The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-03-08
A GREAT TRIBUN NAL
The Origin, Constitution and Function
of the Sacred Roman Rota.

The custom followed by the Popes
OF summoning the Cardinals resident
in Rome for advice and consultation
on weighty matters affecting the whole
Church, or at least some considerable
part of it, naturally led to the proc
lamation of the Papal decision in the
presence of those whose opinion had
been asked on the subject under con-
sideration. If the matter was of less
Swift, S. J., the petition, on being
received by the Pope, was handed
over to his chaplains, who examined
the question, drew up summary of
it, and submitted it to the Pope for
his decision. This he was wont to
give in his chapel and attended by his
chaplains, who heard his decision and
communicated it to those interested
in the case. The chaplains were,
therefore, called "auditores," or hear
ers, of the decision
This seems to have been the origin
of the tribunal which is now known
as the Sacred Roman Rota, whose
members are called auditors, though
they are in reality judges in the
strict sense of the word, and have
exercised the functions of judges since
the beginning of the fifteenth CEN
fury.
The name "Rota," however, is much
more ancient, SO ancient, in fact, that
it's true origin can be but surmised.
AS the word means wheel or circle,
some have thought that it rose from
the fact that the auditors gathered in
a circle round the Pope when he rem.
dered his. decisions. Others are of
the opinion that the auditors gathered
in a circle to discuss and deliberate
on the points raised in the petition;
and others propose still different
derivations. There is ample room,
therefore, to make selection that
may suit ones personal taste.
One of the oldest Papal constitu.
lions for regulating the prerogatives
and procedure of the Rota is that OF
Pope John XXI. In it the members
are styled auditors of the palace, y
for the term "Rota" remained for
centuries afterward a mere popular
designation. Pope Sixtus Nv, in his
Constitution of 1872, was the first to
use the expression dean of the Rota'
on pontifical document; but in the
body of his Constitution he uses the
old official title of auditors of the
apostolic palace. Now, however, His
Holiness Pope Plus x has made the
Tribunal of the Sacred Roman Rota'
the official name of the college OF
auditors of the apostolic palace.
A Court of Appeals.
In former times, the number of the
members of the Rota varied from a
dozen to thirty, but it has been fixed
at ten by the present Pontfff. Learned
men from all European nations were
selected to form what was equivalent
to an international tribunal, but at
present the only foreign country duly
represented is Austria. Spain is en-
titled to present one member, as was
also France before the Separation
Law
The Rota is properly a court of ap
peal for civil and criminal cases. II
exercises original jurisdiction only in
those cases which the Pope may spe
cially commit to it, and in some matri
monial cases that may be referred to
it by the Sacred Congregation of the
Sacramento.
The ten auditors of the Sacred Rota
are in priests orders only. 1t is the
only Office with which no Cardinal is
connected in any capacity. The mem
bers are of equal dignity, though they
rank according to seniority of appoint
ment. They are divided into com
Imittees of three for hearing and decid
ing questions that reach the tribunal
The three most recently appointed
constitute the first committee, and sc
on to the fourth committee, which
consists of the dean and the two most
recently appointed auditors II az
appeal be taken and admitted against
the decision first rendered, the mat
ter is submitted to the next commit