Petition on behalf of Nicolas Etienne to PF, [1662]

Petition on behalf of Nicolas Etienne to PF, [1662]

Madagascar

CM petitions

Petitions for faculties

Petition on behalf of CM missionaries in Madagascar, asking for solutions to the spiritual needs encountered during the journey to Madagascar. They ask: a) if they may administer sacraments onboard ships other than the one which they initially boarded (for example, if they have to change ship because of a shipwreck), and exempt people on the ship from fasting during Lent, when there are no other priests on board; b) if they may administer sacraments not within the territory of their mission, providing there are no other priests present. Or if this is not allowed, they have permission to marry two people when there is no bishop, parish priest or missionary in that place; c) if they may perform baptisms in places where there is no parish church nor any baptismal font; d) if they may hear the confession of people who have not confessed for years and give them absolution, even if they can only communicate through signs; e) if the confessor is obliged to confirm if soldiers who come to confession are fighting a just war, and if not, if he should refuse absolution. During their meeting of 27 November 1662 the cardinals decide the following agree to the appointments requested by Alméras. In response to the other requests, they decide: 1) to give their consent for the requested faculties, i.e. to administer the sacraments on other ships than the one they initially boarderd, but only when absolutely necessary; however, the ability to exempt people on the ship from fasting during Lent and other penitences is not considered beneficial by the cardinals; and 2) regarding the second request (concerning the administration of sacraments outside the territory of their own mission), the missionaries should use their own judgment in these cases. Regarding the other issues (c to e), the cardinals decide that these should be handled by the Holy Office.

Date discussed 1662-11-27

Additional comments

Nicolas Etienne

APF SOCG 252, 30r-v, 33v

[1662]

Addressed to PF

See for the PF summary of this petition: APF SOCG 252, 28r-v (database item 275).
The PF discussion is in: APF ACTA 286r, 288r-289r (not in this database).
For the letter in which PF informs CM on the decision on the missionaries, see: APF Lettere 43, 88v-89v (database item 820).

Original, undated and unsigned

Italian

Latin

Petition

276

Origin: unknown

Destination: Rome