EX INCUMBENTI PAUL V POPE For perpetual remembrance Text taken from Apostolatus, Scr. 25

Ex incumbenti nobis desuper pastoralis officii debito... Text Source

THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PASTORAL OFFICE presses on us, eager as we are to promote the prosperous and happy state of all Religious in vows, and so, since we have been asked to, we gladly exert the strength of our Apostolic power to strengthen and confirm matters which have already, as we hear, been arranged , so that they exist firmly and for the indefintie future; and we add to this other aspects of our faviourable support. For it has recently been explained to us on behalf of our beloved sons the English Monks of the Order of St Benedict, of the Anglo-Spanish Congregation, that it is laid down and defined somewhere in their Definitorium that all English monks of that same Order, of the Spanish and English Congregation, came together in a single body, which was, and was called, the English Congregation, in such a way that that by this coalition and united body, the historic English Congregation of the Order of St Benedict would be continued and restoired, and (if need be) set up anew.

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This English Congregation, being thus firmly established, should be ruled by a superior called the President, who should live outside England while the schism lasted, and by two Provincials immediately under the President, but based in England, and in an equal way by Priors of the houses or communities outside England. In addition to these there would be a certain number of Definitors. It should be quite illegal for anyone except the President, or someone specifically delegated by him for this purpose, to grant missionary faculties in England to any English monk of the Anglo-Spanish Congregation. And this college of Definitors, in which this union was brought about, had in every business the powers of a Genral Chapter. Further, the monks should take an oath in the presence of the President, as is explained more fully in the texts we have already given. The same texts relate that these monks asked for greater support from our Apostolic power of confirmation to make their statutes, decrees and texts more soldily valid. So they made a humble petition to Us, that we would provide for any omissions and in other ways take trouble over giving them help.

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We were anxious to give them special favours and grants, and to extend to each of them individually absolution for each and every possible excommunication, suspension, interdict, or other sentence, censure or penalty of the Church, whether imposed by law or by authority, for whatever cause or ground, should they have become involved in any, with effect both now and should any instance surface in the future. Accepting these petitions, we approve and confirm with our Apostolic Authority in the sense defined in this document the statutes, decrees and texts. Moreover we add to that the underlining of the absolute force of Apostolic Authority, and we make good any defects either of law or of action if any turn out to be involved.

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In addition the aforesaid united Congregation is granted the full and legal use, enjoyment and free advantage of each and every Privilege, Grace, Indult, Faculty and other Prerogatives given by the Apostolic See in former times to the Spanish Congregation, the original English Congregation or the same Order in England provided that they are in use, not revoked, or included in some other revoking, and are not in conflict with the sacred Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent. And we extend to the united Congregation the Privileges, Graces, Indults, Faculties and other Prerogatives already mentioned, and if there be any need grant them anew. We also decree that each and every faculty for the apostolic mission already mentioned, conceded or delegated to the same Monks contrary to the sense of the statutes and decrees of this document, are now and for the future null, invalid, of no force or weight, and that this present document is valid, in force and has effect, and gives the fullness of legal existence to the said Congregation as it is is set up as one and united.

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And if anyone by whatever authority, either knowingly or unknowingly attempt anything to the contrary it shall be useless and empty of effect. Nor shall there be any obstacle in Constitutions and decisions by the Apostolic See, nor of this Order nor Congregation, even if confirmed by oath or statutes or by some other support, or customs, privileges or indults or even Apostolic Letters given to the same Order and Congregation and its superiors or members, under any social meaning or form, accompanied by any clauses or decrees at all which oppose what we have just allowed, however granted, confirmed or supported by oath.

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All these things, together and separately we hold to be fully and sufficiently expressed in the meaning of this present document, and expect them to retain their force in other future circumstances, at least in this instance, and declare them to have no force like everything else which is in conflict with them.

We do not intend that by this present document to affect anything to do with other exempt Congregations or Abbots of the same Order.

Given at Rome at Saint Mary Major's under the Fisherman's Ring on 23 August 1619 in the fifteenth year of our Pontificate