An exemption from legal obligation. By this privilege clerics, according to the Code of Canon Law, are exempt from military service, and from all civilpublic offices that are not in keeping with the clerical state. What these latter offices are, the present law does not explicitly indicate; we may, however, say the offices of judge in secular courts, jurors, and magistrates. In general clerics should not be forced to accept any of those offices that are forbidden to clerics as unbecoming or not proper. Beyond the declaration that clerics are exempt from military service, there is intimation of what measures might on occasion be taken, as with France during the late war, to make the declaration effective. Governments as a rule recognize the propriety of this immunity.
This dictionary contains not only definitions and explanations of every subject in Religion, Scripture, tradition, doctrine, morals, sacraments, rites, customs, devotions and symbolism, but also accounts of the Church in every continent, country, diocese; missions, notable Catholic centers, cities, and places with religious names; religious orders, church societies, sects and false religions. It has brief articles also on historical events and personages, on the Old Testament and New, and on popes, prelates, priests, men and women of distinction, showing what the Church has done for civilization and correcting many errors which have hitherto passed for history.Wikipedia
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