ECCLESIASTICAL MONITOR, IL. - A journal of canon and ecclesiastical law, the oldest in the field, founded at Maratea (Potenza) in 1876 by the priest Casimiro Gennari (later Cardinal) with the aim of disseminating among the clergy, the diocesan curias and the ecclesiastical tribunals the legislation and the canonical and civil jurisprudence in ecclesiastical matters, with notes, commentaries and studies inspired by the directives of the Holy See.
After the death of Gennari (31 Jan. 1914), so that the journal would not die, Pius X entrusted its direction to Msgr. L. Lavitrano (later Cardinal), from whom it passed to Msgr. U. Mannucci (1920-31) and then to Msgr. S. Romani (1932-1937), while the publishing management was assumed by the Desclée house of Rome. Between 1938 and 1948 the direction and publication of the M. E. passed to the Priests of the Mission.
From 1949 the journal, published once again by the Desclée house, appears in quarterly issues of 200 pages, under the direction of Fr. A. Larraona and F. Romita, and with the collaboration of consultors and officials of the Roman Curia; being written in the Latin language, its name too has been changed to that of Monitor ecclesiasticus. The material is divided into 1) Acts of the Holy See; 2) jurisprudence of the Sacred Congregations and of the ecclesiastical Tribunals; 3) practice of the Roman Curia; 4) studies on juridical problems; 5) ecclesiastical law of the various nations; 6) account of publications and summary of journals.