Article I: Of the Requisites for Someone to Be Admitted to the Novitiate

With the prescription of canons 539-541 remaining firm, and other prescriptions in the proper constitutions of each religion,

1° The following are admitted invalidly to the novitiate:

Those who have adhered to a non-Catholic sect.

Those who do not have the age required for the novitiate.

Those who enter religion induced by force, grave fear, or fraud, or those whom the Superior, induced in the same way, receives.

A spouse, while marriage endures.

Those who are bound or have been bound by the bond of religious profession.

Those against whom a penalty is impending on account of a grave delict committed, concerning which they have been accused or can be accused.

A Bishop, whether residential or titular, even if he has only been designated by the Roman Pontiff.

Clerics who by institution of the Holy See are bound by oath to devote their work to the good of their diocese or of the missions, for the time during which the obligation of the oath endures.

2° The following are admitted illicitly, but validly:

Clerics constituted in sacred orders, without the local Ordinary having been consulted or with him contradicting, because their departure would fall into grave detriment of souls which otherwise could by no means be avoided.

Those burdened by debt who are not equal to paying; those liable to render an account or entangled in other secular affairs, from which the religion could fear lawsuits and troubles.

Children who must assist parents, that is, father or mother, grandfather or grandmother, constituted in grave necessity, and parents whose work is necessary for feeding or educating children.

Those destined for the priesthood in the religion, from which however they are removed by irregularity or another canonical impediment.

Orientals in Latin religions without permission given in writing by the Sacred Congregation for the Oriental Church.

The right of admitting to the novitiate and to subsequent religious profession, both temporary and perpetual, pertains to major Superiors with the vote of the Council or Chapter, according to the peculiar constitutions of each religion.

§ 1. In any religion all aspirants, before they are admitted, must exhibit testimony of received baptism and confirmation.

§ 2. Male aspirants must besides exhibit testimonial letters of the Ordinary of origin and of each place in which, after the completed fourteenth year of age, they have stayed beyond a morally continuous year, any contrary privilege being removed.

§ 3. If there is question of admitting those who have been in a Seminary, college, or postulancy or novitiate of another religion, testimonial letters are furthermore required, given for the different cases by the rector of the Seminary or college, after the local Ordinary has been heard, or by the major Superior of the religion.

§ 4. For clerics to be admitted, besides testimony of ordination, testimonial letters of the Ordinaries in whose dioceses after ordination they have dwelt beyond a morally continuous year suffice, with the prescription of Sec. 3 preserved.

§ 5. For a professed religious transferring to another religion by apostolic indult, testimony of the major Superior of the prior religion is sufficient.

§ 6. Besides these testimonies required by law, Superiors who have the right of enrolling aspirants into religion can also require other things which seem necessary or opportune to them for this end.

§ 7. Finally, women are not to be received unless accurate investigations have first been made concerning their character and morals, with the prescription of Sec. 3 remaining firm.

§ 1. Those who must give testimonial letters by prescription of law are to give them not to the aspirants themselves, but to the religious Superiors, gratuitously within a three-month space from their requisition, closed with a seal and, if there is question of those who have been in a Seminary, college, or postulancy or novitiate of another religion, confirmed by the oath of the Superior.

§ 2. If for grave reasons they have judged that they cannot respond to them, they are to explain the causes to the Apostolic See within the same time.

§ 3. If they have replied that the aspirant is not sufficiently known to them, the religious Superior is to supply by another accurate investigation and a trustworthy report; but if they have replied nothing, the requesting Superior is to make the Holy See more certain concerning the response not received.

§ 4. In their testimonial letters, after they have instituted a diligent investigation, even through secret information, they must report, their conscience being gravely burdened concerning the truth of the things set forth, concerning the aspirant's birth, morals, talent, life, reputation, condition, and knowledge; whether he has been investigated, is bound by some censure, irregularity, or other canonical impediment, whether his own family needs his aid, and finally, if there is question of those who have been in a Seminary, college, or postulancy or novitiate of another religion, for what cause they were dismissed or departed spontaneously.

All who have received the aforesaid information are held by a strict obligation of preserving secrecy concerning the information had and the persons who handed it on.

§ 1. In monasteries of nuns the postulant is to bring the dowry established in the constitutions or determined by legitimate custom.

§ 2. This dowry is to be handed over to the monastery before reception of the habit, or at least its handing over is to be rendered secure in a form valid by civil law.

§ 3. In religions of simple vows, as regards the dowry of religious women, the constitutions are to be followed.

§ 4. The prescribed dowry cannot be remitted in whole or in part without an indult of the Holy See, if there is question of a religion of pontifical right; without permission of the local Ordinary, if of a religion of diocesan right.

The dowry is irrevocably acquired by the monastery or religion through the death of the religious woman, although she had pronounced only temporary vows.

After the first profession of the religious woman, the dowry is to be placed by the Superior with her Council in safe, licit, and fruitful securities, with the consent of the local Ordinary and of the regular Superior if the house depends on him; moreover it is entirely prohibited that it be expended in any way before the death of the religious woman, not even for building a house or extinguishing debt.

§ 1. Dowries are to be administered cautiously and integrally at the monastery or house of habitual residence of the supreme Moderatrix or provincial Superior.

§ 2. Ordinaries of places are to watch sedulously over the preservation of dowries of religious women; and especially in sacred visitation they are to demand an account concerning the same.

§ 1. The dowry of a professed religious woman, whether of solemn vows or of simple vows, departing for any cause whatsoever, is to be restored entire without fruits already matured.

§ 2. But if a professed religious woman transfers to another religion by apostolic indult, during the novitiate the fruits are owed to this religion, with the prescription of can. 570, Sec. 1 preserved, and after new profession has been emitted, the dowry itself is owed to it; if to another monastery of the same Order, the dowry itself is owed to this monastery from the day of transfer.

§ 1. The Superior of religious women, even exempt, must make the local Ordinary more certain, at least two months before, concerning the approaching admission to the novitiate and to profession, whether temporary or perpetual, whether solemn or simple.

§ 2. The local Ordinary or, he being absent or impeded, a priest deputed by him, at least thirty days before the novitiate and before profession, as above, is diligently and gratuitously to explore the will of the aspirant, not however entering the enclosure, whether she has been coerced or seduced, whether she knows what she is doing; and, if it has plainly been established concerning her pious and free will, then the aspirant can be admitted to the novitiate or the novice to profession.