Canon Law: Letter and Spirit

The 1983 Code of Canon Law has been described by Pope John Paul II as "the final document of the Second Vatican Council". In this, the Holy Father was encapsulating precisely what this Code is: a revision of the earlier 1917 Code which takes into account the doctrinal, pastoral and practical teachings of the Council, while at the same time retaining, as did the Council, the age-old law and tradition of the Church. The aim of this volume is to bring this understanding into the daily life of the Church, at all levels: to Bishops in their pastoral ministry, to priests in parishes and other such pastoral areas, to teachers and students in seminaries, to members of religious institutes and societies, not least to the laity who remain firmly at the heart of the Church's mission. The book incorporates the various developments and interpretations, which have occurred since the Code was promulagated. It attempts also to incorporated the practical wisdom which has been gained over the 12 years of working with the new code. As such, the volume is a new venture into the arena of "Commentaries on the Code". While keeping the specialist clearly in mind, it aims to stretch out to all who would wish to know what Canon Law really means, and particularly the extent to which it can help to bring their lives into harmony with the mind of Christ.