The ''decretum laudis'', Latin for “decree of praise”, is the official measure with which the
Holy See
The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome ...
grants to institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life the recognition of ecclesiastical institution
of pontifical right. When the decree of praise is issued in the form of an
apostolic brief, it is just short of the ''decretum laudis''.
Canon Law
To create a new religious community, it is necessary to get, in the beginning, permission from the proper department in the
Roman Curia of the Catholic Church (the
, the
Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
A congregation is a large gathering of people, often for the purpose of worship.
Congregation may also refer to:
* Church (congregation), a Christian organization meeting in a particular place for worship
*Congregation (Roman Curia), an administr ...
, or the
Congregation for the Oriental Churches
The Dicastery for the Eastern Churches (also called Dicastery for the Oriental Churches), previously named Congregation for the Oriental Churches or Congregation for the Eastern Churches ( la, Congregatio pro Ecclesiis Orientalibus), is a dicaste ...
, depending on the purpose of the institute and the coverage of its activities) and also the approval of the
Ordinary of the diocese of origin, usually the bishop (or the archbishop). When they are obtained, the congregation is then called “
of diocesan right”.
When the congregation has grown in importance and when its spiritual and apostolic maturity is observed, it can be formally approved by the
Pope
The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...
with the ''decretum laudis'', which transforms it into a congregation
of pontifical right, subject to immediate and exclusive authority of the Holy See.
Generally, it is followed by the temporary approval and the final approval.
Structure
The ''decretum laudis'' contains, as a rule, a summary of the historical origins of the congregation, and a brief description of the purpose and the constitution of the same, references and letters from the bishops, and the examination made by the appropriate
Congregation
A congregation is a large gathering of people, often for the purpose of worship.
Congregation may also refer to:
*Church (congregation), a Christian organization meeting in a particular place for worship
*Congregation (Roman Curia), an administra ...
of the institute. It concludes with the approval and recommendation, ''amplissimis verbis'' (Latin, “in the strongest terms”), of the institute in question.
The practice of using ''decretum laudis'' by the Popes to grant the recognition of the pontifical right to the congregations began to be consolidated in the years between the 18th and 19th centuries, although in the beginning these decrees were followed by formal acts in the form of the
Papal bull and
Papal brief
A papal brief or breve is a formal document emanating from the Pope, in a somewhat simpler and more modern form than a papal bull.
History
The introduction of briefs, which occurred at the beginning of the pontificate of Pope Eugene IV (3 Marc ...
.
References
* (it) J. Torres, “''Documenti pontifici di approvazione''”
apal Documents of Approval In: ''Dizionario degli istituti di perfezione''
ictionary of the Institutes of Perfection vol. III, (Milan: ''San Paolo Edizioni''
t. Paul Editions 1977) {{ISBN, 88-215-2196-6, pp. 751–777.
*
See also
*
Institute of Consecrated Life
An institute of consecrated life is an association of faithful in the Catholic Church erected by canon law whose members profess the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty, and obedience by vows or other sacred bonds. They are defined in the ...
*
Society of Apostolic Life
*
List of some religious institutes (Catholic)
The following is a list of current Catholic religious institutes. Most are Latin Catholic; however, Eastern Catholic institutes are also included.
The list given here includes not only examples of pontifical-right institutes but also some that ...
Catholic canon law of religious
Catholic canonical documents