Scope and nature of rules
These rules hold in all canonical matters: universal ordinances, precepts, rescripts, privileges, judicial sentences; but they have nothing to do with problems of chronology or such questions as the determination of the date for the celebration of Easter. They are not absolute rules, but should be followed when no others have been expressly laid down; liturgical laws regarding, for example, the beginning of the ecclesiastical year, of the solemnity of a feast, remain unchanged. The former use of 'time' in indulgences (prior to Paul VI's revision of sacred indulgences) had special provisions in the 1917 Code (cc. 921, 922, 923, 931), and it is stated that in what pertains to the fulfilment or enforcement ofUseful and continuous time
By useful time is meant in law the time granted for the exercise or prosecution of one's rights in such a way that it does not run if one is prevented from using it through ignorance or some other cause.Ayrinhac, ''General Legislation'', §129. Continuous time suffers no delay or interruption from one's ignorance or impossibility to act. Thus colleges which possess the right of appointment to a vacant office are given three months of useful time to exercise it, which implies that if they were prevented, ''v.g.'' for ten days, from meeting for the election they would have that many additional days to exercise their right. On the contrary, capitular chapters have eight days after the vacancy of the episcopal see has been made known to them to elect a Vicar Capitular, and it is specified that if no election has been made within that time, whatever be the cause, that right devolves to the Metropolitan (cf. 1917 CIC cc. 161, 432).Months
Months are computed according to the calendar from the date of publication. A "canonical month" (in contradistinction to a "calendar month") is a period of 30 days, while a "calendar month" is a continuous month.''Vacatio legis''
The '' vacatio legis'' is computed according to the calendar; for example, if a law is promulgated on 2 November, and the ''vacatio legis'' is 3 months, then the law takes effect on 2 February. So a universal law has a '' vacatio legis'' of approximately 90 days—3 months taken according to the calendar—while a particular law has a ''vacatio legis'' of approximately 30 days—1 month taken according to the calendar—unless specified to the contrary.History
From 1918 to 1983,References
{{reflist, 2Bibliography
*Ayrinhac, Very Rev. H. A., S.S., D.D., D.C.L., ''General Legislation in the New Code of Canon Law: General Norms. (Can. 1-86.) Ecclesiastical Persons in General. (Can. 87-214.)'' (New York: Blase Benziger & Co., Inc., 1923). *Caparros, Ernest, Michel Thériault, Jean Thorn (editors). '' Code of Canon Law Annotated: Second edition revised and updated of the 6th Spanish language edition'' (Woodridge: Midwest Theological Forum, 2004). *Della Rocca, Fernando. ''Manual of Canon Law'' (Milwaukee: The Bruce Publishing Company, 1959). Translated by the Rev. Anselm Thatcher, O.S.B. *De Meester, A. ''Juris Canonici et Juris Canonico-Civilis Compendium: Nova Editio, Ad Normam Codicis Juris Canonici—Tomus Primus'' (Brugis: Societatis Sancti Augustini, 1921). * Peters, Dr. Edward N. The 1917 or Pio-Benedictine Code of Canon Law: In English Translation with Extensive Scholarly Apparatus (San Francisco: