Ministerium Iustitiae Vol. II: The 'Lex Propria' and More Recent Contentious... Vol. II

The year 2017 marked the fiftieth anniversary of Pope St. Paul VI’s institution of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura’s Sectio altera. This brought to a certain fulfillment the Church’s aspiration that members of the faithful aggrieved by administrative authorities enjoy the right to defend themselves against the unjust exercise of the power of governance. This foundational normative provision has promoted and continues to promote good governance at all levels of the Church, in different ways. It is therefore worthy of recognition by dedicating a whole volume of the Apostolic Signatura’s jurisprudence to contentious-administrative causes. This has been made possible because of the Dicastery’s efforts, over the last fifteen or twenty years, to promote knowledge of this jurisprudence, especially by widely authorizing its publication.

Building on the first volume published ten years ago, this second volume includes the following:

- The full Latin text of the Apostolic Signatura’s Lex propria with a revised English translation

- Over 70 decisions from contentious-administrative causes, with the original Latin and an English translation. Most of the English translations are previously unpublished, and several of the Latin texts are previously unpublished.

- Themes treated in these decisions include:

Revocation of faculties and removal from the exercise of ministry

Removal from office and compulsory transfer

Disciplinary measures following a penal decision

Suppression of parishes

Reduction of churches to profane, non-sordid use

The use of churches following suppression of parishes

Dismissal of religious from their Institute

Imposed exclaustration

Suppression of and dismissal from an association of the faithful

Ownership of parish property

... and more

- A four-part analytical index