Canon 578. The whole patrimony of an institute must be faithfully preserved by all.
This patrimony is comprised of the intentions of the founders, of all that the competent ecclesiastical authority has approved concerning the nature, purpose, spirit and character of the institute, and of its sound traditions.

Fundatorum mens atque proposita a competenti auctoritate ecclesiastica sancita circa naturam, finem, spiritum et indolem instituti, necnon eius sanae traditiones, quae omnia patrimonium eiusdem instituti constituunt, ab omnibus fideliter servanda sunt.

Canon 579. Diocesan Bishops can, by formal decree, validly establish institutes of consecrated life in their own territories, if the prior permission of the Apostolic See has been given in writing.
[revised wording according to m.p. Authenticum charismatis, 1.XI.2020]

[NB see Rescript “ex audientia Ss.mi” of 15 June 2022 requiring the diocesan bishop, before erecting – by decree – a public association of the faithful with a view to becoming an institute of consecrated life or a society of apostolic life, to obtain the written permission of the Dicastery of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic
Life]

Episcopi dioecesani, in suo quisque territorio, instituta vitae consecratae formali decreto valide erigere possunt, praevia licentia Sedis Apostolicae scripto data.

Canon 580. The aggregation of one institute of consecrated life to another is reserved to the competent authority of the aggregating institute, always safeguarding the canonical autonomy of the other institute.

Aggregatio alicuius instituti vitae consecratae ad aliud reservatur competenti auctoritati instituti aggregantis, salva semper canonica autonomia instituti aggregati.

Canon 581. It is for the competent authority of the institute to divide the institute into parts, by whatever name these may be called, to establish new parts, or to unite or otherwise modify those in existence, in accordance with the constitutions.

Dividere institutum in partes, quocumque nomine veniant, novas erigere, erectas coniungere vel aliter circumscribere ad competentem instituti auctoritatem pertinet, ad normam constitutionum.

Canon 582. Fusions and unions of institutes of consecrated life are reserved to the
Apostolic See alone. To it are likewise reserved confederations or federations.

Fusiones et uniones institutorum vitae consecratae uni Sedi Apostolicae reservantur; eidem quoque reservantur confoederationes et foederationes.

Canon 583. Changes in institutes of consecrated life which affect elements previously approved by the Apostolic See, cannot be made without the permission of the same
See.

Immutationes in institutis vitae consecratae ea afficientes, quae a Sede Apostolica approbata fuerunt, absque eiusdem licentia fieri nequeunt.

Canon 584. Only the Apostolic See can suppress an institute and dispose of its temporal goods.

Institutum supprimere ad unam Sedem Apostolicam spectat, cui etiam reservatur de eius bonis temporalibus statuere.

Canon 585. The competent authority of an institute can suppress parts of the same institute.

Instituti partes supprimere ad auctoritatem competentem eiusdem instituti pertinet.

Canon 586. §1 A true autonomy of life, especially of governance, is recognised for each institute. This autonomy means that each institute has its own discipline in the
Church and can preserve whole and entire the patrimony described in can. 578.

§2 Local Ordinaries have the responsibility of preserving and safeguarding this autonomy.

§1. Singulis institutis iusta autonomia vitae, praesertim regiminis, agnoscitur, qua gaudeant in Ecclesia propria disciplina atque integrum servare valeant suum patrimonium, de quo in can. 578.

§2. Ordinariorum locorum est hanc autonomiam servare ac tueri.

Canon 587. §1 To protect more faithfully the vocation and identity of each institute, the fundamental code or constitutions of the institute are to contain, in addition to those elements which are to be preserved in accordance with can. 578, basic norms about the governance of the institute, the discipline of the members, the admission and formation of members, and the proper object of their sacred bonds.

§2 This code is approved by the competent ecclesiastical authority, and can be changed only with the consent of the same.

§3 In the constitutions, the spiritual and juridical elements are to be aptly harmonised. Norms, however, are not to be multiplied without necessity.

§4 Other norms which are established by the competent authority of the institute are to be properly collected in other codes, but these can be conveniently reviewed and adapted according to the needs of time and place.

§1. Ad propriam singulorum institutorum vocationem et identitatem fidelius tuendam, in cuiusvis instituti codice fundamentali seu constitutionibus contineri debent, praeter ea quae in can. 578 servanda statuuntur, normae fundamentales circa instituti regimen et sodalium disciplinam, membrorum incorporationem atque institutionem, necnon proprium sacrorum ligaminum obiectum.

§2. Codex huiusmodi a competenti auctoritate Ecclesiae approbatur et tantummodo cum eiusdem consensu mutari potest.

§3. In hoc codice elementa spiritualia et iuridica apte componantur; normae tamen absque necessitate ne multiplicentur.

§4. Ceterae normae a competenti instituti auctoritate statutae apte in aliis codicibus colligantur, quae tamen iuxta exigentias locorum et temporum congrue recognosci et aptari possunt.

Canon 588. §1 In itself, the state of consecrated life is neither clerical nor lay.

§2 A clerical institute is one which, by reason of the end or purpose intended by the founder, or by reason of lawful tradition, is under the governance of clerics, presupposes the exercise of sacred orders, and is recognised as such by ecclesiastical authority.

§3 A lay institute is one which is recognised as such by ecclesiastical authority because, by its nature, character and purpose, its proper role, defined by its founder or by lawful tradition, does not include the exercise of sacred orders.

§1. Status vitae consecratae, suapte natura, non est nec clericalis nec laicalis.

§2. Institutum clericale illud dicitur quod, ratione finis seu propositi a fundatore intenti vel vi legitimae traditionis, sub moderamine est clericorum, exercitium ordinis sacri assumit, et qua tale ab Ecclesiae auctoritate agnoscitur.

§3. Institutum vero laicale illud appellatur quod, ab Ecclesiae auctoritate qua tale agnitum, vi eius naturae, indolis et finis munus habet proprium, a fundatore vel legitima traditione definitum, exercitium ordinis sacri non includens.

Canon 589. An institute of consecrated life is of pontifical right if it has been established by the Apostolic See, or approved by it by means of a formal decree. An institute is of diocesan right if it has been established by the diocesan Bishop and has not obtained a decree of approval from the Apostolic See.

Institutum vitae consecratae dicitur iuris pontificii, si a Sede Apostolica erectum aut per eiusdem formale decretum approbatum est; iuris vero dioecesani, si ab Episcopo dioecesano erectum, approbationis decretum a Sede Apostolica non est consecutum.

Canon 590. §1 Institutes of consecrated life, since they are dedicated in a special way to the service of God and of the whole Church, are in a particular manner subject to its supreme authority.

§2 The individual members are bound to obey the Supreme Pontiff as their highest
Superior, by reason also of their sacred bond of obedience.

§1. Instituta vitae consecratae, utpote ad Dei totiusque Ecclesiae servitium speciali modo dicata, supremae eiusdem auctoritati peculiari ratione subduntur.

§2. Singuli sodales Summo Pontifici, tamquam supremo eorum Superiori, etiam ratione sacri vinculi oboedientiae parere tenentur.

Canon 591. The better to ensure the welfare of institutes and the needs of the apostolate, the Supreme Pontiff, by virtue of his primacy in the universal Church, and with a view to the common good, can withdraw institutes of consecrated life from the
governance of local Ordinaries and subject them to himself alone, or to some other ecclesiastical authority.

Quo melius institutorum bono atque apostolatus necessitatibus provideatur, Summus Pontifex, ratione sui in universam Ecclesiam primatus, intuitu utilitatis communis, instituta vitae consecratae ab Ordinariorum loci regimine eximere potest sibique soli vel alii ecclesiasticae auctoritati subicere.

Canon 592. §1 To promote closer union between institutes and the Apostolic See, each supreme Moderator is to send a brief account of the state and life of the institute to the same Apostolic See, in the manner and at the time it lays down.

§2 Moderators of each institute are to promote a knowledge of the documents issued by the Holy See which affect the members entrusted to them, and are to ensure that these documents are observed.

§1. Quo melius institutorum communio cum Sede Apostolica foveatur, modo et tempore ab eadem statutis, quilibet supremus Moderatur brevem conspectum status et vitae instituti eidem Apostolicae Sedi mittat.

§2. Cuiuslibet instituti Moderatores promoveant notitiam documentorum Sanctae Sedis, quae sodales sibi concreditos respiciunt, eorumque observantiam curent.

Canon 593. In their internal governance and discipline, institutes of pontifical right are subject directly and exclusively to the authority of the Apostolic See, without prejudice to can. 586.

Firmo praescripto can. 586, instituta iuris pontificii quoad regimen internum et disciplinam immediate et exclusive potestati Sedis Apostolicae subiciuntur.

Canon 594. An institute of diocesan right remains under the special care of the diocesan
Bishop, without prejudice to can. 586.

Institutum iuris dioecesani, firmo can. 586, permanet sub speciali cura Episcopi dioecesani.

Canon 595. §1 It is the Bishop of the principal house who approves the constitutions, and confirms any changes lawfully introduced into them, except for those matters which the Apostolic See has taken in hand. He also deals with major affairs which exceed the power of the internal authority of the institute. If the institute had spread to other dioceses, he is in all these matters to consult with the other diocesan Bishops concerned.

§2 The diocesan Bishop can grant a dispensation from the constitutions in particular cases.

§1. Episcopi sedis principis est constitutiones approbare et immutationes in eas legitime introductas confirmare, salvis iis in quibus Apostolica Sedes manus apposuerit, necnon negotia maiora totum institutum respicientia tractare, quae potestatem internae auctoritatis superent, consultis tamen ceteris Episcopis dioecesanis, si institutum ad plures dioeceses propagatum fuerit.

§2. Episcopus dioecesanus potest dispensationes a constitutionibus concedere in casibus particularibus.

Canon 596. §1 Superiors and Chapters of institutes have that authority over the members which is defined in the universal law and in the constitutions.

§2 In clerical religious institutes of pontifical right, Superiors have in addition the ecclesiastical power of governance, for both the external and the internal forum.

§3 The provisions of cann. 131,133 and 137-144 apply to the authority mentioned in
§1.

§1. Institutorum Superiores et capitula in sodales ea gaudent potestate, quae iure universali et constitutionibus definitur.

§2. In institutis autem religiosis clericalibus iuris pontificii pollent insuper potestate ecclesiastica regiminis pro foro tam externo quam interno.

§3. Potestati de qua in §1 applicantur praescripta can. 131, 133 et 137-144.

Canon 597. §1 Every catholic with a right intention and the qualities required by universal law and the institute’s own law, and who is without impediment, may be admitted to an institute of consecrated life.

§2 No one may be admitted without suitable preparation.

§1. In vitae consecratae institutum admitti potest quilibet catholicus, recta intentione praeditus, qui qualitates habeat iure universali et proprio requisitas nulloque detineatur impedimento.

§2. Nemo admitti potest sine congrua praeparatione.