Guidelines for Receiving Pastoral Ministers in the USA

Q5.A local community of sisters has asked sev eral pastors within our deanery for permission to conduct a series of parish missions to raise funds for their overseas apostolates.Is it appro priate for the pastors to grant this permission without further involvement from the diocese? A5. No. In addition to the universal law, fund-raising appeals are governed by particular law promulgated by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for the dioceses of the Latin Church. 4 In accord with this law, written approval of the diocesan bishop is required to solicit funds. Therefore, a written request from the major superior of the sisters should be sent to the diocesan bishop outlining the purpose(s) for which the funds are being raised, the beneficiaries of the funds, and a clear description of how the funds will be disbursed. Most dioceses also have developed policies on donations for charitable purposes, which should be consulted and strictly followed.

A4. Yes. A permanent deacon of an Eastern Catholic Church can be granted bi-ritual faculties to exercise ministry in a Latin Church diocese. The USCCB’s National Directory for the Formation, Ministry, and Life of Permanent Deacons in the United States further clar ifies that “the theological understanding of the sacra ments and the order of the diaconate in the Eastern Catholic Churches is to be respected” (no. 102). Practically, this means that “a deacon of the Eastern Catholic Churches is not to be allowed to solemnize marriages in the Roman Church” (ibid.).

4 USCCB, Complementary Norms on Fundraising Appeals, June 8, 2007, at http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/ canon-law/complementary-norms/canon-1262-fundraising-appeals.cfm .

B-8 | Canon Law Considerations