This introduction will focus on the purpose, the concepts, the terms and the historical context of canon law. It will present the basic organization and structure of the Code of Canon Law. It will explain how canon law complements and is complemented by Roman Catholic ecclesiology and moral theology. Participants will experience a team-taught course that especially introduces the rights of a baptized person, the purpose of authority and the limits of the legislation. By using a team-taught approach, the course will provide an introduction to Church law that fosters an appreciation of the breadth of canonical styles. The principles that govern the application and interpretation of canonical regulations will be explained. As an introductory experience, this course will provide the tools to understand subsequent courses.

This course studies the organizational structure of the Church. The authority of the Roman Pontiff, the college of bishops, cardinals, and the congregations and departments of the Roman Curia will be examined. The nature and organization of a diocese, the pastoral office of the local bishop, and diocesan offices will be studied. Emphasis will be given to the laws concerning parishes, pastors, pastoral ministers, and parish consultative bodies. This course will equip the diocesan and parish ecclesial minister with the knowledge and understanding required for ministry.

After an introduction to the concept of juridic persons, this course will cover the essential rights and duties of persons in the Church. Particular attention will be given to Vatican II source documents, the Lex Fundamentalis as now found in Book II of the Code of Canon Law, and the procedural rights which protect persons in the Church.

After discussing the principles of liturgical law, this course treats the canonical norms of each of the sacraments of the Church. The recipient of the sacrament, the minister of the sacrament, and the laws governing the administration of each sacrament will be explored. Special emphasis is given to the sacrament of matrimony.

The goal of this course is for learners to grasp the basic canonical and civil rules which govern the administration of goods possessed by the Catholic Church. The concept of a juridic person both in the canonical and civil sense will be developed. The right to possess and dispose of ecclesiastical and non-ecclesiastical property will be studied, including the distinction between sacred and nonsacred ecclesiastical goods. The relationships of United States civil law and canon law will be studied, especially as they impact contracts, employment relationships, and ecclesiastical office.

This course will focus on the norms of the Code that are used in the central administration of the diocese, especially personnel, finances, and diocesan policy. The Code of Canon Law will be understood as a resource which provides purpose and direction in diocesan administration as well as a context within which to analyze and to frame a solution to specific questions. Areas of concern include: faculties for ministry, appointment of a parochial administrator, stipends, removal from ecclesiastical office, sale of Church property, association with the diocese while using the word 'Catholic’, access to files, liturgical practices, and supervision of catechesis.

After describing the judicial authority of the diocesan church as exercised by those persons appointed to the diocesan tribunal, this course will focus on the various judicial processes exercised by the tribunal. An emphasis will be placed on marriage cases, which constitute the bulk of a tribunal’s caseload. Participants will survey applicable law to include allocutions of the pope, Rotal jurisprudence, and comparisons with United States civil law. The person completing this course will be equipped with a basic knowledge of the tribunal’s judicial role and its pastoral function as a primary outreach of the Church to divorced persons.

The overarching purpose of the system of criminal law and penalties in Church law is the restoration of communio, that is, to bring back the lost relationship with the community of God’s people. Of equal purpose is the protection of the common good. The identification of crimes and the consequent sanctions are intended to reform the sinner as well as to protect the community. Within this context, the entirety of Book VI and the relevant portions of Book VII of the Code of Canon Law will be studied. The distinction between internal and external forum will be emphasized. Technical concepts such as excommunication, interdict, and suspension will be clarified. The course will study what is regarded as criminal behavior in the Church and the options that the Church community has for responding. Foundational canonical concepts will be discussed, such as the presumption of innocence, the right of defense, and recourse to a higher authority. The developing jurisprudence and praxis in the area of sexual abuse of minors will be explained.