Thursday, March 11, 2010

Equity and Charity

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An anonymous comment on my last post prompts me to suggest the following:

First this, from John Paul 11:
 "Because the 1983 Code (of Canon Law) is necessary for the Church, how important are Canon Lawyers who are thoroughly acquainted with the new legislation, who can help interpret it accurately and in conformity with the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, and who can apply it with equity and charity. This is the great challenge and responsibility that belongs to those who render a vital service to the Church by properly relating it to the life and mission of the Church." (Bolded italics added.)

John Paul continues:
 "A true understanding of the role of Canon Lawyers within the ecclesial community can follow only from an appropriate consideration of the purpose of the law itself and of the Code that enshrines it. My apostolic constitution “Sacrae disciplinae leges” [16] points out, the purpose of the Code is “to create such an order in the ecclesial society, that, while assigning the primacy to love, grace and charism, it at the same time renders their organic development easier in the life both of the ecclesial society and of the individuals persons who belong to it.” In this sense the Code is an “indispensable instrument” of the Church’s life and vitality."

With all due respect to the Vatican, I don't think their English translation of the Pope's own document does justice to what he wrote in the original Latin:

"Quae cum ita sint, satis apparet finem Codicis minime illum esse, ut in vita Ecclesiae christifidelium fides, gratia, charismata ac praesertim caritas substituantur. Ex contrario, Codex eo potius spectat, ut talem gignat ordinem in ecclesiali societate, qui, praecipuas tribuens partes amori, gratiae atque charismati, eodem tempore faciliorem reddat ordinatam eorum progressionem in vita sive ecclesialis societatis, sive etiam singulorum hominum, qui ad illam pertinent."

Here is a more accurate translation (italics mine):

Canon law "is in no way intended as a substitute for faith, grace, charisms, and especially charity in the life of the Church and of the faithful. On the contrary, its purpose is rather to create such an order in the ecclesial society that, while assigning the primacy love, grace, and charisms, it at the same time renders their organic development easier in the life of both the ecclesial society and the individual persons who belong to it."

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amen. I would never hire a canon lawyer who has exhibited such partisanship as Pete Vere.

Anonymous said...

Ah, very charitably stated, anonymous.

Anonymous said...

Read Pete Vere last spring and follow his thought process. He was all for helping the LC to move forward. I was amazed at his balanced view. He had lots of good advice and thoughts for the LC/RC. He just watched the actions of this year and adjusted his thinking

Anonymous said...

Monk - you say you are new to the comboxes. It might be helpful to go back and read Pete Vere early on and you will see how he tried hard to help with reform - even against Giselle's opinions(Genevieve)

http://catholicexchange.com/2009/02/06/115339/

http://catholicexchange.com/2009/02/07/115405/

This is Pete's closing words to LC/RC

"Pete Vere: We love you and we’re praying for you. You’re part of our Catholic family. The LC/RC has the potential to do much good within the Church. However, right now you need help. You’ve helped us in the past — in fact, speaking personally, a Legion priest and several Regnum Christi members were instrumental in my return to the Catholic Church. Now let us help you."

Maybe your judgements are not with all the facts. He supported some of the abuse victims early on when others thought that was crazy. He is willing to take a risk for truth. His processing this on his website this past year has helped me tremendously as a woman healing after leaving RC.