Association of Believers
Under an Association of the Faithful ( Latin consociatio christifidelium ) understands Canon Law as Code of Canon Law (CIC) of 1983, the possibility of persons within the Roman Catholic Church to form, depending on their nature as free associations or church-recognized associations under can also acquire legal capacity in the church under certain conditions .
These are associations of Catholic, possibly also non-Catholic Christians within the Roman Catholic Church with a common goal. The statutes of the associations must in certain cases be checked and recognized by the local ordinary. More detailed information on the establishment of an association of believers can be found in canons 215 f. and canons 298-329 in CIC / 1983.
"The faithful are at liberty to freely found and lead associations for purposes of Caritas or piety or to promote the Christian vocation in the world and to hold meetings to pursue these purposes together."
One speaks in determining the Canon 215 CIC / 1983 and the right of association of Catholic laymen . This designation is misleading insofar as this right is also open to clerics who can participate in such associations without significant restrictions and, in the case of so-called "clerical associations", even lead them decisively and in the exercise of their powers of ordination.
Pia unio
The legal construct of the Pia unio ( Latin for 'pious association') mentioned in the CIC of 1917 was one of the legal predecessors of today's association of believers . As part of the amendment to the CIC in 1983, all the possibilities that canon law provides for the organization of lay people were comprehensively reformed and simplified. The legal character of the pia unio is much more difficult, but also more privileged. For example, according to can. 708 CIC / 17 a pia unio for the diocesan area could only be established by the local ordinary and thus corresponded to the associations now known as “public ecclesiastical associations” that are established by the ecclesiastical authority. All establishments of a pia unio that took place under the old law up to the amendment of the CIC in 1983 continue to be legally valid. Canon law does not provide that older legal forms have to be adapted. Old foundations thus continue to exist as Pia unio and in principle also retain the privileges set out in the CIC of 1917, unless they have been removed by transitional provisions to the new code.