Indult versus faculties—how are they defined?

• A. Indult is a temporary permission for a specific case; faculties are general permissions to perform canonical acts.
• B. Indult is general permission; faculties are temporary case-specific.
• C. Indult and faculties are the same.
• D. Indult applies to laypeople only.

Answer: (A)

Indult versus faculties centers on scope and duration. An indult is a permission granted by the competent authority to do something that is normally forbidden or restricted, and it is tied to a specific case, person, place, or occasion and is typically temporary. Faculties, on the other hand, are general authorizations given to a person (usually a cleric) to perform canonical acts as part of their ongoing ministry; they authorize routine actions and remain in effect until revoked or limited.

So the statement that an indult is a temporary permission for a particular case and that faculties are general permissions to perform canonical acts captures the essential distinction. For example, a bishop might grant an indult allowing a priest to celebrate a rite or perform an act it normally wouldn’t permit for a limited occasion; the priest’s faculties would cover the regular, ongoing ability to perform the usual canonical acts. The other options misstate the relationship or scope, and the idea that indult applies only to laypeople is not accurate in canon law.