Media hype about minors sexual abuse by clerics makes an impression as if the Church didn’t react to this problem. That loud and aggressive action of mass media is not true. The above article, which contains an overview of different papal speeches and documents, as well as Roman Curia’s commitment, especially Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith commitment, manifest very active and multifaceted Church’s response to the problem. It is necessary to emphasise the important influence of pope Benedict XVI. Since he was a prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith he endeavoured to conform to rules of penal canon law in a consistent and explicit way. Along with the development of the universal law the particular law came into being. It constitutes a supplement to general legislation and demands recognition from the side of The Holy See. In each situation concerning the crimes against morals committed by clergy, it is essential to face the problem i.e. to show compassion and help to the victims and to explain the whole truth about what had really happened. If a clergyman is guilty of a crime then, in the name of love and truth, it is necessary to apply canonical penalties. The important part of solving a problem is to apply formation rules consistently: a proper recognition of vocation and human formation in an emotional and sexual space. Finally, clergymen have to interpret the universal call to holiness more intensively. Crisis, which touched the Church, is also an opportunity to thorough purification of the Church and to renew commitment to apostolic holiness. Through preaching truth about God and human, and at the same time setting requirements for the worshippers, especially for the clergymen, the Church leads people to holiness and salvation.
The Catholic Church, as no other community, undertook decisive actions, in order to judge sexual abuses by clerics. The Church aims also to secure environments for raising and evangelization young people. The Society of St. Francis de Sales have also undertaken proper steps and strategies in recent years to purify its ranks, and to face the truth about minors sexual abuse. The important reference point in initial religious formation are records in the salesian Constitution upon consecrated chastity. It is also necessary to firmly apply rules included in Ratio formationis. The problem concerns proper recognition of vocation and human formation in an emotional and sexual space. Remaining in chastity requires also spiritual commitment and lifelong asceticism within the framework of so called permanent formation. However if a sexual abuse happen, it is necessary to face the problem i.e. to show compassion and help to the victims and to explain the whole truth about what had really happened. If a Salesian is guilty of a crime then, in the name of love and truth, it is necessary to apply canonical penalties. Crisis, which touched the Church and the Society of St. Francis de Sales, is an opportunity to thorough personal and communal purification. At the same time it is a reminder that only remaining in Jesus Christ- a Vine Bush can bear good fruit of apostolic service to the youth.
The committal of some church offices preceded a canonical choice of the person. In the article, in brief, there are approximate norms of the canonical law which refers to elections, and then is talks about the statute law of the Society of St. Francis de Sales related to electoral rules. In this Society, canonical elections precede the embrace the office of the Superior General, similarly as the Commissary, councilors of each sections and regional councilors forming central authorities. Elections bring to light also delegates from every province on the General Chapter, and representatives on the province chapter. The study of the own law of the Salesian Society does not raise legal doubts. Instead in effect of electoral one ought to keep indications of the public statute of the Church. The incautiousness in this matter can be a no valid choice. Canonical elections create one of the elements of the own law. Simultaneously it underlines that elections are the joint responsibility of the religious for the realization of the salesian charisma: on local and province level and in the life of the whole Salesian Society.
In undertaking the new evangelization, the Church takes advantage of sources of mass communication. The Church’s teachings reveal the good and the bad sides of the mass media, but at the same time encourage the priests and the faithful to actively include the mass media into the Church’s mission. In particular, the Catholic mass media serve in the evangelization of the world. One can say that they constitute a new modern pulpit. This study points to publications, radio and television. The usage of mass media demands courage and creativity on the part of the faithful. The ideas of the Church Magisterium demand dynamic use of these tools. This applies to mass media outlets specifically designated as “Catholic” as well as all sort of activities undertaken in programs in the public and private media. The Church’s teachings in the mass media are backed up with canonical regulations. In the last decades, the world of media has changed dynamically. The Church and all of the faithful should closely follow the changes taking place in order to adjust the mission of evangelization to them, that is, to consistently reveal, through the mass media, the face of Christ and His message of salvation.
The Church’s teaching on the Internet is positive. The use of the Internet, as of every tool in the hands of man, may lead to positive or negative consequences. The paper touches upon the question of whether the Internet is a benefit or a threat to seminarians. Among the benefits of the Internet is access to a vast amount of information, including that of religious character. Cyberspace opens up a range of possibilities for evangelizing the world and making contacts with different people and groups inside the Church. Internet-related threats include electronic crimes, hacking, pornography and websites full of violence. Another problem is uneven access to information. Additionally, an excess of information causes the so called information overload. Apart from many good Catholic websites, there are also ones which differ from Catholic thought or are contrary to it. The Internet is a challenge to seminarians. The first of the challenges is good media education, which takes the specificity of cyberspace into account. Occasionally, the problem of Internet addiction might occur. Other issues that ought to be included in seminary education are rules for safe Internet use, personal data protection, and respecting copyrights. Despite its many limitations, the Internet can be a useful tool in the hands of competent and wise priests. The whole of the seminary environment ought to take up this challenge with courage so that the Internet might serve the mission of the Church.
Econom’s function is to administer the ecclesiastical goods that belong to religious legal persons. The canon law claims to set the position of econom. Details regarding the requirements on the econom’s position and his assignments are included in own law of religious institute. Review of own law of the Society of St. Francis de Sales, accomplished in above article, reveals its compliance with common law of Church. General econom is elected during general council, other administrators are appointed after previous consultation. Econom’s position is a term office. Own law defines in detail econom’s assignments on the level of central Society of St. Francis de Sales office, province and single house. The constitutional records of that institute strongly emphasize the spiritual significance of administration. Temporal goods are of use to accomplish charisma, they are subordinated to raising the young and to evangelization. St. John Bosco, the founder of Salesians, on one hand placed his trust in God’s Providence and in help of Mary Help of Christians. On the other hand he was prudent and foreseeing administrator, who walked down the earth. The ministry of economs is difficult. Their work in the modern world, that is to say also in a thicket of national legal and administrative norms, requires constant deepening knowledge. That is why some superior initiatives, such as theoretical and practical training, publishing subsidiary literature and so forth, are needed to economs to cope with their assignments. At the same time allegiance to legal norms (canon, common and own law) will let Salesians to accomplish their ecclesiastical mission.
From the beginning of the Church, the cult of martyrs was developed. The Vatican Council II had an influence on martyrdoms, which is understood as the special gift and the highest test of the love for Jesus. The canonization process has to arise these truths into day’s light, it has to testify about the sainthood of martyrs. Dissertation undertakes the problem of the martyrdom with reference to norms of the canonical law which regulate the course of the canonization case. The consideration bears upon present martyrs, without treatment historic processes. First part of the report undertakes the problem of the martyrdom in his canonical elements. Next part of the dissertation introduce the most important requirements of the process in the diocesan investigation. The further part bears upon works in Congregation of Canonization Matters. The last part refers to differences among the beatification and the canonization. In the legal idea of the martyrdom, the notion of the person of the persecutor deserves attention. During the 20th Century the traditional understanding of this idea widened on so called the collective persecutor eg. German Nazism. The martyrdom for the faith means the physical decease of the man. The torment of the person by the persecutor, but without the deprival of his life - does not determine legally - the canonical construction of the martyr’s decease. In the present canonization procedure, the diocesan bishop acts as an integral part. Valuing of his charges of a particular church is an essential feature of the current canonization law.
Artificial intelligence is typically associated with the domain of emerging technologies. Yet these developments profoundly influence the functioning of the human world as a whole. The Catholic Church, for its part, is actively engaged in the contemporary debate on these issues. It is within this context that the Note Antiqua et Nova, published on 28 January 2025, was prepared. This study offers a concise overview of the Magisterium’s teaching on the Internet and its use. It then sketches the key statements on artificial intelligence issued by the Magisterium prior to Antiqua et Nova. Next, it presents the content of the 2025 Note, with particular attention to the section devoted to education. The final part of the study attempts to relate these new technological challenges to the sphere of canon law, examining whether-and to what extent-the emerging technologies of artificial intelligence ought to be regulated by ecclesiastical norms. Artificial intelligence and its tools first require thorough understanding and careful study. Only then can one consider their practical application within the digital realm, including for evangelization, while taking into account both their advantages and their risks. At the same time, the Magisterium reiterates fundamental principles to ensure that the foundations of Christian anthropology and the moral dimension of using digital tools are not overlooked-so that such technologies truly serve the good of the human person and of society. There is also a need to develop appropriate canonical regulations, particularly in the field of education, in light of the Church’s responsibility for Catholic schools, Catholic universities, and ecclesiastical institutions.
PL
Tematyka sztucznej inteligencji kojarzy się głównie z przestrzenią nowych technologii. Jednakże są to zagadnienia istotnie wpływające na funkcjonowanie całego ludzkiego świata. Także Kościół katolicki aktywnie włącza się do współczesnej dyskusji na ten temat. W tym kontekście powstała Nota Antiqua et Nova opublikowana 28 stycznia 2025 r. W opracowaniu pokrótce zostało przedstawione nauczanie Magisterium Kościoła na temat Internetu i jego wykorzystania. W dalszej części zostały zarysowane wypowiedzi Magisterium na temat sztucznej inteligencji, które poprzedziły notę Antiqua et Nova. Następnie przybliżono treść noty z 2025 r., ze zwróceniem uwagi na część dotyczącą edukacji. W końcowej części opracowania została podjęta próba zestawienia nowych wyzwań technologicznych z przestrzenią prawa kanonicznego, czy i w jakim zakresie nowe technologie sztucznej inteligencji powinny być regulowane normami prawa kościelnego. Sztuczna Inteligencja i jej narzędzia wymagają najpierw zrozumienia i studiowania. Następnie można zastanawiać się nad praktycznym wykorzystaniem nowych rozwiązań świata cyfrowego, również ewangelizacyjnym, uwzględniając ich pozytywne i negatywne strony. Jednocześnie Magisterium Kościoła przypomina o pryncypiach, aby nie zapomnieć o podstawach chrześcijańskiej antropologii i moralnej stronie używania narzędzi cyfrowych, tak, aby służyły one dobru człowieka i społeczeństwa. Potrzebne jest także wypracowanie rozwiązań prawa kościelnego, np. w obszarze edukacji, zwłaszcza w związku z podmiotami, za które Kościół jest odpowiedzialny: szkoły katolickie, uczelnie katolickie i kościelne.
The right for the Faithful to associate exist in the canon law. Among the public associations of the Christian Faithful there are also those, which are related to spirituality of certain religious institutes. The aim of this work was to elucidate and analyze public associations of the Christian Faithful, which are connected with the Society of St. Francis de Sales, as well as the question of how those associations accomplish the teaching mission of the Church. In the beginning the most important canon law norms concerning the public associations of the Christian Faithful has been mentioned. St. John Bosco established three groups of the Faithful, viz. Salesians collaborators, worshippers of Mary Help of Christians and Salesian former pupils. The St. John of Bosko’s thought has been constantly fulfilled in further development of Salesian charism. A constant development of Salesians Collaborators Association is being observed. The association fulfills its own evangelistic and educational mission, and being at the same time a public association in the Church- it does it in the name of the Church. Also the Mary Help of Christian Association is a public association of the Faithful. Its important trait is to spread the Marian cult, especially the call of Mary Help of Christian. That assignment, together with prayer makes up the evangelistic mission. The next important group connected with the Salesian charism is a confederation of associations of Salesian former pupils. It is the case of federation of associations rather than of one organizationally close entity. Undoubtedly, the confederation continues and expands Salesians’ educational work and essentially makes up the educational assignments of the Church. At once it has to be said that the confederation is not a public association of the Faithful, because its members are also the Christians belonging to other Churches and communities, and also non-Christian people. The group Volunteers with the St. John of Bosco is also the public association of the Faithful. There is a place for many different groups and communities in the family of Salesians; a part of them exist in the form of private associations of the Faithful. While reviewing the associations related to Salesian Congregation the following picture could be used. The seed sowed by the Salesian founder grew large. Each new group, movement or association becomes another bough. Each of it refers to the Salesian charism, which also stands for joining in evangelistic and educational assignments, mainly directed to youth and popular environments.
The article analyses the active part and assignments of consecrate brothers in the teaching function of the Church. The problem is examined with reference to the third book of the Code of Canon Law 1983. The author considers assignments of consecrate brothers in the ministry of the divine word, the missionary action of the Church, the Catholic education and instruments of social communication. Consecrate brothers can fundamentally participate in all teaching functions. Small limitations e. g. the prohibition of the predication of the homily during the Holy Mass are derived from theological or legal reasons.
The Catholic Church is obliged to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a missionary order directed to all people (ad gentes). Canon law perceives new situations: many migrations of people, including non-Christians, and the widespread influence of mass media, as new missionary challenges. The study aimed to investigate how Church law adapts to these new situations. The first chapter outlines what the ad gentes missions are. The next chapter presents the phenomenon of contemporary migration and the Church’s response to this situation, especially to non-Christians in the European environment. Then the study outlined the situation of the so-called new media, their impact, and evangelization undertaken by the people of the Church in this area. In summary, it should be emphasized that awareness is the priority for the new challenges for ad gentes missions. Catholic missions do not take place only in distant countries, but through the presence of migrants and access to new means of communication, the missionary perspective has approached traditionally Christian countries. Every Catholic in the space of his daily life has the opportunity to be a missionary for his neighbours = migrants or co-users of the portal visited on the Internet. We need to think about the new solutions of the universal, particular or the smallest parish, so that the Christian message can reach every migrating person, including the Internet user. One should look for new ideas and their norms in the particular Church.
Religious institutes are a special sign of faith for the whole world. This includes public testimony of religious gave to Christ and the Church. Poverty in religious institutes has an individual dimension, but also common one. This paper discusses the communal aspects of vow of poverty, confronted with the concept of Church goods.Religious goods require good management. The decisions of the stewards and the superiors, or other eligible persons should be greatly responsible. Above mentioned goods belong not to natural persons, nor to private persons, but to a public legal person, which acts on behalf of the Church. Due to the authority of the Church, a board of directors managing religious goods demands not only a careful applying legal norms, canonical and civil, but also the social doctrine of the Church and respecting moral principles.These recommendations should apply to both, the ordinary board and extraordinary, as well as to the financial obligations and debts. The scope of the commons goods includes also those the goods, which are acquired by religious for the institute’s use: "whatever acquires religious - acquires monastery". This also concerns means resulting from employment, wages, allowances, or insurance.Since religious institutes are a public legal persons, they have the right to acquire, hold, manage and alienate Church goods. All activities taken by the institutes and their representatives in that scope should express a testimony of faith. A communal testimony on the vow of poverty shows its spiritual dimension. This constitutes an important message for the modern world showing the need and ability to maintain detachment from the possession of material goods.
The contemporary television is also available online. More and more television stations broadcast a typical signal of specific wave frequency and, simultaneously, broadcast the whole program lineup or particular shows on the Internet. Together with a classic form of television, there are TV stations developing which are operating online only. First of all, the article showed the norms of canonical law referring to the issues of television and, especially, Catholic programmes and stations. Second, the Catholic presence in Polish TV stations was outlined. Third, the last part of the article presented the TV presence of different Catholic subjects online (in Polish). The norms of universal canonical law are to a very small extent directly referring to the issue of television and are not discussing the problems of the Internet television at all. More specific regulations can be found in the documents issued by the Polish Bishops' Conference and particular Churches, among others, in the form of instructions. In the Polish media reality, the most visible is Trwam station as well as Catholic programs in the public television. Currently, a rapid development of different types of online television can be noticed. The Internet stations are established on the initiative of particular Churches, church movements and private individuals. They often broadcast the selected church events. Usually, there is no continuous signal but a wide selection of different programmes to be played. On the basis of analogy, the presented Internet stations should be subject to the teaching of Magisterium and the norms of canonical law. However, the aspect of a Catholic dimension of some of the stations might be debatable. If the Internet TV stations want to use the "Catholic" word, they should apply to a diocesan bishop for acceptance. What is more, it would be advisable to ask for a church assistant, especially in relation to church movements. And information of recognizing the television as Catholic and appointing a church assistant should be available at the station's website. To sum up, an increasing number of internet television initiatives of Catholic groups, movements and the faithful constitutes a contemporary form of new evangelization. The initiatives are a form of preaching the Gospel "at the roof of the global village", that is the world we are living in.
Ministers help people to recognize Christ’s face. One of the many ways to do it is preaching the Word of God. This article analyzes preaching functions of ministers in the actual canon law. Bishops are responsible for the ministry of the divine word. They can preach on the whole world. In a particular church they are moderators of the preaching. Presbyters and deacons help in this function. In the actual canon law they can preach because their ordinations. This is a change with the previous law. Faculty of the preaching could be restricted by a com petent ordinary or particular law, and it is used with a presum ed consent of the rector of the church. Some theological and canonical problems in preaching are with the expression „in persona Christi”. Ministers preach „in persona Christi”, especially during the Holy Mass. This fact eliminates lay preaching in the Eucharistic, but it needs some more searching.
The formation of students of higher theological seminaries embraces different problems. It is no possible to skip the mass-media problem in the seminarformation. The present research undertakes the problem of the seminar-formation in relation to using media in the mission of the Church, which are propositions of law and church-teaching in this field. Detailed norms of the education of seminarists bear upon three levels: first embraces the formation of seminarists as receivers, the next stage possesses the pastoral dimension, and the third (specialistic) is directed to those who will committing their future working on the field of media or will be lecturers in this sphere. The study of the documents of the church, instructions and propositions of law, confirms the urgent need of formation of the seminarists of theological seminaries, in the area of instruments of social communication. In the preparation of seminarists, one cannot only bring the separate lecture on the subject massmedia. Necessary is the general philosophical reference, and the theological formation to the present problems of social communication. In the present evangelization one ought to use mass-media. One ought today to ask after this, as to using instruments of social communication, which forms of the communication and which technologies are most useful in the concrete realization of the mission of the Church. One future priest, the conscious and critical receiver, should be a partner in the dialogue in the subject of present forms of the communication.
The public University of the Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski in Warsaw (UKSW) came into being from the transformation in 1999 from the ecclesiastical college – Academy of the Catholic Theology. The statutes UKSW bases the activity of the University on Polish right, also that within the framework of UKSW are the place for ecclesiastical faculties: The Faculty of the Theology, The Canon Law Faculty and the Faculty of the Christian Philosophy. The originality of these faculties gets out of their directing on the Christian Revelation and the realization of the evangelization mission on the scientific ground. A second factor distinctive from other faculties UKSW is the dependence from the canonical right, at the simultaneous observance of the Polish law. The article showed that three church faculties UKSW kept their own canonical status. This legal status confirm records of the law the Right about the higher educational system (2005 year). Ecclesiastical faculties UKSW in Warsaw compose the perfect foot-bridge for the dialogue between the faith and the mind. Across their own investigative space fill up research of other sciences with which determine universitas. These departments are an important part of the University.
The catechistic instruction fulfils an important part in the mission of the Church, among other things that serves to the initiation to the Christian and stable its education into the faith. This thought of the Church undertook the Neocatechumenal Way which came to life in the sixties of the XX Century and is still present in many countries and dioceses. To the development of neocatechumenal communities accompanied the interest of the Magisterium of the Church. The meaning Neocatechumenal Way is especially important on the catechistic field. The educated model of the formation, links back to ancient catechumenat, is useful and fruitful in the gradual and general Christian education and in the evangelization of the present world. The Statutes Neocatechumenal Way, confirmed finally in 2008, possesses also a legal importance. The practice this Way became consequently recognized by the Church. Also an important event was the acknowledgement of the public legal personality of the Neocatechumenal Way. From here the Way enrolls into the realization of the church mission. A consequence of these events is among other things, the adaptation of the liturgy performed in neocatechumenal communities to liturgical rules. Current attempts of defining – what is Neocatechumenal Way in the Church, do not give an univocal answer. This is not one of the church associations, nor other typical ecclesiastical structure. It seems that this is the completely new church formula (in the process of the formation itself) which couldn’t be attributed to until now that is recognized. Christians’ charisma and the attendance of the Saint Spirit produce in the church new practical forms, and simultaneously legal. So understood plurality of ways and the wealth of the Christian life existed in the history. The church recognized the new charisma, also at present and the Magisterium of the Catholic Church accompanies the Neocatechumenal Way.
Canon law regulates issues, including the ones regarding poverty in religious institutes. As initially, also today, people and communities of consecrated life embrace the „poor lifestyle”. To follow this lifestyle, in today’s administration of material goods, among others, words such as transparency, programmability, reporting are becoming the necessary benchmarks. The study discusses these three areas based on canon law and the document Economia a servizio del carisma e della missione. The current thought of the Magisterium of the Catholic Church emphasizes the feature of transparency in the administration of religious goods, i.e., transparency in management at every stage, every activity or office. In this way, the activities of the institutes refute various accusations of persons and environments hostile to the Church. At the same time, administrative clarity makes more effective fundraising possible. Donors are more willing to donate their goods for religious purposes when they know these purposes and are sure that their funds will be well spent. Economical management requires programming or planning, both in the shorter time perspective (budget) and from the perspective of long-term plans. This, in turn, requires initiating design thinking. So that economic activities are not just some spontaneous reaction to the situations but reflect intelligent behaviour. At the same time, following prudence and plans does not exclude an element of God’s providence. Economic programming often requires obtaining various permits, as indicated by canon law and recent documents of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. Competent persons and bodies must also supervise administrative decisions at religious institutes. Even the best plans will not become effective if one does not have adequate control. In programming, one cannot forget that individual religious structures are part of a larger whole, as an institute, but also a local and universal Church. Programming and reporting significantly combine and make the administration of religious goods transparent, inside and outside the institute. Consecrated persons in carrying out such complex tasks should also use new IT tools. Modern circulation of information, merging, and processing of economic data is no longer possible without modern computer software. The Church’s thought reminds us that the field of economics is a tool and that money is to serve, not rule, and it is subordinated to the religious mission and charism. In this way, the lives of consecrated people bear witness to Christ and the Church and to the faith that does not put material goods first. This witness indicates that, above all, God is the real wealth of human life.
The mission of Church directed to non- believers didn’t finish. It still lasts. The mission ad gentes is topical, because 4 million people hadn’t believed in Jesus Christ. Also series of Magisterium of the Church documents from the last decades affirm the need to continue missionary work, including traditional distinguishing countries or missionary areas. At the same time the change of the modern world significantly influence on other parallel picture of the mission ad gentes. The processes of developing large cities and agglomerations as well as migrations of people constitute new challenge to Church and its Gospel ministry. These are new horizons of the mission ad gentes. Also the world of social mass media and other cultural areopaguses of the modern world belong to those new missionary spaces. The missionary work of Church (ad gentes) is present for a long time in common law (e.g. The Code of Canon Law 1983 and numerous instructions about above mentioned) and in particular law. Whereas the issue considering new missionary horizons, pointed out in Magisterium of the Church documents, is only partly regulated by the canon law. Pastoral activities have to respond to new challenges (large cities and the migration) as well as to presence of non- Christians in traditionally Christian countries. The Church uses social mass media in evangelization. It finds it response additionally in the canon law. The idea (on a legal ground) of introducing the Gospel into the media environment or other cultural spaces is less noticeable.
In democratic state the protection of personal data is a legal standard. The basic legal act which is in force in Poland is the Act of 29 August 1997 on the Protection of Personal Data. In the first part of the article there are presented the requirements of polish law related to the above subject. In the second part of the elaboration norms of canon common law, which correspond with subject matter, has been adduced and amplified. In particular, content of 220 Canon of the Code of Canon Law (1983) protects good reputation and privacy of any person. Furthermore norms of the Code include problems connected with ecclesiastical records and safekeeping the documents, which contain personal data. The third part of the article presents norms that oblige to protect personal data within Catholic Church in Poland. Conference of Poland’s Episcopacy in 2009 published an instruction on the protection of personal data. Contemporary law on protection of personal data obliges all database administrators. In that way it also protects Catholics’ and others laws. Adhering to those norms preserve legitimacy of ecclesiastical subject functioning, but also states their pastoral care. Concern for moral good of the faithful includes also respect for every piece of information concerning individual Catholic. New information systems are also the field requiring concern. Polish legal act and ecclesiastical instruction recommends protecting safety of data also in new information systems. That is why ecclesiastical administrators of data ought to protect personal data when using computers, the Internet and all data storage devices. At the same time that subject requires further researches.
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