The Ministry of Law in the Church Today » (1st Edition)

The Ministry of Law in the Church Today provides practical guidance and rationale for the role of law in the Church for pastoral ministers who are accustomed to seeing canon law as a problem rather than a solution. This book will also appeal to laity who harbor a curiosity about the usefulness of Church law in everyday Christian life.

Library Journal

Chancellor of the Diocese of Rochester, NY, and professor of pastoral studies at St. Bernard's Institute, McKenna offers a positive examination of modern Church law and canonical tradition, treating the law as a needed ministry of service and communion and emphasizing the rights of all members. Historical perspective informs his review of post-Vatican II developments on practical issues such as human rights, confidentiality of church records, annulments, collaborative pastoral planning through diocesan synods, and reconciliation via alternative dispute resolution. The gospel injunction to use a variety of gifts in the same spirit underlies the law. A synodal survey from the Diocese of Rochester is included, along with practical suggestions. Recommended for Catholic collections serving pastoral needs and for laity seeking current information on the reasoning behind Church law today.--Anna M. Donnelly, St. John's Univ. Lib., Jamaica, NY