The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-10-28
|. R D NJ AN De GREE
CONCERNING THE METHOD OF
HOLDING CHURCH PROPERTY
IN THE UNITED STATES.
The Sacred Congregation Of the

1880 F~SAAo1 OS~~s@~A& A@~
iy Council, Rome, August 10, 1911.
Your Lordship:
It has always redounded to the
honor of the Bishops of the United
States that in the midst of their
sedulous and jealous labors for the
growth of religion and the promotion
Of piety they have never overlooked
the temporal interests of the Church
nor neglected the proper management
|of the material affairs of the Dioceses
entrusted to their supervision.
Among the many evidences of their
pastoral solicitude in this regard are
undoubtedly to be enumerated the
legislative DEGREES governing the ad-
mihistration of Church property
which are set forth in the enactments
Of the Plenary Councils of Baltimore.
Recently, however, owing to the
new conditions that have arisen and
the variety of circumstances surround
ing the Church in different parts of
the union, several Bishops have petit
toned the Apostolic See for advice
on the subject of the tenure of &c.
clesiastical property; and at the same
time they have implored the Holy
Father to establish a norm of proc
edure in the matter Of temporal ad-
ministration that will be applicable
to all the Dioceses Of the country.
Accordingly, this Sacred Congrega-
tion of the Council, to which the
matter has been referred, after weigh
ing all the questions involved and
basing their final resolutions on the
views expressed through the Papal
Delegate by the Most Reverend Arch
bishops Of the United States, in a
plenary assembly held on the twenty
ninth day of last July enacted the
following regulations:
First. That form of title commonly
kno~n as Parish Cerpo with
exactly those provisions and safe.
guards under which it is in force in
the State Of New York must be
adopted in preference to the other
method of holding and administering
Church property now in vogue in the
United States. Wherever, therefore,
this form is in accord with the civil
law of the district, the Bishops will
at once take measures to have it in
troduced into their Dioceses. But II
at present such procedure is not
legally permissible they should strive
to- procure as soon as possible the
necessary legislation.
Second. In those places only where
the laws do not authorize parish cor
porations, and until such authority be
duly granted, the other style OF
tenure. known as Corporation SOLE
is allowable; provided, however, the
Bishop acting under this form shall
in all matters seek the advice of his
diocesan consultors as well as of the
others interested in each particular
transaction; moreover in business oi
grave importance he cannot con
scientiously proceed without the con
sent of these parties.
Third. The style of tenure known
as "in Fee simple" is to be entirely
abolished
| These decisions which the Most
Eminent Fathers of the Council have
thought we'll to promulgate, am
pleased to communicate with the
authority of the Holy See to your
ILordship, in the hope that from their
observance will flow new blessings to
| the Church in that great country.
Fervently praying the Lord to be.
stow all His favors upon you, and
with due reverence I am,
Fraternally,
C. Cardinal Gennari, Prefect.
B. Pompili, Secretary.