The Dicastery for Legislative Texts promotes and encourages in the Church the understanding and acceptance of the canonical law of the Latin Church and that of the Eastern Churches and offers assistance for its correct application.

It performs its duties by serving the Roman Pontiff, the curial institutions and offices, diocesan/eparchial Bishops, Episcopal Conferences, the hierarchical structures of the Eastern Churches, and the Supreme Moderators of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life of Pontifical right.

In the execution of its duties, it cooperates with canonists from different cultures who work in different continents.

It is the function of the Dicastery to formulate the authentic interpretation of the Church’s laws, approved in forma specifica by the Roman Pontiff as Supreme Legislator and Interpreter, after having consulted, in questions of greater importance, the competent curial institutions and offices of the Roman Curia with regard to the particular matters being considered.

In the event that a doubt about a law arises which does not require an authentic interpretation, the Dicastery can offer appropriate clarifications about the meaning of the norms through an interpretation formulated according to the criteria provided for by canonical legislation. These clarifications can take the form of statements or explanatory notes.

In studying the current legislation of the Latin Church and the Eastern Churches and issues arising from ecclesial practice, the Dicastery examines the possible presence of lacunae legis and presents to the Roman Pontiff adequate proposals for overcoming them. It also verifies any need to update current legislation and suggests amendments, ensuring the harmony and effectiveness of the law.

The Dicastery assists curial institutions in preparing general executive decrees, instructions and other texts of a normative character, to ensure that they are in conformity with the prescriptions of current universal law and are drawn up in a correct juridical form.

The general decrees issued by plenary Councils, Episcopal Conferences or the hierarchical structures of the Eastern Churches are submitted to this Dicastery by the Dicastery which is competent to grant them recognitio, in order that they be examined from a juridical perspective.

At the request of interested parties, the Dicastery determines whether laws or general decrees issued by legislators below the level of the Roman Pontiff are in conformity with the Church’s universal law.

The Dicastery fosters the study of the canon law of the Latin Church and of the Eastern Churches and of other legislative texts by organizing interdicasterial meetings, conferences and by promoting international and national associations of canonists.

The Dicastery pays particular attention to correct canonical practice, so that law is adequately understood and correctly applied in the Church. When necessary, it likewise alerts the competent authority concerning the emergence of illegitimate practices and offers advice in this regard.

[Apostolic Constitution, Praedicate Evangelium, 19 March 2022]
 

* * *

President

S.E.R. Msgr Filippo Iannone, O. Carm,
Arcivescovo-Vescovo emerito di Sora-Cassino-Aquino-Pontecorvo

____________________

Members

Em.mi e Rev.mi Signori Cardinali 

Ecc.mo e Rev.m Monsignori

Myers John Joseph, Arciv. di Newark
Marco Mellino, Vescovo di Cresima

________________

Segretario: S.E.R. Mons. Arrieta Ochoa de Chinchetru Juan Ignacio, Vescovo tit. di Civitate

Sotto–Segretario: Rev.do Mons. Markus Graulich, S.D.B.

________________________