Below is Bishop Caggiano’s decree for the Association of Carmelites of Mary Ever Virgin.
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please click here to download the Decree for the Association of Carmelites of Mary Ever Virgin.
By the Grace of God and the Authority of the Apostolic See
Bishop of Bridgeport
DECREE OF RECOGNITION
AND APPROVAL OF THE STATUTES
OF
THE ASSOCIATION OF
CARMELITES OF MARY EVER VIRGIN
A PRIVATE ASSOCIATION OF THE FAITHFUL
WHEREAS a group of faithful in the Diocese of Bridgeport have come together by mutual agreement, as per c. 299 §1 of the Code of Canon Law, to establish a private association, and;
WHEREAS the private association will bear the name of Carmelites of Mary Ever Virgin, and;
WHEREAS proper statutes have been redacted for such purpose, and have been reviewed and are hereby approved by me;
THEREFORE in virtue of c. 299, I, Most Reverend Frank J. Caggiano, fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, by this decree, hereby recognize the Carmelites of Mary Ever Virgin as a Private Association of the Christian faithful in the Diocese of Bridgeport which is to enjoy the same rights as any canonically established private association of the faithful in the diocese in favor of the spiritual and pastoral needs of the People of God entrusted to my care and for the purposes outlined in its Statutes.
With this recognition, I make it known to the Association, in accord with cc. 305 §1 and 323 §2, that it is my responsibility, as Diocesan Bishop, to exercise vigilance so that:
- the goods of the association are used for its proper purposes
- the integrity of faith and morals is preserved in the association
- the dissipation of energies of the association is avoided
- the exercise of the apostolate of the association is ordered to the common good
All the Members of the Association enjoy the right to exercise the forms of piety and pastoral activity defined in the statutes in accord with universal and particular law.
I impart my apostolic blessing upon the members of the Association. I also encourage other members of the faithful of the diocese to join in the apostolic work of the new Association (c. 298 §2).
Given at the Catholic Center, Bridgeport, CT on the Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles, October 28, 2022.
Regarding the Promulgation of Particular Law in the Diocese of Bridgeport
I, Most Reverend Frank J. Caggiano, Fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, establish the following regarding the promulgation of particular law in the Diocese of Bridgeport:
WHEREAS the Diocesan Bishop is the proper legislator in his own diocese, and;
WHEREAS particular law in the diocese is to be established by his authority and subsequently is to be promulgated as stipulated in accord with universal law of the Latin Church, and;
WHEREAS there may arise questions as to when particular law begins to bind in practice on its respective subjects;
In order to clarify any dubia,
I DO HEREBY DECREE that,
- Particular law in the Diocese of Bridgeport is to be established by the Diocesan Bishop through official decree, and that;
- Such particular law, legitimately established, is to be promulgated by publication on the official website of the Diocese of Bridgeport, and that;
- Such law begins to bind, as a general norm, on the day that it appears as published on the official diocesan website, unless a contrary indication has been stipulated in the decree of establishment of the law.
Certain particular laws may also, at the discretion of the Diocesan Bishop, be published in the Fairfield County Catholic -official paper of the Diocese of Bridgeport- nonetheless, publication in the paper does not constitute promulgation but merely serves as a means of informing the faithful of the diocese, as a courtesy, that new law has been established.
Any earlier practice or custom of promulgation is hereby abrogated by this present decree.
I order that this decree be published on the official diocesan website and enter into force immediately.
Given at the Catholic Center of the Diocese of Bridgeport on the 28th day of October, Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles.
