Decree 8: Grades in the Society of Jesus, General Congregation 32 (1975)

1.     The 32nd General Congregation again lays very great stress on promoting the unity of vocation of the entire body of the Society, as enshrined in our Constitutions. It asks each and every member to make this unity shine forth in the life, work, and apostolate of all communities; to ensure that grades be not a source of division, let there rather be, by means of the day-to-day efforts of everyone, a complete union of the one religious, priestly, and apostolic body in the love of Christ the Lord and the service of the Church.

2.     Furthermore, the Congregation commends and urges:

a. that the participation of the temporal coadjutors in the life and apostolic activity of the Society be further promoted, fulfilling the recommendations of the 31st General Congregation completely;

b. that the norms for the promotion of priests to the profession of four vows, better adapted by the 31st General Congregation to today’s circumstances, be put into practice both for those who are at present spiritual coadjutors and for approved scholastics. Candidates, however, are to be selected in such a way as in fact to meet the demands of those criteria of selection.