Canon 495. §1 In each diocese there is to be established a council of priests, that is, a group of priests who represent the presbyterium and who are to be, as it were, the
Bishop’s senate. The council’s role is to assist the Bishop, in accordance with the law, in the governance of the diocese, so that the pastoral welfare of that portion of the people of God entrusted to the Bishop may be most effectively promoted.

§2 In vicariates and prefectures apostolic, the Vicar or Prefect is to appoint a council composed of at least three missionary priests, whose opinion, even by letter, he is to hear in the more serious affairs.

§1. In unaquaque dioecesi constituatur consilium presbyterale, coetus scilicet sacerdotum, qui tamquam senatus sit Episcopi, presbyterium repraesentans, cuius est Episcopum in regimine dioecesis ad normam iuris adiuvare, ut bonum pastorale portionis populi Dei ipsi commissae quam maxime provehatur.

§2. In vicariatibus et praefecturis apostolicis Vicarius vel Praefectus constituant consilium ex tribus saltem presbyteris missionariis, quorum sententiam, etiam per epistolam, audiant in gravioribus negotiis.

Canon 496. The council of priests is to have its own statutes. These are to be approved by the diocesan Bishop, having taken account of the norms laid down by the
Episcopal Conference.

Consilium presbyterale habeat propria statuta ab Episcopo dioecesano approbata, attentis normis ab Episcoporum conferentia prolatis.

Canon 497. As far as the designation of the members of the council of priests is concerned:

1° about half are to be freely elected by the priests themselves in accordance with the canons which follow and with the statutes;

2° some priests must, in accordance with the statutes, be members ex officio, that is belong to the council by reason of the office they hold;

3° the diocesan Bishop may freely appoint some others.

Ad designationem quod attinet sodalium consilii presbyteralis:

1° dimidia circiter pars libere eligatur a sacerdotibus ipsis, ad normam canonum qui sequuntur, necnon statutorum;

2° aliqui sacerdotes, ad normam statutorum, esse debent membra nata, qui scilicet ratione officii ipsis demandati ad consilium pertineant;

3° Episcopo dioecesano integrum est aliquos libere nominare.

Canon 498. §1 The following have the right to both an active and a passive voice in an election to the council of priests:

1° all secular priests incardinated in the diocese;

2° priests who are living in the diocese and exercise some useful office there, whether they be secular priests not incardinated in the diocese, or priest members of religious institutes or of societies of apostolic life.

§2 Insofar as the statutes so provide, the same right of election may be given to other priests who have a domicile or quasi-domicile in the diocese.

§1. Ius electionis tum activum tum passivum ad consilium presbyterale constituendum habent:

1° omnes sacerdotes saeculares in dioecesi incardinati;

2° sacerdotes saeculares in dioecesi non incardinati, necnon sacerdotes sodales alicuius instituti religiosi aut societatis vitae apostolicae, qui in dioecesi commorantes, in eiusdem bonum aliquod officium exercent.

§2. Quatenus statuta id provideant, idem ius electionis conferri potest aliis sacerdotibus, qui domicilium aut quasi-domicilium in dioecesi habent.

Canon 499. The manner of electing the members of the council of priests is to be determined by the statutes, and in such a way that as far as possible the priests of the presbyterium are represented, with special regard to the diversity of ministries and to the various regions of the diocese.

Modus eligendi membra consilii presbyteralis statutis determinandus est, ita quidem ut, quatenus id fieri possit, sacerdotes presbyterii repraesententur, ratione habita maxime diversorum ministeriorum variarumque dioecesis regionum.

Canon 500. §1 It is the prerogative of the diocesan Bishop to convene the council of priests, to preside over it, and to determine the matters to be discussed in it or to accept items proposed by the members.

§2 The council of priests has only a consultative vote. The diocesan Bishop is to consult it in matters of more serious moment, but he requires its consent only in the cases expressly defined in the law.

§3 The council of priests can never act without the diocesan Bishop. He alone can make public those things which have been decided in accordance with §2.

§1. Episcopi dioecesani est consilium presbyterale convocare, eidem praesidere atque quaestiones in eodem tractandas determinare auta membris propositas recipere.

§2. Consilium presbyterale gaudet voto tantum consultivo; Episcopus dioecesanus illud audiat in negotiis maioris momenti, eius autem consensu eget solummodo in casibus iure expresse definitis.

§3. Consilium presbyterale numquam agere valet sine Episcopo dioecesano, ad quem solum etiam cura spectat ea divulgandi quae ad normam §2 statuta sunt.

Canon 501. §1 The members of the council of priests are to be designated for a period specified in the statutes, subject however to the condition that over a five year period the council is renewed in whole or in part.

§2 When the see is vacant, the council of priests lapses and its functions are fulfilled by the college of consultors. The Bishop must reconstitute the council of priests within a year of taking possession.

§3 If the council of priests does not fulfil the office entrusted to it for the welfare of the diocese, or if it gravely abuses that office, it can be dissolved by the diocesan
Bishop, after consultation with the Metropolitan, in the case of a metropolitan see, the Bishop must first consult with the suffragan Bishop who is senior by promotion.
Within a year, however, the diocesan Bishop must reconstitute the council.

§1. Membra consilii presbyteralis designentur ad tempus, in statutis determinatum, ita tamen ut integrum consilium vel aliqua eius pars intra quinquennium renovetur.

§2. Vacante sede, consilium presbyterale cessat eiusque munera implentur a collegio consultorum; intra annum a capta possessione Episcopus debet consilium presbyterale noviter constituere.

§3. Si consilium presbyterale munus sibi in bonum dioecesis commissum non adimpleat aut eodem graviter abutatur, Episcopus dioecesanus, facta consultatione cum Metropolita, aut si de ipsa sede metropolitana agatur cum Episcopo suffraganeo promotione antiquiore, illud dissolvere potest, sed intra annum debet noviter constituere.

Canon 502. §1 From among the members of the council of priests, the diocesan Bishop freely appoints not fewer than six and not more than twelve priests, who are for five years to constitute the college of consultors. To it belong the functions determined by law; on the expiry of the five year period, however, it continues to exercise its functions until the new college is constituted.
[NB see Authentic Interpretation of canon 502 §1, 11.VII.1984]

§2 The diocesan Bishop presides over the college of consultors. If, however, the see is impeded or vacant, that person presides who in the interim takes the Bishop’s place or, if he has not yet been appointed, then the priest in the college of consultors who is senior by ordination.

§3 The Episcopal Conference can determine that the functions of the college of consultors be entrusted to the cathedral chapter.

§4 Unless the law provides otherwise, in a vicariate or prefecture apostolic the functions of the college of consultors belong to the council of the mission mentioned in can. 495 §2.

§1. Inter membra consilii presbyteralis ab Episcopo dioecesano libere nominantur aliqui sacerdotes, numero non minore quam sex nec maiore quam duodecim, qui collegium consultorum ad quinquennium constituant, cui competunt munera iure determinata; expleto tamen quinquennio munera sua propria exercere pergit usquedum novum collegium constituatur.

§2. Collegio consultorum praeest Episcopus dioecesanus; sede autem impedita aut vacante, is qui ad interim Episcopi locum tenet aut, si constitutus nondum fuerit, sacerdos ordinatione antiquior in collegio consultorum.

§3. Episcoporum conferentia statuere potest ut munera collegii consultorum capitulo cathedrali committantur.

§4. In vicariatu et praefectura apostolica munera collegii consultorum competunt consilio missionis, de quo in can. 495, §2, nisi aliud iure statuatur.