In a Motu Proprio entitled “Innate Law,” Pope Francis clarifies the ecclesiastical public nature of goods bought by the Church and its different institutions.
The Pope outlines that these items are “not for themselves, as private owners” but “for the pursuit of their institutional purposes, which are public, and thus for the common good and at the service of the Universal Church.”
The document explains that the Church has the “innate right” to acquire goods in order to fulfill its mission in the world. But Pope Francis warns that the goods must be handled with “prudence.”
“Innate Law” calls the entire Church to remember that these goods are meant to be used for their purposes that serve the universal mission of the Church and not the mission of the individuals who obtain the goods.
A Motu Proprio is a document written by the Pope on his own initiative.
KG
