I am Sr. Bertha, the Provincial of a Religious Congregation. We had begun our Formation house in a particular place. However as the number of candidates is becoming less, we shifted our formation to another place and would like to begin a tailoring class for school drop-out girls in the existing building. Can we make such changes in the ministry on our own?
Both the Codes (CIC & CCEO) vehemently elucidate that in order to establish a house of a religious institute the competent authority of the Institute should obtain the previous written consent of the diocesan bishop of the place. Since Canon is advocating ‘written consent’, a written request should be made by the authority. The consent of the diocesan bishop to erect a religious house of any institute entails also permission to exercise a specific ministry according to the charism of the Institute and the need of the local church.
Therefore while making a written request to establish the house; the competent authority should also mention the ministry which the Institute will carry out in that place. In tune with the same juridical formality, canon 612 of CIC and canon 415 of CCEO prescribes that for a religious house to be converted to a place of apostolic works different from those for which it was established, the consent of the diocesan bishop is required.
Sr Navya Thattil OSF
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