The Penal Remedy of Surveillance according to C. 1339 § 5 as a Function Entrusted to the Vicar Forane

The amendment of Book VI of the CIC included the introduction of c. 1339 § 5, which requires the Ordinary to monitor a cleric in cases where there is a risk of recurrent offence. In many systems of protection of minors in various countries, there was already some form of vigilance of perpetrators of crimes contra sextum cum minore, including both legal canonical monitoring of the perpetrator and psychological and fraternal accompaniment. However, as defined in the CIC, vigilance is not limited only to this type of crime, the occurrence of which most likely prompted the introduction of c. 1339 § 5. The research problem presented in the article concerns the canonical justification for entrusting the measure of vigilance to the office of the dean coordinating pastoral ministry in the Vicariate Forane. The author presents arguments of a historical and canonical nature.