PRINCIPAL POINTS OF THE CONSTITUTION
OF CLEMENT VIII

  1. It is not permitted to establish and aggregate in Churches, whether belonging to Seculars or Regulars, more than one sole Confraternity of the same institution and of the same kind.
  2. It is done by the consent of the Ordinary and by Testimonial Letters from him.
  3. The mother Archconfraternity expressly communicates to local Confraternities the favors and indulgences which have been specially granted to itself, but not those which it enjoys by privilege of communication.
  4. The statutes of the Confraternities are examined and approved by the Ordinary of the place, who may even correct them.
  5. The favors and indulgences communicated to the Confraternities cannot be promulgated until they have been recognized by the Ordinary.
  6. The Confraternity may receive alms and employ them according to the manner prescribed by the Ordinary.
  7. The letters of establishment and of aggregation may be expedited and accorded gratuitously, without any recompense whatever being attached to them, even if offered spontaneously and received under the pretext of a simple alms; and it is only permitted fur each aggregation, establishment or confirmation, to receive a sum which in Italy shall not exceed six crowns of Roman money, and out of Italy thirty francs of ordinary money, by way of compensation for the outlay in paper, writings, office charges, carriage and other expenses.
  8. These divers prescriptions must be faithfully observed in all their particulars, otherwise the establishment, or aggregations, and the communications of favors and indulgences will be of no efficacy and of no value, and the superiors and officials will, thereby, incur the deprivation of the offices which they possess, and the inability to obtain any others, a penalty which can only be remitted by the Sovereign Pontiff himself.
Decree Annexed
Statutes and Rules