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About the author
Cathy Caridi, J.C.L., is an American canon lawyer who practices law and teaches in Rome. She founded this website to provide clear answers to canonical questions asked by ordinary Catholics, without employing all the mysterious legalese that canon lawyers know and love. In the past Cathy has published articles both in scholarly journals and on various popular Catholic websites, including Real Presence Communications and Catholic Exchange.-
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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canonlawmadeeasy@yahoo.com
Please check the Archives first–it’s likely your question was already addressed.
Unsigned/anonymous questions are not read, much less answered (why is it necessary even to mention this?).
Category Archives: Clergy Issues
Catholic Priests Who Become Non-Catholic Ministers
Q: Recently, a Catholic priest in our area left to become “pastor” of an Episcopal church. If we assume for a moment that the Episcopal liturgy contains the valid words of Institution, and if we assume that valid matter was … Continue reading
Posted in Canonical Issues Involving Non-Catholics, Clergy Issues, Holy Mass
Tagged Anglican, canon law, Catholic, Episcopal, eucharist, priest
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Could Women Ever be Ordained Deaconesses?
Q: A coworker was talking loudly at work about an article she’d read, endorsing the ordination of women as deacons, and she was all for it. It didn’t sound right to me, though, but I couldn’t put my finger on … Continue reading
Posted in Clergy Issues
Tagged canon law, Catholic, deaconess, women's ordination
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Am I Permanently Barred from Ordination to the Priesthood?
Q: I have been discerning my vocation, trying to determine whether or not I am called to be a priest. I happened to find a commentary on canon law in my school library… it says that a person is barred … Continue reading
Posted in Canonical Issues Involving Non-Catholics, Clergy Issues, Holy Orders
Tagged canon law, Catholic, ordination, priesthood
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What Can (and Can’t) a Deacon Do?
Q: We have a permanent deacon at our parish. Some of us are wondering if the pastor sometimes allows him to do things that he’s not supposed to do… for example, occasionally the deacon preaches a homily at Sunday Mass … Continue reading
Posted in Clergy Issues, Sacraments
Tagged canon law, Catholic, deacon, diaconate, sacraments
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Are SSPX Sacraments Valid? Part II
(Part I of this article on the SSPX was posted on August 1, 2013, and can be read here.) We’ve been looking at the sacraments administered by priests of the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), an institute which, despite … Continue reading
Posted in Clergy Issues, Confession, Marriage, Sacraments
Tagged canon law, canonical form, Catholic, sacraments, SSPX, validity
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