Code of Canon Law - Title X - Prescription (Cann. 197-199)

BOOK I. GENERAL NORMS

TITLE X.

PRESCRIPTION (Cann. 197 - 199)

Can. 197 The Church receives prescription as it is in the civil legislation of the nation in question, without prejudice to the exceptions which are established in the canons of this Code; prescription is a means of acquiring or losing a subjective right as well as of freeing oneself from obligations.

Can. 198 No prescription is valid unless it is based in good faith not only at the beginning but through the entire course of time required for prescription, without prejudice to the prescript of Can. 1362.

Can. 199 The following are not subject to prescription:

1/ rights and obligations which are of the divine natural or positive law;

2/ rights which can be obtained from apostolic privilege alone;

3/ rights and obligations which directly regard the spiritual life of the Christian faithful;

4/ the certain and undoubted boundaries of ecclesiastical territories;

5/ Mass offerings and obligations;

6/ provision of an ecclesiastical office which, according to the norm of law, requires the exercise of a sacred order;

7/ the right of visitation and the obligation of obedience, in such a way that the Christian faithful cannot be visited by any ecclesiastical authority or are no longer subject to any authority.