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

Ius canonicum

JUSTICE AND MERCY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF CANON LAW

157

circumstances of the penitent.68 This understanding is followed by the Encyclical letter Apostolica Constitutio of Pope Benedict XIV (1740-1758) of June 26th 174969, which gives a detailed enlighten of the meaning of the CIC (1917) Can. 888 §1, which is adopted literally in Can. 978 §1 of the current Code of Canon Law.70

III. Justice and mercy in the canonical penal law

The way in which ecclesiastical criminal law is applied, or ius poenale farmale as it was formerly called71 72 73, is closely linked to the question of justice and mercy. This area is characterized mainly by acts and processes carried out publicly in the external forum (forum externum).12 However, it cannot be ignored that we do not speak about an ecclesiastical punishable act (delictum) without the committing of a sin (peccatum).13 It is therefore essential to define the purpose of the canonical punishments in order to interpret them correctly, since this influences the characteristics and types of sanctions and the degree of the circumstances of the punishable act that can be taken into account when imposing the sanction.74 Considering the approach of the collections of canon law that crystallized from the High Middle Ages, as well as the canon law literature which was developing in parallel, including its classical Baroque-era manuals (e.g., Vitus Pichler S.J.)75, up to the penal law theories discussed in the modem period (e.g., Gommarus Michaels)76, we can conclude a dual purpose of the application of the sanction: the correction of the offender and the protection of the community. This always involves a combination of the preventive and reparative principles, i.e. the aim of correcting the scandal, restor-68 Cone. Tridentinum (1545-1563), Sessio XIV (25 nov. 1551), Doctrina de sanctissimis poenitentiae et extremae unctionis sacramentis, Cap. VIII: (...) Debent ergo sacerdotes Domini, quantum spiritus et prudentia suggesserit, pro qualitate criminum et poenitentium facultate salutares et convenientes satisfactiones iniungere, ne, si forte peccatis conniveant et indulgennius cum poenitentibus agant, levissima quaedam opera pro gravissimis delictus iniungendo, alienorum peccatorum participes efficiantur (...). COD 709; cf. Cap. IX: COD 709.

69 Benedictus XIV, Enc. Apostolica Constitutio (26 iun. 1749): Gasparri, P. - Serédi, J. (ed.), Codicis iuris canonici fontes, II. Romae 1924. 240-252. §§19, 20.

70 CIC Can. 978 - § 1. Meminerit sacerdos in audiendis confessionibus se iudicis pariter et medici personam sustinere ac divinae iustitiae simul et misericordiae minstrum a Deo constitutum esse, ut honori divino et animarum saluti consulat.

71 Bánk, J., Kánoni jog, II. Budapest 1963. 655-656.

72 Prümmer, D. M., Manuale iuris canonici in usum clericorum praesertim illorum qui ad instituta religiosa pertinent, Friburgi Brisgoviae 1922. 628-630; cf. Erdő, P., Egyházjog, 155.

73 Erdő, P., A bűn és a bűncselekmény (Pázmány Könyvek Sorozat 8), Budapest 2013. 80-81, 84, 133.

74 Vermeersch, A. - Creusen, J., Epitome iuris canonici, III. 183-187.

75 Pichler, V, Jus canonicum, Ingolstadt 1728. II. 189-375.

76 Michiels, G., De delictis et poenis, I—III. Parisiis-Tomaci-Romae 19612.