Canon Law Webinars - The Revised Penal Law of the Catholic Church

Monsignor John Renken

10 November 2021

2:00 to 3:00 p.m. EST

Summary

On 23 May 2021, Pope Francis issued an apostolic constitution Pascite gregem Dei (“Shepherd the flock of God”) whereby he promulgated a new text of penal (criminal) law for the Latin Church. This new penal law becomes effective 8 December 2021, and it replaces “Book VI” of the 1983 Code of Canon Law.

This webinar intends to highlight significant innovations in the revised law, which has been developing since 2007. Particular focus will be given to the significant changes in the law concerning crimes of “financial malfeasance” and “sexual misconduct” in the Church.

Biography

John Renken

Monsignor John Anthony Renken, P.H., holds a B.A. in Philosophy (Cardinal Glennon College, Saint Louis, 1975); M.A. in Civil Law (University of Illinois, Springfield, 1988); S.T.D. in Dogmatic Theology (Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Rome, 1981) and J.C.D. (Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Rome, 1981). He was ordained a priest by Saint John Paul II on 24 June 1979. He was president of the CLSA (1999-2000); chair of the committee for the 1999 CLSA translation of the CIC; advisor to the USCCB Committee on Canonical Affairs (2003-2005); visiting professor of canon law in the summer JCL program at The Catholic University of America (1989-2006). He has lectured widely and his articles appear in many canonical journals. In 2007, he joined the Faculty of Canon Law, Saint Paul University, Ottawa, where he is now Dean of the Faculty of Canon Law and full professor, as well as editor of Studia canonica, the Faculty’s periodical. He has authored five books on canon law, including: The Penal Law of the Roman Catholic Church: Commentary on Canons 1311-1399 and 1717-1731 and Other Sources of Penal Law (2015).