Code of Canon Law: text (original) (raw)

BOOK V : THE TEMPORAL GOODS OF THE CHURCH

Can.1254 §1 The catholic Church has the inherent right, independently of anysecular power, to acquire, retain, administer and alienate temporal goods, inpursuit of its proper objectives.

§2 Theseproper objectives are principally the regulation of divine worship, theprovision of fitting support for the clergy and other ministers, and thecarrying out of works of the sacred apostolate and of charity, especially for the needy.

Can.1255 The universal Church, as well as the Apostolic See, particular Churchesand all other public and private juridical persons are capable of acquiring,retaining, administering and alienating temporal goods, in accordance with thelaw.

Can.1256 Under the supreme authority of the Roman Pontiff, ownership of goods belongs to that juridical person which has lawfully acquired them.

Can.1257 §1 All temporal goods belonging to the universal Church, to the Apostolic See or to other public juridical persons in the Church, are ecclesiastical goods and are regulated by the canons which follow, as well as by their ownstatutes.

§2 Unless it is otherwise expressly provided, temporal goods belonging to a private juridical person are regulated by its own statutes, not by these canons.

Can.1258 In the canons which follow, the term Church signifies not only theuniversal Church or the Apostolic See, but also any public juridical person in the Church, unless the contrary is clear from the context or from the nature of the matter.