Pope Leo XIV addresses canon law congress

Pope Leo XIV told participants in an international canon law congress on Oct. 23 that the Church's legal system must reflect the ecclesial mystery. He spoke during an audience marking the 150th anniversary of the Faculty of Canon Law at the Pontifical Gregorian University.

The pope stated that while canonical language cannot perfectly translate the image of the Church, the law serves an essential role in protecting ecclesial communion. He noted that the study of Church law requires understanding the dogmatic constitution Lumen Gentium from the Second Vatican Council.

In his address, Leo XIV cited St. John Paul II and the apostolic constitution Sacrae Disciplinae Leges, which promulgated the 1983 Code of Canon Law. He said the purpose of canon law is to establish order within the Church while prioritizing love and grace.