I. Statutes
CONGREGATIO PRO INSTITUTIONE CATHOLICA
STATUTA
Pontificii Collegii Philippini in Urbe libenter rata habet atque confirmat, eademque ab omnibus quorum interest rite servari iubet; contrariis quibuslibet minime obstantibus.
Romae, ex Aedibus Congregationum, d.d. XXX m. aprilis a.D. MCMLXXXVII.
PRAEFECTUS
+ William Wakefield Card. Baum
A SECRETIS
+Antonio María Javierre Ortas, S.D.B.
STATUTES
I. FOUNDATION
1. The Pontifical Filipino College has its foundational origin in the resolution for its establishment made by the Archbishop of Manila, later Cardinal Rufino J. Santos, and subsequently approved by the Catholic Hierarchy of the Philippines in its annual meeting held in Manila, January 26-31, 1959.
2. Pope John XXIII, through his Apostolic Letter “Sancta Mater Ecclesia“, dated June 29, 1961, acceding to the desire of the Philippine Hierarchy, established the “Collegium Clericorum Philippinorum in Urbe.” Furthermore, he decreed that said College be endowed with the title “Pontificium“.
3. The inaugural rites of the College took place on October 7, 1961 under the liturgical presidency of His Holiness Pope John XXIII.
II. NAME AND ADDRESS
1. Although officially registered and named “Pontificio Collegio-Seminario Filippino“, the College is now called “Pontificio Collegio Filippino.”
2. On account of its Titular, the College is also known as “Colegio de Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje”.
3. The College has the following address: Via Aurelia 490, 00165 Rome, Italy.
III. OBJECTIVE
The over-all objective of the College is to provide the facilities and the environment suited principally to Filipino diocesan priests, carefully chosen and formally sent by their Bishops, for the pursuit of higher studies in ecclesiastical educational centers in Rome, for their continuous priestly formation “sub umbra Petri” and for their subsequent ministry back in the Homeland.
IV. GOVERNMENT
1. In conformity with present universal and particular legislations, the government of the College depends first, on the Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education and second, on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. More immediately it depends on the latter’s Episcopal Commission for the Pontifical Filipino College, whose concrete functions, inclusive of its competence regarding the composition of the Vigilance Commissions for Discipline and for Administration, are specified in the By-Laws of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (Art. VII, Sec. 9).
2. The Episcopal Commission for the Pontifical Filipino College shall be composed of the following: Their Eminences, the Cardinals, as ex officio Members, and Bishops designated for membership. The Commission shall have at most seven (7) Members, whose constitution and tenure are defined in the By-Laws of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (Art. III, Sec. 2; Art. IV, Sec. 3).
3. The internal life of the College shall be governed more particularly by duly approved Ordinances and House Rules in accord with ecclesiastical norms, common practices and standing customs in the Philippines.
V. JURIDICAL PERSONALITY
The Pontifical Filipino College enjoys a juridical personality according to Canon Law, before the laws of the Republic of Italy and the laws of the Republic of the Philippines. In the conduct of all its affairs, the Rector acts in the person of the College unless other otherwise prescribed by the competent authority regarding certain matters.
VI. STUDENTS
1. The College is open primarily to Filipino diocesan priests in possession of an expressed endorsement of or formal mandate from their Bishops to reside thereat for purposes of study. The Rector of the College may however refuse an application for admission into the College after consulting the other members of the Administrative Staff and after obtaining the assent of the Bishop of the Applicant.
2. The Bishops shall send to the College only those priests who, after careful consideration of their fitness or aptitude, such as good health, intellectual ability, proven virtue and pastoral experience, manifest a ready willingness to undergo an ongoing spiritual formation hand in hand with higher academic pursuit, demonstrate the sound disposition of observing norms of individual and corporate discipline, give promise of success in their studies and demonstrate their disposition to go back thereafter to their respective ecclesiastical jurisdictions for ministry therein.
3. The students of the College shall enroll at the ecclesiastical Universities or Institutes in Rome, as well as pursue the studies which their Bishops prescribed or allowed them to undertake.
4. The Rector is responsible for the over-all students’ individual and corporate discipline in the College. The disciplinary decision he makes with the other members of the Staff, is to be considered final.
5. Regarding extraordinary cases that are serious but not urgent, the Rector shall ask the advice of the Episcopal Commission. In urgent cases, the Rector immediately decides with the consensus of the other members of the Staff.
6. The Rector may even dismiss a student with the consensus of the other members of the Administrative Staff and after obtaining the assent of the Bishop of the student. In a case where immediate dismissal is necessary, the Rector may do so simply with the consensus of the other members of the Staff. Soon thereafter however, he has to report the matter to the Bishop of the student. Any controversy or protest registered by a Bishop concerned in the matter of admission into or dismissal from the College, shall be resolved by the Episcopal Commission.
VII. MAINTENANCE
1. It is earnestly desired that all Ecclesiastical Jurisdictions in the Philippines send student-priests to the College.
2. The College shall be maintained through the pensions of the students, the donations of the faithful, the investment of its cash assets, and the effective support of the Bishops of the Philippines according to their respective financial possibility, the preservation, amelioration and application of all which monies shall be subject to the vigilance of the Commission for Administration.
3. The yearly pension of the students shall be periodically assessed and determined by the Episcopal Commission in collaboration with the Administrative Staff of the College. The pension which is payable at the start of every semester, shall be the ultimate responsibility of the Bishop of the student.
VIII. ADMINISTRATION
1. The immediate administration of the College shall depend on the Staff headed by the Rector. He will be assisted by a Vice-Rector if needed, a Spiritual Director, and an Oeconomus or Procurator. The Rector shall be appointed by the Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education upon due presentation by the Episcopal Commission. The other administrative personnel also upon due presentation by the same Commission, should have the “Nihil obstat” of the competent Dicastery.
2. Based on the principles of collegiality and subsidiarity, the Rector, Vice-Rector, Spiritual Director, Oeconomus or Procurator, and all other auxiliary College personnel, shall have their respective tasks and functions ordained or approved by the Episcopal Commission in line with the following summary job description:
a. The Rector exercises general supervision over the College in its day to day operation, sees to the implementation of these Statutes and Ordinances, observes the policies and executes the directives laid down by either the Holy See or the Episcopal Commission and submits to the Holy See and to the Episcopal Commission an annual general report on the College.
b. The Vice-Rector/Procurator takes the place of the Rector at the latter’s request, absence or indisposition, and sees to the administration, planning, direction and control of all matters and activities relative to the material and financial requirements of the College. He may be aided by a Bookkeeper, a Librarian and a Kitchen-Laundry Chief.
c. The Spiritual Director acts as the ordinary spiritual counselor and confessor of the College residents, and sees to the planning and direction of the program for the student-priests’ ongoing spiritual formation and development.
3. The honorarium and term of office of the members of the Administrative Staff shall be determined by the Episcopal Commission in consultation with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.
IX. DISCIPLINE
1. The given nature, the opted finality and the pursuant affairs of the College rightfully demand the clear existence and faithful observance of the following Ordinances which are basic norms of personal and community discipline and conduct.
2. It is incumbent upon the College Administration to formulate more particular House Rules consonant with these Ordinances to better promote the spiritual life, the study mandate and communitarian spirit of the students.
3. All College disciplinary provisions, observances and actions are subject to the vigilance of the Commission for Discipline.