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diocesan tributes, ecclesiastical benefices, and kindred
interests are also under its jurisdiction. In brief,
it exerciser jurisdiction over diocesan activities in
regard to both clergy and laity, as the Congregation
of the Consistory exercises authority over the diocese
in relation to its constitution, its conservation, and
its development.
In this congregation, as in others, matters of greater importance are considered by the full congre- gation of the cardinals; among these matters are the interpretation of laws in doubtful cases, the granting of unusual dispensations, the revision of provincial councils, and the Uke. blatters of less moment are determined by the congresso. To give an idea of the methods of procedure, it may be said, for example, that in the revision of a provincial council, all the records of the council are referred to a consultor, who is required to give a written opinion upon them. This report is printed, and is distributed to at least five other consultors, if not to all of the consultors, together with the records of the council. After the private preparation which each is bound to make, the chosen consultors, or the entire college of consult- ors, meet and, in as many sessions as the case may require, discuss all the Acts of the council. The written opinion above referred to, with a report of the discussion of the consultors and of the proposed corrections and modifications, is then submitted to the full congregation of the cardinals, who, in turn, examine all the records of the matter, order the cor- rections to be made, and approve the council.
Thesaurtis resoliUionum S. Congr. Concilii {ab anno 17 tS); CoHELLics, op. cit., Congr. VI super eiecutione et interpretatione Sacri Concilii Tridentini; Lunadoro, op. cit., x, Delia con- gregatione del concilia a della congregazione particolare sullo atato delle chiese, del secreiario e di aUri ministri di dette congrega- tioni: Fagnanus, Coram, in quinque libros Decretalium, in cap. Qxioniam de constitutionibus (Venice, 1674); De Luca, II Car- dinale pratico; cap. della congr. del Concilio di Trento; Danieli, op. cit.. 8. v.; MUHLBAUER, Tkesaurus resolutionum S. Congr. Concilii usque ad annum 1871 (Munich, 1872 — ) ; Zamboni, Collectio declarationum, S. Congr. Card. Cone. Trid. interpretum (Rome, 1816) ; Gamberini, Resolutiones seleclw S. Congr. Concilii, quce consenlanee ad Trid. PP. decreta aliasque juris canonici sancliones jrrodierunt in causis proposilis per summaria precum, ann. 1823-1825 (1842); Stremler, Traites des peines eccl. de I'appel et des Congrig. rom. (Paris, 1860); Richter-Schulte, Canones et decreta Concilii Tridentini (Leipzig, 1853) ; Pallottini, Coll. omnium conclusionum et resolutionum quae in causis proposilis apud S. Congreg. Cardinalium prodierunt ab anno 1564 ad annum 1860 (Rome, 1868 — ); Li.noen-Reuss, Causa: selectee in S. Congr. Card. Cone. Trid. interpr. propositce per summaria precum ab anno 1823 usque ad annum 1869 (Ratisbon, 1871); Parayrb, La I. congregation du concile (1897); Sagmuller, Die Geschichie der Congr. Cone. Trid. tor d. Motuproprio "Alias nos" v. 2 aug., 1564. in Arch. f. k. KR., LXXX (1900); Idem. Die visitatio limtnum SS. Apostolorumbis Bonifaz Vlllin Theol. Quartalschr., LXXXII (19fX)), 69 sqq.
V. Congregation of Religious. — Sixtus V first erected by a Brief of 17 May, 1586, and afterwards, by the Constitution "Immensa", confirmed, a con- gregation "super fonsultationibus regularium" dis- tinct from the congregation "super consultationibus episcoporum et aliorum pra^latorum" mentioned in the same Constitution. In 1601 these two congre- gations were already combined in the Congregation of Bishops and Regulars, to which, in course of time, were united three other congregations whose functions were closely relatwl. These three were: the Congre- gation on the State of Religious (super statu regula- rium), created by Innocent X on 15 August, 1652, for the reformation of regulars in Italy, and sup- pressed by Innocent XII on 4 August, 1698; the Congre- gation on Regular Discipline (super discAplina regu- tari), instituted by Innocent XII on 18 .July, 1695, for the reformation of n^gulars not only in Italy but throughout the whole worhl; the Congregation on the State of the Regular f )rderH (super statu regularium ordinum), created by Vmn IX on 17 .June, 1847. The last-named and the one on regular discipline were suppressed })y Pius X, by the Motii T'roprio of 26 M,'iy, VMWt, which united thf«e congregations with that of Bishops and Regulars. The new (>>nstitution
of Pius X abolishes the Congregation of Regulars and
Bishops and transfers that part of its business which
concerns bishops to the Congregation of the Council,
and that part of it which concerns regulars to a
congregation (congregatio negotiis religiosorum so-
dalium prajposita) created by the new Constitution,
and which, by common usage sanctioned bj^ the legend
on the official seal of the congregation, has received
the name of Congregation of Religious.
This body has the usual arganization of the Roman Congregations. It is formed of several cardinals, who are chosen by the pope, and one of whom is the prefect of the congregation; these cardinals are assisted by a secretary and a sub-secretary, who are the major officials of the congregation, and by several minor officials. In regard to the latter it is to be noted that, as the amount of its business necessitates a division of the congregation into three parts (as in the case of the Congregation of the Sacraments), the highest dignitaries among the minor officials are the three assistants who are placed over the three sec- tions. One of these sections has to deal with matters relating to religious orders; another, with the busi- ness of religious congregations or associations of men, of whatever nature those associations may be; the third, with business relating to congregations of women. This congregation also has a college of consultors.
The Constitution of Pius X clearly defines the competency of this congregation, which is to pass judgment upon all matters relating to religious per- sons of either sex, whether bound by solemn or by simple vows, or to those persons who, although they be not religious in the canonical sense of the word, live as religious — such as the oblates of certain com- munities of men or of women, who, without being bound by vows, live a common life under an approved rule. The third orders, consisting of seculars, are also under this congregation. It decides in litiga- tions between members of religious orders, or between religious and bishops, and it is the competent tribunal in cases which have to be dealt with in the way of discipline (in via disciplinari) where a religious ap- pears either as plaintiff or as defendant. Hence it is to be inferred, and indeed is expressly stated in the Constitution, that causes which have to be dealt with in the judicial way must be referred to the Rota, the rights of the Holy Office being always safeguarded. Finally, all common law dispensations to regulars pertain to this congregation, excepting dispensa- tion from the Eucharistic fast, which, as said above, pertains to the Congregation of the Sacraments. The Congregation of Religious is alone competent to approve new religious institutes and their con- stitutions, as well as to modify institutes already approved, and these being matters of grave impor- tance, the full congregation deals with them.
ConEi.i.ins, op. cit., Congr. VIII pro consultationibus episco- porum et aliorum prelatorum; Congr. IX pro co7isultationibus regularium: IjI'nadoro, op. cit., cap. xi, Della congregazione dei vescovi e dei regolari, del segretario e di altri ministri di delta congregazione; cap. xiii, Della congregazione della disciplina regolnre; De Luca, Rel. rom. curvr for., disc. 16; Idem, II cardinale pratico, cap. xxvii, Delia congregazione aopra i negozi dei vescovi s dei regolari dell' uno e dell' altro sesso; Danielu, op. cit., 8. v.; BizzARRi, Collectanea in usum aecretaria; S. Congr. episcoporum el regularium (Rome, 1885); Bastien, Directoire ainonique d I'usage des congregations d vaeux simples (Marcdsous, 1904); Battandier, Guide canonique pour les constitutions del instiluts A v(pux simples (2n<l ed., Paris. 190.5); Arndt, Rechts- bexlimmungen fUr Orden und Kongregationen (Paderborn, 1908).
VI. Congregation of Propaganda. — This is the abbreviated title of the congregation officially known as Sacra Congregatio de pro/xiganda fide, or c'firisliano ntiinini pro/iagando, the chief functions of which con- cern tlic regul.'itioii of (■(■clcsijisticril .-dTairs in what are eornrnoidy known .'is "missionury countries". It had its origin in a commission of cardin;ds established un- der f Jregory XIII (1572-85), which became a congre- gation properly so called under Gregory XV (1621-
