Article — 1917 Code of Canon Law
Article I: Of the Search for the Writings of the Servant of God
Superseded as law in 1983 — read why this Code still matters. Each canon links to its 1983 counterpart.
By the name of writings come not only unpublished works of the Servant of God, but also those which have already been printed in type; likewise sermons, letters, diaries, autobiographies, finally whatever either he himself by himself, or by another's hand, has written.
Nomine scriptorum veniunt non modo opera inedita Servi Dei, sed etiam quae iam typis fuerint impressa; item conciones, epistolae, diaria, autobiographiae, quidquid denique vel ipse per se, vel aliena manu exaraverit.
§ 1. The Ordinary, by a public edict to be published in individual parishes, if this can be done, or by another more opportune manner, is to order the writings of the Servant of God to be brought to the tribunal by all with whom they exist, and is to recall to memory and urge the prescriptions of can. 2023-2025.
§ 2. But if there is question of the cause of a Servant of God belonging to some religion, the edict must moreover be published in individual houses of the same religion; and Superiors are held by grave obligation of taking care that this publication be made, with express mention made of the prescription of can. 2025, Sec. 2, and likewise that all subjects who have writings send them in.
§ 3. It is the office of the promoter of the faith to insist that the edict be published also in other places where there is hope that someone will be found who has some writing in his possession.
§ 1. Ordinarius per publicum edictum in singulis paroeciis, si fieri potest, vulgandum vel alio opportuniore modo scripta Servi Dei ab omnibus penes quos exstent ad tribunal deferri iubeat, et praescripta can. 2023-2025 in memoriam revocet atque urgeat.
§ 2. Si vero agatur de causa Servi Dei ad religionem aliquam pertinentis, vulgari praeterea debet edictum in singulis eiusdem religionis domibus; et Superiores gravi obligatione tenentur curandi ut haec publicatio fiat, habita expressa mentione praescripti can. 2025, § 2, itemque ut omnes subditi qui habeant, scripta remittant.
§ 3. Munus est promotoris fidei instare ut edictum publicetur etiam in aliis locis ubi spes sit fore ut aliquis inveniatur qui scriptum aliquod penes se habeat.
§ 1. The Ordinary is to search diligently for the writings of the Servant of God, not only at the instance of the postulator but also from office.
§ 2. When writings are found in another diocese, the judge is to ask the Ordinary of that diocese that he search for them according to the norm of law and transmit them to him together with the acts.
§ 1. Ordinarius non solum ad instantiam postulatoris, sed etiam ex officio scripta Servi Dei diligenter perquirat.
§ 2. Quando scripta in aliena dioecesi reperiuntur, iudex roget Ordinarium illius dioecesis, ut ea ipse perquirat ad normam iuris et ad se una cum actis transmittat.
§ 1. If any of the possessors wish to retain the autographs, the notary himself is to take care that an authentic copy of these be prepared, to be transmitted to the Sacred Congregation together with the process.
§ 2. As regards writings kept in a library or archive, the prescription of can. 2036, Secs. 2, 3 is to be stood by.
§ 1. Si qui ex possessoribus autographa retinere cupiant, horum apographum authenticum ipse notarius conficiendum curet, ad Sacram Congregationem una cum processu transmittendum.
§ 2. Quod attinet ad scripta in bibliotheca aut tabulario asservata, standum praescripto can. 2036, §§ 2, 3.
The notary is diligently to describe both the number and quality of the writings and all the acts of the search for them; which acts must moreover be subscribed by the Ordinary or by his delegate and the promoter of the faith and fortified with the seal of the Ordinary.
Notarius diligenter describat tum scriptorum numerum et qualitatem, tum acta omnia perquisitionis ipsorum; quae acta debent praeterea ab Ordinario vel ab eius delegato et promotore fidei subscribi ac Ordinarii sigillo muniri.
§ 1. The postulator is to emit an oath before the Ordinary concerning the search for writings to be diligently made by him, and afterward concerning the same diligently completed.
§ 2. If there is question of a Servant of God who was a woman and belonged to some religion, the supreme Moderatrix of the religion or the Abbess of the monastery is likewise to take an oath that she has carried out a diligent search for writings, has handed over all writings of the Servant of God which she possessed, and that it is not established to her that any of her subjects or other persons still retain writings of the same Servant of God.
§ 1. Postulator iusiurandum coram Ordinario emittat de scriptorum perquisitione a se diligenter facienda, et postea de eadem diligenter peracta.
§ 2. Si agatur de Serva Dei quae ad aliquam religionem pertinuerit, suprema religionis Moderatrix vel Antistita monasterii iusiurandum pariter praestet se diligentem scriptorum perquisitionem peregisse, omnia quae possidebat Servae Dei scripta tradidisse, neque sibi constare aliquam ex suis subditis aliasve personas eiusdem Servae Dei scripta adhuc retinere.
If there is question of the cause of some martyr, the search for writings can also be made after the commission of introduction of the cause before the Sacred Congregation has been signed, according to instructions to be given concerning that matter by the Promoter General of the Faith.
Si agatur de causa alicuius martyris, perquisitio scriptorum fieri etiam potest post signatam commissionem introductionis causae apud Sacram Congregationem, secundum instructiones a Promotore generali fidei ea de re dandas.