Father Pavone’s “Suspension”: Priests for Life, Part II

Posted on December 6, 2012 by canonlawmadeeasy

(Part I of this article was posted on November 21, 2012, and can be read here.)

In the first part of our discussion of the unhappy situation involving Priests for Life leader Fr. Frank Pavone and his bishop, Patrick Zurek of Amarillo, Texas, we’ve already seen that a diocesan bishop has authority to assign the priests of his diocese to whatever ministry he feels is appropriate.  Diocesan priests, in turn, don’t have to like the work that they are assigned to do; they just need to do it.  Canon law fully accords with Catholic ecclesiology on this subject. Continue reading →

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Clerical Incardination: Priests for Life, Part I

Posted on November 21, 2012 by canonlawmadeeasy

Q: I’m trying to figure out which side is right in the case of pro-life leader Father Frank Pavone against his bishop in Texas.  Fr. Pavone publicly said he won an appeal to the Vatican against his bishop, who had suspended his pro-life work.  But from what I can see, he’s still stuck in Texas, like his bishop wanted, so I don’t know what’s going on!  What does canon law say about all this?  –Anita

Continue reading →

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Was Theologian Hans Küng Ever Excommunicated?

Posted on November 8, 2012 by canonlawmadeeasy

Q: I just saw a news story that said Hans Küng, the controversial theologian, is retiring.  It didn’t say anything about him still being under excommunication for his heretical teaching, though, so I’m wondering whether he retracted his heresies and fully returned to the Church? –Mike

A: Most people who recognize the name of Hans Küng are aware that he was sharply reprimanded by the Church for some of his theological positions, which are at direct odds with orthodox Catholic teaching.  Few realize, however, that Küng was never actually excommunicated!  Continue reading →

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Canon Law and the Pope’s Butler

Posted on October 25, 2012 by canonlawmadeeasy

Q: I understand that the Pope’s butler was arrested and convicted under Vatican civil law, and not under canon law. But didn’t he violate canon law too? I thought it was a crime under canon law to cause harm to the Pope, isn’t it?  –Daniel

A: Most readers are probably as familiar as Daniel is with the recent trial of Paolo Gabriele, the Pope’s valet, who was charged with and subsequently convicted of passing many of the Pope’s confidential personal papers to an Italian journalist. Continue reading →

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Who Can Conduct an Exorcism?

Posted on October 11, 2012 by canonlawmadeeasy

Q: I thought every Catholic priest could act as an exorcist if he has to, by virtue of his ordination to the priesthood. But our assistant pastor told me recently that that’s not true, because he is not able to conduct an exorcism. Who exactly has the right and the power to exorcise evil spirits? –Andrea

A: When we think of exorcists and exorcisms, we’re likely to remember dramatic scenes from horror-movies, in which a priest tries to convince an evil spirit to depart from a writhing, shrieking, possessed person. It’s an image that, while not entirely false, can lead us to make a few mistaken assumptions about what the term “exorcism” means, and who an “exorcist” is. Continue reading →

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