Title — Decretals of Gregory IX
Title XXIX: On Parish Priests and Another's Parishioners
Chapter I
Latin source headnote: Between a bishop substituted for a heretical bishop and the heretical bishop himself who returned and was received by dispensation, the bishopric is divided in the manner expressed here.
From the African Council.
If a bishop from the Donatists is converted to Catholic unity, let them divide equally between themselves those places that shall be found thus, where both parties have existed; that is, so that some places pertain to one and others to the other, in such a way that he who has more time in the episcopate makes the division, and the junior chooses. But if perhaps there is one place, let it pertain to him to whom it is found to be nearer. But if it is equally near to both sees, let it pertain to him whom the people choose. But if perhaps the ancient Catholics wish their own [bishop,] and those converted from the Donatists wish theirs, let the will of the greater number be preferred to the fewer. But if the parties are equal, let it be assigned to the bishop of greater time. But if there are found to be so many places in which both parties have existed that they cannot be divided equally, as if they are an odd number, after those places that have an equal number have been distributed, as to whatever place remains, let what was said when one place was treated above be observed concerning it.
DE PAROCHIS, ET ALIENIS PAROCHIANIS.
Inter episcopum substitutum episcopo haeretico, et ipsum episcopum haereticum reversum et ex dispensatione receptum, dividitur episcopatus modo hic expresso.
Ex concilio Africano.
Si episcopus ex Donatistis ad catholicam unitatem est conversus, aequaliter inter se dividant eas, quae sic inventae fuerint, ubi ambae partes fuerint, id est, ut alia loca ad illum, alia ad alium pertineant, ita, ut ille dividat, qui amplius temporis in episcopatu habet, et minor eligat. Quodsi forte unus fuerit locus, ad eum pertineat, cui vicinior invenitur. Quod si ambabus cathedris aequaliter vicinus est, ad eum pertineat, quem plebs elegerit. Sed si forte antiqui catholici suum [episcopum] voluerint, et illi suum, qui ex Donatistis conversi sunt, plurimorum voluntas paucioribus praeferatur. Si autem partes aequales sunt, maioris temporis episcopo deputetur. Si autem ita plurima loca inveniuntur, in quibus ambae partes fuerint, ut non possint aequaliter dividi, velut si in impari numero fuerint, distributis eis locis, qui parem habent numerum, quicunque locus remanserit, hoc in eo servetur, quod dictum est, quum de uno loco superius tractaretur.
Chapter II
Latin source headnote: On Sundays and feast days parish priests ought not admit the parishioners of others to mass if they come to their church from contempt.
From the Council of Nantes.
That on Sundays or feast days priests, before they celebrate mass, question the people whether there is in the church a parishioner of another who, having despised his own priest, wishes to hear mass there; and if they find him, let them immediately cast him out of the church.
Presbyteri parochiales dominicis diebus et festivis parochianos alienos ad missam admittere non debent, si ex contemptu ad eorum ecclesiam accedunt.
Ex concilio Manetensi.
Ut dominicis vel festivis diebus presbyteri, antequam missam celebrent, plebem interrogent, si alterius parochianus in ecclesia sit, qui proprio contempto presbytero ibi velit missam audire, quem si invenerint, statim ab ecclesia abiiciant.
Chapter III
Latin source headnote: A bishop cannot ordain another's parishioner without that bishop's license, nor otherwise judge him.
Pope Hadrian.
Let no bishop presume to judge another's parishioner, [retain him, or ordain him without the other's will, or judge him, because, just as his ordination will be invalid, so also will his adjudication, since we hold that no one is bound by the sentence of a judge other than his own.] For he who could not ordain him can in no way at all judge him.
Episcopus parochianum alterius sine ipsius licentia ordinare non potest, nec eum aliter iudicare.
Hadrianus Papa.
Nullus episcopus alterius parochianum iudicare praesumat, +[retinere, aut ordinare absque eius voluntate vel iudicare, quia, sicut irrita erit eius ordinatio, ita et diiudicatio, quoniam censemus nullum alterius iudicis, nisi sui, sententia teneri.] Nam qui eum ordinare non potuit, nec iudicare ullatenus potest.
Chapter IV
Latin source headnote: The boundaries of parishes that are established, or things adhering to the boundaries, cannot be acquired by prescription.
Urban III.
But concerning that as to which we have understood there to be doubt among you—whether what is known to have been established by the canons concerning boundaries and things adhering to boundaries not being subject to prescription is to be admitted in the limits of parishes as in those of provinces—we answer you that it seems well to be observed in each, if the boundaries of the provinces are established by lawful proof or otherwise by undoubted faith to have been fixed by ecclesiastical ordinance.
Fines parochiarum, de quibus constat, vel finibus cohaerentia, praescribi non possunt.
Urbanus III.
Super eo vero, quod apud vos intelleximus dubitatum, an quod de finibus et his, quae finibus cohaerent, non praescribendis statutum per canones esse dignoscitur, sit in parochiarum limitibus, sicut in provincialibus, admittendum, illud vobis respondemus, quod bene videtur in utroque servandum, si provinciarum fines legitima probatione vel alias indubitata fide constiterit ecclesiastica ordinatione statutos.
Chapter V
Latin source headnote: If a parishioner or diocesan transfers his domicile, the former prelate does not vindicate episcopal or diocesan rights over him for himself; nevertheless, predial tithes are owed to him from that parish, unless they are owed to another by custom.
Celestine III.
Our venerable brother, the Bishop of Acre, signified to us that, since after the recovery of the city of Acre a great many persons transferred themselves to dwell in it who before the general occupation of the Holy Land had chosen a [permanent] dwelling in other cities of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, and had made some residence in it and still even reside in the same, the prelates of the aforesaid cities compel them to pay ecclesiastical rights to themselves. But because we ought not to transgress the boundaries established by the fathers or put the sickle into another's harvest, [by apostolic writings] we command your fraternity that, after [prior admonition,] you compel the prelates of the aforesaid places, with the severity that is fitting, to usurp no jurisdiction over the aforesaid inhabitants of Acre for themselves, nor to exact temporal things from those to whom they do not minister spiritual things; in such a way, nevertheless, that, if they receive fruits from fields constituted in the prelates' parish and in the regions overseas tithes are paid by reason of estates, they henceforth pay those tithes to them in their entirety, but are compelled to answer to the said Bishop of Acre concerning the other things as to their own diocesan bishop. [But if not all, etc. Given at the Lateran, on the tenth day before the Kalends of January. 1198.]
Si parochianus seu dioecesanus domicilium transfert, primus praelatus in eo iura episcopalia seu dioecesana sibi non vendicat; decimae tamen praediales illius parochiae sibi debentur, nisi alteri debeantur ex consuetudine.
Coelestinus III.
Significavit nobis venerabilis frater noster Aconensis episcopus, quod, quum post recuperationem Aconensis civitatis ad habitandum in ea se quam plurimi contulissent, qui ante generalem occupationem terrae sanctae in aliis civitatibus regni Hierosolymitani [perpetuam] elegerant mansionem, +et in ea residentiam fecerint aliquantam, et adhuc etiam resident in eadem, praelati praedictarum civitatum eos ad solvendum sibi iura ecclesiastica compellunt. Quia vero transgredi non debemus terminos a patribus constitutos, aut falcem in messem mittere alienam, Fraternitati tuae [per apostolica scripta] mandamus, quatenus praedictorum locorum praelatos, ut sibi nullam in praedictos Aconenses habitatores iurisdictionem usurpent, nec ab eis temporalia exigant quibus spiritualia non ministrant, [monitione praemissa] districtione, qua convenit, compellatis ita tamen, quod, si de agris in eorum parochia constitutis fructus percipiunt, et in ultramarinis partibus ratione praediorum decimae persolvuntur, deinceps eis ipsas decimas cum integritate persolvant, dicto vero Aconensi tanquam dioecesano suo cogantur de ceteris respondere. [*Quod si non omnes etc. Dat. Lat. X. Kal. Ian. * 1198.]