“McKenna offers a positive examination of modern Church law and canonical tradition, treating the law as a needed ministry of service and communion and emphasizing the rights of all members. Historical perspective informs his review of post-Vatican II developments on practical issues such as human rights, confidentiality of church records, annulments, collaborative pastoral planning through diocesan synods, and reconciliation via alternative dispute resolution. Recommended for Catholic collections serving pastoral needs and for laity seeking current information on the reasoning behind Church law today.” —Library Journal
“This book helps all of us realize how canon law influences many of our daily activities and decisions, even though we do not always recognize it for what it is. For those who do not appreciate the salvific qualities of the law, this book might open new horizons in its readers. For, far from presenting the law as 'the dark side of the Good News,' it shows how the law is there to promote the salus animarum. Seen in this perspective, it can play a most important role in the life of the faithful.” —Studia Canonica
“McKenna takes a fresh look at the Code of Canon Law and finds that it now emphasizes human rights in keeping with the spirit of Pope Leo XIII’s 1963 encyclical Pacem in Terris. The church must preach human rights around the globe, McKenna concludes, just as ‘the Church’s legal apparatus must always recognize, guarantee and foster the fundamental rights of the faithful.’” —Initiatives
“As a Roman trained canonist with many years of practical experience in the United States, Fr. McKenna is versed in two canonical cultures. Both cultures shape a book that can definitely be recommended as a stimulating introduction to canon law in action. It is not the predictable general introduction one might think.” —Priests & People
