Precedence
precedence
(Latin: praecedere, to go before)
Superiority of rank. Canonical precedence is determined for individuals by:
authority of one person over another
higher rank in the hierarchy of jurisdiction
higher rank in the hierarchy of orders
priority of promotion to the same rank of jurisdiction or orders
seniority of age
Where it is not a question merely of individuals the precedence is as follows: the secular clergy, the religious clergy, the religious of a non-clerical society, the laity. The place of honor is at the end of processions.
New Catholic Dictionary
Fuente: New Catholic Dictionary
Precedence
(Lat. præcedere, to go before another).
Precedence signifies the right to enjoy a prerogative of honour before other persons; e.g. to have the most distinguished place in a procession, a ceremony, or an assembly, to have the right to express an opinion, cast a vote, or append a signature before others, to perform the most honourable offices.
Questions of precedence sometimes give rise to controversies. In both civil and ecclesiastical legislation they are regulated by laws and rules. In canon law the general rule is that precedence is determined by rank in the hierarchy both of jurisdiction and of order. Where rank is equal it is determined by priority of foundation: Qui prior est tempore, potior est jure (Regula juris 54, in VI). With regard to colleges (collegia), precedence is determined by the quality of the person to whom the college is attached. The order of precedence is regulated as follows: the pope always takes first rank, after him come cardinals, patriarchs, archbishops, exempt bishops, suffragan bishops, titular bishops, and prelates nullius. In these categories priority of ordination and promotion determines precedence, among bishops or archbishops the date of their first promotion to the episcopal or archiepiscopal dignity. Custom or privilege may derogate from this rule. A Decree of Propaganda (15 Aug., 1858) grants to the Archbishop of Baltimore the right of precedence in the United States (Collectio Lacensis, III, 572). In their own dioceses bishops have precedence before strange bishops and archbishops, but not before their own metropolitan. Metropolitan chapters have precedence before cathedral chapters, and the latter before collegiate chapters. The secular clergy according to the importance of their office or the date of their ordination precede the regular clergy. Canons regular take the first place among the regular clergy, then come clerics regular, the monastic orders, and the mendicant orders. Among the mendicants the Dominicans take first place outside of processions; in processions, the acquired right of precedence or that appertaining to priority of establishment in a town must be respected. This last rule applies also to confraternities, but in processions of the Blessed Sacrament the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament has precedence. The Third Orders have precedence of confraternities. Questions of precedence at funerals have given rise to numerous decisions of the Congregation of Rites (see “Decreta S.S. Rituum Congregationis”, Rome, 1901, V, Index generalis, V Præcedentia). The provisory solution of questions of precedence in processions arising between regulars belongs to the diocesan bishop. The Congregation of Rites decides concerning those with regard to liturgical ceremonies; the Congregatio Cæremonialis regulates the precedence of the papal court.
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FERRARIS, Prompta Bibliotheca (Paris, 1861), Vo Præcedentia, VI, 559 sq.; HINSCHIUS, System d. kath. Kirchenrechts, II (Berlin, 1869-95), 376; SANTI, Prælectiones juris canonici, I (Ratisbon, 1898), 378-80; CHASSANEUS, Catologus gloriæ mundi, excellentias et præeminentias onnium fere statuum continens (Paris, 1527); CRUSIUS, De præeminentia, sessione, præcedentia (Bremen, 1665); BAART, Legal Formulary (New York, 1898); TAUNTON, The Law of the Church (London, 1906).
A. VAN HOVE Transcibed by Wm Stuart French, Jr. Dedicated to Eunice P. Roberts
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XIICopyright © 1911 by Robert Appleton CompanyOnline Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. KnightNihil Obstat, June 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., CensorImprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York
Fuente: Catholic Encyclopedia
Precedence
a recognition of superiority in certain acts due to one person over another. Thus in the ecclesiastical order recognized in the hierarchies of Rome, England, and Russia, or wherever such distinctions of clergy exist, priests precede deacons; and rectors, vicars; and vicars, perpetual curates; and incumbents, assistant-stipendiary curates. Rectors rank with each other according to the size and importance of their livings or the date of their induction; bishops according to the precedence of their sees, as in the Anglican establishment, e.g.in the case of London, Durham, and Winchester, and of Meath in Ireland, where the incumbent bears the title of Most Reverend; or, otherwise, of the date of consecration, by the councils of Milevi (416), Braga (573), Toledo (633), and London (1075), unless their sees were privileged by ancient custom. Priests and deacons rank according to the date of their ordination. For a cathedral of the old foundation in England the order runs-dean, praccentor, chancellor, treasurer, archdeacons, canons residentiary (subdean, subchanter of canons), and canons non-resident. In chapter the bishop sits with the dean, chancellor, archdeacon, and residentiaries on the right, and the praecentor, treasurer, archdeacon, and residentiaries on the left; the rest of the canons in order of installation. At Salisbury two extra archdeacons sat on either side of the entrance. In all processions the members walked two and two, at regular distances dignitaries in copes, canons priests in chasubles, canons, deacons, and subdeacons in dalmatics, with one pace between collaterals, and three paces between each rank; juniors first and seniors last in going, but in reverse order on their return; the right-hand side is the place of honor. At St. Paul’s the dean walked last, between two dignitaries. The parish clergy go first, then follow vicars, catons, dignitaries, the dean, the bishop, and last the lay persons. Each parish had its cross or banner. Abbots took precedence according to the date of their benediction; Glastonbury, St. Alban’s, and Westminster at various times challenged the first place among those who were mitered. Rural deans and honorary canons have only local precedence in a ruridecanal meeting or cathedral respectively.