§ 1. What Irregularity Is And Of How Many Kinds It Is

1927. DEFINITION. Irregularity is a canonical impediment prohibiting the reception of sacred Orders and the use of Orders received.²⁸

It is called an impediment or a certain incapacity, but not a censure, because the latter always supposes fault and has the nature of a medicinal penalty; but irregularity does not always suppose fault; and if sometimes it is imposed by way of penalty, this is done primarily for preventing indecency in the sacred ministry, but secondarily for punishing the guilty one. Thus commonly.

DIVISION. There are various irregularities:

1. Irregularity is called from defect or from delict, according as it is imposed by law, either on account of defects alone bringing indecency to the sacred ministry, or on account of certain delicts, because of which the reception or exercise of Order is prohibited. But since irregularity from delict has been instituted principally for the decorum of the clerical state, it is resolved in a certain way into irregularity from defect; for one ensnared by it is destitute of that quality which the Apostle requires of those to be ordained, namely that they be without crime.

2. Irregularity is total or partial. - The former excludes from the reception of every Order and from every exercise of an Order received; the latter impedes some ministry of Order, or ascent to a higher Order.

3. Irregularity is perpetual or temporal. - Perpetual of itself always lasts, unless it is removed by dispensation. - Temporal lasts only to some time, which having elapsed, it ceases of itself: as irregularity from defect of age, which, when the time required for Orders has been completed, vanishes.²⁹