Induction of Parish Priest

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The assistant priest at my local church has been appointed by the Bishop to become Parish Priest at another church. He received a letter of appointment from the Bishop and it said that he has to be inducted as Parish Priest by reciting a set formula in front of the Dean, either privately or publicly, within eight weeks from the date of the letter. He has been trying to get in touch with the Dean to arrange this but to no avail. The eight-week deadline is tomorrow. Does anyone know if this eight week period is in Canon Law or whether it is more flexible? I’m worried that he won’t be validly the parish priest if it’s done outside of this time and therefore would he be able to confer the sacrament of confirmation validly to the schoolchildren next week?
 
The assistant priest at my local church has been appointed by the Bishop to become Parish Priest at another church. He received a letter of appointment from the Bishop and it said that he has to be inducted as Parish Priest by reciting a set formula in front of the Dean, either privately or publicly, within eight weeks from the date of the letter. He has been trying to get in touch with the Dean to arrange this but to no avail. The eight-week deadline is tomorrow. Does anyone know if this eight week period is in Canon Law or whether it is more flexible? I’m worried that he won’t be validly the parish priest if it’s done outside of this time and therefore would he be able to confer the sacrament of confirmation validly to the schoolchildren next week?
I would hope he’s contacted the Bishop by now, to let him know the Dean isn’t responding?
 
From vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P2R.HTM . More about it is at vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19880701_professio-fidei_en.html .

"TITLE V.

THE PROFESSION OF FAITH (Can. 833)

Can. 833 The following are obliged personally to make a profession of faith according to the formula approved by the Apostolic See:

1/ in the presence of the president or his delegate, all those who attend with either a deliberative or consultative vote an ecumenical or particular council, a synod of bishops, and a diocesan synod; the president, however, makes it in the presence of the council or synod;

2/ those promoted to the cardinalatial dignity, according to the statutes of the sacred college;

3/ in the presence of the one delegated by the Apostolic See, all those promoted to the episcopate as well as those who are equivalent to a diocesan bishop;

4/ in the presence of the college of consultors, the diocesan administrator;

5/ in the presence of the diocesan bishop or his delegate, vicars general, episcopal vicars, and judicial vicars;

6/ in the presence of the local ordinary or his delegate and at the beginning of their function, pastors, the rector of a seminary, and teachers of theology and philosophy in seminaries; those to be promoted to the order of the diaconate;

7/ in the presence of the grand chancellor or, in his absence, in the presence of the local ordinary or their delegates, the rector of an ecclesiastical or Catholic university, when the rector’s function begins; in the presence of the rector if he is a priest or in the presence of the local ordinary or their delegates, teachers in any universities whatsoever who teach disciplines pertaining to faith or morals, when they begin their function;

8/ Superiors in clerical religious institutes and societies of apostolic life, according to the norm of the constitutions."
 
The assistant priest at my local church has been appointed by the Bishop to become Parish Priest at another church. He received a letter of appointment from the Bishop and it said that he has to be inducted as Parish Priest by reciting a set formula in front of the Dean, either privately or publicly, within eight weeks from the date of the letter. He has been trying to get in touch with the Dean to arrange this but to no avail. The eight-week deadline is tomorrow. Does anyone know if this eight week period is in Canon Law or whether it is more flexible? I’m worried that he won’t be validly the parish priest if it’s done outside of this time and therefore would he be able to confer the sacrament of confirmation validly to the schoolchildren next week?
I think it’s highly unlikely that he’ll “miss his opportunity” to be a parish priest. The Chancery will work it out.
Also, the Bishop confers Confirmation, not a parish priest unless it’s the Easter Vigil and the Bishop cannot be in many parishes on the same evening.
 
pianistclare;12970889t. said:
Actually, that doesn’t seem to be the case now, or perhaps it’s another difference between different countries.

Our parish priest has been conferring Confirmation for several years now, with the permission of both the previous Archbishop and the present one, and it’s always in May so Easter doesn’t come into it (although he also confirms at the Vigil as well).
 
Actually, that doesn’t seem to be the case now, or perhaps it’s another difference between different countries.

Our parish priest has been conferring Confirmation for several years now, with the permission of both the previous Archbishop and the present one, and it’s always in May so Easter doesn’t come into it (although he also confirms at the Vigil as well).
Must be an English thing. It’s not permitted in this Archdiocese. Also we don’t call it induction either. We have the Bishop come for a Pastor’s installation…but that’s generally about a month or so after the new pastor has arrived, and is more of a celebration than any thing necessary for him to begin work.
At any rate, it’s odd that if your area warrants it, that no one seems to be on top of it and getting it done. 🤷
 
Certainly not an English thing. Our Parish Priest only confirms at the Easter Vigil. The Bishop or Auxillary Bishop comes to the Parish each year to confirm our young people. I have never heard of a parish priest confirming outside the Easter Vigil.

Our last two Parish Priests had an induction mass where they promised in the presence of the Bishop to shepherd the parish and were officially handed the keys to the parish, but in both cases this happened after they had been in the parish for some time.
 
Let the priest work it out with the dean and/or bishop. It’s really no one else’s concern.
 
Certainly not an English thing. Our Parish Priest only confirms at the Easter Vigil. The Bishop or Auxillary Bishop comes to the Parish each year to confirm our young people. I have never heard of a parish priest confirming outside the Easter Vigil.

.
Ah well you see, in the Liverpool Archdiocese the old order of the initiation sacraments has been restored, that is to say, Confirmation before Holy Communion.

In practice, this means that the 7 to 8 year olds are confirmed and receive their First Holy Communion at the same ceremony. In our parish, this means 120 children spread out over 4 occasions/ two weekends.
 
Thanks for all your replies. The induction/installation will happen next week. The Vicar General got involved and is aware it’s over the eight week mark and has said as long as it’s in time for the confirmations it’s okay so it will fall on him if it is meant to be within eight weeks.

Yes pianistclare, I find it odd too!

I’m in a northern UK diocese and here it’s been allowed for Parish Priests to confirm for some time. In fact a previous Bishop allowed even assistant priests to confirm but that isn’t the case now.
 
Certainly not an English thing. Our Parish Priest only confirms at the Easter Vigil. The Bishop or Auxillary Bishop comes to the Parish each year to confirm our young people. I have never heard of a parish priest confirming outside the Easter Vigil…
Priest can be given those faculties ( as evidenced by their ability to validly confirm at Easter Vigil)
Can. 882 The ordinary minister of Confirmation is a bishop; a presbyter provided with this faculty in virtue of universal law or the special grant of the competent authority also confers this sacrament validly.
Easter Vigil is a case of universal law, but a bishop may provide, at his discretion, faculties to any priest in his diocese
In practice, this means that the 7 to 8 year olds are confirmed and receive their First Holy Communion at the same ceremony. In our parish, this means 120 children spread out over 4 occasions/ two weekends. .
Yes, that is the case in a neighboring diocese. Children are Confirmed at 7 before they receive Holy Communion. In fact, this is done at the same Mass. Confirmation just after the Homily, Holy Communion at the regular time. This is all done by the pastor at each parish.
 
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