The  interpretative  declarations  of  existing
laws,  which  are  given  with  previous  consultation
of  the  Pontiff,  and  which  consequently  proceed
from  Apostolic  authority — not  merely  in  a
general  way  in  virtue  of  the  communication  of
Apostolic  authority  to  the  Congregation,  but
in  a  special  manner  from  the  Pope's  special
approval — are  decisive  declarations,  and  have
force  of  universal  law.  They  bind  both  in
the  external  forum  and  in  the  court  of  con-
science, and  that  even  if  they  have   not  been


SACRED    ROMAN    CONGREGATIONS.  319

published.  It  is  sufficient  to  quote  and  appeal
to  them  as  to  common  law.
Benedict  XIV.  says  that  it  is  the  special
glory  of  the  writings  which  he  himself  published
before  he  was  Pope  that  in  them  he  had  in  no
way  departed  from  the  judgments  of  the  Roman
Congregations.  The  Sacred  Rota,  which  was
the  most  illustrious  of  the  tribunals  of  the
Catholic  world  previous  to  the  erection  of  the
Roman  Congregations,  is  particularly  distin-
guished by  its  veneration  for  their  judgments.
It  distinctly  declared  in  a  Rotal  cause  in  1725,
that  the  resolutions  emanating  from  the  Sacred
Congregations  by  way  of  universal  law  are
everywhere  to  be  observed  in  every  point,  and
are  to  be  received  as  laws  in  every  tribunal ;
and  especially  in  '  our  own  sacred  auditorium  '
(of  the  Rota),  with  the  reverence  which  is  their
due.  The  Dataria  also  has  not  seldom  con-
sulted the  Sacred  Congregations  for  its  guidance.
A  third  class  of  Decrees  consists  of  those
given  in  causes  which  the  Congregations  have
power  to  decide  in  virtue  of  their  ordinary
faculties ;  although,  as  matter  of  fact,  they  are
always  submitted  for  the  sanction  of  the
Sovereign  Pontiff.
