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Canon lawyers are not responsible for the content of canon law. The Supreme Legislator is. Only Pope Francis can change the Code of Canon Law, so if you're not happy with what the law says, please take it up with him.
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Category Archives: Clergy Issues
Did the Spanish Flu of 1918 Create a Precedent for Closing Churches and Cancelling Masses Today?
Q: A priest in residence at my parish is defending the bishop’s decision to lock all the churches indefinitely … claiming that there is canonical precedent for doing this. He says the same thing was done during the Spanish Flu … Continue reading
Posted in Clergy Issues, Holy Mass, Parish Life, Rights of the Faithful, Sacraments, The Eucharist
Tagged 1918, bishops, canon law, Catholic, churches, Mass, Spanish Flu, virus
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Episcopal Conferences and Communion on the Tongue
Q1: The US Conference of Catholic Bishops issued guidelines saying that we have the right to receive Holy Communion on the tongue, despite the virus … but my bishop has ordered all his priests to do the exact opposite. He … Continue reading
Posted in Clergy Issues, Rights of the Faithful, Sacraments, The Eucharist
Tagged bishops' conference, canon law, Catholic, Communion on the tongue, episcopal conference
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Pope Francis’ Letter to the Priests of Rome, on Ministry During the Pandemic
Dear Readers, A number of people have asked about Pope Francis’ March 13 letter to the priests of Rome, which was mentioned briefly in “Do Bishops Have the Authority to Cancel Masses Completely?” It appears that this letter has not … Continue reading
Posted in Clergy Issues, Rights of the Faithful, The Pope
Tagged canon law, Catholic, churches, pandemic, Pope Francis, priests, Rome
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Holy Week in the Era of Coronavirus
Q: The pastor of my parish told me that your recent article is wrong. He says that both Cardinal Sarah [Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship] and Pope Francis approved of the bishops’ decision to cancel all Masses. The … Continue reading
Posted in Clergy Issues, Holy Mass, Parish Life, Rights of the Faithful
Tagged bishop, canon law, Catholic, Easter, Easter vigil, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Holy Thursday, holy week, Mass, Palm Sunday, priest
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Do Bishops Have the Authority to Cancel Masses Completely?
Q1: The Irish Bishops have decided to cancel all public Masses and have told us that we have a dispensation from Sunday Mass obligations as a result of the Coronavirus. Is this permissible? –Eileen Q2: As a follow up to … Continue reading
Posted in Clergy Issues, Holy Mass, Parish Life, Rights of the Faithful
Tagged bishop, cancel, canon law, Catholic, Mass, parish, priest
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