no means in an Institute of women of solemn vows and of women of simple vows, without testimonial letters of the Ordinary of origin and of the place in which the postulant has dwelt for more than a year after the completion of his fifteenth year of age, under penalty of deprivation of all offices and of active voice, and of perpetual incapacity for obtaining others in the future.

Sacred Congregation on the State of Regulars, January 25, 1848, by the Decree Romani Pontifices, to be read publicly every year on the first day of January, under penalty of deprivation of office and of active and passive voice, to be incurred ipso facto by Superiors. This Decree cannot be derogated from unless expressly and by name. A dispensation granted to one Institute is not communicable to others. Cf. also the Declarations of the same Sacred Congregation, May 1, 1851; February 25, 1863; Enchiridion Morale, 4th ed., p. 239 ff.

But another Decree is also had of the same Sacred Congregation for Regular Discipline, January 25, 1848, concerning the reception of Novices to the habit and profession, to be observed also under penalty of deprivation of all offices and of active voice, and of perpetual incapacity for obtaining others in the future, and to be read publicly on January 1 and the first Sunday of July, likewise under penalty of deprivation of office and of active and passive voice. Nor can this Decree be derogated from except expressly and by name; and a dispensation granted to one Institute is not communicable to others. Cf. nn. 268, 277 bis.