RESCRIPTUM EX AUDIENTIA SANCTISSIMI
The Supreme Pontiff Francis, in an audience granted to
the undersigned Cardinal Secretary of State on the 4th
of March in the Year of Our Lord 2016, approved the new
Norms regarding the Administration of the Assets in Causes of Beatification and Canonization,
repealing those previously approved by St John Paul II
on 20 August 1983.
The Supreme Pontiff has disposed that the aforesaid
Norms, together with the present Rescript, be
promulgated and published in L’Osservatore Romano,
establishing that the same enter into force ad
experimentum for three years starting from the date
of approval.
From the Vatican, 07 March 2016
Pietro CARDINAL
Parolin
Secretary of State
Norms regarding the Administration of Assets in
Causes of Beatification And Canonization
Premise
Causes for Beatification and Canonization are complex
and therefore require a great deal of work and involve expenses for the
dissemination of knowledge of the figure of the Servant of God or Blessed, for
the Diocesan or Eparchial Inquiry, for the review of the Cause in Rome and
finally for the celebration of the beatification or canonization.
In what pertains to the Roman Phase, given that Causes
by their unique nature are a public good, the Apostolic See covers all expenses,
in which the other Parties participate by way of contribution, and is vigilant
that the costs be contained such that they do not hinder the development of the
Cause.
I. Assets of the Cause and Designation of the
Administrator
1. The Petitioner, upon the acceptance of the Petition (libellus),
establishes a fund of material resources, or assets, for the costs of the Cause.
2. The fund established for a Cause of Beatification or Canonization comes from
offerings made by both physical and juridic persons and, on account of its
particular nature, figures as a “fund for a pious cause”.
3. Upon the consent of the Bishop or Eparch, the Petitioner appoints the
Administrator of the fund. The Postulator General may assume the duties of
Administrator.
4. For Causes in their Roman Phase, the Postulator communicates the appointment
of the Administrator to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
II. Administration
5. The Administrator is obliged to observe the Norms regarding the
administration of assets for pious cause.[1] In
particular, the Administrator must:
-
rigorously respect the intention of those who make the offerings;[2]
-
keep regularly updated accounts;
-
draw up an annual financial report, estimate (by 30 September) and final
statement (by 31 March), which must be submitted by the Petitioner for due
approval;
-
send the Postulator copies of the budget approved by the Petitioner.
6. General Postulations are required to keep separate the accounts of each
Cause.
7. Should the Petitioner wish to use even a fraction of the funds for ends
different than those of the Cause, the Petitioner must obtain the authorization
of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
8. On reception of the budget and immediately upon its approval, the Petitioner
sends a copy to the competent authority to be audited, as contained in n. 9.
III. Overseeing the Administration
9. The authority with competence to oversee, for the Diocesan or Eparchial Phase
or for the Roman Phase, is:
-
the Diocesan Bishop, Eparch or person qualified by law in the sphere of his
jurisdiction;[3]
-
the Major Superior for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of
Apostolic Life, in that sphere of jurisdiction;
-
other ecclesiastical authority.[4]
10. Oversight is exercised over all transactions inherent to the Cause, both
incoming and outgoing.
11. The authority with competence to oversee the annual statements approves the
budget of the Cause and sends a copy thereof to the Congregation for the Causes
of Saints.
12. The Congregation for the Causes of Saints, as the highest supervising
authority:
-
may at any time request of the Administrator, as well of the Postulator or
Petitioner of the Cause, any financial information and relative
documentation to support it;
-
require verification of statements issued by the competent authorities
according to n. 9;
-
check that during the Roman Phase the fees and every relative expenditure
adhere to what has been established by this same Congregation.
13. The Administrator is obligated to diligently adhere to all the norms issued
by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints regarding the
administrative-financial activity of a Cause.
14. In the event of shortcomings or abuses of an administrative-financial nature
by those responsible for the process of the Cause, the Congregation for the
Causes of Saints intervenes with disciplinary measures.[5]
IV. Petitioner's Contribution to the Apostolic See
15. For the Roman Phase, the Petitioner is requested to make a contribution
established by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints and, communicated
through the Postulator, to be paid in installments at various times as specified
in nn. 16 and 17. Whenever deemed necessary, further extraordinary contributions
may be requested.
16. Should the martyrdom or heroic virtue or the title of Doctor be recognized,
this contribution is divided into four moments:
-
upon the submission of the Diocesan or Eparchial Acts of the Inquiry;
-
upon the request for the appointment of a Relator;
-
upon the submission of the Positio;
-
prior to the Particular Meeting of Theological Consultors.
17. In light of the recognition of an alleged miracle, the contribution is
divided into three moments:
-
upon the submission of the Diocesan or Eparchial Acts of the Inquiry;
-
prior to the meeting of the Medical Board;
-
prior to the Particular Meeting of Theological Consultors.
18. Contributions, which do not cover the costs of the publication of the
Positio, must be dispatched by way of wire transfer to the bank account of the
Congregation for the Causes of Saints, to whom the documentation regarding the
transaction must also be sent.
19. After the celebration of the Beatification or Canonization, the
Administrator of the fund submits a comprehensive statement of the assets
administered (cf. nn. 8-12).
20. Following the Canonization:
-
the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, in the name of the Apostolic See,
disposes of any surplus funds, adhering to the specific intentions of the
Petitioner and the needs of the Solidarity Fund;
-
Upon the fulfillment of the prescripts of n. 20a, the fund of the Cause and
the Postulation cease to exist.
V. Solidarity Fund
21. The Congregation for the Causes of Saints has established a Solidarity Fund,
consisting of freely-offered contributions from the Petitioners or any other
source, over and above what may result from the disposition of n. 20a.
22. In the event of real difficulty in meeting the costs of a cause in its Roman
Phase, the Petitioner may request a contribution from the Congregation for the
Causes of Saints through the competent Ordinary. The latter must verify the
economic-financial status of the fund and the impossibility of providing other
subsidies before submitting any such request. The Congregation for the Causes of
Saints will evaluate these requests on a case-by-case basis.
VI. Norms Entering into Force
23. The present Norms enter into force ad experimentum for three years
beginning on the date of approval by the competent authority, and abrogate any
and all norms to the contrary.
Angelo CARDINAL
Amato, SDB
Prefect
Marcello
Bartolucci
Titular Archbishop of Bevagna
Secretary
[1] Cf.
CIC cann. 1282, 1284–1289, 1299–1310; CCEO cann. 1020 §§ 1–2, 1028–1033,
1043–1054.
[2]
Cf. CIC cann. 1267 § 3 and 1300; CCEO cann. 1016 and 1044.
[3]
Cf. CIC can. 1276; CCEO can. 1022.
[4]
Cf. Inasmuch as these are not subject to the jurisdiction referred to in n. 9.a
and b. For example, entities and organisms directly tied to the Apostolic See,
Episcopal Conferences, etc.
[5]
Cf. CIC cann. 1377, 1386, 1399; CCEO cann. 1449–1463.
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