Cathedral Statutes 1997

The Diocese in Europe Cathedral Statutes

1997

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1 The church of the Holy Trinity in Gibraltar is the cathedral church of the Diocese. It takes this title from the presence in it of the Bishop's cathedra or chair, which is the sign of his office as the guardian and teacher of the Church's faith. Like all churches, the cathedral is a sign of God's presence in his world; a meeting place for the Church of Jesus Christ; and a place of refreshment in the Holy Spirit for all who choose to use it.

2 As cathedral it has these particular duties and opportunities: it is a physical sign of the unity of the people of the Diocese with their Bishop and with one another; it is a place in which the festivals of the Church and important events and anniversaries in the life of the Diocese are celebrated by the Bishop or on his behalf; it is a place of regular prayer for the bishops, clergy and people of the Diocese, and for the communities in which they live.

The Dean and the Cathedral Church Council

3 The office of Dean of Gibraltar shall belong ex officio to the priest appointed and licensed by the Bishop to the cure of souls of the cathedral parish. The dean and the cathedral church council have the duties and powers of an incumbent and parochial church council set out in the law of the Church of England, including the Diocesan Constitution. So far as the circumstances of the parish allow, the dean, the other clergy and ministers, and the officers of the cathedral church seek to serve the Diocese in the ways set out in Article 1.

Pro-cathedrals and their role in the Diocese

5 The size of the Diocese and its history have led to the granting of the status of pro-cathedral to other churches in the Diocese. The role of a pro-cathedral church is to be a regional sign of the unity of the Diocese, and to share, so far as is possible, in the work of the cathedral set out in Article 1.

The Chancellor and Pro-cathedral Church Council

6 The chancellor of a pro-cathedral church shall be the priest licensed by the Bishop to the cure of souls of the pro-cathedral parish.

7 The chancellor and the church council responsible for a pro-cathedral have the duties and powers of an incumbent and parochial church council set out in the law of the Church of England, including the Diocesan Constitution. So far as the circumstances of the parish allow, the chancellor, the other clergy and ministers, and the officers of the pro-cathedral church seek to serve the Diocese in the ways set out in Article 1. The Cathedral Chapter of the Diocese

8 There shall be a cathedral chapter of the Diocese whose members shall be ―

(a) the Bishop;

(b) the dean;

(c) the following canons ex officio: each person holding the Bishop's commission as a suffragan bishop, vicar general, or archdeacon in the Diocese; the chancellor of each pro-cathedral church;

(d) such persons as the Bishop shall collate as canons under Article 12.

9 The function of the cathedral chapter is to support the Bishop by prayer and counsel. 

The prayer of the Cathedral Chapter

10 Each member of the cathedral chapter undertakes to use daily the prayer provided from time to time by the Bishop; to pray regularly for the other members of the cathedral chapter; to observe in some suitable way the feast of the Holy Trinity and the feast of title of each pro- cathedral church.

Meetings of the Cathedral Chapter

11 The cathedral chapter meets when necessary, in Gibraltar or elsewhere, to give counsel to the Bishop and to transact other necessary business. The Bishop or the dean shall convene a meeting of the cathedral chapter at least once in every three years. The chair at meetings of the cathedral chapter shall be taken by the Bishop, or (in his absence or at his request) by the dean.

Canons

12 In addition to the ex officio canons listed in Article 8c the Bishop appoints canons under the following provisions:

(a) a person, ordained or lay, holding the Bishop's Licence or being on the electoral roll of a congregation in Diocese, may be collated to a canonry and assigned a named stall;

(b) any other person, ordained or lay, may be collated to an honorary canonry and assigned a named stall;

(c) if no stall is vacant, the Bishop may, for a serious reason, collate any person, ordained or lay, as an additional canon.

13 Unless the Bishop requests otherwise in writing a canon appointed from the date of these statutes shall vacate the canonry:

(a) on resigning or retiring from the office in virtue of which it is held;

(b) on reaching the age of seventy;

(c) or (in the case of those appointed under Article 12a) on ceasing to hold the Bishop's Licence or to be on the electoral roll of a congregation in the Diocese.

14 Canons may wear such insignia of office as the Bishop may from time to time authorise.

The admission of the Dean

15 The priest to be admitted as dean shall, before being licensed by the Bishop or his Commissary, make the Declaration of Assent prescribed in Canon C15; take the Oath of Allegiance prescribed in Canon C13; and take the Oath of Canonical Obedience, or make the Solemn Affirmation, prescribed in Canon C14.

16 Before Installation the dean shall make the following declaration:

I, Name, chosen to be dean of this cathedral church of the Holy Trinity in Gibraltar, do solemnly declare that I will order and govern myself by the statutes of the cathedral chapter of the Diocese of Gibraltar in Europe, and by the customs and regulations of the said church.

The admission of Canons

17 Every person who is to be collated to a canonry by the Bishop or his commissary, shall first make (in the appropriate form) the Declaration of Assent prescribed in the Canons of the Church of England.

18 Every person who is to be collated to a canonry under Article 12a or 12c shall first take the Oath of Canonical Obedience, or make the Solemn Affirmation, prescribed in Canon C14.

19 Every person who is to be collated to a canonry under Article 12b shall first make the following promise:

I, Name, chosen as a canon of the cathedral (or pro-cathedral) church of Name, do hereby promise that I will, so far as I am able, assist the Bishop by prayer and counsel, and promote the common life of the Diocese.

20 Every person admitted to a canonry by virtue of office under Article 12a or collated to a canonry under Article 12c shall, on the mandate of the Bishop, be installed or welcomed in the choir of the cathedral or pro-cathedral church, by the dean or the chancellor, as the case may be, or by such other member of the cathedral chapter as the Bishop shall appoint.

21 Every canon to be installed or welcomed shall first make the following Declaration:

I, Name, chosen to be a canon of this cathedral (or pro-cathedral) church of Name, do solemnly declare that I will order and govern myself by the statutes of the cathedral chapter of the Diocese of Gibraltar in Europe, and by the customs and regulations of the said church.

Welcoming of members of the Cathedral Chapter in the Cathedral

22 When the Bishop commissions as a suffragan bishop, vicar general or archdeacon, a bishop or priest who is already a member of the cathedral chapter of the Diocese; or confers upon a newly commissioned suffragan bishop, vicar general or archdeacon, a stall in one of the pro- cathedral churches, that person shall, when convenient, be welcomed in the cathedral church of the Holy Trinity, Gibraltar, by the dean.

Deans and canons emeriti

23 The Bishop may confer on any former dean of Gibraltar the title of dean emeritus.

24 The Bishop may confer on any former member of the cathedral chapter the title of canon emeritus.

25 A dean or canon emeritus shall not have the duties and rights of a member of the cathedral chapter, but may be invited to take part in the celebrations of the cathedral or pro-cathedral churches. A dean or canon emeritus may continue to wear the insignia authorised by the Bishop.

Forms of service

26 The licensing and installation of a dean or chancellor takes place during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.

27 The installation or welcoming of a canon takes place during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist or of Morning or Evening Prayer.

28 Forms of service for the licensing and installation of a dean or chancellor, and for the installation or welcoming of a canon will be authorised by the Bishop, and published as an appendix to these statutes.

Visits and preaching 

29 The Dean of Gibraltar and the chancellors of the pro-cathedral churches shall seek to ensure that all members of the cathedral chapter of the Diocese shall visit and preach in the cathedral and pro-cathedral churches.

Customs and regulations

30 Statements setting out the history, the titles of the stalls, and other customs and regulations of each of the cathedral and pro-cathedral churches, will be approved by the Bishop from time to time, and will be appended to these statutes.

Amendment of the Statutes

31 The Bishop may if he think fit modify or add to these statutes after consultation with the members of the cathedral chapter.

32 The Bishop may dissolve the cathedral chapter of the Diocese after:

  • giving six months notice in writing to all its members and to the members of the Diocesan Synod;

  • consulting the cathedral chapter at a meeting called by that notice;

  • consulting the Diocesan Synod.

Revocations, title and commencement

33 Save as is provided in §34, these statutes replace:

  • the Statutes of the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity in Gibraltar promulgated in 1949

  • by The Right Reverend Douglas Horsley, Bishop of Gibraltar;

  • the Statutes of the Pro-Cathedral Church of Saint Paul in Valletta promulgated in 1949 by

  • The Right Reverend Douglas Horsley, Bishop of Gibraltar;

  • the Statutes of the Pro-Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity in Brussels promulgated in

  • 1981 by The Right Reverend John Satterthwaite, Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe;

  • which are hereby revoked so far as they concern the titles, rights and duties of the members of the chapters of the said churches.

34 Any provisions of the former statutes which are necessary to preserve the rights or property of the cathedral or the pro-cathedrals in the civil law shall remain in force.

35 These statutes may be cited as the Diocese in Europe Cathedral Statutes 1997.

36 These statutes shall come into force on the tenth day of February 1997, the Feast of the Shipwreck of St Paul.