Article — Konings, Theologia Moralis
ARTICLE III: ON PROBATION OR NOVITIATE
- Novitiate is a mutual experiment, by which Religion, on the one side, tries the morals and qualities of the novice, so that it may see whether it is expedient to admit or reject him; and the novice, on the other side, tries the austerities and Statutes of Religion, and his own disposition, so that he may see whether it is expedient for him to profess it. - Thus Billuart.2
- Questions. - Query 1° Who are not to be admitted into the Novitiate?
Resp. 1° On account of defect of mind, those who are not masters of themselves, as is clear of itself.
2° On account of defect of liberty.
a) Slaves, on account of the injury which would be done to masters.
b) Those joined in Matrimony, concerning whom it will be treated in the Treatise on Matrimony.
c) Bishops, even only confirmed, unless with the permission of the Supreme Pontiff, on account of the bond by which they are bound to their Church in perpetuity.3
d) Those professed in some Religion, unless either they are previously dispensed from the vows emitted in it, or they pass to a stricter Religion, that is, such that its actual observance, not merely its primary institution, is stricter. Yet this transition must not be made rashly or from levity, or with grave damage to the Religion to be left. Besides, the permission of the Superior or of the Pope is to be sought, and, in the case of a privilege granted to the Order which is being left for this, it must also be obtained. But transition to a laxer Religion cannot be made except with permission of the Supreme Pontiff; but to an equal one by the same permission, or also, but with just cause, by permission of the Superior.4
3° Those whose parents are in grave or extreme necessity would be admitted illicitly, though not invalidly, if they can assist that necessity without being exposed in the world to proximate and grave danger of falling into mortal sin. Only grave necessity of brothers or sisters does not impede admission; indeed dispensation from the vow of entering is also necessary for someone to be able to defer entrance for a long time on account of it. But parents would illicitly enter Religion if they had unemancipated children constituted in grave necessity or destitute of sufficient education.1
4° By natural law (concerning the dispositions of positive law, see n. 801. q. 4°), those burdened with debts would be admitted illicitly, if they were able to pay them in a notable part at least, and in a short time (say within two years), and without great difficulty or probable danger of sin or of losing vocation. - Thus St. Alphonsus2 as more probable, although the opinion which denies absolutely and the opinion which affirms absolutely are also probable to him.
5° Those also would be admitted illicitly and most imprudently whom public acts show to have been accused or investigated before the secular court concerning some graver crime, unless they have been dismissed by the judge as innocent.3
6° Those are not to be admitted whose infirmity is such that they are not equal to bearing the burdens of common life and fulfilling the obligations of the Order.
7° Those would be admitted illicitly to the habit who had not sought and waited for a suitable time (three months) for testimonial letters both from the Ordinary of origin and from the Ordinary of the place in which, after the completion of the fifteenth year of their age, they stayed beyond a year, unless nevertheless the Institute which admits them has been dispensed by a special and non-communicable privilege from the Decree of Jan. 25, 1848,4 in which this disposition is contained.
8° The prepubescent (n. 911), against the will of parents or guardians.
Notes to n. 1157 - note sequence 1. (2) De stat. rel. Diss. 4. art. 2. (3) L. III. Decret. T. XXXI. c. 18. L. I. Decret. T. VII. c. 2. Ib. T. IX. c. 10. (4) Craisson, Man. n. 2605-2614. Notes to n. 1157 - note sequence 2. (1) L. V. 66. 67. 69. 70. (2) Ib. 71. (3) Craisson, Man. n. 2635. (4) Corr. de Rome 1848. p. 13. 332.
- Query 2° Whether clerics, especially those having care of souls, can be admitted to Religion without the permission of their own Ordinary?
Resp. Affirmatively, as is clear both from the unanimous opinion of the Doctors, and especially from the authority of Benedict XIV, Brief Ex quo, Jan. 14, 1747. Yet a priest exercising care of souls must make the Bishop more certain concerning his plan, lest the flock be left without guardianship. Besides, in the case in which the Church which the priest serves would suffer grave damage from his transition to Religion, the Bishop could recall him, even after profession, as is clear from the Brief just cited. - Which of our clerics are not absolutely able to enter Religion, see n. 374. 8°.