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Canonical Journals and Series in English
The Jurist, founded in 1941 at The Catholic University of America, is very important for English canonical research on the Pio-Benedictine Code. But see also The American Ecclesiastical Review, founded in 1890, for many excellent canon law articles amid the wide range of topics tackled therein, and (albeit less frequently) Homiletic and Pastoral Review and Review for Religious. Of course, one would also want access to the Canon Law Studies doctoral dissertation series from CUA, with hundreds of canonical monographs beginning in 1916. |
Ten Resources
Needed to Study the 1917 Code of Canon Law in English
When trying to research the 1917 Code in English, remember that many of the sources (fontes) listed in Gasparri's Latin footnotes are now available in English, including all ecumenical councils (the Schroeder translations are quite good), all papal encyclicals after 1740 (thanks in large part to Claudia Carlen, ihm), and even some parts of Gratian's Decretum (e.g., Hymans' translation of marriage canons.) For information on multi-lingual sources for the study of canon law, see Guide to Multi-Lingual Commentaries on the 1917 or Pio-Benedictine Code of Canon Law.
1. Edward Peters, Curator, The
1917 or Pio-Benedictine Code of Canon Law in English Translation with Extensive
Scholarly Apparatus, (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2001), ISBN:
0-89870-831-0. Acceptable cite form: 1917 CIC [canon number] (Peters’
trans.). Notes: Comprehensive, faithful English translation of the entire
1917 Code and most supporting documents. Internally cross-referenced, and
completely correlated with both Canon Law Digest and the 1983 Code.
Features citations, by canon number or topic, to hundreds of English language
doctoral dissertations in canon law culled from the world’s pontifical and
Catholic faculties of canon law. 2. Canon Law Digest, vols. 1-10. Various publishers
and editors since 1933, currently supervised by the Canon Law Society of America
in Washington DC. English translations of hundreds of official documents,
dealing with canon law throughout its 65-year enforcement period, listed
canon-by-canon for distinct periods. The only weakness in the work, the lack of
a comprehensive index, is remedied by the Peters translation listed immediately above.
5. John Abbo & Jerome
Hannan, The Sacred Canons: A Concise
Presentation of the Current Disciplinary Norms of the Church, 2 vols., (Herder Books: St. Louis MO,
1952 ff). Acceptable cite form: Abbo-Hannan, Canons, [vol. no.]. Method:
For Books I-III, discussion is by canonical topic, but not quite canon-by-canon.
English paraphrases for most canons. For Books IV-V, discussion is by general
topic, with few canons. Notes: Highly respected work, though often
thought of as being pantextual, which it is not.
Footnotes orient one to Latin commentators with considerable ease. 6. Stanislaus
Woywod, A Practical Commentary on the
Code of Canon Law, published by Wagner of New
York in one and two volume formats beginning in 1925. Later editions revised by
Callistus Smith. Paraphrases of nearly all canons, with succinct commentary by a
highly regarded canon and civil lawyer. More scholarly than its
“handbookish” title would suggest.
7. T. Lincoln Bouscaren & Adam Ellis,
Canon Law: A Text and Commentary, Various editions, (Bruce Publishing:
Milwaukee, 1946/1966). This is the way two generations of North American canon
lawyers learned the 1917 Code. Light only in procedures. Very reliable.
10. Both the original multi-volume Catholic Encyclopedia published just before the 1917 Code appeared, and the multi-volume New Catholic Encyclopedia published during the waning days of the 1917 Code. Numerous entries on a wide variety of canonical topics, under-appreciated as a resource for canonical issues. Top || Home || Canon Law || Liturgy & Sacraments || Catholic Issues || Personal |
