"The Criminal Law Canonical is compatible with charity, love and respect".

"The canonical Criminal Law is compatible with charity, love and respect. Both things can be given without detriment to each other". This was stated at the University of Navarra by José Luis Sánchez-Girón, professor of Canon Law at the Pontifical University of Comillas, on the occasion of his participation in the workshop on 'The reform of Book VI of the Code of Canon Law'.

The expert pointed out that the new Book VI "is not a document made by four eyes locked in a room, but that not only the technicians of Canon Law, but also those who apply the Code and are close to the life of the Church, have been consulted and asked for their opinion".

He also pointed out that considering that the reform was initiated by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009, it is not strange to think that it was a response to the problems of abuse within the Church. However, he pointed out that it also includes some novelties that were necessary.

Among them, he highlights the importance given to the reparation of damages, and the need to "pronounce more strongly that a legally accused person is also entitled to the presumption of innocence". Likewise, Professor Sánchez-Girón emphasizes that the application of criminal rules is more proactive. "Not with a short hand, saying 'do not resort to Criminal Law unless you have seen this or that', but on the contrary 'if you see this, resort to Criminal Law'."

In addition, he emphasizes that there has been a hardening of the Church's punitive law, "there are new crimes of an economic nature"; there has also been an extension of the deadline for the prescription of a crime and, for example, the regime of forgiveness of penalties has been hardened: "It is very nice that there is forgiveness of penalties as part of the law itself, but it is true that it was necessary to make it much more demanding".

The professor of Canon Law makes a "positive" evaluation of the reform that will come into force on December 8, 2021, and of which he hopes it will bear fruit. To this end, he appealed, as Pope Francis does, to the "responsibility of pastors".

The workshop also featured three other speakers: professors from the School of Canon Law, José Bernal, Gerardo Núñez and Jorge Miras, the latter also consultant of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts committee .

View the videos at workshop:

Speech by Professor Jorge Miras

Speech by Professor José Bernal

Speech by Professor José Luis Sánchez-Girón

Speech by Professor Gerardo Núñez

colloquium after the interventions