Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 17.djvu/15

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A a chgn. See Cauoasm. admit them before they have shown their Apostolic

Avw.^ f e r^ -D T ftu\ A • • !• -ui r^ letters are by the very fact suspended from the


 * i. ^ ^f^'iX: ^^ 1 ^ K • "^Ti"*!?®^ uik ri«*it of electing during the pleasure of the Holy

the office of abbess imleas she la of legitimate birth, q^ ^ -o f ^

and is at least forty years old; ten years, moreover, ^^bots nulUua have the same ordinary powem must have ehipsed smce her first profusion in the ^^ obligations as a residential bishop in his own S[r®5c o^ ^u'u k^^ requirements laid down diocese. Even though they have not been con- by the Code, which, however, confirms whatever gecrated, they can, if they have received the abbatial more ngid cniahfications are prescnbed by the Con- blessing, consecrate churches and fixed altars when rtituUons o! the vanous orders. The Ck)uncil of ^ecessSy, and within their own territory and dur- Trent was less rigorous as it fixed the ^ears of ^ ^y^^^^ ^erm of office they may impart aU the profession at eight, and authonaed lowering the blessings reserved to bishops, except the pontifical age to thirty and the period of profe«ion to five blessing; they can consecrate chabces, patens, and yeara, when no suitable candidate posseaBing the portable altars, with holy oil blessed by a bishop; stricter quahficaUons could be found. ^^^ indulgences of fifty days; admmister con-

AbUr, a titular see in Proconsular Africa, for- nnnation, and confer first tonsure and minor orders

merly Abbir-CeUa or Abbir Majus, to distinguish o? their own subjects, even secular, and on others

it from Abbir Minus in the same locality. It was ^^o have the requisite dimissorial letters, but or-

a suffragan of Carthage. One of its Bishops, Felix, ders conferred by them m any other case would be

is mentioned in the lists of African prelates as uivaud. ,..,... •_, ^

having taken the Catholic side in the great Car- As long as they possess local jurisdiction abbots

thaginian conference of 411 between Catholics and ?^w« can give dimissorial letters to seculars, even

Donatists. Its ruins exist to-day at Henchir-en- ^^^ the reception of major orders. They can im-

Naam, about forty miles southwest of Tunis. P^t the papal blessing with a plenary indulgence

while withm their own territory, but only on one

Abbot (cf. C. E., I-15d). — ^An abbot is the su- of the more solemn feasts each year (bishops on

p«ior of an autonomous community of monks com- the other hand may grant it on two days, one oeing

prising as a rule at least twelve religious. There Easter Sunday); they can designate and declare a

are two chief classes of abbots: re^sular abbots de daily perpetual privileged altar in any church of

reginUne, that is, superiors having jurisdiction only their territories if there is none there already, but

over the persons lay or ecclesiastical, attached to they cannot do so in public or semi-public oratories,

their abbey, and abbots mdUus (i. e., of a territory imless these are united to a parochial church or

belonging to no diocese) whose jurisdiction extends subsidiary to it, nor in a private oratory. Abbots

alflo over the faithful and churches of a district nulUtia in their own territory, even when th^ are

around the abbey entirely separated from any not bishops, use the pontifical insignia with throne

diocese. The territory thus ruled is called an abbey and canopy, and may lawfully hold Divine services

nvlUus and has its own clergy, who are not neces- there according to the pontifical rite: they may

aaiily members of the monastic institute and its wear the pectoral cross, the ring, and the violet

own parishes. If it has less than three parishes it succhetto, even when they are outside their terri-

ifl governed by special laws, just as the religious tonr.

chapter of the abbey is governed h^ its own laws Abbots ntdliua, the abbot primate and abbots

and constitutions. The erection, circumscription, superior of monastic congregations have a right to

division, union and suppression of abbeys nidlitts assist at oecumenical councils and the right te a

are reserved to the Holy See. An abbot nvlliiLa decisive, not merely to a consultive, vote. Abbots

must have the qualifications required for the epis- nidlius, furthermore, must attend the quinquennial

copacy. He is nominated and instituted by the meeting of the local ordinaries of their province.

pope, unless the right of election or presentation On being promoted they must make a profession

Das been granted to a particular organization or of faith according to the formula approved by the

person, in which case he must be confirmed or in- Holy See, in presence of an Apostohc delegate; if

stituted by the pope. At the election he is chosen they fail to do so without a just cause, they are to

by an aosolute majority of the valid votes cast, be warned, and if the warning is fruitless they are

unless there is a special law requiring a ^eater per- to be punished, even by deprivation of office and

centage. If the canons or the constitutions of his dignity, and of the enjoyment of its fruits for the

order require him to be blessed, he must receive time beins. On the death of an abbot nullius, the

the abbatial blessing, from a bishop, whom he is free religious cnapter succeeds to the government, unless

to select, within three months after receiving his the constitutions of the abbey provide otherwise;

Apostolic letters, unless he is legitimately prevented; within eight davs it must designate a vicar capitular

otherwise he is by the very fact suspended from to rule the abbey until the new abbot is elected;

jurisdiction. if it fails to do so the metropolitan is to appoint

Abbote nuUius are included under the term ordi' one, unless other provision is made in the constitu-

nary when it is used in canon law, imless they are tions.

expressly excluded; they are also included under A regular abbot de regimine lawfully elected is

the term bishop when the circumstances or the con- to receive the blessing of the bishoi) of the diocese

text do not show a different intent on the part of where his monastery is situated witmn three months

the lawgiver. After their appointment they may after his election. Abbots who are not exempt are

not interfere for any reason in the government of blessed by the authority of their own bishops,

their abbey personally or through another before whereas for the benediction of exempt abbots the

taJdn^ canomcal possession of it; if they interfere consent of the pope is required. Since the Bene-

they mcur a canonical disability, and persons who dictines are exempt, being engaged in many distant