AND CONSE brought in the court of a manor belonging to the bishopric, it is not directed ELECTION OF BISHOPS, THEIR to the bishop, but to the bailiffs of the bishop elect. Nor is he full bishop CONFIRMATION before consecration, even though the temporalities be previously granted him. And a bishop elect may refuse the office before consecration; but CRATION. he cannot do so after it. When consecrated and invested, he is complete bishop as to both temporalities and spiritualities; and between his confirmation and consecration, the king may, ex gratiâ, grant him the temporalities. After his consecration, investiture, and installation, he can sue for his temporalities out of the king's hands, by writ de restitutione temporalium. But although the freehold of the temporalities is in him by his consecration, it seems that they are not de jure to be delivered to him until his consecration has been certified by the archbishop. (1) Godolphin (Repertorium, 25.) states, that the order of making a bishop consists chiefly in eight things, viz.:- 1. Nomination; 2. Congé d'eslire; 3. Election; 4. Royal assent; 5. Confirmation; 6. Creation; 7. Consecration; 8. Installation. The mode in which a Bishop is created, is as follows:- the bishop's see being vacant, the dean and chapter of the cathedral give notice thereof to the king, humbly requesting his majesty's leave to choose another; the king grants his congé d'eslire: thereupon the dean summons a chapter; they elect the person recommended by his majesty's letters; that election (after a first or second modest refusal) being accepted by the party elected, is certified to the king, and to the archbishop of the province; thereupon the king grants his royal assent, under his Great Seal, exhibited to the archbishop, with command to confirm and consecrate the party; upon this the archbishop subscribes his fiat confirmatio, giving commission, under his archiepiscopal seal, to his vicar-general to perform all the acts requisite for perfecting the confirmation. Hereupon the vicar-general, in the archbishop's name, issues a citation, summoning all opposers of the election to make their appearance at a certain time and place, then and there to offer their objections, if they have any. (2) This is done, by an officer of the Court of Arches (usually at Bow Church, London,) by proclamation thrice, and affixing the citation on that church-door; and an authentic certificate thereof is by that officer returned to the archbishop and vicar-general. At the time and place aforesaid the proctor for the dean and chapter exhibits the royal assent and the commission of the archbishop to the vicar-general, who after the reading thereof accepts the same; then the proctor exhibits the proxy from the dean and chapter, presents the elected bishop, returns the citation, and desires that the opposers may be thrice publicly called; which done, and their contumacy accused, he desires that, in pœnam contumacia, the business in hand may proceed, which is ordered by the vicar-general, is a schedule by him read and subscribed. Then the proctor gives in a summary petition, therein deducing the whole process of election and consent, and desires a time may be assigned him to prove it, which the vicar-general admits and decrees. After this the proctor again exhibits (1) Vide 41 Edw. 3. 5. (b.) 6. 46 Ed. 3. 2. F. N. B. ace. 33 Edw. 3. 30. Sobrean 1. Keran, 2 Rol. 101. Godolphin's Repertorium, 25. Grendon v. Lincoln (Bishop ef, Plowd. 502. (2) The confirmation of Bishop Montigu in 1628 was opposed by one! Jones, (post, 1459. in not.), but his objections were in not. The order of making a bishop consists chiefly in eight things. ELECTION OF BISHOPS, THEIR CONFIRMATION CRATION. Grant of the temporalities. Fees. First fruits. the royal assent, with the elected bishop's assent, and the aforesaid certificate to the archbishop, desiring a time to be presently assigned for final sentence, which the vicar-general decrees. Then the proctor desires, that all opposers may again be thrice publicly called; which done, and none appearing or opposing, they are pronounced contumacious, and a decree is made to proceed to sentence, by a schedule read and subscribed by the vicargeneral. Upon this the bishop takes the oath of supremacy, simony, and of obedience to the archbishop, in accordance with the canons of the church. After this, the Dean of the Arches reads and subscribes the sentence. Next after the confirmation, follows the consecration of the elected bishop, in obedience to the king's mandate, which is solemnly done by the archbishop, with the assistance of two other bishops, according to the approved rites and ceremonies of the Church of England, and in conformity to the manner and form of consecrating bishops prescribed by the rule laid down in the fourth council of Carthage, about the year 470, generally received in all the provinces of the Western Church. A mandate then issues from the archbishop to the archdeacon of his province to install the bishop elected, confirmed, and consecrated; who, (or his proxy, which is usual,) being in the presence of a public notary introduced by the archdeacon into the cathedral church, on any day between the hours of nine and eleven, first declares his assent to the king's supremacy, &c. Then the archdeacon, with the canons, &c. having accompanied the bishop to the quire, and placed him in the episcopal seat, pronounces as follows, viz. — "Ego authoritate mihi commissa induco et inthronizo reverendum in Christo patrem, Dominum J. S. Episcopum ; et Dominus custodiat suum introitum et exitum ex hoc nunc et in sæculum," &c. Then, after the Divine service proper for the occasion, the bishop being conducted into the chapter-house, and there placed on a high seat, the archdeacon and all the prebends, &c. of the church acknowledge canonical obedience to him: and the public notary, by the archdeacon's command, records the whole matter, in an instrument to remain as authentic to posterity. After which, the bishop is introduced into the king's presence, to do his homage for his temporalities or barony, by kneeling down, and putting his hands between the hands of the king, sitting in his chair of state, and by taking a solemn oath to be true and faithful to his majesty, and that he holds his temporalities of him. (1) The fees of the whole process, are said to amount to about 600%.: and the first-fruits must also be compounded for and paid. stat. 1 Hen. 7. c. 4., clesiæ Hiberniæ a sanctis et venerabilibus Antecessoribus tuis, successoribus S. Petri, quibus Dominus Jesus Christus, Filius Dei vivi, universos ubique terrarum fideles regendos commisit, nobis addictissimis tuis in Christi filiis, Archiepiscopis et Episcopis Hiberniæ, pignus amplissimum ultro suppeditat vigilis illius curæ, qua Sanctitas Tua cuncta negotia nostra respicit atque tuetur. Animo autem nobiscum volventibus plurimas eximias dotes a Supremo Numine, in Sponsæ suæ delectæ beneficium, Sanctitati Tuæ collatas, sapientiam illam singularem et fere divinam consiliis tuis moderantem, egregiam illam prudentiam singularum orbis Christiani Ecclesiarum necessitatibus, haud secus ac si unice commissæ fuissent, prospi By stat. 1 Geo. 1. st. 2. c. 13. and stat. 9 Geo. 2. c. 26. a bishop must, within six months after his admission, take the oaths of allegiance, su cienti, imprimis autem sedula mente reputantibus, quot quantisque beneficiis Ecclesias Hiberniæ jam inde ab incoepto Pontificatu cumulasti, non solum admiratione, memorisque animi sensibus perfundimur erga Sanctitatem Tuam, verum Deo omnium bonorum largitori gratias quam maximas pectore ab o referimus, qui Sanctitati Tuæ istam infuderit mentem ad propriam ipsius gloriam redundantem, saluberrimamque Clero Populoque Hiberno, quibus jure quam optimo in Domino gloriari licet, Sedis Ap stolicæ observantissimos, atque veræ avitæque fidei tenacissimos, semper extisisse. Que cum ita sint, 'Beatissime Pater, necessitatum nostrarum memores, ac bonitati tux expertæ confisi, votis humillimis suppicamus, ut dignetur Sanctitas Tua animum a vertere ad gravia incommoda, Sedi Apostolicæ jam bene nota, quæ in Hibernia enascuntur ex defectu cujusdam fixæ ac determinatæ formæ, juxta quam, sede aliqua vacante, digni habiti qui ad Episcopalem dignitatem promoveantur, Apostolicæ Sedi commendarentur Ad quem finem, omni quâ par est reverentia liceat Nobis Archiepiscopis et Episcopis Hiberniæ, frequenti ordine apud Dublinum Pridie Nonas Februarii convocatis, ad Sanctitatem Tuam referre quæ nobis unanimi consensu circa istud caput disciplice utilissima. Igitur Sede aliqua Episcopali, sive per antistitis obitum, translationem, aliamve ob causam in posterum vacante, Vicarius juxta formam a sacris canonibus præscriptam constituatur, qui Diœcesi viduatæ, durante vacatione præsit. Metropolitanus Provinciæ ubi vacatio contigeret simulatque de vacatione et Vicarii electione certior factus fuerit, literis mandatoriis Vicario edicet, ut in diem vigesimum a dato edicto in unum convocet omnes quibus jus competat Summo Pontifici commendandi tres dignos Ecclesiastici ordinis viros quorum unus a Summo Pontifice Diocesi vacanti præficeretur. Quos autem suffragii jure gaudere volumus, formamque in convocando conventu servandam, eodemque post convocationem regendi, sequente ordine exponemus. Qui in Hibernia nuncupantur Parochi, scilicet, clerici ad ordinem Sacerdotalem evecti, censurarum immunes, Quique Paroche seu Parochiarum unitarum actuali et pacifica possessione guadeant, hi soli ad exitia convocandi sunt. Vicarius, edicto Metropolitani accepto, intra octo dies singulos Presbyteros supra designatos literis scriptis admonebit, ut loco quodam opportano, in eadem monitione nominatim exprimendo adsint, die in edicto Metropolitani statuto, ad tractandum de negotio tadem descripto. Metropolitanus ipse, vel Laus ex suffraganeis ejus Episcopis ab ipso delegatus, comitiis præsidebit, et nulla prorsus et invalida habenda sunt ibidem acta et statuta, non servata forma supra definita, sive in convocando, sive in moderando con ventu. Parochis, die et loco statutis, mane in unum congregatis, Missa Solemnis de Spiritu Sancto celebretur. Missaque finita Præses super sedile in medio Ecclesiæ ascendet, omnibusque quorum nihil interest, exire jussis, foribusque Ecclesiæ clausis, Vicarius, catalogum nominum omnium Parochorum Diocesis vacantis Præside tradet, qui eorundem nomina, clara ac distincta voce, a Secretario suo recitari mandabit, et unicuique Parocho, postquam nomini responderit, sedem propriam assignabit. Si unus aut plures Parochi absint, Praeses a Vicario probationem exquiret, absentibus sine fraude revera edictum fuisse, et tali probatione admissa, absentia cujusvis numeri, modo quarta pars totius Parochorum numeri adsit, nihil obstabit quominus rata et valida sint quæ in comitiis gerantur, Parochis, qui Vicarii monitioni sive propter adversam valetudinem, aliamve ob causam parere non valeant, liberum erit suffragia sua, propria ipsorum manu scripta, involucro sigillato inclusa, et extrinsecus ad Presidem directa, cuivis alii Parocho ejusdem Diocesis confidere, et suffragio sic tradito et probato, eadem inerit vis ac si Parochus ipse præsens adesset modo literæ certificatoreæ de adversa ejus valetudine a duobus artis medicinæ peritis subscriptæ ad Præsidem transmittantur. Insuper Parochus iste, priusquam suffragium modo supra descripto ferat, eandem declarationem emittet, quam cæteris Prochis inter comitia emittere coram Praeside incumbet. ejusque declarationis coram duobus Parochis emissæ probatio, in medium proferenda coram Præside, antequam suffragium admittatur. Comitiis ita compositis, ac Præside tractanda proponente, duo Scrutatores juxta con suetas canonum formas eligantur, deinde suffragatores ad Urnam supra mensam positam, singuli accedent, et clara altaque voce, tactis simul manu pectoribus, coram Deo, pro se quisque, affirment, se neque gratia neque favore inductos, ei suffragaturos quem dignissimum, digniorem, aut dignum, pro diversis candidatorum meritis judicent, qui Diœcesi vacanti præficeretur; postea suffragio in Urnam immisso, singuli ad propriam sedem recedent. Tres suffragiorum series, totidemque scrutinia institui volumus, suffragatoribus unum tantum nomen singulis vicibus in Urnam mittentibus; nempe prima vice unusquisque suffragabitur eo quem dignis simum judicet, et nomen illius qui, facto scrutinio, majorem suffragiorum numerum, ultra medietatem reportarit, clara altaque voce a scrutatoribus ad Præsidem, et a Præside ad conventum, renuntiandum est. Secunda vice, unusquisque suffragabitur ei quem digniorem, et tertia vice, suffragiorum et quem dignum judicet; eademque forma respectu numeri suffragiorum, et ELECTION OF BISHOPS, THEIR CONFIRMATION AND CONSE CRATION. ELECTION OF BISHOPS, THEIR CRATION. premacy, and abjuration in one of the courts at Westminster, or at a quartersessions of the peace. nomina declarandi, servanda est quæ prima vice servata est. Quibus peractis, et nominibus eorum, qui in quaque serie majorem suffragiorum numerum ultra medietatem obtinuerint cognitis et publicatis, Praeses narrationem authenticam in scriptis redactam parari coram comitiis, ejusdemque duo exemplaria a seipso et Secretario atque Scrutatoribus subsignanda, exscribi curabit. Ex istis exemplaribus, alterum Vicario tradendum, qui idem ad Sedem Apostolicam transmittat, alterum vero Metropolitano, cujus munus erit idem ad suffraganeos ejus Episcopos in unum congregatos referre. Quæcumque jura, privilegia, et munera supra recensentur, tanquam Praesidi conventus propria, eadem, sede Metropolitana vacante, seniori Provinciæ Suffraganeo, communicari volumus. Episcopis Provinciæ, Suffraganeo, in unum convocatis, et narratione authentica supra memorata coram ipsis prolata, de eadem coram Deo judicium sententiamque ferant, Si unanimi consensu, aut majori suffragiorum numero, approbaverint a Parochis commendatos, eodemque ordine, quo in "narratione inseruntur nomina, idem propria unius cujusque Episcopi, necnon et Præsidis manu subscriptum, et sigillo munitum, ad Sedem Apostolicam Fræses transmittet, Si consensu unanimi, aut majori suffragiorum numero, commendatos quidem approbent, sed non in eodem ordine istud quoque ad Sanctam Sedem referent, ordine nominum ipsis probato, et motivis quibus eorum judicium innititur, simul expositis. Si concordibus animis, vel majori suffragiorum numero, consenserint unum aut duos ex commenditis parum dignos esse qui ad ordinem Episcopalem evehantur, summum Pontificem de quaque re certiorem facient, simulque mentem exponent de dotibus alterius commendati, Si tandem consensu unanimi, aut majori suffragiorum numero, judicaverint, tres commendatos parum dignos esse ex quibus unus ad Episcopatum promoveretur, Summum Pontificem de suo judicio certiorem facient, Ejusque Sanctitati supplicabunt, suffragatoribus per Metropolitani edictum mandare, ut tres alios juxta jam descriptam formam de novo commendarent. Si suffragatores animo obstinato pravoque, eosdem iterum commendent, Summus Pontifex accepta relatione Episcoporum Provinciæ ut supra, pro sua sapientia Diœcesi viduatæ de Pastore providebit. Si agatur de Episcopi Coadjutore, cum jure successionis cuivis Episcopo assignando, eadem quæ sede vacante commendandi forma servanda est, cauto tamen varia privilegia, jura, et munera, Metropolitano aut seniori Episcopo suffraganeo jam attributa ad Archiepiscopum, aut Episcopum, cui coadjutor assignandus est, unice pertinere, illæso tamen servato jure Metropolitani, quando suffraganei ejus Episcopi ad ferendum judicium convenerint. Illustrissime ac Reverendissime Domine, SSMO. nostro Pio P. P.VIII. gratissimæ fuerant literæ die 17 Februarii, Amplitudinis Tuæ et reliquorum Archiepiscoporum ac Episcoporum Hiberniæ nomine, Dublino scriptæ, de methodo quam tendendam esse censuistis in commendandis Sedi Apostolicæ iis quibus aliquis Hiberniæ Episcopatus conferendus sit. Sanctitas Sua enim acceptat eas literas tanquam novum perspicuumque argumentum illius studii singularis quo præstatis ea omnia diligenter procurandi quæ ad Religionis Catholicæ incrementum et honorem spectare possunt. Laudavit autem præcipue Sapientiam vestram, qui intelligentes quam grave sit negotium electionis Episcoporum, et quantopere cum Ecclesiæ utilitate conjunctum, ut rite sancteque absolvatur, vestram curam eo præsertim convertendam arbitrati estis, ut methodus ejusmodi in ea re servanda statueretur, quâ fieret ut Sedes Apostolica certissimam habere notitiam posset meritorum eorum sacerdotum, pro quibus commendationes afferuntur, ut ad aliquem Hiberniæ Episcopatum eligantur. Amplissimis quoque laudibus, vestram ea de re solicitudinem, Sacra Congregatio prosequuta est, quæ memoratas vestras literas in Generali Conventu, die prima Junii habito, perpendit, una cum supplici libello ab R. P. D. Oliverio Kelly, Archiepiscopo Tuamensi die 4 Maii allato, quibus vestro etiam nomine exponebat methodum de convocandis Conventibus Capitulorum ad commendationes eas faciendas, si alia methodus quæ in literis die 17 Februarii conventibus Sacra Congregationi non placuisset. 3. BISHOPS APPOINTED UNDER STAT. 6 & 7 VICT. c. 62., IN CONSEQUENCE BISHOPS APOF THE INCAPACITY OF ANY ARCHBISHOP OR BISHOP. Stat. 6 & 7 Vict. c. 62. ss. 1., 11., and 13., to make provision for the performance of the functions of any bishop or archbishop who shall be Itaque Amplitudini Tuæ, et per te cæ teris Archiepiscopis atque Episcopis Hiberniæ significandum habeo, Sacram Congregatione judicasse expedire methodum aliquam certam statuere, quam sequi oporteat in commendandis iis qui ad aliquem Hiberniæ Episcopatum eligi debeant; aliquibus vero adhibitis modificationibus probaret methodum a vobis recensitis superius literis propositam; Eæ autem modificationes sunt quæ sequuntur. 1°. Ubi adest Capitulum, convocento cum Parochis etiam Canonici. 9. In documento ad Sanctam Sedem transmittendo, nihil inveniatur quod electionem, nominationem, postulationem sumat, sed simplice commendationem. 3°. In eo omittantur relatio ac mentio trium scrutiniorum, sicuti et judicium de dignissimo, digniori, ac digno, sed tantum requisita proferantur ac merita singulorum. 4°. Hujusmodi autem documentum sit in forma suppicis libelli, ita concepti, ut inde pateat nullam in Sanctam Sedem inferi obligationem eligendi unum ex commendatis. 5. Denique semel peracta Commendatione s Episcopi judicaverint tres illos commendatos minus dignos esse quorum unus ad Episcopatum promoveatur, tunc, quin detur Dovæ commendationis locus, suinmus Pontifex pro sua sapientia, viduatæ Ecclesiæ provideat. Hæc sunt quæ in exposita a vobis methodo Sacra Congregatio imitanda censuit, atque his ita positis ipsa probavit. Verum eodem tempore Sacra Congregatio declaravit salvam semper atque illæsam manere debere Apostolicæ Sedis libertatem in eligendis Episcopis, ita ut commendatones tamen tantum et cognitionem Sacræ Congregationi, numquam tamen obligati DECRETUM POINTED UNDER STAT. 6 & 7 VICT. C. 62. IN coNSEQUENCE OF THE INCA PACITY OF ANY ARCHBISHOP OR BISHOP. Commission of SACRE CONGREGATIONIS GENERALIS DE PRO- CUM ad gravissimum Electionis Hiberniæ Episcoporum negotium rite sancteque absolvendum, certam aliquam methodum ubique in eo regno servandam statuere in primis opportunum esse Sacra Congregatio intellexerit, qua fieret, ut Sedes Apostolica exploratam notitiam habere possit meritorum Sacerdotum, pro quibus commendationes afferentur, ut ad aliquem Hiberniæ Episcopatum elegantur, eadem Sacra Congregatio, postquam diu multumque de ea re definienda cogitaret, in generali tandem conventu die prima Junii, Anno 1829, referente Eminentissimo et Reverendissimo D. D. Mauro S. R. E. Cardinali Cappellari, Sacræ Congregationis Præfecto, censuit ac decrevit, methodum in toto regno Hiberniæ super ea re servandam in posterum esse debere eam, quæ hic describitur. Sede aliqua Episcopali, sive per Antistitis obitum, translationem, aliamve ob causam in posterum vacante, Vicarius, juxta formam a sacris canonibus præscriptam, constituatur, qui diœcesi viduatæ, durante vacatione, præesset. Metropolitanus Provinciæ, ubi vacatio contigerit, simul atque de vacatione et Vicarii electione certior factus fuerit, literis mandatoriis Vicario edicat, ut in diem vigesimum a dato edicto, in unum convocet omnes ad quos pertinebit, qui summo Pontifici commendare tres dignos ecclesiastici ordinis viros, quorum unus a summo Pontifici Diæcesi vacanti præficiatur. Qui sint ii qui convocari debent, quæ forma in convocando et regendo conventum servanda sit, habetur ex sequente expositione. Qui in Hibernia nuncupantur Parochis, scilicet Clerici ad ordinem Sacerdotalem erecti, censuram immunes, qui Parochia seu parochiarum unitarum, actuali ac pacifica possessione gaudeant, ad comitia convocandi sunt, ubi vero adest capitulum convocabuntur cum Parochis etiam Canonici, Vicarius edicto Metropolitani accepto octo dies, singulos Presbyteros supra designatos literis scriptis admonebit, ut loco quodam opportuno, in eadam monitione nominatim exprimendo adsint, die in edicto Metropolitani statuto, ad tractandum de negotio ibidem descripto, Metropolitanus ipse vel unus de Suffraganeis ejus Episcopis ab ipso delegatus, comitiis præsidebit, et nulla prorsus, et invalida habenda sunt ibidem acta et statuta, non servata forma supra de. finita, sive in convocando, sive in moderando |