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Dr. Edward Peters

To work for the proper implementation of canon law is to play an extraordinarily

constructive role in continuing the redemptive mission of Christ. Pope John Paul II

31 oct 2022

Research links

Pan-Textuals 1917

Related

Mero-Textual Commentaries,

1917 Code, here.

Lygo-Textual Commentaries,

1917 Code, here.

Overview

Pan-Textual Commentaries on the 1917 Code

For insight into the meaning of Pio-Benedictine law canonists generally turned to one or more of the pan-textual commentaries on the 1917 Code, that is, to commentaries treating all, or nearly all, of the 1917 Code. The works listed here rank among the most important pan-textual commentaries on the 1917 Code.

Background

Most pan-textual commentaries on the 1917 Code were written by—as incredible as it might seem today—individual scholars (e.g., Dom Augustine or Jone) or by pairs of scholars treated as a single author, e.g., Abbo & Hannan or Vermeersch & Creusen. A few works originally written by one author were later so extensively revised by another that it is common for them to be referred to by double names (e.g., Wernz-Vidal).

Some pan-textual commentaries contain the text of 1917 Code itself and some do not. Many of these works underwent frequent, sometimes trivial, revisions (often presented as if new editions) making their citation today cumbersome. Indeed many sets of these multi-volume works as found on library shelves actually consist of volumes from different 'editions', which differences need to be noted in citing them. Mitigating this confusion is the fact that some works were internally divided into 'paragraphs' or 'sections' which numbers remained fairly consistent from edition to edition even if pagination and text changed. Many of these works bore similar, sometimes identical titles, so they are usually known today by the names of their authors, as in, "Have you looked in Regatillo?"

A few pan-textual commentaries appeared as single volumes (e.g., Sipos) but most were published in multiple volumes (e.g., Blat). Some came out in more or fewer physical volumes than they were written in (e.g. Wernz-Vidal). Finally, a few works, though apparently projected to be pan-textual, were not completed and so are listed elsewhere (e.g., Ojetti or Toso).

Notes for users

Users of this page should be generally familiar with the materials presented on the Masterpage on the Pio-Benedictine Code of 1917, here, and specifically familiar with its discussion of Commentaries, here

The commentaries presented below are divided first by language and then listed alphabetically by author. The citations consist of four major components: author, title, publisher, and, set off by a square bullet (▪), other information.

Author. Names are presented as used (and not alphabetically by surname, a convention rendered unnecessary by electronic search capacity). The name cited is as it appears in the work, so users should keep in mind that, for example, the Latinization of first names might have affected their spelling. When possible, the nationality and ecclesiastical status of the author at the time of writing the work is given, along with the years of his or her birth and death. All authors of or contributors to these works would be considered 'approved authors' and/or 'learned persons' for purposes of canonical interpretation.

Title. Titles are presented as in the work. If the work appeared in multiple editions the original year of publication is indicated immediately in brackets.

Publisher. The publisher of the work is given in parentheses, but not the city of the publisher (again, information unnecessary in an age of electronic searches). If the work being cited is a revision the edition number and name of reviser (if known) are given next, followed by the year of publication. Page counts (usually exclusive of introductions and indexes) are given for monographic works but not for multi-volume works, though the number of volumes is indicated.

Other information. As warranted and available.

Book reviews

Books reviews—an under-appreciated genre of academic writing—are listed herein when they could be located. Bearing in mind that most pan-textual commentaries appeared in multiple volumes, over time, and that many such volumes went through multiple editions, users should note carefully which volumes and which editions are being discussed in any given review. Book reviews are generally listed in chronological order of appearance.

The following journals were culled for reviews:

Journal

Angelicum

Ius Pontificium

The Jurist

Volumes and Years

01 (1921) thru 20 (1940)

01 (1941) thru 25 (1965)

Notes

Most unsigned IP reviews were likely written by Toso.

Latin

• Udalricus Beste (American Benedictine, 1885-1976), Introductio in Codicem [1938], (M. D'Auria Pontificius, 5° ed., 1961) 1117 pp. ▪ Reviews: G. Osterle, Ius Pontificium 19 (1939) 109-110; E. Roelker, The Jurist 5 (1945) 309; E. Roelker, The Jurist 17 (1957) 117-118; J. Schmidt, The Jurist 22 (1962) 484-486. Notes: Not every Pio-Benedictine canon is discussed herein but Beste makes solid technical points about hundreds of canons. This work is mainly of use to technicians of law not pastors.

• Albertus Blat (Italian Dominican, 1870-1943), Commentarium Textus Codicis Iuris Canonici, (Libreria del Collegio Angelico, 1921-1922) in 5 vols. ▪ Review: anon., Ius Pontificium 3 (1923) 53. Notes: Blat's strength is his historical and theoretical expertise.

• Josephus Brys (Belgian priest, 1894-≈), Compendium Iuris Canonici [≈], (Desclée de Brouwer, 10° ed., 1947-1949) in 2 vols. ▪ Notes: Based on de Brabandere’s Compendium from the 1860s and originally designed as seminarian text book, is a discursive discussion of most of the 1917 Code.

• Ven. Felix Cappello (Roman Jesuit, 1879-1962), Summa Iuris Canonici, (Gregorian, 1928-1936) in 3 vols. ▪ Review: anon., Ius Pontificium 10 (1930) 331. Notes: This work went through as many as five edition into the 1950s. ≡ On the place of Cappello in canonistics see, e.g., P. Huizing, “In memoriam Felicis Mariae Cappello, s.i.”, Periodica 51 (1962) 410-412 and L. Wrenn, "In diebus illis: Some canonical giants in days of yore", Studia Canonica 35 (2001) 485-514, at 512-514. ≡ Cappello is a major Pio-Benedictine figure and everything he writes is worth reading; that said, however, this is not one of his premier works. ≡ Cappello's beatification is being considered, information here.

• Fernand Claeys Boùùaert (Belgian priest, 1876-1967) & G. Simenon (Belgian priest, ≈), Manuale Juris Canonici [1930-1931], (Proastat apud Auctores in Seminariis Gandavensi et Leodiensi, various editions and years) in 3 vols. ▪ Review: anon., Ius Pontificium 12 (1932) 139.

• Guidus Cocchi (Italian Vincentian, 1880-1966), Commentarium in Codicem Iuris Canonici, (Marietti, 1928-1932) in 8 vols. ▪ Review: anon., Ius Pontificium 20 (1940) 183.

• Mattheus Conte a Coronata (Italian Capuchin, 1889-1961), Institutiones Iuris Canonici ad usum utriusque cleri et scholarum [1927-1936], (Marietti, various years and editions), in 5 vols. ▪ Reviews: anon., Ius Pontificium 8 (1928) 125-126; anon., Ius Pontificium 17 (1937) 189-190. Notes: An unnumbered preliminary volume belongs to this set, Institutiones Iuris Canonici: Introductio Ius Publicum Ecclesiasticum [1924], (Marietti, 3° ed., 1948) 327 pp. ≡ The fifth numbered volume of this set consists of extensive appendices and bibliographies. ≡ Coronata reservers his commentary on sacramental law for a separate three-volume commentary, the Institutiones Iuris Canonici ad usum utriusque cleri et scholarum: de Sacramentis Tractatus Canonicus.

• Mattheus Conte a Coronata (Italian Capuchin, 1889-1961), Compendium Iuris Canonci ad usum scholarum [1937-1949] (Marietti, various years and editions), in 3 vols. ▪ Notes: Ostensibly a student version of the five-volume Institutiones. ≡ Discursive sequential treatment of Code topics, except that treatment of sacraments was delayed until the third volume, itself appearing more than decade after volumes one and two.

• Bl. Ioannes Ferreres Boluda (Spanish Jesuit, 1861-1936), Institutiones Canonicae iuxta novissimum Codicem … iuxtaque praescripta Hispanae disciplinae et Americae Latinae [1917/1918], (Eugenius Subirana, 2° ed., 1920) in 2 vols. ▪ Notes: Ferreres Boluda b iograph.

• Heriberto Jone (German Capuchin, 1885-1967), Commentarium in Codicem Iuris Canonici, (Officina Libraria F. Schönigh, 1950-1955) in 3 vols. ▪ Review: E. Roelker, The Jurist 11 (1951) 161-162. Notes: See below, German. ≡ Jone was also a noted moralist.

• Dominicus Prümmer (German Dominican, 1866-1931), Manuale Iuris Ecclesiastici [1909], (Herder, 6° ed., 1933) 756 pp. ▪ Reviews: anon., Ius Pontificium 8 (1928) 129-130; anon., Ius Pontificium 16 (1936) 328. Notes: Prümmer was also a noted moralist.

• Jean-Baptiste Raus (French Redemptorist, 1881-1943), Institutiones Canonicae in forma compendii, (Emmanuelis Vitte, 1923) 515 pp. ▪ Reviews: anon., Ius Pontificium 3 (1923) 57; anon., Ius Pontificium 12 (1932) 143.

• Eduardo [Fernandez] Regatillo (Spanish Jesuit, 1882-1975), Institutiones Iuris Canonici [1941-1942], (Sal Terrae, 1961) in 2 vols. ▪ Review: O. Robleda, Gregorianum 43 (1962) 597-598.

• Sylvius Romani (Italian priest, ≈), Institutiones Juris Canonici [1941], (Editrice Iustitia, 1944) in 3 vols. ▪ Review: D. Lazzarato, Ius Pontificium 20 (1940) 186-188.

• Sylvius Romani (Italian priest, ≈), Summa Iuris Canonci Lineamenta, (Schola Typographica Missionaria Dominicana, 1939) 328 pp. ▪ Review: anon., Ius Pontificium 19 (1939) 112.

• Stephanus Sipos (Hungarian priest, 1875-1949), Enchiridion Iuris Canonici [1926], (Orbis Catholicus-Herder, 6° ed. rev. by L. Gálos, 1954) 913 pp. ▪ Reviews: anon., Ius Pontificium 20 12 (1932) 67-68; anon., Ius Pontificium 17 (1937) 96; E. Roelker, The Jurist 15 (1955) 109-110; 'gc', Ephemerides Iuris Canonici 11 (1955) 494. Notes: On the place of Sipos in canonistics see, e.g., anon., "In Memoriam", in Sipos, Enchirdion, vii-viii. ≡ Sipos biograph.

• Arturus Vermeersch (Belgian Jesuit, 1858-1936) & Josephus Creusen (Belgian Jesuit, 1880-1960), Epitome Iuris Canonici cum Commentariis [1922-1925], (Dessain, 4° ed., 1930-1931) in 3 vols. ▪ Reviews: anon., Ius Pontificium 2 (1922) 58; anon., Ius Pontificium 10 (1930) 334. Notes: For more information on Vermeersch, see Joseph Creusen (Belgian Jesuit, 1880-1960), Le Pére Arthur Vermeersch, S.J., L’homme et l’oeuvre (Desclée, 1947) 222 pp.

• Franciscus Wernz (German Jesuit, 1842-1914) & Petrus Vidal (Catalan Jesuit, 1867-1938), Jus Canonicum ad Codicis Normam Exactum, in up to three editions, later editions edited by P. Aguirre and F. Cappello (Gregorianum, 1924-1949) in 7 vols. but variously bound. ▪ Reviews: anon., Ius Pontificium 14 (1934) 329; anon., Ius Pontificium 18 (1938) 79-80, 238-239. Notes: On the place of Wernz in canonistics see, e. g., R. Naz, “Wernz, François-Xavier”, DDC VII: 1636-1638, and D. Oesterle, “In piam Francisci Wernz S. I. memoriam”, Gregorianum 24 (1943) 9-22. ≡ This work is a posthumous revision by Vidal of Wernz’s magisterial Ius Decretalium (1905-1913) in light of the 1917 Code making it substantively very valuable (by its showing many connections between decretal and codified law) but rendering it, at the same time, methodologically difficult for 'code-canonists' to use. Leaning toward history, theory, and more speculative issues, it nevertheless had much to offer practitioners in its day and researches in ours. Wernz is known as the "Ultimus Decretalistarum".

English

• John Abbo (Italian priest, 1911-1994) & Jerome Hannan (American priest, 1896-1965), The Sacred Canons: A Concise Presentation of the Current Disciplinary Norms of the Church, (Herder, 1952) in 2 vols. ▪ Review: F. McManus, The Jurist 21 (1961) 281-282. Notes: Although commonly regarded as a pan-textual commentary, Abbo & Hannan provide canon-by-canon commentary only for the first three books of the 1917 Code. Their discussion of Book IV and even more so of Book V is quite abbreviated. Commonly cited in its day, it warrants consultation in ours. ≡ Hannan biograph.

• Dom Augustine [Charles Bachofen] (Swiss/American Benedictine, 1872-1944), A Commentary on the New Code of Canon Law, (Herder, 1918-1922) in 8 vols. ▪ Notes: On the place of Dom Augustine in canonistics see, e.g., L. Wrenn, "Charles Augustine, O.S.B., excepts from a journal", The Jurist 45 (1985) 297-320. ≡ This is the most important Pio-Benedictine commentary in English. Combines decretal background information with codified canonical theory and practical insights. ≡ Use of the honorific "Dom" avoids jarring references simply to "Augustine".

Bouscaren

• Lincoln Bouscaren (American Jesuit, 1884-1971) & Adam Ellis (American Jesuit, 1889-1961), Canon Law: A Text and Commentary [1946], (Bruce, 4° ed. rev. by F. Korth, 1966) 1011 pp. ▪ Reviews: E. Roelker, The Jurist 7 (1947) 247-248; E. Roelker, The Jurist 12 (1952) 386. Notes: Although designed and used as a practical, seminary textbook of canon law, the commentary by Bouscaren & Ellis is alert to theoretical and pastoral issues as well. Not quite pan-textual (it omits, for example, most procedural law) this work warrants consultation today.

Ellis

• Matthew Ramstein (American Conventual, 1897-1955), A Manual of Canon Law [1947] (Terminal Printing, 2° ed., 1948) 768 pp. ▪ Review: E. Roelker, The Jurist 8 (1948) 272-273.

• Fernando della Rocca (Italian layman, 1908-2001), Manual of Canon Law, (Bruce, 1959) 624 pp., A. Thatcher trans. of della Rocca's Diritto canonico (=) ▪ Review: R. O'Brien, The Jurist 20 (1960) 232-234. Notes: Discursive rather than canon-by-canon, this work is a reliable presentation of canonical matters for, say, theologians, civil lawyers, and other non-canonists. See also below, Italian.

Della Rocca

• Stanislaus Woywod (German/American Franciscan, 1880-1941), A Practical Commentary on the Code of Canon Law [1925], (Wagner/Herder, 2° ed. rev. by C. Smith, 1957) in 2 vols. ▪ Reviews: E. Roelker, The Jurist 12 (1952) 494; E. Roelker, The Jurist 18 (1958) 249-250. Notes: On the place of Woywod in canonistics see, e.g., anon., "Rev. Stanislaus Woywod, O.F.M., J.C.D.", The Jurist 2 (1942) 1. ≡ Woywod's work is largely a close paraphrase of the 1917 Code and some 'commentary' thereon is simply production of the text of the canon. Nevertheless it remains worth consulting especially for insights relevant into American issues. ≡ Woywod biograph.

French

• Adrien Cance (French Sulpician, ≈), Le Code de Droit Canonique [1927-1929], (Gabalda, various editions and years) in 4 vols. ▪ Reviews: anon., Ius Pontificium 8 (1928) 125; anon., Ius Pontificium 9 (1929) 244; G. Le Bras, Review des Sciences Religieuses 10 (1930) 169-172, on-line here. Notes: Cance was actually a theologian.

• Francisque Cimetier (French Sulpician, 1888-1946), Pour étudier le Code de Droit Canonique [1927], (Libraire Lecoffre, 3° ed., 1927) 245 pp., with Supplement, 1931, in 64 pp. ▪ Reviews: anon., Ius Pontificium 8 (1928) 125; anon., Ius Pontificium 12 (1932) 139. Notes: Not a canon-by-canon commentary, but rather, selected themes and key points of various parts of the Code are briefly reviewed in French or Latin

• Joseph Pie Mothon (French Dominican, 1849-1929), Institutions Canoniques, (Descleé, 1922-1924) in 3 vols. ▪ Notes: Discursive discussion of most of 1917 Code, omits procedural law altogether, discusses general norms only lightly.

• R. Naz, ed., Traité de Droit Canonique [1948-1949], (Letouzey et Ané, rev. ed., 1954) in 4 vols. ▪ Review: C. Lefebvre, Ephemerides Iuris Canonici 4 (1948) 594-596. Notes: Six canonists contributed commentary as follows: F. Claeys-Boùùaert, cc. 108-486; C. de Clercq, History, cc. 25-35, 726-1153, 1999-2141; É. Jombart, cc. 487-681, 2195-2414; Ch. Lefebvre, cc. 63-79; R. Naz, Introduction, cc. 1-24, 36-62, 80-107, 682-725, 1154-1551, 1960-1998; and P. Torquebiau, cc. 1552-1959, 2142-2194.

German

• Eduard Eichmann (German priest, 1870-1946), Lehrbuch des Kirchenrechts auf Grund des Codex Iuris Canonici [1923], (Verlag Ferdinand Schöningh, 9° ed. rev. by K. Mörsdorf, 1958-1960) in 3 vols. ▪ Reviews: anon., Ius Pontificium 4 (1924) 73-74; E. Roelker, The Jurist 10 (1950) 117-118; E. Roelker, The Jurist 14 (1954) 517; E. Roelker, The Jurist 15 (1955) 221. ≡ Eichmann biograph.

• Heriberto Jone (German Capuchin, 1885-1967), Gesetzbuch der Lateinischen Kirche, (Officina Libraria F. Schönigh, 1950-1955) in 3 vols. ▪ Review: A. Gommenginger, Zeitschrift für katholische Theologie 74 (1952) 122. Notes: See above, Latin.

• A. Koeniger, Katholisches Kirchenrecht, (Herder, 1926) xviii-514 pp. ▪ Review: T. Brauchle, Ius Pontificium 8 (1928) 127-128.

Spanish

Two, single-volume, pan-textual commentaries on Pio-Benedictine law came out of Spain, both providing the Latin text of the law and a facing Castilian translation with canon-by-canon commentary by three and five scholars respectively. Some contributors to one work commented on the same canons in the other work.

Cabreros de Anta

de Anta biograph

• aa.vv., Código de Derecho Canónico y Legislación Complementaria: Texto bilingüe y comentado por professors de la Pontificia Universidad de Salamanca [1945], (Biblioteca de Autores Cristianos, 3° ed., 1949) 1067 pp. ▪ Notes: Three canonists contributed commentary as follows: Marcelino Cabreros de Anta (Spanish Claretian, 1901-1995), cc. 1-270, 1552-1924, 1999-2141; Lorenzo Miguélez Domínguez (Spanish priest, ≈), cc. 726-1153, 1925-1998, 2142-2414; and Sabino Alonso Morán (Spanish Dominican, 1882-1966), cc. 271-725, 1154-1551.

• aa.vv., Comentarios al Código de Derecho Canónico con el texto legal latino y castellano, (Biblioteca de Autores Cristianos, 1963-1964) in 4 vols. ▪ Reviews: T. Vermeulen, Revue des Sciences philosophiques et théologiques 50 (1966) 78; U. Navarrete, Gregorianum, 47 (1966) 391-392; H, Zeitschrift für katholische Theologie, 87 (1965 113-114. Notes: Five canonists contributed commentary as follows: Arturo Alonso Lobo (Spanish Dominican, 1921-1983), cc. 87-328, 682-947; Sabino Alonso Morán (Spanish Dominican, 1882-1966), cc. 329-681, 1154-1551; Marcelino Cabreros de Anta (Spanish Claretian, 1901-1995), cc. 1-86, 1552-1998; Tomás García Barberena (Spanish priest, 1911-1987), cc. 1999-2414; Lorenzo Miguélez Domínguez (Spanish priest, ≈), cc. 948-1153.

Polish

• Franciszek Bączkowicz (Polish Vincentian, 1877-1923), Prawo Kanoniczne: podrecznik dla ducjowienstwa [1921-1924], (Nakładem Instytutu Teologicznego, 3° ed., 1957-1958) in 3 vols. ▪ Review: V. Meysztowicz, Ius Pontificium 3 (1923) 164-165. Notes: English title, Canon law: a manual for clergy. ≡ Bączkowicz biograph.

• Ignacy Grabowski (Polish priest, 1878-1950), Prawo Kanoniczne wedlug nowego kodeksu [Canon law according to the new Code] (We Lwowie Biblioteka religijna, 1921) 435 pp. ▪ Review: V. Meysztowicz, Ius Pontificium 3 (1923) 166. Notes: Grabowski b iograph.

Croatian

• Crnica Ante (Croatian priest, 1892-1969), Kanonsko Pravo Katholicke Crkve (Bogoslorna, 1937) 997 pp. ▪ Review: vj, Ius Pontificium 18 (1938) 76-77. Notes: English title, Canon Law of the Catholic Church. ≡ Ante b iograph.

Italian

• Fernando della Rocca (Italian layman, 1908-2001), Diritto Canonico, (CEDAM, 1961) xxiv-667 pp. ▪ Review: O. Robleda, Gregorianum 44 (1963) 389-390. Note: See also above, English.

Verum, a Gaianis Institutionibus usque ad promulgationem Codicis i. c., nomine Institutionum iugiter intelligebatur expositio rudimentalis ac rigide systematica principiorum, cum consectariis immediate defluentibus et communiter receptis, quacumque veri nominis quaestione superioribus studiis relicta. Post Codicem vero, quo pacto nescimus, Institutionum nomen promiscue omnino usurpatur. [A. Toso], Ius Pontificium XII (1932) at 143.

User notes

There might be editions of works that pre-date or post-date those cited herein. Reviews and Notes are grey-highlighted, on-line biographical information is underlined blue-linked, and matters in green highlights are of special interest. Yellow highlights are cautions for users, while the markers "=", "≠", and "≈" are placeholders for use by webmaster.

Abbreviations

on these pages might include:

AAS

CCC

CLD

CLSA

Comm.

Acta Apostolicae Sedis (1909 et seq.)

Catechism of the Catholic Church (1997)

Canon Law Digest (beginning 1933)

Canon Law Society of America

Commentary (≠ Communicationes)

DDC

DMC

NCE

NCE2°

QLD

Dictionnaire de Droit Canonique (1935-1965)

Dictionarium Morale et Canonicum (1962-1968)

New Catholic Encyclopedia (1967)

New Catholic Encyclopedia, 2° ed. (2003)

Quinque Libri Decretalium (1234)

Staging

anon., Ius Pontificium 12 (1932) 63?=

Materials on this website represent the opinions of Dr. Edward Peters and are offered in accord with Canon 212 § 3.

This website undergoes continual refinement and development. No warranty of completeness or correctness is made.

Dr. Peters' views are not necessarily shared by others in the field nor are they intended as canonical or civil advice.