The training of members of religious institutes for ordained ministry according to the current law of the Church

The development of this dissertation stems from the Second Vatican Council's decree on priestly formation, Optatam totius. This decree affirms the unity of the sacrament of sacred orders while recognizing the need to adapt the program of priestly formation for reasons of geography, ritual, or clearer articulation with regard to a given form of consecrated life. The same council's decree on the renewal of religious life, Perfectae caritatis calls each institute to claim its proper character through recognition and acceptance of the aims of its founder and the sound traditions of the institute.;The argument is approached from two perspectives. The first reflects the issue as found in the common law of the Church. This perspective presents the pertinent material of the 1917 code as well as additional papal and congregational documentation. Subsequently, the Second Vatican Council, calling for renewal and adaptation of the training of priestly candidates and candidates of religious institutes, presented the decrees Optatam totius and Perfectae caritatis. Likewise, the development of post-conciliar legislation concerning this argument is found in Ratio fundamentalis institutionis sacerdotalis for the universal Church and its particularization in the Program of Priestly Formation of the United States. Further, this perspective reflects the current legislation of the 1983 code and clearly articulates the framework given to religious institutes for the training of their members for lifestyle and ordained ministry.;The second involves an application of the common law by three unique expressions in the historical development of religious life: the Cistercians of Strict Observance, the Hospitaller Order of St. John of God, and the Society of Jesus. This perspective affords the reader an opportunity to view how the principles of formation used by each institute not only fulfill the mandates of the common law in preparing candidates as religious for ordained ministry, but also views those elements of three proper laws providing strength for the religious identity of their candidates preparing for sacred orders.;The conclusion of the dissertation focuses attention on the current status of the question which is still in process. It raises issues and suggests possible solutions to be generated by institutes of consecrated life in forming ius vigens.