distinction — Decretum of Gratian
Distinction LI
GRATIAN. Part I. Behold, criminals, those not truly penitent, or those performing public penance are prohibited from sacred orders. Holy mother Church also added that curiales, those serving as soldiers after baptism, or those contending in the forum should be prohibited from sacred orders. Hence Innocent says [Pope to the Bishops assembled in the Synod of Toledo, epistle XXIV, c. 2]:
GRATIANUS. I. Pars. Ecce, quod criminosi, uel non uere penitentes, uel publicam penitenciam agentes, a sacris prohibentur ordinibus. Adiecit quoque sancta mater ecclesia, ut curiales, aut post baptisma militantes, aut in foro decertantes, a sacris prohibeantur ordinibus. Unde Innocentius ait: [Papa Episcopis in Toletana. Sinodo constitutis, epist. XXIV. c. 2.]
Friedberg, col. 203/204
C. I. Those serving as soldiers after baptism or contending in the forum are prohibited from sacred orders.
We have learned that a number of those who, after receiving the grace of baptism, were engaged in forensic practice and undertook the obstinacy of prevailing have been enrolled into the priesthood; some of their number are said to have been taken up into the priesthood; some from military service, who obeyed powers and necessarily executed savage commands; some from among the curiales, who, while obeying powers, did the things commanded them; and some who celebrated the entertainments and public shows of the people attained the honor of the highest priesthood. Not one of all these ought even to have attained fellowship in the clerical order. If we command each of these matters to be investigated, we shall induce no small commotions or scandals upon the Spanish provinces, which we desire to heal through a zeal for correction; therefore we think these matters should rather be remitted. But lest similar things be committed thereafter, the maturity of your charity will have to provide that a necessary end now be imposed upon so great a usurpation, with this evidently established: whoever are ordained as such shall be deposed together with their ordainers.
C. I. Post baptisma militantes, uel in foro decertantes, a sacris prohibentur ordinibus.
Aliquantos ex his, qui post acceptam baptismi gratiam in forensi exercitacione sunt uersati et obtinendi pertinaciam susceperunt, adscitos ad sacerdotium esse comperimus, quorum numero aliqui perhibentur ad sacerdotium assumi; aliquantos ex milicia, qui cum potestatibus obedierunt, seua necessario precepta sunt exsecuti; aliquantos ex curialibus, qui, dum parerent potestatibus, que sibi sunt inperata fecerunt; aliquantos, qui uoluptates et editiones populi celebrarunt, ad honorem summi sacerdocii peruenisse, quorum omnium neminem ad societatem quidem ordinis clericorum oportuerat peruenire. Que singula si discutienda mandemus, non modicos motus aut scandala Ispaniensibus prouinciis, quibus mederi cupimus, de studio emendationis inducemus; idcirco remittenda potius hec putamus. Sed ne deinceps similia committantur dilectionis uestrae maturitas prouidere debebit, ut tantae usurpationis nunc finis necessarius inponatur, eo uidelicet constituto, ut, quicumque tales ordinati fuerint, cum ordinatoribus suis deponantur.
Friedberg, col. 203/204
C. II. From what classes of laypersons men cannot attain clerical status.
The same to Felix, Bishop of Nocera [epistle IV, c. 3]. The classes of laypersons from which some cannot attain clerical status have been designated: that is, if any faithful person has held an administration. The reason concerning curiales, moreover, is manifest, because even if men of this kind are found who ought to become clerics, nevertheless, since they are rather often reclaimed for the curia, caution is to be exercised concerning them because of the tribulation that often comes to the Church from them.
C. II. De quibus laicis ad clericatum non possunt peruenire.
Idem Felici Episcopo Nuceriano. [epist. IV. c. 3.] Designata sunt genera laicorum, de quibus ad clericatum aliqui peruenire non possunt, id est, si quis fidelis administrauerit. De curialibus autem manifesta ratio est, quoniam etsi inueniantur huiusmodi uiri, qui clerici debeant fieri, tamen quoniam sepius ad curiam repetuntur, cauendum est ab his propter tribulationem, que sepe de his ecclesiae prouenit.
Friedberg, col. 203/204
C. III. Curiales shall not be admitted to clerical office.
The same [to Victricius, Bishop of Rouen, epistle II, c. 11]. Moreover, certain of our brethren frequently strive to make clerics of curiales or those occupied in any public functions; concerning them there is afterward greater sadness when something is commanded by the emperor about recalling them than grace arises from the person enrolled. For it is established that in those very duties they also furnish entertainments, which there is no doubt were invented by the devil, and either preside over or perhaps take part in the preparations for games and shows. Let the solicitude and sadness of the brethren that we have often endured in the emperor’s presence certainly be an example, when we petitioned him rather often on their behalf, as you yourself knew while placed with us. Concerning them, an immense trouble insisted that not only the lower clerics from among the curiales, but even those already established in the priesthood, be returned.
C. III. Non admittantur curiales ad clericale offitium.
Idem. [Victricio Episcopo Rothomagensi, epist. II. cap. 11.] Preterea frequenter quidam ex fratribus nostris curiales uel quibuslibet publicis functionibus occupatos, clericos facere contendunt, pro quibus postea maior est tristicia, cum de reuocandis eis aliquid ab inperatore precipitur, quam gratia nascitur de ascito. Constat enim eos in ipsis muneribus etiam uoluptates exhibere, quas a diabolo inuentas esse non dubium est, et ludorum et munerum apparatibus aut preesse, aut forsitan interesse. Sit certe in exemplum sollicitudo et tristicia fratrum, quam sepe pertulimus inperatore presente, cum pro his sepius rogaremus, quam ipse nobiscum positus cognouisti, quibus non solum inferiores clerici ex curialibus, uerum etiam iam in sacerdotio constituti ingens molestia ut redderentur instabat.
Friedberg, col. 203/204
C. IV. One who after baptism was girded for killing the faithful shall not be promoted to the diaconate.
Likewise from the First Council of Toledo [c. 8]. If anyone after receiving baptism served as a soldier and took up the military cloak and belt for killing the faithful, even if he did not commit grave acts, if he has been admitted to the clergy, let him not receive the dignity of the diaconate.
C. IV. Non promoueatur ad diaconatum, qui post baptismum ad fideles necandum accinctus fuerit.
Item ex Concilio Tolletano I. [cap. 8.] Si quis post acceptum baptismum militauerit, et clamidem sumpserit ac cingulum ad necandum fideles, etiamsi grauia non admiserit, si ad clerum admissus fuerit, diaconii non accipiat dignitatem.
Friedberg, col. 203/204
C. V. From what things one who is to be ordained as a bishop ought to be free.
Likewise from the Fourth Council of Toledo [c. 19]. Those who are held in any crime; those sprinkled with the mark of infamy; those who have confessed through public penance that they committed any crimes; those who have fallen into heresy; those who are known to have been baptized or rebaptized in heresy; those who have cut themselves, or those who are known to lack some part of their members through a natural defect; those who have entered a union with a second wife or frequented numerous marriages; those who married a widow or one left by her husband, or who were husbands of women who had been corrupted; those who had concubines or prostitutes; those who are liable to a servile condition; those who are unknown; those who are neophytes or laymen; those devoted to secular military service; those bound by the obligations of the curia; those unskilled in letters; those who have not yet reached thirty years; those who have not ascended through the ecclesiastical grades; those who seek honor through canvassing; those who endeavor to obtain honor by gifts; those who are chosen for the priesthood by their predecessors. §1. Nor thereafter shall he be a priest whom neither the clergy nor the people of his own city elected, or whose election neither the authority of the metropolitan nor the assent of the comprovincial priests ratified. Therefore, whoever is thereafter proposed for the order of the priesthood, investigated concerning the things aforesaid, found in none of them, and upon examination shown to possess an approved life and doctrine, shall then, according to synodal or decretal enactments, be consecrated priest on the Lord’s day by all the comprovincial bishops, or certainly by three, with the will of all the clerics or citizens, the others who are absent concurring by their letters, and especially with the authority or presence of the one established as metropolitan bishop. A comprovincial bishop, moreover, is to be consecrated where the metropolitan chooses; but a metropolitan only in the metropolitan city, with the comprovincials assembling there. §2. But if anyone thereafter, contrary to the aforesaid prohibitions of the canons, strives unworthily to aspire to the grade of the priesthood, he, together with his ordainers, shall be subject to the peril of the honor obtained.
C. V. A quibus debet esse inmunis, qui in episcopum est ordinandus.
Item ex Tolletano Concilio IV. [cap. 19.] Qui in aliquo crimine detenti sunt, qui infamiae nota aspersi sunt, qui scelera aliqua per publicam penitenciam se admisisse confessi sunt, qui in heresim sunt lapsi, qui in heresi baptizati aut rebaptizati esse noscuntur, qui semetipsos absciderunt aut qui naturali defectu membrorum aliquid minus habere noscuntur, qui secundae uxoris coniunctionem sortiti sunt aut numerosa coniugia frequentauerunt, qui uiduam uel a marito relictam duxerunt aut corruptarum mariti fuerunt, qui concubinas aut fornicarias habuerunt, qui seruili condicioni obnoxii sunt qui ignoti sunt, qui neophiti uel laici sunt, qui seculari miliciae dediti sunt, qui curiae nexibus obligati sunt, qui inscii litterarum sunt, qui nondum ad triginta annos peruenerunt, qui per gradus ecclesiasticos non ascenderunt, qui ambitu honorem querunt, qui honorem muneribus obtinere moliuntur, qui a decessoribus in sacerdotium eliguntur. §. 1. Sed nec ille deinceps sacerdos erit, quem nec clerus, nec populus propriae ciuitatis elegit, uel auctoritas metropolitani, uel conprouincialium sacerdotum assensus non exquisiuit. Quicumque ergo deinceps ad ordinem sacerdocii postulatus, et in his, que predicta sunt, exquisitus, in nullo horum deprehensus fuerit, et examinatus probabili uita atque doctrina exstiterit, tunc secundum sinodalia uel decretalia constituta cum omnium clericorum uel ciuium uoluntate ab uniuersis conprouincialibus episcopis, aut certe a tribus, in sacerdotem die dominico consecrabitur, conuenientibus ceteris, qui absentes sunt, suis litteris, et magis auctoritate uel presencia eius, qui metropolitanus Episcopus constitutus est. Episcopus autem conprouincialis ibi consecrandus est, ubi metropolitanus elegerit; metropolitanus autem non nisi in ciuitate metropoli, conprouincialibus ibidem conuenientibus. §. 2. Si quis autem deinceps contra predicta uetita canonum ad sacerdotii gradum indignus aspirare contenderit, cum ordinatoribus suis adepti honoris periculo subiacebit.
Friedberg, col. 203/204