Governance in Religious Institutes: Structures of Participation and Representation Canons 631–633

* Associate Professor of Canon Law, School of Canon Law, The Catholic University of America 1 John W. O’Malley, What Happened at Vatican II. (Cambridge: Belknap Press of Harvard University, 2008) 36–43, 301. 2 PC 2 “Accommodata renovatio vitae religiosae simul complectitur et continuum reditum ad omnis vitae christianae fontes primigeniamque institutorum inspirationem et aptationem ipsorum ad mutatas temporum condiciones.” AAS 58 (1966) 703; English translation: Vatican Council II The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents—New Revised Edition, ed. Austin Flannery, O.P. (Northport: Costello Publishing Co., 1984) 612. 442 The Jurist 69 (2009) 442–471 GOVERNANCE IN RELIGIOUS INSTITUTES: STRUCTURES OF PARTICIPATION AND REPRESENTATION CANONS 631–633 Rose McDermott I. Introduction 1. The Second Vatican Council—An Historic, Dynamic Modus Operandi In his recent book, John O’Malley observes that a keen sense of history was operative during the Second Vatican Council and was manifest in three words current at the time: ressourcement, a return to the sources; aggiornamento, an updating or modernizing; and development, an evolution or progress. The author notes that the three words look to the past, the present, and the future; they effected a notable shift from the classicist world view with its static, abstract, and immutable terms to a more historical dynamic approach, leading to appropriate adaptations in the conciliar teachings in accord with the new conditions of life while being faithful to the Church’s tradition. The author further notes that the schemata or drafts of the various conciliar documents employed one, two or all three of these words reflecting change rooted in perennial values.1 2. Documents on Religious Life Reflecting the Process Perfectae caritatis, the decree on religious life, reflects this dynamic approach or play on the past, present, and future in a most significant way. Paragraph two of the decree begins: “The up-to-date renewal of religious life comprises both a constant return to the sources of the whole of the Christian life and to the primitive inspiration of the institutes, and their adaptation to the changed conditions of our time.”2 The decree on 3 PC 4: “Efficax renovatio et recta accommodatio obtineri nequeunt nisi cooperantibus omnibus instituti sodalibus. Normas autem accommodatae renovationis statuere et leges ferre, necnon sufficienti prudentique experientiae locum dare, competentium tantum auctoritatum est, praesertim capitulorum generalium, salva, quatenus necessaria sit, approbatione Sanctae Sedis aut Ordinariorum locorum, ad normam iuris. Superiores vero, in his quae ad totius instituti sortes spectant, sodales suos apto modo consultant et audiant .” AAS 58 (1966) 704; Flannery, 613. 4 ES II, 1: “Potiores partes in renovanda et aptanda vita religiosa pertinent ad ipsa Instituta , quae id efficient praesertim per Capitula generalia vel apud Orientales per Synaxes . Munus Capitulorum non absolvitur tantummodo leges ferendo sed insuper promovendo vitalitatem spiritualem et apostolicam.” AAS 58 (1966) 775; Flannery 624–625. Chapters in religious institutes date back to the sixth century in Benedictine monasteries. The community of monks assembled with the abbot to discuss a “chapter” of the Rule. They endeavored to live their lives in accord with its content. See Elizabeth McDonough, “General Chapters: Historical Background,” Review for Religious 56 (1996) 320–325. 5 ES II, 17: “Obsoleta reputanda sunt quae naturam et fines Instituti non constituunt atque, significatione et vi sua amissa, vitam religiosam revera iam non adiuvant, habita tamen ratione testimonii, quod status religiosus pro suo munere praestare debet.” AAS 58 1996) 778; Flannery, 627–628. governance in religious institutes 443 religious life further insists that the ressourcement or return to the original inspiration of the founder and the adaptation to modern conditions or aggiornamento be accomplished with the cooperation of all of the members of the institute. Perfectae caritatis 4 states: 4. Effective renewal and right adaptation cannot be achieved save with the cooperation of all the members of an institute. However, it is for the competent authorities, alone, and especially for general chapters, to establish the norms for appropriate renewal and to legislate for it, as also to provide for sufficient prudent experimentation. The approval of the Holy See and of the local ordinaries must be sought when the law requires this. Superiors, however, in matters which concern the destiny of the entire institute, should find appropriate means...