The study aims to identify, through an examination of the institutions and application of the norms of Canon Law, the tools available to the Catholic Church to reveal reasons and situations, regardless of discretionary or conscientious constraints. It presupposes some historical and cultural knowledge that draws on Roman law and, more specifically, the study of religion, understood as Christian religion. Canon law also prepares students for the profession of Rota lawyer, so aspects of the process and those relating to matrimonial matters will be particularly emphasized. Students will therefore be required to demonstrate, on a case-by-case basis, their ability to apply the norms and critically evaluate the specific case.
The study of canon law presupposes some basic historical and cultural knowledge. Since it is a specific feature of the Roman Catholic Apostolic Church, it is necessary to understand the history of the Christian movement and the early church. Knowledge of basic notions of Roman law and, more generally, the history of the Christian church helps to achieve a deeper understanding.
Canon law is taught through classroom lectures. Judicial situations involving matrimonial annulment will be simulated to assess students' understanding of the dynamics governing the canonical matrimonial process, as explained by the instructor. Integral principles of the subject will also be discussed, and the instructor will assess the learning progress of attending students during the presentation. For those who do not attend, the textbooks for the final exam are more than sufficient and must be studied in their entirety, both the general and specialized sections.
The course is delivered through lectures, seminars, and possible study groups.
Graduation will be based on a final oral exam to assess student learning, based on classroom discussions that also address specific topics prompted by attending students. The instructor will evaluate the critical approach of attending students in their presentation of a topic to assess their presentation and its effectiveness, including in terms of assimilated cultural knowledge.
Non-attending students may take the exam by studying the books listed in the syllabus and will be evaluated based on their understanding of the presentation, as prompted by the instructor.
For preparation for the Canon Law exam, the recommended texts are the general and special sections.
GENERAL PART:
Luciano MUSSELLI - Mario TEDESCHI, Manual of Canon Law, Monduzzi, Bologna, latest edition
SPECIAL PART:
Faustino DE GREGORIO, The Study of Canon Law. From Cultural Ordination to Authoritative Codification. Volume I, Giappichelli, Turin, 2018
SPECIAL PART (ALTERNATIVE)
Faustino DE GREGORIO, Seminar Studies in History, Canon Law and Ecclesiastical Law, Giappichelli, Turin, 2016, only the essays by Faustino De Gregorio, Giuseppe Carlo Rotilio, and Maria Ornella Attisano
The course, divided into a General Section and a Special Section, aims to introduce students to the principles governing the canon law system, focusing on the study of sources and the specific characteristics of the subject. The Special Section will address some typical institutions of canon law and the stages of codification that led to the creation of the Codex Juris Canonici.
