The Church’s Structure of Governance: Theological Foundations and Canonical Development

This book systematically studies the structure of the pastoral government of the Church, focusing on each of the offices, bodies, and communities that comprise it, as well as the relationships between them, in accordance with the discipline currently in force in canon law. The first five chapters analyze the sacramental foundations of the power of government and the exercise of public office and ministries in the Church, developing the resulting canonical and legal implications from a theological perspective. The following chapters deal systematically with each of the pastoral institutions of government within the central structure of the Church, the organization of local churches, and the supra-diocesan organization at the regional and national levels, always following the same methodology: starting from the legislation in force, analyzed in the light of Catholic theology and ecclesiastical ministry, the legal configuration of the various ecclesiastical institutions and the canonical responsibilities corresponding to the holders of each ecclesiastical office are examined.