Part V

Part V: Admission into the Body of the Society #

CN PART V CHAPTER 1 #

[113] #

1The provincial has the power of admitting to first vows that the general habitually communicates to him; but the power of admitting to final vows the general reserves to himself.2The general will not easily delegate to anyone, not even to a provincial, the power of admitting to solemn profession.1

[114] #

1The general habitually substitutes for himself1 1For receiving first vows: the provincial of the place where the vows are taken, the local superior or another one of our men designated by either of them;1 2For receiving final vows: the provincial of the place where the vows are taken or another one of our men whom he will have designated; and if he has not designated anyone, the local superior.2The person designated to receive the vows may validly substitute another one of our members for himself; but he should not use this faculty unless he is himself impeded.3To receive any sort of vows validly, even one of our members who is not a priest can be designated, but this cannot be done licitly except in the case of necessity.2

[115] #

The general, and he alone, can validly communicate the power to receive any of the Society’s vows to someone who is not of the Society, such as a bishop or a person of ecclesiastical rank; however, this is licitly done only when there is no solemnly professed in the place where the vows are pronounced.3

CN PART V CHAPTER 2 #

[116] #

Although the first vows are perpetual, they can be pronounced after the completion of one’s nineteenth year of age; indeed, by obtaining a dispensation that only the general can grant, they can be pronounced after completion of one’s eighteenth year, in such wise, however, that the time required by universal law to be spent in the novitiate has been fulfilled after the completion of the seventeenth year.4

[117] #

1For a man to be admitted to first vows, he must be considered suited to living the life of the Society and to carrying out its ministry and offices; therefore, no one is to be admitted unless, after legitimately completing two years of novitiate and undergoing the examination prescribed in the Constitutions, both he himself and the Society are satisfied.2However, if he is satisfied but the Society has doubts about his aptitude, the novitiate can be extended until both parties are clearly satisfied in the Lord.2 1Provincials can extend the novitiate for six months;2 2If a further extension seems to be required for truly serious reasons, the matter is to be proposed to the general, who can permit it.5

CN PART V CHAPTER 3 #

[118] #

Because of the close connection between priestly ordination and definitive incorporation into the Society, none of our scholastics is to be promoted to the priesthood unless it is clear that he can eventually be definitively incorporated into the Society.

[119] #

It is required that the one who is to pronounce final vows will have spent at least ten full years in the Society.6However, this prescribed time of religious life in the Society is not required for validity and can be shortened or lengthened by the general until the one to be admitted has fully proved himself.7

[120] #

In the case of all who are to be admitted to last vows, they must be outstanding in the following of Christ proposed to us in the Gospels, since this is the ultimate norm of religious life; such men are those who2 1Regularly and for the most part, in ordinary matters, act according to the demands of virtue that is rooted in love of Christ, and there is firm hope that they will do the same in more difficult matters if such are encountered;2 2Humbly accept corrections concerning faults they have committed in religious life and generously strive to correct them;2 3Driven on by love, live more and more for Christ and his Body which is the Church, and in the daily practice of virtue bear witness both to our members and to others of the new life gained through the redemption of Christ.8

[121] #

1For someone to be admitted to the solemn profession of four vows the following are required:1 1An outstanding level of virtue in conformity with, one that is positively demonstrated and is so obvious that the individual stands out by reason of his good example to others. A deficiency in this regard cannot be supplied by any other endowments.1 2Sound judgment and prudence in action, as well as basic virtue tested and necessary;1 3A more-than-average talent for our ministries, demonstrated for at least three years;1 4Complete availability and mobility for missions and ministries of the Society;1 5Sufficient physical and psychological health;1 6An outstanding level of learning in sacred studies or other outstanding endowments from God in conformity with-below;1 7Priestly ordination.92The high level of learning in sacred sciences must be shown by a higher academic degree, at least the licentiate, or by having taught them or written about them with distinction, or by the examination for grade according to-.103For other outstanding endowments from God (mentioned in, above) those men can be promoted who exhibit outstanding apostolic or ministerial capability for any post or ministry proper to the Society, demonstrated respectively by having earned higher academic degrees or by having exercised the ministry for at least three years (seeabove), and always presupposing that adequate theological learning commonly required by the Church in a well-educated priest.4Major superiors and their consultors must have proof that candidates proposed for profession of four vows have all the qualifications required for it.11

[122] #

The provincial and his consultors, when they are treating of those to be advanced to final vows, should inquire whether some priests who have already taken final simple vows deserve to be proposed to the general for the grade of the professed of four vows in conformity with.12

[123] #

No men should be admitted to final simple vows unless4 1They are outstanding in virtue in conformity with;4 2They have shown sufficient knowledge and talent for the works and ministries that are proper to the Society;4 3In the case of spiritual coadjutors, they have received ordination to the priesthood or, in the exceptional case mentioned in, ordination to the permanent diaconate.13

[124] #

Those members who for good reasons approved by Father General are ordained permanent deacons will retain the grade they already have in the Society. If they are approved brothers, they are to be advanced to the grade of brother, after having fulfilled all requisites. If they are scholastics, they can also be admitted by Father General to the grade of spiritual coadjutors, by way of exception, once all requisites have been fulfilled; but they cannot be made superiors in the strict sense.14

[125] #

1All members before pronouncing final vows must complete the third year of probation, exercising themselves in the school of the heart.15For priests this is not to be deferred beyond three years after priestly ordination except for a just reason in the judgment of the provincial.162The purpose of this probation is for each one, in concrete and personal contact with the things of the Society, to bring to completion a synthesis of spiritual, apostolic, and intellectual or technical formation, which makes for the fuller integration in the Lord of the whole personality, in keeping with the Society’s objective as St. Ignatius described it: that, since they themselves have made progress, they may better help others to make spiritual progress to the glory of God and of our Lord.17

[126] #

Third probation should be made according to a program suitable for attaining these ends and approved by the general; in it experiments prescribed by the Constitutions should be diligently carried out and a study of the Institute and our way of proceeding should be fostered with great care.18

[127] #

A provincial can dispense no one from making a complete tertianship. It is for the general, however, to judge whether for most serious reasons someone should be exempted from some part of it; but he will scarcely ever dispense someone from all of it.19

[128] #

Those who are to be advanced to final vows2 1Are to make the renunciation of their property if that has not already been done;202 2Are to make an account of conscience about thirty days before their final vows;212 3Are to make the Spiritual Exercises for eight days; if, however, they have already done so within the past three months, it is sufficient that they recollect themselves for three days;222 4Are to make a general confession;232 5Are to spend some time in ministries among the poor and marginalized;2 6Are to reflect seriously on the Constitutions, the apostolic letters and the vows they are about to take.24

[129] #

Ours who before final vows are elevated to the cardinalate or to the episcopacy, whether residential or titular, cannot be promoted to grade; neither, during the duration of their appointment, can those who are delegates, vicars, and prefects apostolic, even though they are not elevated to episcopal status.25

CN PART V CHAPTER 4 #

[130] #

For pronouncing the religious vows of the Society, it is required and sufficient for their validity that the one taking them expresses them in the presence of the one who receives them legitimately, using words or signs whose meaning cannot be doubted.26

[131] #

1First vows are taken during a Eucharistic celebration, in the presence of some residents of the house, not excluding relatives, but avoiding too much solemnity, according to the formula prescribed in the Constitutions, P. V, c. 4, no. 4, and in an approved vernacular translation; after the vows, those pronouncing them should receive the Body and Blood of the Lord.272The one taking vows should declare in writing that he has correctly understood the force of the fourth vow,28which is also simple, whereby he is obliged to pronounce the vows of formed coadjutors or even, if he is a scholastic, of the solemnly professed, when and as it seems good to the superior general for the greater service of God.29

[132] #

Immediately after Communion in a public Mass, which may also be concelebrated by priests pronouncing their vows,30in the presence of those in the house and any others from outside who may be there, the one who is to receive the final vows should turn with the Holy Eucharist to the one who is to pronounce his vows. The one pronouncing his vows should read, in a loud voice, his written vows, keeping intact the prescription in; after this he should receive the Holy Eucharist.31

[133] #

In pronouncing final vows the formulas prescribed in the Constitutions (P. V, c. 3, nos. 3and 6; and c. 4, nos. 2and 3) are to be used, even in an approved vernacular translation.

[134] #

One pronouncing the five simple vows of the solemnly professed should use the following formulas:“I, N., a professed member of the Society of Jesus, promise to almighty God in the presence of his Virgin Mother and the entire heavenly court, and in the presence of Reverend Father N., superior general (or, in the presence of N., who is taking the place of the superior general), that I will never act in any way or consent that what has been ordained in the Constitutions of the Society concerning poverty should be changed unless, for justifiable cause flowing from the demands of life, it would seem that poverty ought to be made stricter.“Further, I promise that I will never strive or seek, not even indirectly, to be chosen for or promoted to any prelacy or dignity within the Society.“I promise further that I will never strive for or seek any prelacy or dignity outside the Society, or consent to my election thereto insofar as is in my power, unless compelled by obedience to him who has power to command me under pain of sin.“I promise as well that if I become aware that anyone else is seeking or striving for either of the foregoing two preferments, I will manifest him and the entire matter to the Society or to its superior.“I also promise that, if it should ever happen that, in spite of the third vow, I should be ordained bishop, I will never refuse to listen to the counsel which the superior general of the Society himself, or someone else of the Society whom he substitutes for himself, will deign to give me.”32

[135] #

The solemnly professed of three vows should pronounce the same five simple vows as do the solemnly professed of four vows.33

[136] #

In the formula of final vows, the name of the one receiving the vows should always be mentioned; in regard to the superior general, however (or, after his death, the vicar general), only his office should be expressed and not his name, unless he himself receives the vows.34

CN PART V CHAPTER 5 #

[137] #

1The matter of the vow not to relax poverty, reserved to the Holy See,35is completely defined in this statement of the Constitutions: To alter what touches upon poverty would be to mitigate it by allowing some fixed revenue or possession for personal use, or for the sacristy, or for the building, or for some other purpose, apart from what pertains to the colleges and houses of probation.36Therefore, in virtue of the vow the solemnly professed are obliged only to this: not to grant a stable income or any possession for its own use to houses and churches, notwithstanding other more general expressions that are found in the same declaration of the Constitutions.372This practice of poverty is now applied to all apostolic communities as distinct from institutions, according to the norm of.

[138] #

In regard to the second vow of not ambitioning prelacies or, what comes to the same thing, dignities in the Society, prelacies are understood to mean the office of General, Vicar General, Provincial, Superior of a Region (or Mission), even a dependent one, and Local Superior.38

[139] #

1The third vow, also reserved to the Holy See, not to ambition or accept prelacies or dignities outside the Society39extends to the episcopate and to the office of Vicar General and Episcopal Vicar;40but not to the office of Judicial Vicar or Officialis and to Diocesan Judge41nor to lay prelacies.422In regard to accepting the office of Vicar General and Episcopal Vicar, the superior general, by a faculty received from the Holy See, can grant a dispensation in particular cases.433In regard to accepting the episcopal office, the first response on the part of the one whose appointment is being proposed should always be to make a representation of our vow. This can more easily be done, since the Holy See does not impose an episcopal appointment without the consent of the candidate. But if in a particular case the Holy See insists or some member remains anxious because he has not positively responded immediately to the will of the Holy Father expressly manifested to him,44he should refer the matter either directly or through his provincial to the superior general, so that together they may examine the more appropriate way of responding to what is proposed, according to the spirit of our Institute and for the greater glory of God.45

[140] #

The actions that are prohibited by the second and third simple vow of the solemnly professed are to be understood as external acts.46

[141] #

The fourth vow of denouncing anyone who is ambitioning honors obliges one to make a denunciation even though the one who is ambitioning is not solemnly professed.47

[142] #

The fifth vow concerns listening to the superior general, by which the one making the vow promises that if he should be promoted to the episcopate, he would not refuse to listen to the counsel which the general himself or someone else of the Society whom he substitutes for himself would see fit to give him.48

  1. CollDecr d. 149 ( GC 30, d. 67); see P. V, c. 2, A C_5-517; P. IX, c. 3, a C_9-737. ↩︎

  2. GC 27, CollDecr d. 150; see P. V, c. 3, A C_5-526. ↩︎

  3. CollDecr d. 151 ( GC 8, d. 34); see P. V, c. 1, B C_5-513. ↩︎

  4. See CollDecr d. 152, §1 ( GC 8, d. 35; GC 12, d. 13); see Canon 658, 1°; Canon 459, 4°. ↩︎

  5. See Examen, c. 1, no. 12 C_0-16; c. 4, no. 43 C_0-100; c. 7, no 1 C_0-121; P. v, c. 1, no. 3, C C 514; 515; Canon 653, §2; By a privilege granted by the Council of Trent, the Society is not bound by the prescription of universal law ( Canon 648, §3; Canon 461, §2), forbidding the time of probation to be extended beyond two years or beyond a year respectively (see above, no. 56). ↩︎

  6. CollDecr d. 160, 7° ( GC 31, d. 11, no. 2, modified by GC 32, d. 10, no. 1, b.) ↩︎

  7. CollDecr d. 157 ( GC 4, d. 9; GC 5, d. 37); see Gregory XIV, Ecclesiae catholicae. ↩︎

  8. CollDecr d. 158 ( GC 31, d. 11, no. 1; see GC 9, d. 6). ↩︎

  9. CollDecr d. 160, 161 ( GC 31, d. 11, no. 2, 1°-5°, GC 31, d. 11, no. 3; GC 32, d. 10, nos. 1-2). Points 4° and 5° were added by GC 34. ↩︎

  10. See CollDecr d. 161; GC 32, d. 6, no. 51(modified by GC 34, CN_4-93-1). ↩︎

  11. See CollDecr d. 161, 163 ( GC 31, d. 11, nos. 3-4; see GC 7, d. 96; GC 20, d. 68; GC 6, d. 15; GC 7, d. 33, no. 3, GC 7, d. 33, no. 6; GC 12, d. 19, GC 29, d. 33). ↩︎

  12. CollDecr d. 163, a ( GC 31, d. 11, no. 5; see GC 32, d. 8, no. 2, b). ↩︎

  13. CollDecr d. 165, §§1-2 ( GC 31, d. 11, no. 6, 1°-2°; GC 32, d. 10, no. 1; d. 9, no. 2). ↩︎

  14. GC 32, d. 9, no. 2. ↩︎

  15. See CollDecr d. 160, 6°; 165, §2, 1° ( GC 32, d. 7, no. 2; GC 32, d. 10, no. 2; GC 30, d. 42); Gregory XIII, Ascendente Domino; Examen, c. 1, no. 12 C_0-16; c. 4, no. 16 C_0-71; c. 6, no. 8 C_0-119; P. V, c. 1, no. 3 C_5-514; c. 2, no. 1 C_5-516. ↩︎

  16. See GC 32, d. 7, no. 3. ↩︎

  17. GC 31, d. 8, no. 43, GC 31, d. 8, no. 45; see P. V, c. 2, no. 1 C_5-516. ↩︎

  18. See GC 31, d. 8, no. 43; CollDecr d. 156 ( GC 200, d. 15). ↩︎

  19. CollDecr d. 155 ( GC 16, d. 34; GC 18, d. 22, no. 5; GC 20, d. 12, no. 5; GC 32, d. 44, no. 1). ↩︎

  20. See CollDecr d. 176 (see GC 7, d. 17, nos. 4-7; GC 15, d. 8). ↩︎

  21. See Examen, c. 4, no. 38 C_0-95. ↩︎

  22. GC 27, CollDecr d. 166, 2°; see Examen, c. 4, no. 41 C_0-98. ↩︎

  23. See Examen, c. 4, no. 41 C_0-98. ↩︎

  24. See Examen, c. 4, no. 41 C_0-98. ↩︎

  25. CollDecr d. 159 ( GC 32, d. 40). ↩︎

  26. CollDecr d. 159 ( GC 22, d. 40). ↩︎

  27. See P. V, c. 4, no. 4 C_5-540; GFC 31, d. 12. ↩︎

  28. CollDecr d. 153 ( GC 5, d. 50, no. 1). ↩︎

  29. See CollDecr d. 146 (GC 5, dd. 4, 5, 7, 50, no. 1; GC 7, dd. 32 and 39; GC 11, d. 39, 1°-4°; see Examen, c. 1, no. 10 C_0-14; c. 7, no. 1 C_0-121; P. V, c. 1, A C_5-511; c. 4, E C_5-541. ↩︎

  30. See GC , d. 12, a. ↩︎

  31. See P. V, c. 3, nos. 2, 4, 5 C 525; 530; 531; c. 4, nos. 1, 2 C_5-533- C_5-534. ↩︎

  32. See CollDecr d. 169 ( GC 1, d. 102; GC 3, d. 46), modified by GC 34. ↩︎

  33. CollDecr d. 147 ( GC 4, d. 54; see ibid., d. 19). ↩︎

  34. CollDecr d. 170 ( GC 12, d. 56, no. 7; see GC Pol. 4, d. 6). ↩︎

  35. See Gregory XIII, Ascendente Domino; Paul V, Ex incumbenti; Urban VIII, Vota Quae Deo; P. VI, c. 2, no. 1 C_6-553. ↩︎

  36. P. VI, c. 2, A C_6-554. ↩︎

  37. See GC 31, d. 18, no. 14. ↩︎

  38. See CollDecr d. 205, §2 ( GC 7, d. 44). ↩︎

  39. See Gregory XIII, Ascendente Domino; Paul V, Ex incumbenti; Urban VIII, Vota quae Deo; P. X, no. 6 C_10-817. ↩︎

  40. See Canon 475; 476; Canon 245; 246. ↩︎

  41. See Canon 142; Canon 1086. ↩︎

  42. Approved by Pope John Paul II, Letter of June 10, 1995, from the Secretariat of State. ↩︎

  43. See ActRSJ 19:1099. ↩︎

  44. See P. VI, c. 1, no. 1 C_6-547. ↩︎

  45. See ActRSJ 19:1099-1100. ↩︎

  46. GC 27, CollDecr d. 205, §1. ↩︎

  47. CollDecr d. 206 ( GC 9, d. 13); see Gregory XIII, Ascendente Domino; P. X, no. 6 C_10-817. ↩︎

  48. See P. X, no. 6 C_10-817. ↩︎