Folia Theologica et Canonica 11. 33/25 (2022)

Ius canonicum

FOLIA THEOLOGICA ET CANONICA (2022) 149-160

Szabolcs Anzelm Szuromi, O.Praem.

JUSTICE AND MERCY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF CANON LAW*

Introduction; I. The definition of justice and mercy; II. Justice and mercy as the fundamental PRINCIPLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE; III. JUSTICE AND MERCY IN THE CANONICAL PENAL LAW; CONCLUSION

Keywords: mutual justice, distributive justice, righteousness of God, sacrament of penance, canonical penal law, internal and external forum

Introduction

When interpreting justice and mercy in canon law, we cannot ignore the reflection on the justice and mercy exercised by Christ.1 This question is primarily concerned with the administration of the sacrament of penance in the area of sacramental law and the general principles of the application of ecclesiastical penal law, both in the so-called internal {forum internum) and external {forum externum) forums.2 The fonner, the exercise of ecclesiastical power or authorization to the exclusion of the public, which has a spiritual or conscientiously binding effect. The latter, the exercise of ecclesiastical power in public, according to precisely defined criteria of form and content.3 Actions in both the

* This article is a revised version of my contribution to the XVII Congresso della Consociatio internationalis studio iuris canonici promovendo — Persona, diritto e giustizia: it contributo del diritto canonico nell’esperienza giuridica contemporanea (13-16 settembre 2022, Paris) as a ‘Comunicazione’. It was composed in the Collegio S. Norberto (Rome), in the San Pedro Community of St. Michael ’s Abbey of the Norbertine Fathers (Los Angeles, CA, USA), in the International Canon Law History Research Center (Budapest). I made its revision in the British Library (London, UK) and in the Cambridge University Library (Cambridge, UK).

' Biju-Duval, D., Gesii Cristo, giusto e misericordioso, in Errázuriz, C. J. M. - Ortiz, M. A (a cura di), Misericordia e diritto nel matrimonio (Pontificia Universitä della Santa Croce, Facoltä di Diritto Canonico, Subsidia Canonica 13), Roma 2014. 13-21.

2 Marzoa, A. - Miras, J. - RodrÍguez-Ocana, R. (dir.), Comentario exegético al Código de Derecho Canonico, I. Pamplona 1996. 845-847 (Viana, A.). Listl, J. - Schmitz, H. (Hrsg.), Handbuch des katholischen Kirchenrechts, Regensburg 1999.2 156-158 (Pree, H.). Pucher, E., Forum externum et internum, in Lexikon für Kirchen- und Staatskirchenrecht, I. Paderbom- München-Wien-Zürich 2000. 708-710.

3 Erdő, R, Egyházjog (Szent István Kézikönyvek 7), Budapest 2014.5 155.