Ius Ecclesiarum Vehiculum Caritatis: Atti del simposio internationale per il decennale dell’entrata in vigore del Codex Canonum Ecclesiarum Orientalium by Congregazione per Le Chiese Orientali (review)

Ius Ecclesiarum Vehiculum Caritatis: Atti del simposio internationale per il decennale dell’entrata in vigore del Codex Canonum Ecclesiarum Orientalium by Congregazione per Le Chiese Orientali. Roma, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2004. Pp. 1–992. Anniversaries are fitting occasions to reflect on one’s history, survey present circumstances, and envision plans for the future. Such is the case with Ius Ecclesiarum Vehiculum Caritatis, a compendium of academic papers, salutations, and homilies delivered during a five-day international symposium held at Rome in November 2001, to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Codex Canonum Ecclesiarum Orientalium (CCEO). The text is comprised of nineteen major addresses in four languages (13 in Italian, 3 in English, 2 in French, and 1 in German) and twenty-nine minor presentations in five languages (18 in Italian, 4 in English, 3 in French, 2 in German, and 2 in Spanish). In addition, there are addresses by Pope John Paul II, Cardinal Sodano, then Secretary of State of the Holy See, and Cardinal Daoud, then Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches. All the presenters are highly reputable experts in the history, practice, and teaching of canon law. They include several preeminent individuals intimately involved in the redaction of the CCEO called for by Pope John XXIII and in teaching the Eastern code since its promulgation by Pope John Paul II in 1990. All the articles are well-researched academic papers with topics covering a broad spectrum of canonical themes. The topics of the major addresses range from theological subjects (e.g., the “Theotokos” in the Eastern code and the nature of the episcopal office), to juridical issues (e.g., the interrelationship between the Latin code and the Eastern code, the ecumenical aspects of mixed marriages, and the question of the rights of those belonging to a proper rite), as well as administrative concerns (e.g., particular law in churches sui iuris, legislation governing ecclesiastical universities and faculties, and administrative justice in the patriarchal church) and issues which touch the daily life of the faithful (e.g., the liturgy in the Eastern law, and the gift of religious life in the East and the West). The minor presentations also are very well researched and address a whole host of topics which are both practical and thought provoking. As one might expect, the major addresses are much more developed than the shorter minor presentations; however, this in no way discounts the quality of the latter. In fact, these concise minor presentations might appeal to the average canon lawyer and a broader spectrum of readers more than the weightier major addresses. book reviews 305 306 the jurist The greatest strength of Ius Ecclesiarum Vehiculum Caritatis is also its greatest weakness. This is a scholarly work that requires readers conversant in several languages and familiar with the rich canonical traditions of the Church, particularly the Eastern traditions. For professors, graduate students, and those particularly interested in the Eastern code, this book is a must for one’s library. For the majority of canon lawyers, however, it is not a ready-reference to keep at arm’s length when confronted with pastoral questions involving Eastern Catholics. Even though the various papers delve into these types of issues and handle them expertly, the overall academic nature of the text appeals to a relatively small audience. Ten years is embryonic for any body of law. This is all the more true in the case of the CCEO which as a single, unified code of law had no predecessor . The acts of the anniversary symposium found in Ius Ecclesiarum Vehiculum Caritatis will rightly find their way into the rich history of the Eastern canon law. The erudite authors offer a wise assessment of the state of the CCEO ten years after its promulgation and sow the seeds for its future development. Michael A. Souckar Archdiocese of Miami Miami, Florida BY WHAT AUTHORITY?: A PRIMER ON SCRIPTURE, THE MAGISTERIUM , AND THE SENSE OF THE FAITHFUL by Richard R. Gaillardetz. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2003. Richard Gaillardetz is the Margaret and Thomas Murray and James J. Bacik Professor of Catholic Studies at the University of Toledo and the author of Teaching with Authority: A Theology of...