DIGNITY. - In a generic sense, dignities are ecclesiastical offices with attached jurisdiction and precedence of honor. In a strict and specific sense, they are prebendal offices and titles erected in canonical Chapters and constituting a category distinct from canonries.
In ancient law, dignities were distinguished from personates and canonries in that to the precedences of honor they joined the power of jurisdiction of the external forum; today they exist as true titles, but with only prerogatives of precedence and honor, all jurisdiction being excluded.
Dignities are obligatory for every capitular church and, precisely in contrast to what was provided in ancient law, they form part of the Chapter as a rule, save for contrary provision of particular statutes (can. 393). They vary in number and name according to the various capitular constitutions. The most common are the archdeacon, the archpriest, the provost, the primicerius and the dean. Their erection and conferral is reserved to the Holy See (cann. 394, 396). The titular at least of the first dignity should have, as far as possible, a degree in theology or in canon law (can. 396 § 3).
To dignities, in general, there belongs, according to the order of precedence, the right and the duty of convoking, presiding over and representing the Chapter, regulating the choral service and watching over discipline and the administration of patrimony (can. 397 n. 4). There belongs to them furthermore, always in order of precedence, the right and the duty of assisting the bishop when he celebrates pontifically, of substituting in the liturgical functions of the principal solemnities of the year, of administering to him, when necessary, the last Sacraments and officially the solemn exequies (can. 397 nn. 1, 2, 3).
For all the rest - choral service, economic treatment, prebendal fruits, choral distributions, etc. - the same norms provided for capitulars in general hold for dignities (v. CANONICI; CAPITOLO).
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