Cardinal Ricard's Agreement with the Good Shepherd Institute

On 1st February, Cardinal Ricard erected a personal parish which he has entrusted to the Institute of the Good Shepherd, in the following text:

Agreement between the Archdiocese of Bordeaux
and the Pontifical Institute of the Good Shepherd

Between his Eminence, Jean-Pierre, Cardinal RICARD,
Archbishop of Bordeaux, Bishop of Bazas
and
Father Philippe LAGUÉRIE,
Superior General of the Institute of the Good Shepherd,

It is agreed as follows:

The Lord Archbishop has erected in the Church of St. Eloi a personal parish characterized by the usage of the liturgical books in force in 1962 (CIC 518), which he has entrusted to the Society of apostolic life, the Institute of the Good Shepherd (CIC 520 §1) for a period of five years ad experimentum (520 §2).

In accordance with the Decree no. 118/2006 of 8th September, 2006, the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei has conferred on the members of the Institute of the Good Shepherd the right to celebrate the sacred liturgy, “using, truly as its proper right, the liturgical books in force in 1962, namely the Roman Missal, the Roman Ritual and the Roman Pontifical for conferring orders and also the right to recite the Divine Office according to the Roman Breviary published in the same year.”

At the proposal of the Superior General of the Institute of the Good Shepherd, the Lord Archbishop names the pastor of this parish so that he may be the true pastor exercising his ministry under the authority of the diocesan bishop (CIC no. 519).

A parochial vicar may be appointed as his assistant (CIC no. 545 § 1). Proposed by the Superior General of the Institute, he shall also be named by the Archbishop of Bordeaux.

The parish priest and the curate of the personal parish entrusted to Institute of the Good Shepherd shall exercise their responsibility according to the rules fixed by the Universal Church. (CIC no. 515ff.)

The Archbishop, trustee of the Church of St. Eloi, commits to the parish priest of the personal parish entrusted to Institute of the Good Shepherd, the rights and duties of the trustee.

The services and the sacraments of the Christian life of the personal parish entrusted to the Institute of the Good Shepherd shall be celebrated exclusively in the Church of St. Eloi.

In accordance with Canon 535 §1, the parish is given parish registers. A copy of the registers shall be sent each year to the Archdiocesan Curia.

Processions and other manifestations outside the church having the capacity to serve the edification of the People of God, which the personal parish entrusted to the Institute of the Good Shepherd may wish to organize, shall be submitted for the written authorization of the Lord Archbishop.

The Lord Archbishop according to the needs of his duty reserves to himself the possibility of celebrating in the Church of St. Eloi.

The pastoral letters and official texts sent by the Lord Archbishop to be read in all churches of the diocese shall be read also in the Church of St. Eloi.

A noticeboard shall be placed in the church of the use of diocesan notices and announcements.

The customary collections shall be taken in the personal parish, and the collections ordered by the Lord Archbishop must be announced, taken and sent for the use of diocesan funds.

The envelopes for the funds of the Church shall be distributed in the Church of St. Eloi and returned to the Curia.

The parish priest and the curate shall be the financial responsibility of the personal parish, which will benefit, to insure their salary, from reimbursement by the Church’s funds, to the extent that every priest in the diocese of Bordeaux receives.

The personal parish enjoys the use of the presbytery attached to the Church of St. Eloi. The seat of the Institute can be transferred there.

There shall be constituted under the authority of the parish priest a finance committee according to the rules in force in the diocese of Bordeaux. The accounts of the parish shall be sent made available annually to the diocesan finance office.

The present agreement shall be submitted to re-evaluation each year for five years. All serious difficulties in the application of this agreement and any new situation shall be the object of discussions and agreements between the signatory parties.

At the end of this period, a more comprehensive agreement shall be drawn up in necessary.

At Bordeaux, the 1st February,

Father Philippe LAGUÉRIE
Superior General
Institute of the Good Shepherd

Jean-Pierre Cardinal RICARD

Archbishop of Bordeaux

Father Pierre GRENIÉ,
Chancellor