GodHeals:
Note: when you put your response inside the quote, it makes it much harder to respond. It also makes it harder to notice that you’ve asked anything.
A layman would not have been tried by the church. Galileo was.
Galileo wasn’t tried for just heresy. He was tried for disobedience. Laymen are not subject to obedience in the same way, and while they can be excommunicated for it, they can’t be punished by confinement for simple disobedience.
In 1965, Pope Paul VI discontinued the use of Minor Orders within the Roman Church (but not the other 20-something churches in Union with Rome). Since 1965, Roman Canon Law recognizes two legal states: Cleric and Layman, with Religious being a modifier to either.
Before 1965, Roman Canon Law recognized 4 legal states Religious Clergy (also called Regular Clerics), Secular Clergy (Clerics Secular), Clerks (Minor Clerics, Canons) and Religious (other than Regular Clerics), and laymen. Each of these groups has different rights under canon law, and different duties. And differences in who may try them.
Throughout most of pre-19th C Europe, clerks and clerics were immune to civil law. Many places had clerks immune into the 19th C, and many had clergy immune well into the 20th.
As for the minor order of Exorcist - it was usually the last minor order given before the subdeaconate. It is the point where one is given power by the church over demons, to cast them out. Every priest has that power, but so does every deacon. The modern ordinations include the power of exorcism as part of these orders. But it could be conferred separately, and often was. Note also, that the exorcism to be used was normally the minor exorcism of those studying to receive the sacraments of initiation. Major exorcism (the forcible removal of demons from a person possessed) has almost always been a clerical function, tho’ the senior assistants would be ordained exorcists.
In many cases, it was conferred just prior to the subdeaconate, as in hours or minutes before.
The Roman ordinations and their type, from least to greatest:* 1st Tonsure - minor (abolished by Pp.Paul VI in 1965)
- Porter - minor (abolished by Pp.Paul VI in 1965 - vestigial since the 900’s in the Roman Rite)
- Lector - minor - replaced by instituted order in 1965
- Acolyte - minor - replaced by instituted order in 1965
- Thurifer - minor (not common since 1100 - duties devolved upon the acolyte)(technically abolished by Pp.Paul VI in 1965)
- Cantor - minor (not common since 1400, and never ubiquitous. When not preset, devolves upon the lector) (technically abolished by Pp.Paul VI in 1965)
- Exorcist - minor (abolished by Pp.Paul VI in 1965)
- Subdeacon - special (abolished by Pp.Paul VI in 1965) - should have been minor, but was treated as a major order, despite the ritual being that of a minor order.
- Deacon - major
- Priest - major
- Bishop - major
Major orders are of biblical institution, and conferred by the ordaining bishop placing his hands upon the head of the ordained, then vesting.
Minor orders are not explicitly mentioned in the bible, tho’ lector, cantor, and acolyte are of jewish heritage. They are conferred by a hands-off blessing, and vesting, and then being handed the tools of their order.
Certain traditionalist religious communities are permitted to continue to use minor orders, as are the eastern churches in union with Rome. The FSSP and ICRSS ordain men to minor orders still. (The SSPX do so, but technically do not have permission.) Certain dominican priories still ordain minor orders. All the Eastern Churches in Union have minor orders, tho’ the extent to which they are used varies.
The Instituted Orders of Lector and Acolyte are equivalent to the minor orders, and start in 1965. They have the same duties as minor orders, but are still canonically laymen. And all Catholic Deacons are required to have held both for at least one year prior to ordination.
