Friday, February 14, 2014
What can one expect to find in the Code of Canon Law?
The Code of Canon Law (1983) can be described as a mini-library of sorts. It is divided into seven different books, each dealing with a specific subject matter. The previous Code of 1917 was divided into five books and dealt with General Norms, Persons, Things, Procedures, Crimes and Punishments. Using the theology and language of Vatican II, the present Code concentrates on the triple-function of the Church in terms of Teaching, Sanctifying and Governing. In Book One can be found what are known as General Norms. In two-hundred and three canons the subject matter deals with terms, persons, tools and structures found throughout the other canonical books. This book is a key to understanding the very background of Church Law. Book Two takes its title from Vatican II’s image of the Church as People of God. Within the covers of this book can be found the basic constitution of the Church. In five hundred and forty two canons topics such as rights and obligations, the Christian faithful, the hierarchy, religious, universal, diocesan and parish structures go to make up this most important book of the Code. The Teaching Office of the Church is the main theme of Book Three. In eighty six canons, topics such as the Ministry of the Word, Catechetical Formation, Missionary Activity, Catholic Education, Social Communication and the Profession of Faith are dealt with. In Book Four are to be found those canons dealing with The Sanctifying Office of the Church. Four hundred and nineteen canons are devoted to the sacraments, sacramentals, sacred places and sacred times. The shortest Book of the Code of Canon Law is Book Five, entitled Temporal Goods of the Church. Here are found the rules and regulations guiding the acquisition, administration and alienation of Church funds and property. In addition, canons on wills and bequests are included. In eighty-eight canons, Book Six deals with Sanctions in the Church. The final book in the 1983 Code of Canon Law deals with Procedural Law in the Church. Entitled Processes, Book Seven outlines in three hundred and fifty two canons, the processes to be employed in Church Tribunals. These Tribunals most often deal with marriage nullity cases as well as other administrative processes.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Biographical Information
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Rev.Michael McGowan received his Ph.D in canon law from the University of Ottawa and his JCD from Saint Paul University. Currently, he is a retired Associate Professor of Human Rights, Director of the Human Rights Programme and Director of the Atlantic Human Rights Centre at St. Thomas University, Fredericton, N.B. His research areas are religious freedom, human rights education and Holocaust Studies. He has served as a member of the academic senate of St Thomas University and served on a number of university committees. He is also a former member of the Board of Governors of that university. He has published numerous books and articles on law, human rights and health care. He has delivered workshops and conference papers in the area of human rights, social justice and law throughout Canada and Europe. In addition to his academic responsibilities Dr. McGowan served as an appeal judge of the Canadian Ecclesiastical Tribunal in Ottawa. In addition, he served as a visiting professor in the Legal Education Leadership Programme at Saint Paul University, Ottawa. In January 2005, he was invited to become a Visiting Research Fellow in Human Rights at Roehampton University, London, England. Currently he is conducting research on survivors of the Holocaust living in Atlantic Canada as well as former internees of the Ripples Interment Camp in New Brunswick. In 2006 and 2007, Dr. McGowan was visiting scholar for the March of Remembrance and Hope, A Student Leadership Mission to Germany and Poland where he lectured on topics such as human rights, genocide and the Holocaust. He recently completed the production of a 30-minute documentary on the legacy of John Peters Humphrey (one of the principal drafters of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights). Finally, he serves as one of four vice-presidents of the International Human Rights Education Consortium based at Utica College, Utica, NY.
Rev.Michael McGowan received his Ph.D in canon law from the University of Ottawa and his JCD from Saint Paul University. Currently, he is a retired Associate Professor of Human Rights, Director of the Human Rights Programme and Director of the Atlantic Human Rights Centre at St. Thomas University, Fredericton, N.B. His research areas are religious freedom, human rights education and Holocaust Studies. He has served as a member of the academic senate of St Thomas University and served on a number of university committees. He is also a former member of the Board of Governors of that university. He has published numerous books and articles on law, human rights and health care. He has delivered workshops and conference papers in the area of human rights, social justice and law throughout Canada and Europe. In addition to his academic responsibilities Dr. McGowan served as an appeal judge of the Canadian Ecclesiastical Tribunal in Ottawa. In addition, he served as a visiting professor in the Legal Education Leadership Programme at Saint Paul University, Ottawa. In January 2005, he was invited to become a Visiting Research Fellow in Human Rights at Roehampton University, London, England. Currently he is conducting research on survivors of the Holocaust living in Atlantic Canada as well as former internees of the Ripples Interment Camp in New Brunswick. In 2006 and 2007, Dr. McGowan was visiting scholar for the March of Remembrance and Hope, A Student Leadership Mission to Germany and Poland where he lectured on topics such as human rights, genocide and the Holocaust. He recently completed the production of a 30-minute documentary on the legacy of John Peters Humphrey (one of the principal drafters of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights). Finally, he serves as one of four vice-presidents of the International Human Rights Education Consortium based at Utica College, Utica, NY.
Thought of the Day
"I'm not a man who constantly thinks up jokes. But I think it's very important to be able to see the funny side of life and its joyful dimension and not to take everything too tragically. I'd also say it's necessary for my ministry. A writer once said that angels can fly because they don't take themselves too seriously. Maybe we could also fly a bit if we didn't think we were so important."
Pope Benedict XVI
"I'm not a man who constantly thinks up jokes. But I think it's very important to be able to see the funny side of life and its joyful dimension and not to take everything too tragically. I'd also say it's necessary for my ministry. A writer once said that angels can fly because they don't take themselves too seriously. Maybe we could also fly a bit if we didn't think we were so important."
Pope Benedict XVI
What is meant by the Latin Church?
The Code of Canon Law at canon 1 addresses this notion of the Latin Church. The Roman Catholic Church is made up of twenty-two sui iuris or autonomous churches. Although having the same beliefs, the same sacraments and being in communion with the Bishop of Rome (the Pope), the churches differ in the way that they celebrate this common faith. What makes them different usually surrounds language, culture and history. One of twenty-two autonomous churches making up the universal (Roman Catholic) Church, is the Latin Church or what was formally called the Latin Rite. We are most familiar with this as it is the predominant church/rite of which we as Catholics here in Canada belong. The Latin Church follows the Code of Canon Law promulgated in 1983 while the other twenty-one sui iuris churches follow the Code of Canon Law of the Eastern Churches, promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1990.
The division of the universal Church into East/West or Oriental/Latin came about in the year 293. Under the Emperor Diocletian those churches in the Eastern part of the Roman Empire came to be known as Oriental while those in the West belonged to the Latin Church. Each autonomous church is presided over by a Patriarch or major archbishop. In addition, within these twenty-two churches are found six different rites: Roman, Byzantine (Constantinopolitan), Alexandrian, Antiochene (or Syrian), Armenian and Chaldean. There are two ancient Eastern rites with further sub-divisions: the Antiochene rite and the Alexandrine rite. All of the parishes in the Diocese of Saint John belong to the Latin Church which follows the Roman rite with the exception of St. Charbel’s Maronite Parish in Fredericton, which belongs to the Antiochene rite. Furthermore, in many parts of Canada and the United States along with the Antiochene rite can be found the Alexandrine rite (Coptics) and the Byzantine rite (Ukranians, Melkites, Ruthenians, etc).
The Code of Canon Law at canon 1 addresses this notion of the Latin Church. The Roman Catholic Church is made up of twenty-two sui iuris or autonomous churches. Although having the same beliefs, the same sacraments and being in communion with the Bishop of Rome (the Pope), the churches differ in the way that they celebrate this common faith. What makes them different usually surrounds language, culture and history. One of twenty-two autonomous churches making up the universal (Roman Catholic) Church, is the Latin Church or what was formally called the Latin Rite. We are most familiar with this as it is the predominant church/rite of which we as Catholics here in Canada belong. The Latin Church follows the Code of Canon Law promulgated in 1983 while the other twenty-one sui iuris churches follow the Code of Canon Law of the Eastern Churches, promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1990.
The division of the universal Church into East/West or Oriental/Latin came about in the year 293. Under the Emperor Diocletian those churches in the Eastern part of the Roman Empire came to be known as Oriental while those in the West belonged to the Latin Church. Each autonomous church is presided over by a Patriarch or major archbishop. In addition, within these twenty-two churches are found six different rites: Roman, Byzantine (Constantinopolitan), Alexandrian, Antiochene (or Syrian), Armenian and Chaldean. There are two ancient Eastern rites with further sub-divisions: the Antiochene rite and the Alexandrine rite. All of the parishes in the Diocese of Saint John belong to the Latin Church which follows the Roman rite with the exception of St. Charbel’s Maronite Parish in Fredericton, which belongs to the Antiochene rite. Furthermore, in many parts of Canada and the United States along with the Antiochene rite can be found the Alexandrine rite (Coptics) and the Byzantine rite (Ukranians, Melkites, Ruthenians, etc).
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