On the History of the Organization of the Church Judiciary in the Częstochowa Archidiocese

Abstract

The past of the church judiciary in the Częstochowa diocese was linked with numerous political transformations in this area and, consequently, with the transformations as regards the territorial administration of the Catholic Church. Together with the fall of the Polish Republic, the network of offices was reorganized. The occupational authorities had done away with the hitherto regional consistories, and replaced them with new offices. Despite those changes, the head of a consistory still had the church authorities in respect to the judiciary and the administrative authority which gained in importance after the archdeaconry had been liquidated. Those changes came about in 1918 when by virtue of the new Canon Law Code the offices were liquidated. An Auxiliary Tribunal was established in Częstochowa which was soon transformed into the Episcopal Court of the newly erected Częstochowa diocese. After a few dozen years, when the Częstochowa church province was erected, Metropolitan Court was established on the basis of the above mentioned Court.