Munus is a polysemous word. Among its multiple meanings are the following: (i) gift, present; (ii) duty, obligation, burden, tribute, service, function, task, chore, labor, occupation, office, work; and (iii) charge, assignment, position, post, office[i].
The term ministerium, for its part, is located in the semantic category of point (ii) above. There is, therefore, a synonymy between munus and ministerium, whenever these terms designate the realities of "service", "function", "task", "chore", etc. In categories (i) and (iii), however, there is no synonymy, but rather semantic disparity, between munus and ministerium. The synonymy between both words is then partial, not total.
Let us note that the word office (in Latin officium) appears in both category (ii) and (iii). In effect, officium means either a task, function or occupation (ii), or the assignment, post or position from which said task is carried out (iii).
Along these lines, it is clear that munus in its meaning (iii) constitutes a "global" reality in relation to munus in its meaning (ii). The fact is that a charge, assignment or post –that is, a certain position within a juridical/administrative structure– is a "whole" that involves multiple functions or tasks; these, in turn, are the "parts" of the position. Thus, for example, the position or munus of President of the Republic –meaning (iii)– involves the functions, munus or ministerium –meaning (ii)– of sanctioning laws, issuing administrative acts, directing the military forces, appointing the senior central government officials etc.
Placed in the context of the Catholic Church, canon 145 § 1 of the Code of Canon Law (CCL) indicates us that an ecclesiastical office (officium ecclesiasticum) is any position –munus in the meaning (iii)– characterized by its stability, divine or ecclesiastical institution and spiritual purpose[ii]. Examples of offices/positions abound in the various ecclesiastical structures –munus in the meaning (iii)–: Roman Pontiff; Prefect; Pontifical Legacy; Metropolitan; Diocesan Bishop; Auxiliary Bishop; Judicial Vicar; Diocesan Judge; Moderator, Chancellor, Notary and Treasurer of the Diocesan Curia; Prelate; Archpriest; Parish priest; Parish Vicar; Rector, Vice Rector, Bursar and Seminary Teacher; Superior of Religious Institute or Society of Apostolic Life; Director of Secular Institute of Consecrated Life etc. There are also multiple functions or ministerium linked to said ecclesiastical offices/positions –munus in the meaning (ii)–: pastoral ministry; magisterial ministry; sacramental ministry; legislative ministry; judicial ministry; ministry of economic administration; teaching ministry; apostolic/evangelization ministry etc. One single ecclesiastical office or position can encompass several ministries –this is the case of the Diocesan Bishops, and particularly of the Roman Pontiff/Bishop of Rome, who are fully responsible for the sacramental/sanctification, magisterial and government ministries–, and in fact, it is possible that the exercise of one or more ministries occurs outside of an ecclesiastical office or position –this occurs, for example, with the sacramental ministry, when it is deployed by a priest or bishop retired from the respective position–.
The semantic distinctions that we have been discussing are reflected in abundant provisions of the CDC[iii]. Let us look at a few examples[iv]:
Munus as ministerium: service, function, task, chore, labor, ocupation, work –meaning (ii)– |
Ministerium | Munus as officium ecclesiasticum: charge, post, position –meaning (iii)– |
C. 256 § 1: “Students are to be diligently instructed in those things which in a peculiar way refer to the sacred ministry, especially in the practice of the catechetical and homiletical method, in the divine worship and particularly in the celebration of the sacraments, in the relationships with men, even non-Catholics or non-believers, in the administration of a parish and in the fulfillment of the other tasks” / “Diligenter instruantur alumni in iis quae peculiari ratione ad sacrum ministerium spectant, praesertim in arte catechetica et homiletica exercenda, in cultu divino peculiarique modo in sacramentis celebrandis, in commercio cum hominibus, etiam non catholicis vel non credentibus, habendo, in paroecia administranda atque in ceteris muneribus adimplendis”. C. 375 § 2: “By the episcopal consecration, along with the function of sanctifying, the Bishops also receive the functions of teaching and governing, which, however, by their very nature, can only be exercised in hierarchical communion with the head and with the members of the College” / “Episcopi ipsa consecratione episcopali recipiunt cum munere sanctificandi munera quoque docendi et regendi, quae tamen natura sua nonnisi in hierarchica communione cum Collegii capite et membris exercere possunt”. C. 756: “§ 1 Regarding the universal Church, the function of proclaiming the Gospel has been entrusted mainly to the Roman Pontiff and to the Episcopal College. § 2. In relation to the particular Church entrusted to him, each Bishop, who is certainly, within it, the moderator of the entire ministry of the word, exercises this function […]” / “§ 1 Quoad universam Ecclesiam munus Evangelii annuntiandi praecipue Romano Pontifici et Collegio Episcoporum commissum est. § 2 Quoad Ecclesiam particularem sibi concreditam illud munus exercent singuli Episcopi, qui quidem totius ministerii verbi in eadem sunt moderatores […]”. C. 1333 § 1: “The suspension, which can only affect clerics, prohibits: […] 3.º the exercise of either all or some of the rights or functions inherent to an office” / “Suspensio, quae clericos tantum afficere potest, vetat: […] 3.º exercitium vel omnium vel aliquorum iurium vel munerum officio inhaerentium”. | C. 41: “The executor of an administrative act, who is merely entrusted with the service of executing it, cannot deny its execution […]” / “Exsecutor actus administrativi cui committitur merum exsecutionis ministerium, exsecutionem huius actus denegare non potest […]”. C. 230 § 3: “Where the need of the Church advises it and ministers are lacking, also the laity, even if they are not readers or acolytes, can supply them in some of their functions, meaning, exercise the ministry of the word, preside over the liturgical prayers, administer baptism and give Holy Communion […]” / “Ubi Ecclesiae necessitas id suadeat, deficientibus ministris, possunt etiam laici, etsi non sint lectores vel acolythi, quaedam eorundem officia supplere, videlicet ministerium verbi exercere, precibus liturgicis praeesse, baptismum conferre atque sacram Communionem distribuere […]”. C. 232: “The Church has the duty, and the own and exclusive right, to form those who are destined for the sacred ministries” / “Ecclesiae officium est atque ius proprium et exclusivum eos instituendi, qui ad ministeria sacra deputantur”. C. 245 § 1: “Through spiritual formation, students must be qualified to exercise the pastoral ministry with profit […]” / “Per formationem spiritualem alumni idonei fiant ad ministerium pastorale fructuose exercendum et ad spiritum missionalem efformentur […]”. C. 385 CDC: “May the diocesan Bishop encourage with all his might the vocations to the various ministries and to consecrated life, paying special attention to priestly and missionary vocations” / “Episcopus dioecesanus vocationes ad diversa ministeria et ad vitam consecratam quam maxime foveat, speciali cura vocationibus sacerdotalibus et missionalibus adhibita”. C. 1502: “Whoever wishes to sue someone must submit a writing to the competent judge indicating the object of the dispute and requesting the judge's ministry” / “Qui aliquem convenire vult, debet libellum competenti iudici exhibere, in quo controversiae obiectum proponatur, et ministerium iudicis expostuletur”. | C. 253 § 1: “For the charge of professor of philosophical, theological and juridical disciplines [at the Seminary], the interested Bishop or Bishops will appoint only those who, standing out for their virtues, have obtained a doctorate or a degree from a university or faculty recognized by the Holy See” / “Ad magistri munus in disciplinis philosophicis, theologicis et iuridicis, ab Episcopo aut ab Episcopis, quorum interest, ii tantum nominentur qui, virtutibus praestantes, laurea doctorali aut licentia potiti sunt in universitate studiorum aut facultate a Sancta Sede recognita”. C. 332 § 2: “If the Roman Pontiff resigns from his charge, it is required for validity that the resignation be free and formally manifested, but not that it be accepted by anyone” / “Si contingat ut Romanus Pontifex muneri suo renuntiet, ad validitatem requiritur ut renuntiatio libere fiat et rite manifestetur, non vero ut a quopiam acceptetur”. C. 333 § 1: “By virtue of his office, the Roman Pontiff not only has power over the whole Church, but also holds the primacy of ordinary power over all particular Churches and their groupings” / “Romanus Pontifex, vi sui muneris, non modo in universam Ecclesiam potestate gaudet, sed et super omnes Ecclesias particulares earumque coetus ordinariae potestatis obtinet principatum”. C. 425 § 1: “For the charge of diocesan Administrator, only a priest who is thirty-five years old and has not been elected, appointed or presented for the same vacant see can be validly appointed” / “Valide ad munus Administratoris dioecesani deputari tantum potest sacerdos qui trigesimum quintum aetatis annum expleverit et ad eandem vacantem sedem non fuerit iam electus, nominatus vel praesentatus”. C. 622: “The Superior General holds authority […] over all the provinces, houses and members of the institute; the other Superiors hold it within the limits of their charge” / “Supremus Moderator potestatem obtinet in omnes instituti provincias, domos et sodales […]; ceteri Superiores ea gaudent intra fines sui muneris”. C. 1381 § 2: “The illegitimate retention after having been deprived of the charge or having ceased in it is equated to usurpation” / “Usurpationi aequiparatur illegitima, post privationem vel cessationem a munere, eiusdem retentio”. |
From the preceding explanations, two specific conclusions catch our interest:
- In the canonical language, the term ministerium is always used to designate an activity –or a set of activities–, and never to refer to an ecclesiastical office or position. The word munus, on the other hand, refers to both realities.
- Therefore, the term ministerium is inadequate in the case of juridical acts of provision, transfer, removal, deprivation or resignation from an ecclesiastical office or position. For such events, munus is the correct word.
Notes
[i] See the following entries in credible Latin dictionaries: https://archive.org/details/diccionario-latin-espanol-vox/page/n301/mode/2up?view=theater; https://archive.org/details/diccionario-latin-espanol-vox/page/n311/mode/2up?view=theater; https://archive.org/details/diccionario-latin-espanol-vox/page/n337/mode/2up?view=theater; https://www.documentacatholicaomnia.eu/20vs/219_Forcellini/1688-1768,_Forcellini_Aeg,_Lexicon_Totius_Latinitatis_Vol_3_L-Q_(Furlanetto_Ed),_LT.pdf; https://www.documentacatholicaomnia.eu/20vs/219_Forcellini/1688-1768,_Forcellini_Aeg,_Lexicon_Totius_Latinitatis_Vol_3_L-Q_(Furlanetto_Ed),_LT.pdf; https://www.documentacatholicaomnia.eu/20vs/219_Forcellini/1688-1768,_Forcellini_Aeg,_Lexicon_Totius_Latinitatis_Vol_3_L-Q_(Furlanetto_Ed),_LT.pdf; https://latinitium.com/latin-dictionaries/?t=lsn30017,do158,do360; https://latinitium.com/latin-dictionaries/?t=lsn29148; https://latinitium.com/latin-dictionaries/?t=lsn32391,do360.
[ii] “Ecclesiastical office is any charge, established in a stable manner by divine or ecclesiastical provision, to be exercised for a spiritual purpose”.
[iii] The doctrine also offers relevant considerations on the matter. Cf. TEDESCO, Vincenzo. Il Romano Pontefice: poteri primaziali e rinuncia all’ufficio. Trabajo de Grado, Doctorado en Derecho Romano. Roma: Universidad de Roma La Sapienza, 2016-2017, p. 161. ERDO, Peter. Elementos de un sistema de las funciones públicas en la iglesia según el código de derecho canónico. En: Ius Canonicum. Vol. 33, No. 66 (1993), p. 542.
[iv] We emphasize that we have extracted the literality of the canons that we offer, not from the version of the CDC available on the Vatican website, whose translations into vernacular languages suffer from multiple inaccuracies, but from the following (digital) normative compilation, prepared by a select group of professors from the Faculties of Canon Law of the University of Navarra and the Pontifical University of Salamanca, and reviewed by the Juridical Affairs Board of the Spanish Episcopal Conference: CÓDIGO DE DERECHO CANÓNICO. 6ª ed. Pamplona: Ediciones Universidad de Navarra S.A., 2001.
In our book Benedict XVI: Pope «Emeritus»? we offer many more examples, relying not only on the CDC, but also on Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis (UDG).
