canon law

"We have said for years that priests must conform to certain strict rules, so why shouldn't bishops and others in the hierarchy do the same?" said Cardinal Marc Ouellet, head of the Vatican The church law provides whistle-blower protections for anyone Pope Francis office for bishops.

And under church law, that means the status quo must remain.

Indeed, Catholic Church law unconditionally forbids any priest from betraying a penitent, for any reason whatsoever, whether by word or in any other fashion.

'If it's known that you are already guilty, then you will be harboring criminals, which is not only against Church law but also against civil law,' Cruz said.

"Church Law prohibits this," he said in an interview in a recent gathering in Quiapo Church.

The change to Church law was approved at a General Synod meeting in London, rubber-stamping backing given in July.

''I would like to get my credentials back,'' said Schaefer, who will appear before a church panel in Baltimore this week to argue that his punishment was illegal under church law. ''I'm hoping for a 're-frocking.'''

The Anglican Church of Canada's commission on the marriage canon is inviting Anglicans in Canada and across the Communion, as well as church ecumenical partners, to offer their views about changing the marriage canon (church law) to allow same-sex marriage.

A two-day church trial found Schaefer guilty of violating church law by performing the 2007 same-sex wedding of his son.

What is the meaning of grave obligation in Church law? With regard to the Church's declaration of a grave obligation, we must note that whatever the hierarchical magisterium declares as grave need not necessarily be grave enough for mortal sin.

The case was filed in 2007 on behalf of a retired church law professor, Hartmut Zapp.