The Tasks of the College of Consultors in the Administration of Church Property

Sa？etak In this article, the author presents the tasks of the college of consultors in assisting the diocesan bishop in the administration of Church property of a diocese and of public legal persons that are subordinate to the diocesan bishop. The diocesan bishop wields wide authority in exercising his office (see cann. 381; 391–393). However, when it comes to some acts that carry a certain importance for the diocese or for public legal persons that are subordinate to him, he has the obligation to ask for advice from some special bodies or persons, while in some cases he has to have their explicit agreement. According to the general canon law, there are two bodies of participation, cooperation, and co？responsibility at the diocesan level with the task of assisting the diocesan bishop in administration of Church property: the finance council (see cann. 492–494) and the college of consultors (see can. 502). In the administration of property of a diocese and public legal persons that are subordinate to the diocesan bishop, the tasks of the college of consultors are evident in the obligation to express agreement and in the obligation to express advice (opinion). According to the general law, the diocesan bishop has to ask for the agreement of the college of consultors in order to be able to carry out or allow certain acts of extraordinary administration and alienation (see cann. 1277; 1292, §§ 1 and 4; 1295; 1297). He also needs to seek advice in carrying out those tasks of administration that are of greater importance for the financial state of the diocese (see can. 1277). These concern both, dealings of general significance and individual cases, as well as the appointment and removal from the office (during his term) of the finance officer of the diocese (see can. 494, §§ 1–2). The obligation to seek agreement is legaly binding for the diocesan bishop, i.e., he cannot, due to the very ？validity？ of the deed, act against the opinion that has been formulated and expressed in accordance with the canonical regulations. Since the advice (opinion) does not carry the obligatory character, the diocesan bishop can diverge from it, if he comes to the judgement that this is necessary. The seeking of agreement and advice of the college of consultors is not only a matter of prudence, i.e., a way for a diocesan bishop or administrator to avoid acting alone, making mistakes (causing harm), and descending into arbitrariness. It is also something that is inspired by higher reasons, i.e., a way for a diocesan bishop to ensure real cooperation of persons who depend on him,