Big news for the 24 Eastern Catholic Churches!Vatican News announced that the Synod is taking a major step toward legal reform with the creation of the Eastern Canonical Commission. This is to ensure the specific laws and traditions of the sui iuris Churches are respected and updated for a more "synodal" future.
Expert canonists are already at work drafting new legislation based on years of global listening. Have your say: The Vatican is accepting contributions from institutions and individuals until mid-April. The General Secretariat of the Synod has established the Eastern Canonical Commission to modernize the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches (CCEO). Building on work started in late 2023, this new body focuses specifically on the 24 sui iuris Churches to ensure their unique traditions and legal structures are reflected in the ongoing "synodal journey."
Coordinated by the Dicastery for Legislative Texts, the commission aims to translate proposals from the 2021–2024 Synodal sessions into formal legal drafts. Cardinal Mario Grech has invited contributions from universities and individual stakeholders, with a deadline of April 15, 2026.
Key Highlights: The New Eastern Canonical Commission
Objective: To revise Eastern Canon Law (CCEO) in light of recent synodal feedback and requests from autonomous Eastern Church leaders.
Composition: A team of experts from the Dicastery for Legislative Texts and the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches.
Synergy: The commission will work alongside "Study Group no. 1," which manages relations between the Eastern and Latin Churches.
Immediate Goal: To draft normative texts based on the 2023 Synthesis Report and the 2024 Final Document.
Call to Action: Interested parties are encouraged to submit input to the General Secretariat by April 15, 2026.
Sources: Vatican News and Image https://www.synod.va/en/news/eastern-canon-law-and-synodality.html
Comments