Cannon law jurisdiction

[wkj_123]

If all peoples; ie Protestants etc, baptised in the Trinity formula with water are considered Catholic just with imperfect union, does that mean cannon law has jurisdiction in their case as well. Specifically my question relates to vows. If a vow was made while Protestant would cannon law concerning vows be over the vow? To the best of my understanding cannon law is bound in Heaven?

 

[dans0622]

If all peoples; ie Protestants etc, baptised in the Trinity formula with water are considered Catholic just with imperfect union, does that mean cannon law has jurisdiction in their case as well. Specifically my question relates to vows. If a vow was made while Protestant would cannon law concerning vows be over the vow? To the best of my understanding cannon law is bound in Heaven?

Hello,

A point of information: it is “canon” law, not “cannon” law.

As far as canon law is concerned, Protestants are *not *considered Catholic. Canon law applies only to those baptized in the Catholic Church or received into her (with only a few exceptions where the Protestant is trying to do something within the legal system of the Catholic Church). This limited scope of canon law is stated in the law itself (Code of Canon Law, canon 11).

So, if a Protestant made some sort of vow, canon law would have nothing to do with it.

Dan

 

[wkj_123]

So in theory if a vow was made and then the Protestant became Catholic later the priest would have no way of commuting the vow to a lesser good?

 

[TimothyH]

This is the same as the other thread.

Baptism in a Church other than a Catholic Church does not make you Catholic.

Only members of the Catholic Church are bound by canon law. Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians and Seventh Day Adventists are not bound by canon law by virtue of their baptism. They are not members of the Catholic Church.

-Tim-

 

[wkj_123]

I apologize if the question seemed repetitive I just don’t fully understand if a Catholic priest has the authority to commute a private vow made by a Protestant before joining the Catholic Church?

 

[UpUpAndAway]

Did Fr. Ruggero’s response on the other thread not make sense to you?

 

[dans0622]

So in theory if a vow was made and then the Protestant became Catholic later the priest would have no way of commuting the vow to a lesser good?

Well, I didn’t intend to have you draw that conclusion. If we are now talking about a Catholic, then canon law does apply.

My initial thought is that the parish priest would have the authority to commute/dispense such a vow. I can’t think of any reason why he couldn’t.

Dan

 

[wkj_123]

It made sense I guess I just wasn’t sure if canon law in that way would apply retroactively to vows made before becoming Catholic if that makes sense.