Canon 1341. The Ordinary must start a judicial or an administrative procedure for the imposition or the declaration of penalties when he perceives that neither by the methods of pastoral care, especially fraternal correction, nor by a warning or correction, can justice be sufficiently restored, the offender reformed, and the scandal repaired.

Ordinarius proceduram iudicialem vel administrativam ad poenas irrogandas vel declarandas promovere debet cum perspexerit neque pastoralis sollicitudinis viis, praesertim fraterna correctione, neque monitione neque correptione satis posse iustitiam restitui, reum emendari, scandalum reparari.

Canon 1342. §1 Whenever there are just reasons against the use of a judicial procedure, a penalty can be imposed or declared by means of an extra-judicial decree, observing canon
1720, especially in what concerns the right of defence and the moral certainty in the mind of the one issuing the decree, in accordance with the provision of can. 1608. Penal remedies and penances may in any case whatever be applied by a decree.

§2. Perpetual penalties cannot be imposed or declared by means of a decree; nor can penalties which the law or precept establishing them forbids to be applied by decree.

§3. What the law or decree says of a judge in regard to the imposition or declaration of a penalty in a trial is to be applied also to a Superior who imposes or declares a penalty by an extra-judicial decree, unless it is otherwise clear, or unless there is question of provisions which concern only procedural matters.

§1. Quoties iustae obstent causae ne iudicialis processus fiat, poena irrogari vel declarari potest per decretum extra iudicium, servato can. 1720, praesertim quod attinet ad ius defensionis atque ad moralem certitudinem in animo eius qui decretum fert ad normam can. 1608. Remedia poenalia et paenitentiae applicari possunt per decretum in quolibet casu.

§2. Per decretum irrogari vel declarari non possunt poenae perpetuae, neque poenae quas lex vel praeceptum eas constituens vetet per decretum applicare.

§3. Quae in lege vel praecepto dicuntur de iudice, quod attinet ad poenam irrogandam vel declarandam in iudicio, applicanda sunt ad Superiorem, qui per decretum extra iudicium poenam irroget vel declaret, nisi aliter constet neque agatur de praescriptis quae ad procedendi tantum rationem attineant.

Canon 1343. If a law or precept grants the judge the faculty to apply or not to apply a penalty, he is, without prejudice to the provision of can. 1326 §3, to determine the matter
according to his own conscience and prudence, and in accordance with what the restoration of justice, the reform of the offender and the repair of scandal require; in such cases the judge may also, if appropriate, modify the penalty or in its place impose a penance.

Si lex aut praeceptum iudici facultatem concedat applicandi vel non applicandi poenam, iste, salvo praescripto can. 1326,§3, rem definiat, pro sua conscientia et prudentia, iuxta id quod expostulant iustitiae restitutio, rei emendatio et scandali reparatio; iudex autem his in casibus potest etiam, si res ferat, poenam temperare vel in eius locum paenitentiam imponere.

Canon 1344. Even though the law may use obligatory words, the judge may, according to his own conscience and prudence:

1° defer the imposition of the penalty to a more opportune time, if it is foreseen that greater evils may arise from a too hasty punishment of the offender, unless there is an urgent need to repair scandal;

2° abstain from imposing the penalty or substitute a milder penalty or a penance, if the offender has repented, as well as having repaired any scandal and harm caused, or if the offender has been or foreseeably will be sufficiently punished by the civil authority;

3° may suspend the obligation of observing an expiatory penalty, if the person is a first- offender after a hitherto blameless life, and there is no urgent need to repair scandal; this is, however, to be done in such a way that if the person again commits an offence within a time laid down by the judge, then that person must pay the penalty for both offences, unless in the meanwhile the time for prescription of a penal action in respect of the former offence has expired.

Etiamsi lex utatur verbis praeceptivis, iudex pro sua conscientia et prudentia potest:

1° poenae irrogationem in tempus magis opportunum differre, si ex praepropera rei punitione maiora mala eventura praevideantur, nisi necessitas urgeat scandalum reparandi;

2° a poena irroganda abstinere vel poenam mitiorem irrogare aut paenitentiam adhibere, si reus emendatus sit, necnon scandalum et damnum forte illatum reparaverit, aut si ipse satis a civili auctoritate punitus sit vel punitum iri praevideatur;

3° obligationem servandi poenam expiatoriam suspendere, si reus primum post vitam laudabiliter peractam deliquerit neque necessitas urgeat reparandi scandalum, ita tamen ut, si reus intra tempus ab ipso iudice determinatum rursus deliquerit, poenam utrique delicto debitam luat, nisi interim tempus decurrerit ad actionis poenalis pro priore delicto praescriptionem.

Canon 1345. Whenever the offender had only an imperfect use of reason, or committed the offence out of necessity or grave fear or in the heat of passion or, without prejudice to the provision of can. 1326 §1 n. 4, with a mind disturbed by drunkenness or a similar cause, the judge can refrain from inflicting any punishment if he considers that the person’s reform may be better accomplished in some other way; the offender, however, must be punished if there is no other way to provide for the restoration of justice and the repair of any scandal that may have been caused.

Quoties delinquens vel usum rationis imperfectum tantum habuerit, vel delictum ex necessitate vel gravi metu aut passionis aestu vel, salvo praescripto can. 1326,§1, n. 4, in ebrietate aliave simili mentis perturbatione patraverit, iudex potest etiam a qualibet punitione irroganda abstinere, si censeat aliter posse melius consuli eius emendationi; reus tamen puniri debet si aliter ad iustitiam restituendam, et scandalum forte illatum reparandum provideri non possit.

Canon 1346. §1 Ordinarily there are as many penalties as there are offences.

§2 Nevertheless, whenever the offender has committed a number of offences and the sum of penalties which should be imposed seems excessive, it is left to the prudent decision of the judge to moderate the penalties in an equitable fashion, and to place the offender under vigilance.

§1. Ordinarie tot poenae quot delicta.

§2. Quoties vero reus plura delicta patraverit, si nimius videatur poenarum ferendae sententiae cumulus, prudenti iudicis arbitrio relinquitur poenas intra aequos terminos moderari, et eum vigilantiae subicere.

Canon 1347. §1 A censure cannot validly be imposed unless the offender has beforehand received at least one warning to purge the contempt, and has been allowed suitable time to do so.

§2 The offender is said to have purged the contempt if he or she has truly repented of the offence and has made suitable reparation for the scandal and harm, or at least seriously promised to make it.

§1. Censura irrogari valide nequit, nisi antea reus semel saltem monitus sit ut a contumacia recedat, dato congruo ad resipiscentiam tempore.

§2. A contumacia recessisse dicendus est reus, quem delicti vere paenituerit, quique praeterea congruam scandali et damni reparationem dederit vel saltem id praestare serio promiserit.

Canon 1348. When the person has been found not guilty of an accusation, or where no penalty has been imposed, the Ordinary may provide for the person’s welfare and for the
common good by opportune warnings or other solicitous means, and even, if the case calls for it, by the use of penal remedies.

Cum reus ab accusatione absolvitur vel nulla poena ei irrogatur, Ordinarius potest opportunis monitis aliisque pastoralis sollicitudinis viis, vel etiam, si res ferat, poenalibus remediis eius utilitati et publico bono consulere.

Canon 1349. If a penalty is indeterminate, and if the law does not provide otherwise, the judge in determining the penalties is to choose those which are proportionate to the scandal caused and the gravity of the harm; he is not however to impose graver penalties, unless the seriousness of the case really demands it. He may not impose penalties which are perpetual.

Si poena sit indeterminata neque aliud lex caveat, iudex in poenis determinandis eas eligat quae inducto scandalo et damni gravitati proportionatae sint; poenas tamen graviores ne irroget, nisi casus gravitas id omnino postulet; perpetuas autem poenas irrogare non potest.

Canon 1350. §1 In imposing penalties on a cleric, except in the case of dismissal from the clerical state, care must always be taken that he does not lack what is necessary for his worthy support.

§2 If a person is truly in need because he has been dismissed from the clerical state, the
Ordinary is to provide in the best way possible, but not by the conferral of an office, ministry or function.

§1. In poenis clerico irrogandis semper cavendum est, ne iis quae ad honestam sustentationem sunt necessaria ipse careat, nisi agatur de dimissione e statu clericali.

§2. Dimisso autem e statu clericali, qui propter poenam vere indigeat, Ordinarius meliore quo fieri potest modo providere curet, exclusa vero collatione officii, ministerii vel muneris.

Canon 1351. A penalty binds an offender everywhere, even when the right of the one who established, imposed or declared it has ceased, unless it is otherwise expressly provided.

Poena reum ubique tenet, etiam resoluto iure eius qui poenam constituit, irrogavit vel declaravit, nisi aliud expresse caveatur.

Canon 1352. §1 If a penalty prohibits the reception of the sacraments or sacramentals, the prohibition is suspended for as long as the offender is in danger of death.

§2 The obligation of observing a latae sententiae penalty which has not been declared, and is not notorious in the place where the offender actually is, is suspended either in whole or in part to the extent that the offender cannot observe it without the danger of grave scandal or loss of good name.

§1. Si poena prohibeat recipere sacramenta vel sacramentalia, prohibitio suspenditur, quamdiu reus in mortis periculo versatur.

§2. Obligatio servandi poenam latae sententiae, quae neque declarata sit neque sit notoria in loco ubi delinquens versatur, eatenus ex toto vel ex parte suspenditur, quatenus reus eam servare nequeat sine periculo gravis scandali vel infamiae.

Canon 1353. An appeal or a recourse against judgements of a court or against decrees which impose or declare any penalty has a suspensive effect.

Appellatio vel recursus a sententiis iudicialibus vel a decretis, quae poenam quamlibet irrogent vel declarent, habent effectum suspensivum.