Not Taking Sides

If Altman persists in his defiance, the legal procedures — dictated by the Catholic church’s Code of Canon Law — could be lengthy.https://t.co/LBkBg9HdjC

— America Magazine (@americamag) June 7, 2021

But isn't it time to re-think the relationship between presbyters and bishops? Synodality starts locally.

"Swipes"

If true, how passive aggressive of Bergoglio.

On Tuesday, #PopeFrancis issued a significant reform of Book VI of the Code of Canon Law. It included swipes at the German bishops. @canonlawyered from The Pillar joins Al today at 4:20pm eastern on Kresta in the Afternoon to discuss this.https://t.co/2eHbIw7LmG

— Al Kresta (@KrestaAfternoon) June 3, 2021

The Consequences of Bad Canon Law and Ecclesiology

The distortion of apostolic activity.

"When the Church speaks against violations of human rights, it is articulating her faith in the public square. From womb to tomb, humans have rights. Proclaiming that is more than prophetic. It is our existential identity,” Cardinal Bo told @PillarCatholic https://t.co/rMM7Y0inDJ

— Ed. Condon (@canonlawyered) February 11, 2021

The Consequences of Can. 747 §2

What is the difference between a command written in the indicative and one written as an imperative? None, in effect.

Our world and country are suffering. I encourage everyone, when your time comes and you are invited to get vaccinated, to do so. As @pontifex has said, we need to do it for the common good; we have a moral obligation to our neighbors, co-workers, friends and family.

— Cardinal Cupich (@CardinalBCupich) January 26, 2021

Getting this vaccine is by definition a personal prudential judgment. Virtually everyone has a different risk assessment. No bishop has access to all that private information. https://t.co/W3788hgBo0

— Jay W. Richards (@DrJayRichards) January 26, 2021

Just Because It's in Roman Canon Law Doesn't Make it Correct

It's strange that we've forgotten that Bishops aren't only teachers & guides, but rulers, with the power of jurisdiction, legislative, judicial & executive. E.g., Abp. Rummel of New Orleans threatened excommunication to opponents of his command to desegregate parochial schools. pic.twitter.com/aMAtuynEat

— Rafael de Arízaga (@RafaeldeArizaga) September 9, 2020

Canon 747

Canon Law and Political Discourse: What the Church Can and Must Offer Politics https://t.co/uG26AcDVAX

— Ius & Iustitium (@iusetiustitium) August 24, 2020

If Canon 747 §1 and §2 apply to the Church as a whole, and not just to the bishops, then the canon taken by itself does not imply any sort of Latin integralist theory regarding the authority of the bishops (or the pope) in relation to the political community. As it stands the canon does not tell us what qualifications are needed to "announce moral principles, even about the social order, and to render judgment concerning any human affairs insofar as the fundamental rights of the human person or the salvation of souls requires it." Not all Latins are experts in moral theology, and this is true of Latin bishops as well. And a knowledge of the basic laws or commandments of God does not guarantee that one can reason well from them to derive secondary, positive human legislation or even policy positions.

What happened to Canon 249?

Watch the full video on YouTube: https://t.co/1P4WdL7zBz (2/2)

— Bishop Robert Barron (@BishopBarron) July 28, 2020

Can. 747 §2, Again

CWR

The institutional default positions in Vatican diplomacy do not reflect two lessons taught by the late 20th century, says George Weigel.https://t.co/nhxvQQntVu

— Catholic World Report (@cworldreport) July 22, 2020

In The Next Pope: The Office of Peter and a Church in Mission (recently published by Ignatius Press), I suggest that the institutional default positions in Vatican diplomacy do not reflect two lessons taught by the late 20th century: the only authority the Holy See has in world politics today is moral authority; that moral authority is depleted when the Church fails to speak the truth to power, especially totalitarian and authoritarian power. The truth can be spoken prudently and in charity; but it must be spoken. If the truth is not spoken, the Vatican tacitly confesses its weakness and is always playing defense on a field defined by the enemies of Christ and the Church.

U.S. Bishops urge #POTUS to rescind divisive memorandum excluding undocumented from inclusion in the apportionment of U.S. House of Representative seats: https://t.co/nBaCBIx6K9. pic.twitter.com/A33RrM7X06

— U.S. Catholic Bishops (@USCCB) July 22, 2020

The Legacy of the LCs

It would probably have been better if he had not been ordained in the first place, and who knows what the facts are behind that and his formation with the LCs.

"No shame? But some fame—and scandal!" Fr. Peter Stravinskas writes @cworldreport that the shamelessness of Jonathan Morris and the resultant scandal cannot go unremarked: https://t.co/2yLZNPqSd8

— Ignatius Insight (@ignatiusinsight) July 20, 2020

How Is This Connected to Can. 747 §2?

"The Church's obligation to participate in shaping the moral character of society is a requirement of our faith. It is a basic part of the mission we have received from Jesus Christ." @ArchbishopGomez on #FaithfulCitizenship. Learn more: https://t.co/Gvo43oFwym. pic.twitter.com/AT9Sj3eSud

— U.S. Catholic Bishops (@USCCB) July 16, 2020

Participation can be limited to evangelizing and forming the faithful. But it can also be broadly interpreted to lecturing non-Christian governments and peoples.

Can. 747 §2 does presupposes some form of Latin integralism as being true and universally applicable to human society, regardless of whether they are Roman Catholic or not.

If the Greek Orthodox did not have a significant presence in non-Greek countries I would expect their leaders to follow suit, as they already have in the US to some extent.

Whither Confirmation?

Peter Kwasniewski, in Lessons from a Whisky Priest:

The Church teaches that baptism is necessary for salvation; whatever else God may do in His freedom, He has revealed to us only one path by which we are saved: plunging into the death of Christ and rising with Him. The Church teaches that confession is the only way to be certain of the absolution of mortal sins, and in this sense, it is necessary for those in mortal sin. Extreme unction, as it was once aptly named, prepares the soul for the great passage from death to eternal life, lest it be a passage from death to second death. It fulfills the petition in the Byzantine Divine Liturgy: “For a Christian, painless, blameless, peaceful end of our lives, and for a good account before the dread judgment seat of Christ, let us beseech the Lord.”

There seems no end of dioceses where the faithful are being cut off even from necessary sacraments like baptism and confession—and for what atheistic persecution? Where are the Red Shirts breathing down our necks?

and

Bishops who believe in the Christian faith will seek every creative solution to be with their people and to ensure that the clergy, who in a way represent them, can remain where they are most needed. By contrast, for an indifferentist or a universalist who thinks, Abu Dhabi-like, that many different paths lead to God, or that perhaps no path at all is needed as a merciful God will scoop us all up in the end, baptism would not be necessary. To one who no longer believes in the reality of mortal sin—sin that kills the divine life in the soul—confession would no longer be necessary. It helps, of course, that laymen can baptize their own children in a difficult situation and that one can make a firm resolution to go to confession as soon as it is available again. But will the laity who feel abandoned today by their pastors feel confident in them tomorrow after the crisis has passed? The abuse crisis and the coronavirus response are, in many ways, like a one-two punch.

No mention of the necessity of Confirmation?

Baptism by water and the Gift of the Holy Spirit should never have been separated -- both are part of one baptism into Christ; even now Latins think Confirmation is an "optional" Sacrament and is treated as such by many, even clergy.

The Roman Code of Canon Law on Confirmation:

A most unsatisfactory explanation of the sacrament:

Can. 879 The sacrament of confirmation strengthens the baptized and obliges them more firmly to be witnesses of Christ by word and deed and to spread and defend the faith. It imprints a character, enriches by the gift of the Holy Spirit the baptized continuing on the path of Christian initiation, and binds them more perfectly to the Church.

The gift of the Holy Spirit should be mentioned first, as this explains why the sacrament is a necessary part of initiation.

Can. 883 to 886 reiterate the Latin emphasis on bishops being the regular or primary (not necessarily "ordinary") minister of the sacrament. This tradition, no doubt linked to a biased view towards the monoepiscopate, needs to be revisited.

The reception of the sacrament is obligatory: "Can. 890 The faithful are obliged to receive this sacrament at the proper time. Parents and pastors of souls, especially pastors of parishes, are to take care that the faithful are properly instructed to receive the sacrament and come to it at the appropriate time."

But it presupposes that the bishop is the regular or primary minister, even if it is not explicitly stated. What other reason for there to be a delay until the "age of discretion," instead of having Confirmation at the same time as Baptism? "The bishop is too busy."
"Can. 891 The sacrament of confirmation is to be conferred on the faithful at about the age of discretion unless the conference of bishops has determined another age, or there is danger of death, or in the judgment of the minister a grave cause suggests otherwise."

No Latin dares ask what the consequences are of an incomplete sacramental Christian initiation, even if they may resort to saying any defect in initiation is made up by God or reception of the Eucharist. Theological speculation but is it warranted by the witness of the early Church and Scripture?

What Is the Canonical Justification for These Actions?

Retired archbishop disciplined after calling Pope Francis a ‘heretic’

Prohibiting a retired archbishop from using their churches or celebrating Mass or preaching in them, I can understand. But prohibiting him from speaking to the media? What is the justification for that? What happened to collegiality?

Edward Peters: A canonical look at the Holy See – China issue regarding episcopal appointments

On Annulments

Fr. Z: ASK FATHER: Does a declaration of nullity mean a marriage never existed?

Excommunication of SCOTUS Justices?

Edward Peters, Obergefell and canonical criminal law (via Fr. Z)

This professor too: Thomas Berg, Comments on Obergefell, the Marriage Holding, and Religious Liberty
Does Mirror of Justice not commit itself to orthodoxy and hold the members of the blog accountable accordingly? Or do they believe in an erroneous form of "academic freedom"?

This woman, too:
How can those who support gay rights remain in the Church? by Margery Eagan

And no doubt some columnists and Jesuits at America and other heterodox periodicals.

Tea at Trianon: Headcoverings for Women

Tea at Trianon: Headcoverings for Women

Does Roman Canon Law override local custom? Could a local ordinary decide that women should be required to wear headcoverings, or that men and women should be separated in temple?

Tomorrow, in NYC

Upcoming Conference with Roberto De Mattei and John Lamont

NLM: Solemn Vespers, Conference in NYC by William Riccio

Related:
Interview with Roberto de Mattei

Would They Read the Manosphere?

Catholic San Francisco: Bishops asked to assess marriage, family life by Cindy Wooden

Grounds for Annulment?

This story about a Chinese man suing his wife for divorce because she deceived him about her appearance through plastic surgery has been making the rounds on the internet and FB. (Edit. It has been shown to be a hoax.) Would this sort of deception grounds for annulment? What would the moral theologians and canon lawyers say about this case?

I was thinking about this last night - what are the Latin churches doing to mitigate divorce or determine fault? Who would have the authority to determine fault and enforce sanctions for someone who destroyed a marriage, such as excommunication and social ostracization? Where are the consequences for bad wives? (I think we know what happens to husbands, good or bad, in our current legal system.)

Plastic surgery culture flourishes in East Asia: not just Korea and Japan, but also in Hong Kong and Taiwan. (I don't know if it is a booming business in mainland China yet. Maybe the unmarried career women have been resorting to plastic surgery.) But I should have known better than to think that the Latinas deserved their reputation for beauty - case in point, the Venezuelans. Miss Venezuela wins Miss Universe. Another plastic beauty?

iirc, CH made fun of NBL judge Osmel.

More on the BSA

The Thinking Housewife on one Catholic priest's response to the change in policy: Seattle Priest Rejects Scouting. The Thinking Houswife also reports that the the episcopal liaison of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to the National Catholic Committee on Scouting has no problems with the new policy: Bishop responds to Boy Scouts’ decision on admission of homosexual members. This echoes the thoughts of Ed Peters. (More from Ed Peters.)

I think that the bishop and Ed Peters are ignoring the fact that adolescents who publicly identify as homosexual have [probably] already gone beyond recognizing the experience of same-sex attraction to embracing a political or social identity, as Dr. Fleming and the commentators at TTH point out.

From someone who acknowledges the distinction between inclination and behavior and nonetheless is more circumspect about the policy: The Boy Scouts: Caught in the Culture Wars

Related:
Fr. Lappe's Response to New Boy Scouts
Catholic Scouts of St. George: How to Start a Charter Troop
Atlantic: What Gays can teach Straights about Marriage