Mutuae Relationes 55-56: On Priests, Diocesan and Religious

SenanquecloisterThe Church revisits an earlier theme of relationships between religious clergy and diocesan priests. First, that the latter honor the religious who serve with them in ministry, and are open to entrust them with serious roles:

55. In order that the diocesan presbyterium express due unity and that the various ministries be better fostered, the bishop should with all solicitude exhort the diocesan priests to recognize gratefully the fruitful contribution made by religious to their Church and to approve willingly their nomination to positions of greater responsibility, which are consonant with their vocation and competency.

The Church also mandates representation for religious, priests and lay people, on appropriate advisory and governance bodies:

56. Provisions should be made for religious priests to be part, in due proportion, of the Priests’ Council; similarly religious priests, brothers and sisters should be fairly represented on pastoral councils (cf. Presbyterorum Ordinis 7; Christus Dominus 27; Ecclesiae Sanctae I, 15 and 16). To define justly the suitability and proportions of representation, the local ordinary should set the criteria and necessary modalities.

Thoughts or comments? You can check the full document Mutuae Relationes here.

About catholicsensibility

Todd lives in Minnesota, serving a Catholic parish as a lay minister.
This entry was posted in bishops, Mutuae Relationes, women religious. Bookmark the permalink.

1 Response to Mutuae Relationes 55-56: On Priests, Diocesan and Religious

  1. FrMichael says:

    With priest senates on the decline in this country and the canons having changed since MR was written, I don’t see much evidence of religious being represented substantially in these bodies.

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