Canon Law must serve Vatican II vision of the Church – Pope

Pope Francis has said that the Catholic Church’s Code of Canon Law is an instrument that must serve the Church’s Pastoral Mission of bringing God’s mercy to all and leading them to salvation.

Just as the first full codification of Catholic Church law was carried out 100 years ago “entirely dominated by pastoral concern,” so today its amendments and application must provide for a well-ordered care of the Christian people, the Pope said this in a message on October 6 at a Canon Law Conference in Rome.

Leading Canonists, as well as Professors and Students from all the Canon Law Faculties in Rome, met from October 4-7 to mark the 100th Anniversary of the First Systematic Code of Canon Law, which was promulgated by Pope Benedict XV in 1917.