Bad Advertisement?
Are you a Christian?
Online Store:Visit Our Store
| That no bishop should presume in anything pertaining to another's parish, and of the transference of bishops.
PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP 
III.
(That no bishop should presume in anything pertaining to
another’s parish, and of the transference of bishops.)
Let no one, again, trespass upon the boundaries of
another, nor presume to judge or excommunicate one belonging to
another’s parish; because such judgment or ordination, or
excommunication or condemnation, shall neither be ratified nor have any
virtue; since no one shall be bound by the decision of another judge
than his own, neither shall he be condemned by such. Whence also
the Lord speaks to this effect: “Pass not the ancient
landmarks which thy fathers have set.”2737
Moreover, let no primate or
metropolitan invade the church or parish of a diocesan
(diœcesani), or presume to excommunicate or
judge any one belonging to his parish, or do anything without his
counsel or judgment; but let him observe this law, which has been laid
down by the apostles2738
| 2738 Canons 35 and
36. [Vol. vii. p. 503.] | and
fathers, and our predecessors, and has been ratified by us: to
wit, that if any metropolitan bishop, except in that which pertains to
his own proper parish alone, shall attempt to do anything without the
counsel and good-will of all the comprovincial bishops, he will do it
at the risk of his position, and what he does in this manner shall be
held null and void; but whatever it may be necessary to do or to
arrange with regard to the cases of the body of provincial bishops, and
the necessities of their churches and clergy and laity, this should be
done by consent of all the pontiffs of the same province, and that too
without any pride of lordship, but with the most humble and harmonious
action, even as the Lord says: “I came not to be ministered
unto, but to minister.”2739
And in
another passage He says: “And whosoever of you is the
greater, shall be your servant,”2740
and so forth. And in like manner the bishops of the same province
themselves should do all things in counsel with him, except so much as
pertains to their own proper parishes, in accordance with the statutes
of the holy fathers (who, although they have preceded us by a certain
interval of time, have yet drawn the light of truth and faith from one
and the same fountain of purity, and have sought the prosperity of the
Church of God and the common advantage of all Christians by the same
enlightening and guiding Spirit), that with one mind, and one mouth, and one accord,
the Holy Trinity may be glorified for ever. No primate, no
metropolitan, nor any of the other bishops, is at liberty to enter the
seat of another, or to occupy a possession which does not pertain to
him, and which forms part of the parish of another bishop, at the
direction of any one, unless he is invited by him to whose jurisdiction
it is acknowledged to belong; nor can he set about any arrangement or
ordinance, or judgment there, if he wishes to keep the honour of his
station. But if he presume to do otherwise, he shall be
condemned; and not only he, but those who co-operate and agree with
him: for just as the power of making appointments
(ordinatio) is interdicted in such circumstances, so also is the
power of judging or of disposing of other matters. For if a man
has no power to appoint, how shall he judge? Without doubt, he
shall in no wise judge or have power to judge: for just as
another man’s wife cannot intermarry with anyone
(adulterari), nor be judged or disposed of by any one but
by her own husband so long as he liveth; so neither can it in anywise
be allowed that the wife of a bishop, by whom undoubtedly is meant his
church or parish, should be judged or disposed of by another without
his (the bishop’s) judgment and good-will so long as he liveth,
or enjoy another’s embrace, that is, his ordaining.
Wherefore the apostle says: “The wife is bound by the law
so long as her husband liveth; but if he be dead, she is loosed from
the law of her husband.”2741
In like
manner also, the spouse of a bishop (for the church is called his
spouse and wife) is bound to him while he liveth; but when he is dead
she is loosed, and may be wedded to whomsoever she will, only in the
Lord, that is, according to order. For if, while he is alive, she
marry another, she shall be judged to be an adulteress. And in
the same manner, he too, if he marry another of his own will, shall be
held to be an adulterer, and shall be deprived of the privilege of
communion. If, however, he is persecuted in his own church, he
must flee to another, and attach himself to it, as the Lord says:
“If they persecute you in one city, flee ye into
another.”2742
If,
however, the change be made for the sake of the good of the
church, he may not do this of himself, but only on the invitation
of the brethren, and with the sanction of this holy seat, and not for
ambition’s sake, but for the public good.
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
|
