Imprimatur question
  • graduale
    Posts: 30
    Can an Auxiliary Bishop grant an Imprimatur?
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,216
    According to Canon 824, permission for publishing a book is to be sought from "the author's proper local Ordinary, or the Ordinary of the place in which the book is published."

    The local Ordinary is the diocesan bishop. However, canons 475-479 give generally equivalent administrative authority to his vicar general, and to any episcopal vicars appointed to regions of the diocese.

    So it seems that an auxiliary bishop can grant an imprimatur if he holds the position of vicar general or of episcopal vicar for the region of the diocese in which the author resides or the publisher is based. (But note, I'm not a canon lawyer; I'm just some guy on the internet reading the book.)
    Thanked by 1eft94530
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,471
    Canon 134.
    §1. In addition to the Roman Pontiff, by the title of ordinary are understood in the law diocesan bishops and others who, even if only temporarily, are placed offer some particular church or a community equivalent to it according to the norm of can. 368 as well as those who possess general ordinary executive power in them, namely, vicars general and episcopal vicars; likewise, for their own members, major superiors of clerical religious institutes of pontifical right and of clerical societies of apostolic life of pontifical right who at least possess ordinary executive power.

    §2. By the title of local ordinary are understood all those mentioned in §1 except the superiors of religious institutes and of societies of apostolic life.

    §3. Within the context of executive power, those things which in the canons are attributed by name to the diocesan bishop are understood to belong only to a diocesan bishop and to the others made equivalent to him in can. 381, §2, excluding the vicar general and episcopal vicar except by special mandate.
  • ronkrisman
    Posts: 1,394
    Something in addition to what chonak and a_f_hawkins have stated is required before an auxiliary bishop may grant a permission to publish: said auxiliary must have an appointment by the diocesan bishop to either the office of vicar general or episcopal vicar (either of which establishes the auxiliary as a "local ordinary"). Granting permission to publish is a function of ecclesiastical office, not episcopal ordination.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen Paul F. Ford
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,471
    One hopes that the legal situation is now clearer than it was 160 years ago when Nicholas Wiseman, Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster fell out with George Errington, his Coadjutor with right of succession, particularly on who can rescind the delegated* powers. Canon 406 appears to require the diocesan to appoint an auxiliary at least an episcopal vicar.
    *may not be the appropriate legal term, I am no lawyer.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,216
    Incidentally, in some places, the office of episcopal vicar for a region may be held by a priest.
    Thanked by 1bdh
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