The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-01-11
THE STATUS OF CLERICAL SOLDIERS

anime and decide in each case what
Irregularities he can absolve from and
when recourse must be. had to the
Holy See. Priests also who know
that they have contracted an irreg-
ularity reserved to the Holy See are
warned not to dare to exercise their
priestly functions until they have OBJ
tanned a dispensation.
In view of the examination to
which the returning clerics are to be
subjected Ordinaries, in whose dio-
cese clerics belonging to another's jur-
isdiction have remained under military
service for a considerable time or still
remain, are instructed to transmit to
the clerics' respective Ordinaries as
soon and as accurately as possible the
fullest information they can obtain
regarding their conduct This is a
serious obligation incumbent on all
such Ordinaries, the information thus
received having furthermore to be
completed by the cleric's proper Or
binary from other likely sources and
persons by a personal examination
Evidence Of Conduct.
Returning priests, secular and reg
ular, are supposed to present them
selves within ten days of their return
before their Ordinary with testimon-
ial letters from the military bishop,
or at least their military chaplain,
and other documents describing their
life and conduct while under service.
They are bound to answer truthfully
any questions the Ordinary may ask
them about their external or public
life in the camp, what they did and
where they were stationed. Priests
who do not comply with this require.
ment within the fixed time are ipso
facto suspended. and can be released
from censure only when they have
complied.
Obligatory Retreat.
All priests, secular or regular, are
supposed to make a retreat at some
religious house or institute within a
moderate time, to be fixed by the Or
| dinary. The omission of this incurs
| the same censure as above. The Or
| dinaries are to provide for the retreats
/ either in some house within the do.
cese or in house set up by the bish-
ops of the province. All, without ex-
ception, must make eight days re-
| treat, and those who in the Ordinary's
judgment require it ten or even more
days.
Consolidation of Parishes.
Considering present circumstances,
faculties are given to Ordinaries for
five years of placing several parishes
under one priest where sufficient
number to supply each parish are not
available, and of transferring a priest
to a more central place for the gov
ernment of several parishes.
Returning Seminarists.
| For seminaristS wishing to return
to their old studies the following regu-
lations are laid down: They are to
| present themselves to their bishop as
above, and submit to an examination
/ Wy IL tAC . COuuuCL 10
found to have been unsuited to his
state the bishop, after consulting the
Superiors of the Seminary, will refuse
him admittance. Those whom, after
due consideration, the bishop decides
to admit once more are, first of all,
to make a retreat according to his di-
rection, after which he is to judge in
each case what is best to be done
whether, namely. they are to live to-
4 gether with the other seminarians, or
be kept apart for some time under
/ special vigilance. Each student is to
take up his course once more where
he has interrupted it,
| Candidates for Ordination.
4 With regard to ordination, Bishops
should be more mindful than ever of
the Apostles warning: Impose not
hands lightly on any man; neither
be partaker of other mems SINS
They must diligently prove their can
didates for at least some months be-
fore promoting them to major orders.