杏MAP导航: Canon law is closely linked to Church鈥檚 salvific mission

杏MAP导航

杏MAP导航 Francis meets with participants in a formation course organized by the Roman Rota, and highlights the important link between pastoral care and canon law.

By Devin Watkins

Greeting students in a course organized by the Roman Rota, 杏MAP导航 Francis recalled the relationship between the Church鈥檚 evangelizing mission and Church law.

In his address on Saturday, the 杏MAP导航 said that canon law cannot exist without evangelization and evangelization cannot be carried out without canon law, since the heart of canon law has to do with the 鈥済oods of communion, especially the Word of God and the Sacraments.鈥�

鈥淓very person and community,鈥� he added, 鈥渉as the right to encounter Christ, and all norms and juridical acts are aimed at promoting the authenticity and fecundity of that encounter.鈥�

鈥淐hurch law is therefore intimately connected to the life of the Church, as one of her necessary aspects, which is justice in conserving and transmitting the goods of salvation.鈥�

Law is condition of love

杏MAP导航 Francis went on to urge the law students to 鈥渓ove canon law鈥� since 鈥渓aw is the condition of love鈥�, in the words of the late 杏MAP导航 Benedict XVI.

Even though canonists work primarily with norms, trials, and sanctions, they are called never to forget people鈥檚 rights and so must put 鈥減eople at the center of their work.鈥�

[ These rights are never arbitrary pretexts, but rather objective goods ordered toward salvation, which must be recognized and protected, without forgetting the respect for natural goods inherent in the Church community. ]In other words, said the 杏MAP导航, canon lawyers must 鈥渉ighlight the truth of justice in the life of the particular Churches, a task which greatly contributes to evangelization.鈥�

Canonists, he continued, are called to discern the 鈥渃oncrete good鈥� as they deal with each single case, without overlooking the common good inherent in the law.

Synodal journey in canon law

The 杏MAP导航 then considered the connection between canon law and the synodality of the Church.

鈥淭he synodal spirit must be lived in every aspect of your juridical duties. Journeying together in reciprocal listening while invoking the Holy Spirit is an indispensable condition for being just.鈥�

He urged canonists always to ask the opinion of their more experienced colleagues in a spirit of humility in order to learn how to better serve the Church.

Tribunals and family pastoral care

杏MAP导航 Francis also reflected on the link between pastoral care of families and Church tribunals.

鈥淎n integral pastoral care of families cannot ignore the juridical questions related to marriage,鈥� he said, offering the example of null marriages or those which are not consummated.

In both cases, said the 杏MAP导航, canonists can never forget that they are dealing with questions with an important pastoral element.

鈥淭he requirements of truth, accessibility, and prudent swiftness must always guide your work,鈥� he said, 鈥渨hile we must not overlook the duty to do everything possible to reconcile couples or convalidate their union.鈥�