The Infallibility of the Catholic Church in her Universal Laws and Sacramental Rites

The death knell for Feeneyism and Recognize-and-Resist…

The Infallibility of the Catholic Church in her Universal Laws and Sacramental Rites

In his 1943 encyclical letter on the Mystical Body of Christ, Pope Pius XII (r. 1939-1958) clarified that the Roman Catholic Church, although made up of human beings who are sinners, is nevertheless perfectly holy in those things that pertain to her divine constitution and the fulfillment of her mission — that of teaching, governing, and sanctifying souls so that they may attain the Beatific Vision. As “the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim 3:15), our Lord’s is thus “a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but … holy, and without blemish” (Eph 5:27).… READ MORE

The Divisions of Ecclesiastical Law (Fr. Dominic Prümmer, O.P.)

Fr. Dominic M. Prümmer, O.P. (1866-1931)

The Divisions of Ecclesiastical Law

taken from his Manual of Canon Law (3rd edition, 1922)

Exclusive English Translation

Q[uestion] 7. What, taken objectively, are the particular divisions of ecclesiastical law?

A[nswer]. Ecclesiastical law, taken objectively, can be divided by reason of matter, extension, [historical] time [period], form, and rite:

a) By reason of matter, [ecclesiastical law] is divided into public and private. Among various authors, there is no single explanation of these terms.[1] Indeed, some [authors] absolutely reject this division.[2] According to several authors, public [ecclesiastical] law is the same as the general law common to all, but private [ecclesiastical] law is the same as a private legal right or a privilege.… READ MORE