Pope: Re-aquire true meaning of law in the Church
By Christopher Wells
Pope Francis on Friday received members of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, who are meeting for their plenary session.
In his address, the Holy Father noted that the Council assists the Pope in his legislative function, helps interpret canon law, aids other dicasteries in matters of canon law, and supervises the legitimacy of the normative texts enacted by legislators to the Church.
The true meaning of law in the Church
Additionally, he said, the Council offers its help to Bishops and Episcopal Conferences 鈥渇or the correct interpretation and application of the law; and more generally, in spreading knowledge of and attention to [the law]鈥. Pope Francis said, 鈥淚t is necessary to re-aquire and deepen the true meaning of law in the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ, where the Word of God and the Sacraments are pre-eminent, while the juridical norm has a necessary but subordinate role in the service of communion鈥. He emphasized the importance of helping people understand 鈥渢he pastoral nature of canon law, its instrumentality with regard to the salus animarum [the salvation of souls], and its necessity in obedience to the virtue of justice鈥.
The pastoral nature of canon law
He also highlighted the pastoral nature of canon law, which is not 鈥渉indrance鈥 to pastoral effectiveness, 鈥渂ut rather a guarantee of the search for solutions that are not arbitrary, but truly just, and therefore, truly pastoral鈥. Quoting Benedict XVI, he said 鈥渁 society without law would be a society deprived of rights鈥, and added that today, 鈥渋n this area of 鈥榳orld war fought piecemeal鈥, we see, as always, there is the lack of law鈥 Dictatorships are born and grow without law. In the Church this cannot happen鈥.
Communion among the People of God
With regard to the Church鈥檚 penal law 鈥 which is being studied by the Council in their plenary session 鈥 Pope Francis said that Bishops must be aware that in their particular Churches, they have the role of 鈥渏udge鈥 among the faithful entrusted to them. He explained that Bishops must remember that as judges, their work must be directed 鈥渢o communion among the People of God鈥; and so, the imposition of penalties must be a last resort, 鈥渢he extreme remedy to be used鈥 when all other means of achieving compliance 鈥渉ave proved ineffective鈥.
Canonical penalties always medicinal
Pope Francis said that unlike civil law, the Church鈥檚 law always has a 鈥減astoral significance鈥, not only for the ecclesial community, but also for 鈥渢he good of the guilty persons鈥 themselves. 鈥淭he aim of the recovery of the individual emphasizes that canonical punishment is not merely a coercive instrument, but has a distinctly medicinal character鈥, he said. 鈥淯ltimately, it represents a positive means for the realization of the Kingdom, for rebuilding justice in the community of the faithful, called to personal and common sanctification鈥.
The Holy Father concluded his address with a word of encouragement for the members of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, saying the work they have been pursuing is moving in the right direction. 鈥淚 urge you to continue with tenacity in this task鈥, he said, before blessing them and their work.
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