Question II. On the Restriction of Jurisdiction.

354. Restriction of Jurisdiction. Jurisdiction, since it is concerned with a divisible object and is conferred by the free will of man, can be restricted and limited in various ways:

a. With respect to persons, as if someone receives jurisdiction for the whole diocese, certain persons nevertheless being excepted, e.g., women or nuns.

In some regions, e.g., in Italy, it is customary that jurisdiction be conferred upon young priests especially with limitation to absolving men alone, but not women; for this reason in the Code of Canon Law there sometimes occurs mention of a confessor approved also for women, or for either sex.

b. With respect to place, as if someone can receive confessions in only one parish.

Thus pastors in themselves receive jurisdiction (ordinary) only for their own parish; nevertheless it is customary that both pastors and chaplains receive jurisdiction (delegated) for the whole diocese.

c. With respect to time, as if jurisdiction is conferred on someone for a two-year period, after which the granted power expires.

d. With respect to certain sins, as if the supreme pontiff or a bishop reserves absolution from certain sins to himself. This limitation of jurisdiction is called the reservation of cases, which needs a fuller exposition.

¹ Jos. Pauwels, De casibus reservatis, 2 vols. Migne republished, Theologiae cursus completus XVIII, 933-1604. Ian. Bucceroni, Commentarii de casibus reservatis (Rome: Armani, 1889). Ballerini-Palmieri, Opus theol. mor. V, Appendix de casuum reservatione. Matth. Hausmann, Geschichte der papstlichen Reservatfalle (Regensburg: Pustet, 1868).