The Scope of the Power of Governance in the Canonical Legal Order (Canon 130 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law)

Abstract

In the presented study, the author carried out a detailed analysis of canon 130 CIC/83, demonstrating that the amendment of the canon dispelled some interpretative concerns that commentators had with regard to canon 196 CIC/17. The author believes it would be preposterous to reduce the forum of power of governance solely to the external domain. This is because the nature of the Church is not manifested only in this dimension. After all, the Church has both visible and invisible nature. Most acts of governance are placed externally because they serve the public good. Yet some of them are actions carried out in the internal forum, and it cannot be limited to the sphere of conscience because it has a wider scope. It is obvious that, as a rule, decisions taken for the internal forum due to their secrecy and lack of public character have consequences only in that forum. By introducing a clause which goes “except insofar as the law establishes it in determined cases,” the legislator does not rule out a different solution whereby internal forum acts also take effect in the external forum. The assumption of such an eventuality is intended to prevent conflicts between these areas.