PA730CE Canon Law
This course has been developed specifically to address the canon law topics which most frequently arise in the ministry of deacons, based on numerous requests from officers and members of the National Association of Diaconate Directors, headquartered here at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus Ohio. Canon Law plays an important part in every element of the deacon’s ministry. As Doctor Edward Peters, JCL, JCD of Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit has remarked: “Most cradle Catholics, having grown up with a vague awareness of the presence of canon law-however incomplete and even erroneous their understanding of Church law might be-are much less likely to pose questions about the operation of canon law unless, perchance, they find themselves directly affected by it. Not so with candidates for conversion; they are motivated to ask questions about all facets of Church life.” As deacons, in addition to being guided by the precepts of canon law, you’ll be seen as a de facto subject-matter expert by many with whom you come into contact.
Course Syllabus
PA730CE Canon Law
A: About This Course
This course has been developed specifically to address the canon law topics which most frequently arise in the ministry of deacons, based on numerous requests from officers and members of the National Association of Diaconate Directors, headquartered here at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus Ohio. Canon Law plays an important part in every element of the deacon’s ministry. As Doctor Edward Peters, JCL, JCD of Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit has remarked: “Most cradle Catholics, having grown up with a vague awareness of the presence of canon law-however incomplete and even erroneous their understanding of Church law might be-are much less likely to pose questions about the operation of canon law unless, perchance, they find themselves directly affected by it. Not so with candidates for conversion; they are motivated to ask questions about all facets of Church life.” As deacons, in addition to being guided by the precepts of canon law, you’ll be seen as a de facto subject-matter expert by many with whom you come into contact.
Canon law, the oldest continuously functioning legal system in the western world is the internal legal system of the Catholic Church. It affects, to one degree or another, virtually every aspect of Catholic life, sometimes much more intimately than many people realize; other times, though, much less directly than one might have otherwise thought.
This course of instruction is based on the 1983 Code of Canon Law, which guides the western or Roman, church. The code consists of over 1700 canons or rules, divided into seven topics, or "books. While the official language is Latin, be not afraid! – This course will be conducted in English, with a distinct mid-western accent. (The Pontifical College Josephinum, which is the only Pontifical seminary outside Italy, is located in Columbus Ohio!). Much of your study for this course will refer you to various online sites provided by the Canon Law Society of America, various Catholic universities, and the Vatican itself.
- Required Text:
A Handbook on Canon Law: Joseph T. Martin De Agar JCD, Professor at the Faculty of Canon Law, Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome. He holds both the doctorate in Civil Law and doctorate in Canon Law from the University of Navarra, Spain.
Published in English: Wilson & Lafleur, 2007 ISBN 2-89127-457-1 ( ~$25.00 U.S.)
ISBN-10: 2891278046
ISBN-13: 978-2891278041
This book is available at major Catholic bookstores, or you may purchase it online at a variety of locations, including www.theologicalforum.org, www.canonlawbooks.com and elsewhere.
Several other texts will be recommended (but not required) during the course. Because of the great expense of many of these volumes, they should be considered “for information only” and will play no part in the grading of the course. Most will be available in well-stocked parochial libraries, in Diocesan offices, or through the kindness of a well-read pastor.
C: Structure of the Course:
As with all courses offered by the Josephinum’s Institute for the Formation and Ministry of the Diaconate, this online course is offered exclusively via the internet. This twelve-week, twelve module course is a graduate-level course, earning the successful student two graduate-hours credit from the Josephinum, which is fully accredited by The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS) and the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA). All learning modules of all courses offered by the Pontifical College Josephinum follow the identical format, viz.
Module 1 – An Overview of Canon Law-History
- A moment of Recollection before We Begin
- Overview
- Key Points
- Required Readings (Internal)
- Required Readings (External)
- Tough Questions – (Required Forum Discussion)
- Video Conference Call During Week One
Module 2 – An Overview of Canon Law-Structure
- A moment of Recollection before We Begin
- Overview
- Key Points
- Required Readings (Internal)
- Required Readings (External)
- Tough Questions – (Required Forum Discussion)
Module 3 – An Overview of Canon Law – The Parochial Canons (I)
- A moment of Recollection before We Begin
- Overview
- Key Points
- Required Readings (Internal)
- Required Readings (External)
- Tough Questions – (Required Forum Discussion)
- Research-Reflection Paper (Due Week 3)
Module 4 – An Overview of Canon Law – The Parochial Canons (II)
- A moment of Recollection before We Begin
- Overview
- Key Points
- Required Readings (Internal)
- Required Readings (External)
- Tough Questions – (Required Forum Discussion)
Module 5 – An Overview of Canon Law – The Parochial Canons (III)
- A moment of Recollection before We Begin
- Overview
- Key Points
- Required Readings (Internal)
- Required Readings (External)
- Tough Questions – (Required Forum Discussion)
- Video Conference Call During Week Five
Module 6 – An Overview of Canon Law – The Sacramental Canons (I)
- A moment of Recollection before We Begin
- Overview
- Key Points
- Required Readings (Internal)
- Required Readings (External)
- Tough Questions – (Required Forum Discussion)
- Research-Reflection Paper (Due Week 6)
Module 7 – An Overview of Canon Law – The Sacramental Canons (II)
- A moment of Recollection before We Begin
- Overview
- Key Points
- Required Readings (Internal)
- Required Readings (External)
- Tough Questions – (Required Forum Discussion)
Module 8 – An Overview of Canon Law - The Sacramental Canons (III)
- A moment of Recollection before We Begin
- Overview
- Key Points
- Required Readings (Internal)
- Required Readings (External)
- Tough Questions – (Required Forum Discussion)
Module 9 – An Overview of Canon Law - The Tribunal Canons (I)
- A moment of Recollection before We Begin
- Overview
- Key Points
- Required Readings (Internal)
- Required Readings (External)
- Tough Questions – (Required Forum Discussion)
- Research-Reflection Paper (Due Week 9)
Module 10 – An Overview of Canon Law - The Tribunal Canons (II)
- A moment of Recollection before We Begin Overview
- Key Points
- Required Readings (Internal)
- Required Readings (External)
- Tough Questions – (Required Forum Discussion)
Module 11 – An Overview of Canon Law - The Tribunal Canons (III)
- A moment of Recollection before We Begin
- Overview
- Key Points
- Required Readings (Internal)
- Required Readings (External)
- Tough Questions – (Required Forum Discussion)
- Video Conference Call During Week Eleven
Module 12 – An Overview of Canon Law: (Conclusions and Final Assessment)
- A moment of Recollection before We Begin
- Overview
- Key Points
- Required Readings (Internal)
- Required Readings (External)
- Tough Questions – (Required Forum Discussion)
- Final Examination (Online) during the week following class completion