Page:Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent Buckley.djvu/338

Rh the Basilic of the prince of the apostles, in the city. All apostolical and general, or proyindal or synodal councils soever, edicts, constitutions, ordinances, and apostolic privileges, by which the effect of these presents might in any way be impeded or delayed, even though special mention might have to be made of them and of their entire tenor in these presents, find which by these presents we wish to hold as sufficiently expressed, and all other things soever to the contrary notwithstanding. To no one then, etc.

Given at Rome, at St. Peter's, in the year of the incarnation of our Lord 1432, on the 8th of the Ides of March, the second of our pontificate.

From the Sixth of the Decretals, lib. 1, tit, VI. on Election and the Power of the Elected, cap. 14.

(Sees. vii. de reform, cap. 3.)

Though a canon, put forth by our predecessor, Pope Alexander III., of happy memory, has decreed among other matters, that no person is to undertake the government of a parochial church, unless he has reached the twenty-fifth year of his age, and is worthy of being recommended by his knowledge and morals, and that such person, when elected to this government, if, having been admonished, he is not ordained to the priesthood at the time fixed by the canons, is to be removed from the duty of such government, and that it be conferred on some other person; because, however, in the observance of the above-mentioned canon, many show themselves negligent: we, wishing that their dangerous negligence be made up for by the execution of the law, ordain by our present decree, that no one be admitted to the government of a parochial church, unless he be qualified by morals, knowledge, and age; decreeing that collations to be made of parochial churches to those who have not reached their twenty-fifth year shall hereafter be utterly invalid. He, also, who shall be appointed to such government, that he may take better care of the flock intrusted to him, is bound personally to reside in the parochial church of which he may be rector, and cause himself to be promoted to the