Canon 469. The diocesan curia is composed of those institutes and persons who assist the Bishop in governing the entire diocese, especially in directing pastoral action, in providing for the administration of the diocese, and in exercising judicial power.

Curia dioecesana constat illis institutis et personis, quae Episcopo operam praestant in regimine universae dioecesis, praesertim in actione pastorali dirigenda, in administratione dioecesis curanda, necnon in potestate iudiciali exercenda.

Canon 470. The appointment of those who fulfil an office in the diocesan curia belongs to the diocesan Bishop.

Nominatio eorum, qui officia in curia dioecesana exercent, spectat ad Episcopum dioecesanum.

Canon 471. All who are admitted to an office in the curia must:

1° promise to fulfil their office faithfully, as determined by law or by the Bishop;

2° observe secrecy within the limits and according to the manner determined by law or by the Bishop.

Omnes qui ad officia in curia admittuntur debent:

1° promissionem emittere de munere fideliter adimplendo, secundum rationem iure vel ab Episcopo determinatam;

2° secretum servare intra fines et secundum modum iure aut ab Episcopo determinatos.

Canon 472. The provisions of Book VII on ‘Processes’ are to be observed concerning cases and persons involved in the exercise of judicial power in the curia. The following canons are to be observed in what concerns the administration of the diocese.

Circa causas atque personas quae in curia ad exercitium potestatis iudicialis pertinent, serventur praescripta Libri VII De processibus de iis autem quae ad administrationem dioecesis spectant, serventur praescripta canonum qui sequuntur.

Canon 473. §1 The diocesan Bishop must ensure that everything concerning the administration of the whole diocese is properly coordinated and is directed in the way that will best achieve the good of that portion of the people of God entrusted to his care.

§2 The diocesan Bishop has the responsibility of coordinating the pastoral action of the Vicars general and episcopal Vicars. Where it is useful, he may appoint a
Moderator of the curia, who must be a priest Under the Bishop’s authority, the

Moderator is to coordinate activities concerning administrative matters and to ensure that the others who belong to the curia properly fulfil the offices entrusted to them.

§3 Unless in the Bishop’s judgement local conditions suggest otherwise, the Vicar general is to be appointed Moderator of the curia or, if there are several Vicars general, one of them.

§4 Where the Bishop judges it useful for the better promotion of pastoral action, he can establish an episcopal council, comprising the Vicars general and episcopal
Vicars.

§1. Episcopus dioecesanus curare debet ut omnia negotia quae ad universae dioecesis administrationem pertinent, debite coordinentur et ad bonum portionis populi Dei sibi commissae aptius procurandum ordinentur.

§2. Ipsius Episcopi dioecesani est coordinare actionem pastoralem Vicariorum sive generalium sive episcopalium; ubi id expediat, nominari potest Moderator curiae, qui sacerdos sit oportet, cuius est sub Episcopi auctoritate ea coordinare quae ad negotia administrativa tractanda attinent, itemque curare ut ceteri curiae addicti officium sibi commissum rite adimpleant.

§3. Nisi locorum adiuncta iudicio Episcopi aliud suadeant, Moderator curiae nominetur Vicarius generalis aut, si plures sint, unus ex Vicariis generalibus.

§4. Ubi id expedire iudicaverit, Episcopus, ad actionem pastoralem aptius fovendam, constituere potest consilium episcopale, constans scilicet Vicariis generalibus et Vicariis episcopalibus.

Canon 474. Acts of the curia which of their nature are designed to have a juridical effect must, as a requirement for validity, be signed by the

Ordinary from whom they emanate. They must also be signed by the chancellor of the curia or a notary. The chancellor is bound to notify the Moderator of the curia about these acts.

Acta curiae quae effectum iuridicum habere nata sunt, subscribi debent ab Ordinario a quo emanant, et quidem ad validitatem, ac simul a curiae cancellario vel notario; cancellarius vero Moderatorem curiae de actis certiorem facere tenetur.

Canon 475. §1 In each diocese the diocesan Bishop is to appoint a Vicar general to assist him in the governance of the whole diocese. The Vicar -general has ordinary power, in accordance with the following canons.

§2 As a general rule, one Vicar general is to be appointed, unless the size of the diocese, the number of inhabitants, or other pastoral reasons suggest otherwise.

§1. In unaquaque dioecesi constituendus est ab Episcopo dioecesano Vicarius generalis, qui, potestate ordinaria ad normam canonum qui sequuntur instructus, ipsum in universae dioecesis regimine adiuvet.

§2. Pro regula generali habeatur ut unus constituatur Vicarius generalis, nisi dioecesis amplitudo vel incolarum numerus aut aliae rationes pastorales aliud suadeant.

Canon 476. As often as the good governance of the diocese requires it, the diocesan
Bishop can also appoint one or more episcopal Vicars. These have the same ordinary power as the universal law gives to a Vicar general, in accordance with the following canons. The competence of an episcopal Vicar, however, is limited to a determined part of the diocese, or to a specific type of activity, or to the faithful of a particular rite, or to certain groups of people.

Quoties rectum dioecesis regimen id requirat, constitui etiam possunt ab Episcopo dioecesano unus vel plures Vicarii episcopales, qui nempe aut in determinata dioecesis parte aut in certo negotiorum genere aut quoad fideles determinati ritus vel certi personarum coetus, eadem gaudent potestate ordinaria, quae iure universali Vicario generali competit, ad normam canonum qui sequuntur.

Canon 477. §1 The Vicar general and the episcopal Vicar are freely appointed by the diocesan Bishop, and can be freely removed by him, without prejudice to can. 406.
An episcopal Vicar who is not an auxiliary Bishop, is to be appointed for a period of time, which is to be specified in the act of appointment.

§2 If the Vicar general is absent or lawfully impeded, the diocesan Bishop can appoint another to take his place. The same norm applies in the case of an episcopal
Vicar.

§1. Vicarius generalis et episcopalis libere ab Episcopo dioecesano nominantur et ab ipso libere removeri possunt, firmo praescripto can. 406; Vicarius episcopalis, qui non sit Episcopus auxiliaris, nominetur tantum ad tempus, in ipso constitutionis actu determinandum.

§2. Vicario generali absente vel legitime impedito, Episcopus dioecesanus alium nominare potest, qui eius vices suppleat; eadem norma applicatur pro Vicario episcopali.

Canon 478. §1 The Vicar general and the episcopal Vicar are to be priests of not less than thirty years of age, with a doctorate or licentiate in canon law or theology, or at
least well versed in these disciplines. They are to be known for their sound doctrine, integrity, prudence and practical experience.

§2 The office of Vicar general or episcopal Vicar may not be united with the office of canon penitentiary, nor may the office be given to blood relations of the Bishop up to the fourth degree.

§1. Vicarius generalis et episcopalis sint sacerdotes annos nati non minus triginta, in iure canonico aut theologia doctores vel licentiati vel saltem in iisdem disciplinis vere periti, sana doctrina, probitate, prudentia ac rerum gerendarum experientia commendati.

§2. Vicarii generalis et episcopalis munus componi non potest cum munere canonici paenitentiarii, neque committi consanguineis Episcopi usque ad quartum gradum.

Canon 479. §1 In virtue of his office, the Vicar general has the same executive power throughout the whole diocese as that which belongs by law to the diocesan Bishop: that is, he can perform all administrative acts, with the exception however of those which the Bishop has reserved to himself, or which by law require a special mandate of the Bishop.

§2 By virtue of the law itself, the episcopal Vicar has the same power as that mentioned in §1, but only for the determined part of the territory or type of activity, or for the faithful of the determined rite or group, for which he was appointed; matters which the Bishop reserves to himself or to the Vicar general, or which by law require a special mandate of the Bishop, are excepted.

§3 Within the limits of their competence, the Vicar general and the episcopal Vicar have also those habitual faculties which the Apostolic See has granted to the Bishop.
They may also execute rescripts, unless it is expressly provided otherwise, or unless the execution was entrusted to the Bishop on a personal basis.

§1. Vicario generali, vi officii, in universa dioecesi competit potestas exsecutiva quae ad Episcopum dioecesanum iure pertinet, ad ponendos scilicet omnes actus administrativos, iis tamen exceptis quos Episcopus sibi reservaverit vel qui ex iure requirant speciale Episcopi mandatum.

§2. Vicario episcopali ipso iure eadem competit potestas de qua in §1, sed quoad determinatam territorii partem aut negotiorum genus aut fideles determinati ritus vel coetus tantum pro quibus constitutus est, iis causis exceptis quas Episcopus sibi aut Vicario generali reservaverit, aut quae ex iure requirunt speciale Episcopi mandatum.

§3. Ad Vicarium generalem atque ad Vicarium episcopalem, intra ambitum eorum competentiae, pertinent etiam facultates habituales ab Apostolica Sede Episcopo concessae, necnon rescriptorum exsecutio, nisi aliud expresse cautum fuerit aut electa fuerit industria personae Episcopi dioecesani.

Canon 480. The Vicar general and episcopal Vicar must give a report to the diocesan
Bishop concerning more important matters, both those yet to be attended to and those already dealt with. They are never to act against the will and mind of the diocesan
Bishop.

Vicarius generalis et Vicarius episcopalis de praecipuis negotiis et gerendis et gestis Episcopo dioecesano referre debent, nec umquam contra voluntatem et mentem Episcopi dioecesani agant.

Canon 481. §1 The power of the Vicar general or episcopal Vicar ceases when the period of their mandate expires, or by resignation. In addition, but without prejudice to cann. 406 and 409, it ceases when they are notified of their removal by the diocesan Bishop, or when the episcopal see falls vacant.

§2 When the office of the diocesan Bishop is suspended, the power of the Vicar general and of the episcopal Vicar is suspended, unless they are themselves Bishops.

§1. Expirat potestas Vicarii generalis et Vicarii episcopalis expleto tempore mandati, renuntiatione, itemque, salvis can. 406 et 409, remotione eisdem ab Episcopo dioecesano intimata, atque sedis episcopalis vacatione.

§2. Suspenso munere Episcopi dioecesani, suspenditur potestas Vicarii generalis et Vicarii episcopalis, nisi episcopali dignitate aucti sint.

Canon 482. §1 In each curia a chancellor is to be appointed, whose principal office, unless particular law states otherwise, is to ensure that the acts of the curia are drawn up and dispatched, and that they are kept safe in the archive of the curia.

§2 If it is considered necessary, the chancellor may be given an assistant, who is to be called the vice-chancellor.

§3 The chancellor and vice-chancellor are automatically notaries and secretaries of the curia.

§1. In qualibet curia constituatur cancellarius, cuius praecipuum munus, nisi aliter iure particulari statuatur, est curare ut acta curiae redigantur et expediantur, atque eadem in curiae archivo custodiantur.

§2. Si necesse videatur, cancellario dari potest adiutor, cui nomen sit vice-cancellarii.

§3. Cancellarius necnon vice-cancellarius sunt eo ipso notarii et secretarii curiae.

Canon 483. §1 Besides the chancellor, other notaries may be appointed, whose writing or signature authenticates public documents. These notaries may be appointed for all acts, or for judicial acts alone, or only for acts concerning a particular issue or business.

§2 The chancellor and notaries must be of unblemished reputation and above suspicion. In cases which could involve the reputation of a priest, the notary must be a priest.

§1. Praeter cancellarium, constitui possunt alii notarii, quorum quidem scriptura seu subscriptio publicam fidem facit quod attinet sive ad quaelibet acta, sive ad acta iudicialia dumtaxat, sive ad acta certae causae aut negotii tantum.

§2. Cancellarius et notarii debent esse integrae famae et omni suspicione maiores; in causis quibus fama sacerdotis in discrimen vocari possit, notarius debet esse sacerdos.

Canon 484. The office of notary involves:

1° writing acts and documents concerning decrees, arrangements, obligations, and other matters which require their intervention;

2° faithfully recording in writing what is done, and signing the document, with a note of the place, the day, the month and the year;

3° while observing all that must be observed, showing acts or documents from the archives to those who lawfully request them, and verifying that copies conform to the original.

Officium notariorum est:

1° conscribere acta et instrumenta circa decreta, dispositiones, obligationes vel alia quae eorum operam requirunt;

2° in scriptis fideliter redigere quae geruntur, eaque cum significatione loci, diei, mensis et anni subsignare;

3° acta vel instrumenta legitime petenti ex regesto, servatis servandis, exhibere et eorum exempla cum autographo conformia declarare.

Canon 485. The chancellor and the other notaries can be freely removed by the diocesan
Bishop. They can be removed by a diocesan Administrator only with the consent of the college of consultors.

Cancellarius aliique notarii libere ab officio removeri possunt ab Episcopo dioecesano, non autem ab Administratore dioecesano, nisi de consensu collegii consultorum.

Canon 486. §1 All documents concerning the diocese or parishes must be kept with the greatest of care.

§2 In each curia there is to be established in a safe place a diocesan archive where documents and writings concerning both the spiritual and the temporal affairs of the diocese are to be properly filed and carefully kept under lock and key.

§3 An inventory or catalogue is to be made of documents kept in the archive, with a short synopsis of each document.

§1. Documenta omnia, quae dioecesim vel paroecias respiciunt, maxima cura custodiri debent.

§2. In unaquaque curia erigatur, in loco tuto, archivum seu tabularium dioecesanum, in quo instrumenta et scripturae quae ad negotia dioecesana tum spiritualia tum temporalia spectant, certo ordine disposita et diligenter clausa custodiantur.

§3. Documentorum, quae in archivo continentur, conficiatur inventarium seu catalogus, cum brevi singularum scripturarum synopsi.

Canon 487. §1 The archive must be locked, and only the Bishop and the chancellor are to have the key; no one may be allowed to enter unless with the permission of the
Bishop, or with the permission of both the Moderator of the curia and the chancellor.

§2 Persons concerned have the right to receive, personally or by proxy, an authentic written or photostat copy of documents which are of their nature public and which concern their own personal status.

§1. Archivum clausum sit oportet eiusque clavem habeant solum Episcopus et cancellarius; nemini licet illud ingredi nisi de Episcopi aut Moderatoris curiae simul et cancellarii licentia.

§2. Ius est iis quorum interest, documentorum, quae natura sua sunt publica quaeque ad statum suae personae pertinent, documentum authenticum scriptum vel photostaticum per se vel per procuratorem recipere.

Canon 488. It is not permitted to remove documents from the archive, except for a short time and with the permission of the Bishop or of both the Moderator of the curia and the chancellor.

Ex archivo non licet efferre documenta, nisi ad breve tempus tantum atque de Episcopi aut insimul Moderatoris curiae et cancellarii consensu.

Canon 489. §1 In the diocesan curia there is also to be a secret archive, or at least in the ordinary archive there is to be a safe or cabinet, which is securely closed and bolted and which cannot be removed. In this archive documents which are to be kept under secrecy are to be most carefully guarded.

§2 Each year documents of criminal cases concerning moral matters are to be destroyed whenever the guilty parties have died, or ten years have elapsed since a condemnatory sentence concluded the affair. A short summary of the facts is to be kept, together with the text of the definitive judgement.

§1. Sit in curia dioecesana archivum quoque secretum, aut saltem in communi archivo armarium seu scrinium, omnino clausum et obseratum, quod de loco amoveri nequeat, in quo scilicet documenta secreto servanda cautissime custodiantur.

§2. Singulis annis destruantur documenta causarum criminalium in materia morum, quarum rei vita cesserunt aut quae a decennio sententia condemnatoria absolutae sunt, retento facti brevi summario cum textu sententiae definitivae.

Canon 490. §1 Only the Bishop is to have the key of the secret archive.

§2 When the see is vacant, the secret archive or safe is not to be opened except in a case of real necessity, and then by the diocesan Administrator personally.

§3 Documents are not to be removed from the secret archive or safe.

§1. Archivi secreti clavem habeat tantummodo Episcopus.

§2. Sede vacante, archivum vel armarium secretum ne aperiatur, nisi in casu verae necessitatis, ab ipso Administratore dioecesano.

§3. Ex archivo vel armario secreto documenta ne efferantur.

Canon 491. §1 The diocesan Bishop is to ensure that the acts and documents of the archives of cathedral, collegiate, parochial and other churches in his territory are carefully kept and that two copies are made of inventories or catalogues. One of these copies is to remain in its own archive, the other is to be kept in the diocesan archive.

§2 The diocesan Bishop is to ensure that there is an historical archive in the diocese, and that documents which have an historical value are carefully kept in it and systematically filed.

§3 In order that the acts and documents mentioned in §§1 and 2 may be inspected or removed, the norms laid down by the diocesan Bishop are to be observed.

§1. Curet Episcopus dioecesanus ut acta et documenta archivorum quoque ecclesiarum cathedralium, collegiatarum, paroecialium, aliarumque in suo territorio exstantium diligenter serventur, atque inventaria seu catalogi conficiantur duobus exemplaribus, quorum alterum in proprio archivo, alterum in archivo dioecesano serventur.

§2. Curet etiam Episcopus dioecesanus ut in dioecesi habeatur archivum historicum atque documenta valorem historicum habentia in eodem diligenter custodiantur et systematice ordinentur.

§3. Acta et documenta, de quibus in §§1 et 2, ut inspiciantur aut efferantur, serventur normae ab Episcopo dioecesano statutae.

Canon 492. §1 In each diocese a finance committee is to be established, presided over by the diocesan Bishop or his delegate. It is to be composed of at least three of the faithful, expert in financial affairs and civil law, of outstanding integrity, and appointed by the Bishop.

§2 The members of the finance committee are appointed for five years but when this period has expired they may be appointed for further terms of five years.

§3 Persons related to the Bishop up to the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity are excluded from the finance committee.

§1. In singulis dioecesibus constituatur consilium a rebus oeconomicis, cui praesidet ipse Episcopus dioecesanus eiusve delegatus, et quod constat tribus saltem christifidelibus, in re oeconomica necnon in iure civili vere peritis et integritate praestantibus, ab Episcopo nominatis.

§2. Membra consilii a rebus oeconomicis ad quinquennium nominentur, sed expleto hoc tempore ad alia quinquennia assumi possunt.

§3. A consilio a rebus oeconomicis excluduntur personae quae cum Episcopo usque ad quartum gradum consanguinitatis vel affinitatis coniunctae sunt.

Canon 493. Besides the functions entrusted to it in Book V on ‘The Temporal Goods of the Church’, it is the responsibility of the finance committee to prepare each year a budget of income and expenditure over the coming year for the governance of the whole diocese, in accordance with the direction of the diocesan Bishop. It is also the responsibility of the committee to account at the end of the year for income and expenditure.

Praeter munera ipsi commissa in Libro V De bonis Ecclesiae temporalibus, consilii a rebus oeconomicis est quotannis, iuxta Episcopi dioecesani indicationes, rationem apparare quaestuum et erogationum quae pro universo dioecesis regimine anno venturo praevidentur, necnon, anno exeunte, rationem accepti et expensi probare.

Canon 494. §1 In each diocese a financial administrator is to be appointed by the
Bishop, after consulting the college of consultors and the finance committee. The financial administrator is to be expert in financial matters and of truly outstanding integrity.

§2 The financial administrator is to be appointed for five years, but when this period has expired, may be appointed for further terms of five years. While in office he or she is not to be removed except for a grave reason, to be estimated by the Bishop after consulting the college of consultors and the finance committee.

§3 It is the responsibility of the financial administrator, under the authority of the
Bishop, to administer the goods of the diocese in accordance with the plan of the finance committee, and to make those payments from diocesan funds which the
Bishop or his delegates have lawfully authorised.

§4 At the end of the year the financial administrator must give the finance committee an account of income and expenditure.

§1. In singulis dioecesibus ab Episcopo, auditis collegio consultorum atque consilio a rebus oeconomicis, nominetur oeconomus, qui sit in re oeconomica vere peritus et probitate prorsus praestans.

§2. Oeconomus nominetur ad quinquennium, sed expleto hoc tempore ad alia quinquennia nominari potest; durante munere, ne amoveatur nisi ob gravem causam ab Episcopo aestimandam, auditis collegio consultorum atque consilio a rebus oeconomicis.

§3. Oeconomi est, secundum rationem a consilio a rebus oeconomicis definitam, bona dioecesis sub auctoritate Episcopi administrare atque ex quaestu dioecesis constituto expensas facere, quas Episcopus aliive ab ipso deputati legitime ordinaverint.

§4. Anno vertente, oeconomus consilio a rebus oeconomicis rationem accepti et expensi reddere debet.