A Simple Overview of Canon Law

In much the same way that we as citizens live

under civil law, so we as Catholics live under
canon law. Like secular law, ecclesiastical law
imposes various obligations on us as Catholics,
though often the fact that a given ecclesiastical
obligation is actually canonical one is not realized.
At the same time, canon law, like civil law, affords
us certain rights and protections, albeit benefits
that might not always be recognized or asserted.

Roman Catholics today are bound by the 1983

Code of Canon Law which was promulgated by
Pope John Paul II on 25 January 1983, the
anniversary of Pope John XXIII's announcement in
1959 of his plans to convoke the Second Vatican
Council and to reform the Code of Canon Law of
1917. Eastern rite Catholics, including those living
in the US, have their own Code of Canons of the
Eastern Churches that went into effect in 1991.

The 1983 Code actually took effect on November

26 of that year, and consists of 1,752 canons
(somewhat fewer than the 2,414 canons of the
1917 Code). It covers, more or less, virtually every
aspect of Catholic discipline. Although many
canons, understandably, would be of interest only
to ecclesiastical officials, many others directly
impact lay Catholics, the majority of whom, of
course, live in families.

Latin is the only official language of canon law, but

there are various English translations of the 1983
Code available through book and religious supply
stores or on the internet. In printed form, the one
prepared by the Canon Law Society of America
has the advantage of providing the Latin original
on facing pages. Another version (without Latin
facing pages) was prepared by the Canon Law
Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Both
translations are substantially reliable, though
again, translations are not official.

Both the Americans and the British have prepared

canon-by-canon commentaries on the entire 1983
Code. These works are much more expensive tha

the canon-only versions of the Code described

above, but they are very helpful in understanding
the context and application of canons that,
standing alone, might not be self-explanatory.
These commentaries, however, have only the
value which their authors bring to them. They are
not binding or official interpretations of the law.

There is nothing wrong with simply picking up the

1983 Code of Canon Law and reading it, nor is this
as daunting a task as would be, for example,
finding state or federal law and reading them
straight through. Canonical provisions are typically
shorter and more accessible to the average reade
than are those found in civil law.

As a first recommendation, however, let me

suggest starting with Canons 204-231. These
canons open Book II of the 1983 Code, entitled
"The People of God", and they set out in broad
terms the rights and duties of the faithful in
general, and of the laity in particular. Sometimes
dubbed "quasi-constitutional" canons, these
provisions are almost entirely new in the revised
Code and they represent a significant step forward
in articulating the important place of ordinary
Catholics in the Church.

Finally, let me recommend some introductory

studies in canon law: my own articles, What cano
lawyers are and aren't, and A catechists
introduction to canon law, are good short-reads.
For somewhat more detail, see an excellent book
by Russell Shaw, Understanding Your
Rights (1994).+++
http://www.canonlaw.info/a_simpleoverview.htm