January 28, 2026
2:00 to 3:15 p.m. (ET)
Presentation
Scandal often dominates media headlines, especially when it involves the Catholic Church. Sensational reporting can confuse or deepen the pain of the Faithful, who are already grappling with the devastating effects of leadership failures and cover-ups that have intensified the sexual abuse crisis. This webinar will explore the concept of scandal from a canonical perspective – clarifying its meaning in Church law and examining how it applies both within ecclesial life and in situations that may also provoke media scrutiny.
Speaker
Prof. Msgr. Brendan Daly is a priest from the diocese of Christchurch and was ordained in 1977. He studied canon law in Ottawa in the 1980’s, completing a doctorate in canon law in 1986 with a thesis concerning infant baptism. He taught at Holy Cross College from 1987 and was rector of Holy Cross Seminary from 1995-2000. He was a judge on the Appeal Tribunal of Australia and New Zealand from 1988 to 2012. He was a lecturer in canon law at Good Shepherd College – Te Hepara Pai in 2001 and was principal from 2002 until 2016. He has been Judicial Vicar of the Tribunal of the Catholic Church for New Zealand since 2017. He is a guest instructor and canon law Resource Person for the Safeguarding Office of the Asian Bishops Conference in Manila.
