Title X: Of Oratories

§ 1. An oratory is a place destined for divine worship, yet not chiefly for this end, that it be for the use of the whole people of the faithful for publicly cultivating religion.

§ 2. An oratory, moreover, is:

1° Public, if it has been erected chiefly for the advantage of some college or even of private persons, yet in such a way that all the faithful, at least at the time of divine offices, have a legitimately proved right of approaching it.

2° Semi-public, if it has been erected for the advantage of some community or group of the faithful gathering there, and it is not free for anyone whatever to approach it.

3° Private or domestic, if it has been erected in private houses for the advantage of only some family or private person.

Oratories of Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church and of Bishops, whether residential or titular, although private, nevertheless enjoy all rights and privileges by which semi-public oratories rejoice.

Little chapels in a cemetery, erected by families or private persons for their burial, are private oratories.

§ 1. Public oratories are governed by the same law as churches.

§ 2. Wherefore in a public oratory, provided that by authority of the Ordinary it has been perpetually dedicated to the public worship of God by blessing or consecration, according to the norm of can. 1155, 1156, all sacred functions can be celebrated, with the contrary prescription of the rubrics preserved.

§ 1. Semi-public oratories cannot be erected without the permission of the Ordinary.

§ 2. The Ordinary is not to grant this permission unless first, personally or through another ecclesiastical man, he has visited the oratory and found it decently furnished.

§ 3. Once permission has been given, the oratory cannot be converted to profane uses without the authority of the same Ordinary.

§ 4. In colleges or boarding schools for educating youth, in gymnasia, lyceums, fortresses, military garrisons, prisons, hospitals, etc., besides the principal oratory, other smaller ones are not to be erected unless, in the judgment of the Ordinary, necessity or great utility demands it.

In semi-public oratories legitimately erected, all divine offices or ecclesiastical functions can be celebrated, unless the rubrics obstruct or the Ordinary has excepted something.

In private cemetery chapels, of which in can. 1190, the local Ordinary can habitually permit even the celebration of several Masses; in other domestic oratories, only one Mass, by way of act, in some extraordinary case, from a just and reasonable cause; but the Ordinary is not to lavish these permissions except according to the norm of can. 1192, Sec. 2.

§ 1. In domestic oratories by indult of the Apostolic See, unless something else is expressly provided in the same indult, after the Ordinary has visited and approved the oratory according to the norm of can. 1192, Sec. 2, one Mass can be celebrated, and that a read Mass, on individual days, excepting the more solemn feasts; but other ecclesiastical functions are not to be done there.

§ 2. The Ordinary, however, provided that just and reasonable causes are present, different from those on account of which the indult was granted, can permit by way of act the celebration of Mass even on more solemn feasts.

§ 1. Domestic oratories can be neither consecrated nor blessed in the manner of churches.

§ 2. Although domestic and semi-public oratories are endowed with the common blessing of places or houses, or with no blessing, nevertheless they must be reserved for divine worship alone and free from all domestic uses.