Postulancy

I. In religions of perpetual vows, all women and, if there is question of a religion of men, lay brothers, before they are admitted to the novitiate, should complete a postulancy for at least six full months; but in religions of temporary vows, as regards the necessity and time of postulancy, the constitutions must be followed (can. 539, § 1). The major Superior can extend the prescribed time of postulancy, but not beyond another semester (can. 539, § 2).

Corollary I. Postulancy is not required for the validity of the novitiate or profession, but is merely prescribed, as is clear both from the word complete and from the fact that there is no discussion of it in can. 542, 1st.

Corollary II. The constitution of a religion of perpetual vows which prescribes a postulancy, for example, of one year or two years, can but need not be observed. It can be observed, because postulancy must be completed for at least six months; it need not, as it seems, because it is said only of religions of temporary vows that the constitutions must be followed.

II. With regard to the manner of completing postulancy, these things are prescribed:

1. Postulancy must be completed either in the house of the novitiate or in another house of the religion in which discipline is accurately observed according to the constitutions, under the special care of an approved religious (can. 540, § 1).

2. Postulants should wear clothing that is modest and different from the clothing of novices (can. 540, § 2).

3. In monasteries of nuns, aspirants, while completing postulancy, are held by the law of enclosure (can. 540, § 3).

III. Postulants, before they begin the novitiate, should spend at least eight full days in spiritual exercises; and, according to the prudent judgment of the confessor, they should first make a general confession of their past life (can. 541).

IV. Besides the things set out, these things must be noted:

1. Postulants do not enjoy spiritual privileges, nor according to the general laws suffrages after death, since can. 567, § 1 speaks only of novices.

2. Where the Code speaks only of novices, postulants enjoy only the rights of members of the household (can. 514, § 1), for example with regard to confessions (can. 875, § 1), with regard to dispensation from fasting and abstinence (can. 1245, § 3), with regard to Extreme Unction and Viaticum (can. 514, § 4), with regard to burial (can. 1221, § 3), etc. Nor are they exempt (can. 615).

3. The testimonials to be brought before the novitiate (p. 816) are usefully presented already before postulancy.

I. In individual houses of a clerical religion, several confessors legitimately approved should be deputed in proportion to the number of members, with the power, if the case concerns an exempt religion, of absolving even in cases reserved in the religion (can. 518, § 1).

Note 1. Religious Superiors having the power of hearing confessions can, with the things to be observed by law observed, hear the confessions of subjects who spontaneously and of their own motion ask this from them, but they should not do this habitually without grave cause (can. 518, § 2). Grave causes are, for example, a shortage of confessors, an anxious state of conscience in a subject, and the like. But a petition made spontaneously and of one's own motion suffices for the Superior to hear confessions by way of an act.

Note 2. Superiors should take care not to induce any subject, either personally or through another, by force, fear, importunate persuasions, or in any other way, to confess sins to them (can. 518, § 3). Simple counsel or persuasion in a particular case is not excluded.

II. With the constitutions remaining firm which command or counsel confession to be made at stated times with determinate confessors, if a religious, even an exempt one, for the quiet of his conscience, approaches a confessor approved by the local Ordinary, even though not listed among those designated, the confession, any contrary privilege being revoked, is valid and licit; and the confessor can absolve the religious even from sins and censures reserved in the religion (can. 519). These things were explained in n. 372.

III. As regards novices, these things hold:

1. In proportion to the number of novices, one or more ordinary confessors should be had (can. 566, § 2, 1); these should stay in the novitiate house itself (can. 566, § 2, 2).

2. Besides ordinary confessors, some confessors should be designated whom the novices can freely approach in particular cases, and the Master should not show that he takes this ill (can. 566, § 2, 3).

3. At least four times a year an extraordinary confessor should be given to the novices, to whom all should approach at least to receive a blessing (can. 566, § 2, 4).

4. Also for novices the things said in n. 374, II hold.

Note 1. The master of novices and his associate, and the Superior of a Seminary or college, should not hear the sacramental confessions of their students staying with them in the same house, unless the students ask this spontaneously from a grave and urgent cause in particular cases (can. 891). Therefore novices cannot habitually confess to the master of novices even for a grave and urgent cause. It is not clear that the prohibition of confessing to the master of novices should also be extended to postulants, since the Master is not of himself set over postulants.

Note 2. Novices can confess to the Superior of the house for a just cause in particular cases; for a grave cause, habitually (cf. can. 518, § 2).

IV. As regards postulants, nothing special is established by the Code, so that they are subject only to the common governance of religious.

I. Also in lay religions of men an ordinary and extraordinary confessor should be deputed; and if a religious asks for some special confessor, the Superior should grant him, in no way inquiring into the reason for the petition nor showing that he takes it ill (can. 528).

Note. In an exempt lay religion, the Superior proposes the confessor, who nevertheless must obtain jurisdiction from the local Ordinary in whose place the religious house is found (can. 875, § 2).

II. Also for lay male religious the things said in n. 374, II hold.

III. As regards novices, the things said in n. 374, III hold. Their ordinary confessors, however, should either stay in the novitiate house itself or at least frequently come to the novitiate house to hear the confessions of the novices. Postulants are subject only to the common governance of religious.

II. As regards naming confessors of women novices, the things said about the religious women themselves hold (can. 566, § 1). Postulants, as regards this matter, are numbered among religious women, although it can be disputed whether special jurisdiction is required for hearing them validly (n. 373).

From the Norms of the S. C. Bishops and Regulars, June 23, 1901, art. 61, "without dispensation of the Holy See there cannot be admitted: 1. illegitimates not duly legitimated; 2. those bound by marriage; 3. those more than thirty years old; 4. those less than fifteen years of age; 5. those who in another Institute have emitted perpetual vows, or even temporary vows, while these endure; 6. those burdened with debt which they are not able to pay; 7. those liable to rendering an account, or involved in other secular business, from which the Institute could fear lawsuits and troubles; 8. for Institutes of women, widows." "Furthermore.... The following things, gravely burdening the conscience of Superiors, are to be faithfully observed hereafter by all religious Families of men: "In no way, without special leave of the Apostolic See and under penalty of nullity of profession, are postulants to be received, either to the novitiate or to the emission of vows:

1. those who have been expelled from colleges, even lay ones, because of dishonest morals or because of other crimes;

2. those who have been dismissed for any reason from seminaries and ecclesiastical or religious colleges;

3. those who, whether as professed or as novices, have been dismissed from another Order or religious congregation; or, if professed, have obtained dispensation from vows;

4. those who, already admitted, whether as professed or as novices, into one province of some Order or congregation and dismissed from it, attempt to be received into the same or into another province of the same Order or congregation.

Anything contrary, even things worthy of special mention, notwithstanding." Decree Ecclesia Christi of the S. C. of Religious, September 7, 1909.

The Decree Ecclesia Christi, September 7, 1909, concerning certain postulants not to be admitted into religious families, by another Decree of the S. C. of Religious, January 4, 1910, was extended also to religious families of women, as follows: "And therefore without special leave of the Apostolic See and under penalty of nullity of profession, postulants are not to be received, either to the Novitiate or to the emission of vows:

1. those who, by their own fault, have been expelled from colleges, even lay ones, for a grave cause;

2. those who have been dismissed for any reason from domestic schools in which girls are educated with special care in hope of embracing religious life; or, if professed, have obtained dispensation from vows;

3. those who, already admitted, whether as professed or as novices, into one province of some Order or Congregation and dismissed from it, attempt to be received into the same or another province of the same Order or Congregation. - Anything contrary notwithstanding."

A strict obligation is not had that lyceal studies precede the novitiate, otherwise than primary and gymnasial studies. Yet, for just causes, among clerics pupils who have exceeded the fifteenth year of age will be able to be admitted to the novitiate after the fourth gymnasial year, but on this condition, that after the novitiate they duly complete gymnasial studies before they are admitted to lyceal studies and undergo the final examination. Before the fourth gymnasial year has been completed, it is not lawful to enter the novitiate except by leave of the Apostolic See. S. Congregation of Religious, September 7, 1909; May 31, 1910.

Orientals to be admitted into religious families. "Through the Apostolic Letters Orientalium dignitas Ecclesiarum, given on the day before the Kalends of December of the year 1894, Leo XIII of happy memory commanded as regards the entrance of Orientals into Latin religious Sodalities: 'It will be lawful for no Order or religious Institute of the Latin rite, of either sex, to receive any Oriental among its members who has not first exhibited testimonial letters of his own Ordinary.' "But by the aforesaid prescription there was no derogation from dispositions already long ago established, and especially in the general Convention of this Sacred Congregation held on the day June 1 of the year 1885, by which in individual cases recourse is prescribed to the Apostolic See, or to the S. Congregation de Propaganda Fide for Affairs of the Oriental Rite, to which also belongs the faculty of granting a change of rite either for a time or in perpetuity. "Now, since in these most recent times it has been discovered that not once only Orientals have been received into religious Institutes of the Latin rite with testimonial letters indeed of the Oriental Ordinary, but with the Apostolic See altogether not consulted, this Sacred Congregation judges it opportune to recall to the mind of all Superiors placed over religious Institutes of the Latin rite, of whatever form and of either sex, the obligation by which they are held, namely of consulting this Sacred Congregation in writing before any Oriental is enrolled among their members. "Moreover in the petition the case is to be proposed clearly with all its circumstances; and there must be expressed not only the name, surname, age, rite, and diocese of the postulant, but, if it is a question of a man, it must especially be explained whether he asks to be admitted into an Institute of solemn or simple vows, and whether for the clerical or lay state; for the Pontifical Rescript, if it is favorable, is granted differently according to the diversity of cases." S. C. de Prop. Fid., June 15, 1911, Acta Apostolicae Sedis v. 4, p. 534 f.

262 bis. Note: No one can licitly be admitted to the habit, or to beginning the novitiate, and then to profession, whether in an Institute of men of solemn vows, or in an Institute of men and women of simple vows, but by no means in an Institute of women of solemn vows, without testimonial letters of the Ordinary of origin and of the place in which the postulant has stayed beyond a year after the completed fifteenth year of his age. S. C. on the State of Regulars, January 25, 1848; May 1, 1851; February 25, 1863. The Decree Romani Pontifices, January 25, 1848, is to be read publicly each year on January 1. The Decree Regulari Disciplinae, January 25, 1848, is to be read publicly on January 1 and the first Sunday of July. The Decree Romani Pontifices cannot be derogated except expressly and by name. A dispensation granted to some Institute is not communicable to others.

According to the Norms of the S. C. Bishops and Regulars, art. 57, for Institutes of simple vows, there is required testimony of baptism, confirmation, free status, good morals, Postulancy before the Novitiate, and examination before reception of the habit for Sisters. Besides the examination, from a more recent Decree Postulancy is also required for nuns. Cf. 267, 273. - E. M.

In what place and in what habit is the novitiate to be carried out? - The novitiate cannot be done outside the monastery; indeed it must be carried out in the monastery destined for it. Thus from the Decree of Clement VIII, June 20, 1599, and several other Decrees and the practice of the S. C. Ferraris v. Annus prob. n. 36 ff. - By common law, the novitiate must be carried out in the habit of the religion which the novice intends to profess. Trent s. 25, c. 15 de Reg. And this is required even under penalty of nullity, according to the S. C. Bishops and Regulars. Ferraris v. Habitus n. 2, 3; v. Moniales a. 1, n. 76 ff.; v. Novitiatus n. 4. - C. Is qui de Regul. in 6; Clement VIII, Decree Regularis disciplinae, March 12, 1596; Benedict XIV, C. Si datam § 6; Lucidi c. 4, n. 146; Bizzarri p. 279 ff., ed. 1885; Kenrick tr. 8, n. 50; Bouix, de Iure Regular. p. 4, s. 1, c. 5, par. II, 5; Benedict XIV, Quaest. Can. et Mor. Quaest. 220; Norms cited 76.

Clerics regular are not comprehended in the Decrees of Clement VIII concerning novices to be admitted only in certain monasteries designated by the Apostolic See. Urban VIII, C. Decet Romanum, November 17, 1634. E. M.

During the time of Novitiate, Novices must give attention to spiritual exercises. Norms cited, art. 74. - The religious instruction of Novices can be taken from the Constitution Quum ad Regularem of Clement VIII, March 19, 1603.

At present literary studies are not altogether to be omitted. Novices privately will dedicate one hour on individual days, feast days only excepted, to studies. The Master of Novices or Vice-Master, or one of the professors of humane letters who lives in the house or nearby, will be in charge of studies. It will be theirs to instruct three times in the week for one hour. They will also be able to have written or extemporaneous exercises, and, conversing among themselves, can sometimes use the Latin language. He who is in charge of this school is to note in writing the diligence and progress of each Novice and send this writing to the Superior General or Provincial. Decree Ad explorandum of the S. C. of Religious, August 27, 1910. - From the Norms art. 72, in the second year of Novitiate, "under the direction and vigilance of the mistress, the novices will be able moderately to devote themselves to studies or other works of the Institute; but in the house itself of the novitiate, and not outside, unless grave reasons persuade otherwise."

From the cited Norms, Postulancy precedes the Novitiate, art. 63 ff. Postulancy for lay Brothers is prescribed by the Decree reported above n. 267 bis. Likewise Postulancy is prescribed by the following Decree in monasteries of solemn vows for nuns. "Any Postulant in Monasteries of solemn vows and papal enclosure can be admitted without previous leave of the Holy See, yet with the other things to be observed by law being observed. "2. Any Postulant, before she enters the Novitiate, will have to be tested for the time and according to the manner prescribed in the proper Constitutions of each Monastery. "3. If nothing is established in these concerning these matters, then the probation is to be made at least for six months, yet in such a way that Postulants, admitted within the enclosure of the Monastery for the sake of probation, use a garment of modest color, different from the habit of the Order, which they are not to put on unless when they are about to begin the Novitiate properly so called." S. C. of Religious, August 2, 1912.