Code of Canon Law Reviewed

(22 Jan 08 - RV ) The Pontifical Council for Legislative texts is marking the 25th anniversary of the promulgation of the Code of Canon law this week with a study convention entitled “Canon law in the life of the Church, investigations and prospectives” .

The Conference will take place in the Vatican’s synod hall Thursday and Friday and will see the participation of over 700 delegates, experts in the field canon law, drawn from universities and institutions throughout the world.

The convention was launched Tuesday in the Vatican Press office by President of the Pontifical Council Archbishop Francesco Coccopalmiero and under secretary Msgr. Juan Ignacio Arrieta.


Archbishop Coccopalmiero began by underlining that the Code of Canon Law indicates not only the duties of the faithful but also the fundamental rights of the individual believer, lay or ordained and as a consequence of the Universal Church as instituted by Christ. Having said that however, the Archbishop remarked that as it is a human work it is always open to reform and when necessary “restoration” of some norms which may not withstand the passage of time. The main aim of the two day convention is to “identify some areas that are in need of renovation”.

Given time restrictions the study session has been reduced to focus on the application and progress of the Code’s norms in three Congregations; the Congregation for Bishops and the Congregation for the Evangelisation of peoples and the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

Summing up the areas under study Under Secretary Msgr Arrieta outlined three areas linked to the congregations involved; notably priestly formation and the way in which canon law is taught in seminaries and universities; how Canon law is applied particularly how the ordained represent and determine the law for the faithful and finally problem solving, when issues arise from its application.

Msgr. Arrieta also pointed to other areas which may come under discussion this week describing them as “gaps” within the Code itself. The under secretary drew attention to Pope Benedict XVI’s first Encyclical Deus Caritas Est where the pope indicated a need for norms to govern the Churches charitable initiatives. Msgr Arrieta described three areas he believes are in need of immediate attention: firstly the duties of Episcopal authorities in the field, secondly transparency in the management of these initiatives, and thirdly greater attention paid to the use of the word “Catholic” by organisations and schools, to prevent the auto-definition church from being misrepresented.

Finally and in the spirit of the week of Prayer for Christian Unity, delegates will also pick up on a suggestion put forward by Hungarian Cardinal Peter Erdo, President of the European Council of Bishops Conferences or CCEE. The Cardinal has asked that progress in the Ecumenical field, particularly with the Orthodox Churches, be given the added support of new technical formulas’ to aid the two churches, which come from two different canonical traditions, to build bridges of dialogue between there two juridical systems.

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