Hey ya’ll,
I had an orthodox friend say that in the Byzantine tradition you need at least 12 bishops to impeach or declare a bishop deposed. Is this true? Do our Byzantine Catholic Churches follow this?
Thanks!
Clerical includes Bishop, Priest, and Deacon.
(Eastern) CCEO Can. 394
After it has been validly received, sacred ordination never becomes invalid. A cleric, however, loses the clerical state:
(1) by a judicial sentence or administrative decree which declares the invalidity of sacred ordination;
(2) by the legitimate infliction of the penalty of dismissal;
(3) by a rescript of the Apostolic See or in accordance with the norm of can. 397, of the patriarch; this rescript cannot be granted licitly by the patriarch and is not granted by the Apostolic See to deacons without serious cause nor to presbyters without most serious cause.
(Eastern) CCEO Can. 397
The patriarch, with the consent of the synod of bishops of the patriarchal Church or, if there is danger in delay, of the permanent synod, can grant the removal of the clerical state to clerics having domicile or quasi-domicile within the territorial boundaries of his own patriarchal Church and who are not bound by the obligation of clerical celibacy or, if bound, are not petitioning a dispensation from this obligation; in other cases the matter is to be deferred to the Apostolic See.
(Latin) CIC Can. 290
Sacred ordination once validly received never becomes invalid. A cleric, however, loses the clerical state:
1° by a judgement of a court or an administrative decree, declaring the ordination invalid;
2° by the penalty of dismissal lawfully imposed;
3° by a rescript of the Apostolic See; this rescript, however, is granted to deacons only for grave reasons and to priests only for the gravest of reasons.
(Eastern) CCEO Can. 976
- One is removed from an ecclesiastical office by the law itself:
(1) who has lost the clerical state;
(2) who has publicly defected from the Catholic faith or from the communion of the Catholic Church;
(3) a cleric who has attempted marriage even if only civilly.
- The removal from office referred to in 1, nn. 2 and 3 can be enforced only if it is established by the declaration of a competent authority.
(Latin) CIC Can. 194
§1 The following are removed from ecclesiastical office by virtue of the law itself:
1° one who has lost the clerical state;
2° one who has publicly defected from the catholic faith or from communion with the Church;
3° a cleric who has attempted marriage, even a civil one.
§2 The removal mentioned in nn. 2 and 3 can be insisted upon only if it is established by a declaration of the competent authority.
