What is the Code of Canon Law and why does the Church have legal rules?
The Code of Canon Law (Codex Iuris Canonici) is the organized body of ecclesiastical laws governing the life, sacraments, administration, and rights of the faithful in the Catholic Church. Canon law does not replace the Gospel, but translates the Gospel and theology into practical ecclesiastical life. Its supreme purpose is summarized in its final canon (Canon 1752): 'the salvation of souls, which must always be the supreme law in the Church' (salus animarum suprema lex).
Sources
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 894-896
- 1 Corinthians 14:40
Awaiting review by the chaplaincy. Written in our own words; the Church's own texts are the authority.