Saint Alphonsus Liguori
(1696-1787)
To the poor in spirit the kingdom of heaven is
assigned as a present recompense, for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven. This is so because
to those who are truly poor in spirit, the Lord
gives great helps, even in this life.
--St. Alphonsus Liguori
Entrust yourself entirely to God. He is
a Father and a most loving Father at that, who would
rather let heaven and earth collapse than abandon
anyone who trusted in Him.
-- St. Paul of the Cross
Since, when the hour of reckoning comes, you'll be
sorry for not having used this time in the service
of God, why don't you arrange and use it now as you
would wish you'd done if you were dying?
-- St. John of the Cross
Love is the abridgment of all theology.
-- St. Francis de Sales
We must take to heart, brothers, from what
stuff we were created, who we were and what kind of
creatures we were when we entered the world, as if
from a tomb and utter darkness. Having
prepared us bountifully before we were born, He who
fashioned us and created us brought us into His
world. Since, then, we owe all this to Him, we
ought to give Him thanks for everything.
-- Pope St. Clement I
The Call of Saint Matthew
by Caravaggio (1599-1600)
"Repent and believe the Good News!"
Penance means conversion. The Confraternity of
Penitents is a world wide private Catholic
association of the faithful, completely loyal to our
Pope and the Magisterium.
Our Rule of Life has been reviewed by our bishop and
recognized in these words: "this Rule does not
contain anything contrary to our faith; therefore it
may be safely practiced privately by you or by
anyone inclined to do so. . . . His Excellency
is appreciative of your efforts to live and promote
Franciscan spirituality and especially promote the
neglected practice of penance and he wishes you
success" (January 30, 1998).
Members of the Confraternity of Penitents live this
Rule in their own homes, devoted to prayer, penance,
fasting, conversion, and works of mercy modeled on
Jesus Christ and inspired by the lives and teachings
of
St. Francis,
St. Dominic,
St. Therese,
St. Benedict,
St. Augustine,
St. Ignatius,
and all the saints, most especially Mary, the Mother
of God, who lived a life of true penance
(conversion) in perfect union with our Lord.
May Our Lady and all the saints intercede for all
who wish to embrace a life of penance, anywhere in
the world, so that the grace of God will assist them
to obtain every virtue necessary for a life of
holiness and surrender to the Will of God! Amen.
PRAYER OF PENITENTS
"Most High, Glorious God, enlighten the darkness
of my mind, give me right faith, a firm hope and
perfect charity, so that I may always and in all
things act according to Your Holy Will. Amen."
(Saint Francis's prayer before the San Damiano
Crucifix)
MISSION OF PENITENTS
"Go and repair My House
which, as you can see, is falling into ruin." (The
message given to St. Francis in a voice from the San
Damiano Crucifix.)
ACTION OF PENITENTS
To pray for God's
specific direction in one's life so that, through
humbly living our Rule of Life, each penitent may
help to rebuild the house of God by bringing love of
God and neighbor to his or her own corner of the
world.
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VOWS in the
roman catholic church
Pledged members of the
Confraternity of Penitents have the option of
taking a private vow, with their spiritual
director, to live the CFP Rule for Life.
Vows carry with them many graces but also many
responsibilities.
The following is from The New
Commentary on the Code of Canon Law,
Commissioned by the Canon Law Society of America
(John D. Beal, James A. Coriden, and Thomas J.
Green, eds. New York, New York: Paulist
Press, 1999, pp. 1416-1420). The Code of
Canon Law is italicized in the following
commentary.
CODE
OF CANON LAW ON VOWS
TITLE V
A VOW AND AN OATH
(cc. 1191-1204)
Vows and oaths are not acts of
worship (cultus) in the sense of
liturgical celebrations, but they
are acts of religion that have a
sacred character and impose
obligations of religion. Thus they
are treated in Book IV of the code
which deals with the sanctifying
function of the Church. Vows and
oaths are, moreover, juridic acts
which have juridic effects and which
are governed by both general laws
and the specific canons that follow.
Although canon law does not bind
non-Catholics as a general rule (c.
11), the laws on vows and oaths
apply to non-Catholics if the law in
question is based on the divine law
or if the merely ecclesiastical law
includes non-Catholics, e.g., the
taking of an oath by a non-Catholic
in an ecclesiastical process. The
canons on vows in the Eastern code (CCEO
889-894) are similar to those in the
Latin code, but there is only one
canon in the Eastern code on oaths (CCEO
895). This canon recognizes the
canonical efficacy only of oaths
made before the Church in cases
established by canon law.
CHAPTER 1: A VOW (cc. 1191-1198)
The following canons refer to
private vows and, as applicable,
also to public vows. Members of
religious institutes profess public
vows, which are also governed by the
laws of Book II, part three,
especially canons 607, 654-658, and
688-701, as well as the
constitutions and other laws proper
to each institute. The canons of
this chapter treat: the definition
of a vow, the capability of vowing,
and the nullity of a vow (c. 1191);
the different kinds of vows (c.
1192); the obligation of a vow (c.
1193); the cessation of a vow (c.
1194); the suspension of a vow (c.
1195); dispensation (c. 1196);
commutation (c. 1197), and
suspension of private vows by
religious profession (c. 1198).
Definition, Capability, Nullity
Canon 1191 -- §1 A vow, that is a
deliberate and free promise made to
God about a possible and better
good, must be fulfilled by reason of
the virtue of religion.
§2 Unless they are prohibited by
law, all who possess suitable use of
reason are capable of making a vow.
§3 A vow made out of grave or unjust
fear or malice is null by the law
itself.
A vow is a promise made to God, the
fulfillment of which is a serious
religious obligation. A promise
implies more than a wish or a desire
but rather is a firm decision to
fulfill what is vowed. A vow must be
made with sufficient deliberation,
knowingly, and with due discernment.
The object of the vow must be
something good; otherwise it is not
a vow and has no effect. It must be
something that the one vowing is
capable of fulfilling, and it must
be something better, i.e., better
than not doing it, or better than
its opposite. The good that is vowed
may be relatively better depending
on the person and circumstances. For
example, whether a vow to perpetual
virginity is a better good than
matrimony would depend on whether
the person has a true vocation to a
life of celibacy.
Not only must the one vowing have
the use of reason, but it must be a
sufficient use of reason appropriate
to the object of the vow. For
example, the minimal use of reason
normally required of children for
reception of first communion (c.
914) would not be sufficient for the
profession of vows in a religious
institute (cf. C. 656, 1)
The vow must be freely made, i.e.,
without grave and unjust fear, or as
a result of malice. A vow made under
such circumstances would be invalid.
Fear is grave when, in order to
escape some serious harm that is
perceived, a person sees no
alternative other than to take the
vow. Fear is unjust if it is
inspired by a threat that is not
deserved; it is just if it is
inspired by a threat that is
deserved. For example, a secular
cleric, living in concubinage is
told by the bishop to take a vow in
his presence never to repeat that
sin or, if the cleric does not take
the vow, he will be given an onerous
penance. The cleric takes the vow
motivated by grave fear of the
penance, but the vow is valid
insofar as the penance is deserved
and just.
Malice (dolus) in the context of
this canon is the deliberate act of
lying or of concealing the truth in
order to get another person to make
a vow which he or she would not do
if the truth were known, or in order
for oneself to get permission to
make a vow, which would not be
permitted if the truth were known.
For example, a novice conceals from
her superiors some external forum
fact that, if known, would result in
her not being admitted to profession
of vows. Such malice invalidates the
profession of vows (cf. C. 656, 4)
Also invalid is a vow made out of
ignorance or error concerning an
element which constitutes the
substance of the vow or which
amounts to a condition sine qua non
(c. 126). Ignorance is lack of
knowledge; error is mistaken
judgment. Ignorance or error
invalidates a vow if the person
vowing lacked knowledge of, or erred
in judgment about, something that is
of the substance of the vow. For
example, a woman who, believing her
husband to have survived a war, vows
in gratitude to go to Mass every
day, and only later discovers that
he in fact was killed in the final
hours of battle, is not bound by the
vow.
A condition sine qua non is one
which is so important that the vow
would not have been taken if it had
been known that the condition was
not verified or could not be
fulfilled. For example, a religious
brother, who is unaware of or
mistakes the juridical effects of a
solemn vow of poverty and believes
he can keep property, takes solemn
vows in a religious institute on the
condition, whether explicit or
implicit, that he retain ownership
of his goods (cf. C. 688, 4-5).
Distinctions
Canon 1192 -- §1 A vow is public
if a legitimate superior accepts it
in the name of the Church;
otherwise, it is private.
§2 A vow is solemn if the
Church has recognized it as such;
otherwise, it is simple.
§3 A vow is personal if the
person making the vow promises an
action; real, if the person
making the vow promises some thing;
mixed if it shares the nature
of a personal and real vow.
This distinction between a public
and private vow is not exact because
members of some secular institutes
and some associations of the
faithful take vows which are
accepted by a legitimate superior,
yet these are considered private
vows or, in the case of secular
institutes, "semi-public vows." A
more accurate distinction, modeled
on the difference between solemn and
simple vows, is simply this: a
public vow is one which is
recognized as such by the Church;
otherwise it is private. An
essential element of religious life
is the profession of vows which are
recognized as public (cc. 607, §2;
654). Members of secular institutes
assume vows or some other sacred
bond as determined by the
constitutions (c. 712). Societies of
apostolic life, by definition, do
not take "religious" vows, but in
some of them the members assume the
evangelical counsels by some bond
(vow, oath, promise) as defined in
the constitutions (c. 731).
This is the only place in the
revised code where solemn and simple
vows are mentioned. The older
religious orders (monastics, canons
regulars, mendicants, Jesuits) have
perpetual solemn vows, and the more
recent apostolic congregations have
perpetual simple vows. The chief
juridical difference between the two
is that religious who profess a
solemn vow of poverty renounce
ownership of all their temporal
goods (c. 688, §§4-5), whereas
religious who profess a simple vow
of poverty have a right to retain
ownership of their patrimony, but
must give up its use and any revenue
(c. 668, §1). A temporary vow, which
expires after a stated period of
time, is always a simple vow.
A personal vow binds the person to
perform some act, e.g., to make a
pilgrimage or to fast. A real vow
binds the person to give a thing,
e.g., a donation of property to a
religious institute. A mixed vow
consists of both personal and real
elements, e.g., to make a pilgrimage
to a shrine and to contribute funds
for a new chapel there.
Obligation
Canon 1193 -- By its nature a vow
obliges only the person who makes
it.
This is a change from the previous
law (CIC 1310, §1), which said that
the obligation of a real vow, or the
real part of a mixed vow, passes on
to the heirs of the one who died
without having fulfilled the vow.
There might be a moral or legal
obligation on the part of the heirs
to fulfill the vow of a deceased
person, but there is not obligation
arising from that person's vow
itself.
Cessation
Canon 1194 -- A vow ceases by the
lapse of the time designated to
fulfill the obligation, by a
substantial change of the matter
promised, by the absence of a
condition on which the vow depends,
gy the absence of the purpose of the
vow, by dispensation, or by
commutation.
A vow ceases to bind when the
obligation of the vow is fulfilled.
There are six other ways by which a
vow ceases to bind:
(1) when the time appointed for the
fulfillment of the obligation has
passed, e.g., one vows to make a
pilgrimage to Rome during the Holy
Year and it is not possible to
fulfill the vow during that year;
(2) when there has been a
substantial change in the matter
promised, i.e., the thing promised
becomes impossible or wrongful
whether in itself or due to
circumstances, e.g.. one vows to
attend Mass each year at a certain
church and the church is closed, or
one vows to give a large donation to
the parish building fund and it
becomes necessary to use the money
to pay for emergency medical care;
(3) when a condition on which the
vow depends no longer exists, e.g.,
one vows to fast every day because
of obesity, and the excess weight is
lost;
(5) by dispensation (c. 1196); and
(6) by commutation (c. 1197).
Suspension
Canon 1195 -- The person who has
power over the matter of the vow can
suspend the obligation of the vow
for as long a time as the
fulfillment of the vow brings
disadvantage to that person.
Suspension is a temporary cessation
of the fulfillment of a vow; the
obligation of the vow resumes when
the reason for the suspension
ceases. A person who has power over
the matter of a vow is a person
whose own rights are affected by the
vow of another. If this person's
rights are adversely affected by the
fulfillment of the vow, he or she
may suspend the vow in question,
even against the will of the one who
made the vow.
Dispensation
Canon 1196 -- In addition to the
Roman Pontiff, the following can
dispense from private vows for a
just cause provided that a
dispensation does not injure a right
acquired by others:
1° the local ordinary and the pastor
with regard to all their subjects
and even travelers;
2° the superior of a religious
institute or society of apostolic
life if it is clerical and of
pontifical right with regard to
members, novices, and persons who
live day and night in a house of the
institute or society;
3° those to whom the Apostolic See
or the local ordinary has delegated
the power of dispensing.
Dispensation from a vow is its
complete cancellation for a just
reason by an authority competent in
law. Just reasons include the public
good, a serious difficulty in
fulfilling the vow, excessive
scrupulosity. In doubt or error
about the adequacy of the reason, a
dispensation may be lawfully given.
The acquired right (cf. c. 4) which
may be injured must be understood in
a strict sense, i.e., only a right
which has been lawfully acquired,
not something which is merely
promised. For example, some years
ago a man had vowed to endow a chair
at a Catholic university and had
established a foundation for this
purpose upon which the funding of
the chair has since depended, but
recently his personal fortune
suffered losses and now he wants to
dissolve the foundation which he
controls; he may not be dispensed
from his vow without the agreement
of the university since its acquired
right to these funds would be
harmed.
Commentators on the 1917 code said
that only the Holy See was able to
dispense from a vow if those who
would be harmed by the dispensation
refused to consent to it. Since
Vatican II it must be presumed that
the diocesan bishop also has this
power. Although canons 85-93 are not
applicable here since they deal only
with dispensation from laws, not
vows, these canons may be helpful as
a parallel passage (cf. c.17)
Transients (vagi) are not expressly
mentioned here, but they are
included in number one because they
are subjects of the local ordinary
and the pastor in a place where they
are staying (cf. c. 102, §d). The
local ordinary or pastor may give
the dispensation to his subjects
whether they are in or outside the
territory at the time of the
dispensation, and whether he himself
is in or outside his own territory
when he dispenses.
Those who stay day and night in a
house of a religious institute or
society of apostolic life include
the students and other residents,
lay, staff, and even guests who stay
overnight.
Commutation
Canon 1197 -- The person who makes a
private vow can commute the work
promised by the vow into a better or
equal good; however, the one who has
the power of dispensing according to
the norm of can. 1196 can commute it
to a lesser good.
The commutation of a vow is the
substitution of the act or work
(opus) promised by the vow to some
other act. If the act to be
substituted is as good or better
than the original act that was
vowed, the person who made the vow
can commute it. If the act to be
substituted is a lesser good than
the original act that was vowed, the
commutation is validly granted only
by a competent superior as in the
previous canon. The authorities
competent to dispense are also
competent to commute the vow to a
greater or equal good -- not just to
a lesser good -- if this is desired
by the person seeking the
commutation.
Suspension by Religious Profession
Canon 1198 -- Vows made before
religious profession are suspended
while the person who made the vow
remains in the religious institute.
Any private vow is suspended by the
law itself at the first profession
of a religious (c. 655), and it
continues to be suspended as long as
the religious remains in the
institute, i.e., until definitive
departure at which time the vow
begins to bind again. A religious
may continue to observe the
non-binding vow if he or she wishes,
but only with the permission of the
competent superior if the act in
question is incompatible with
religious obligations or arouses
public notice, e.g., if the
religious must miss a common act of
the community in order to perform
the deed privately vowed. This canon
does not apply to members of
societies of apostolic life who
should seek a dispensation from a
private vow if this is warranted.
(Note: St. Thomas Aquinas discusses
vows on this
link.)
Confraternity of Penitents
520 Oliphant Lane
Middletown RI USA
02842-4600
401/849-5421
bspenance@hotmail.com
copenitents@yahoo.com
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