Lay ecclesial ministry class learns canon law basics

IC photo/Marie Mischel

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Fr. Roger H. Keeler, executive director of the Canon Law Society of describes canon law to the lay eccelsial ministry formation class in Salt Lake City on April 21.

SALT LAKE CITY — The members of the English-language lay ecclesial ministry formation program spent an afternoon hearing about canon law from an expert in the subject.

Fr. Roger H. Keeler, executive director of the Canon Law Society of America who is also an assistant professor of Canon Law at the Oblate School of Theology, covered the basics of the topic. He used everyday language, real-world examples and humor in his presentation.

Prior to the presentation, the members of the LEM class were assigned to read “Canon Law as Ministry,” by James Coriden. Still, they had plenty of questions for Fr. Keeler about the subject and  real-world examples they have encountered.

Fr. Keeler covered the basics of canon law, from definition to sources to terminology, but he emphasized that “the supreme law of the Church is the salvation of souls,” and  canon law  should aid in accomplishing that, he said.

Having the class was important “because all Catholics ought to know something about canon law, and especially lay ministers, because they are going to be, many times during their ministry, encountering issues that deal with canon law, and they should have a working knowledge of it,” said Susan Northway, director of the Diocese of Salt Lake City Office of Religious Education, who coordinates the Lay Ecclesial Ministry Formation program.

Canon law is one of the courses of study highly suggested by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ document “Co-workers in the Vineyard of the Lord,” which gives guidelines for the development of lay ecclesial ministry in the United States, Northway said.

Fr. Keeler closed his presentation by telling those present that they are not expected to become experts in canon law, and that “it’s all right for you to say, ‘I don’t know, but I’ll make some calls and get back to you.’”