About the Book 

                                    Role of the Laity in the Diocesan Curia

This work is a comparative study of the Latin and the Eastern Canon Laws on the role of the laity in the diocesan curia. Though a diocese is entrusted to a diocesan bishop for the pastoral governance, he does not fulfil his pastoral functions alone; he does it mainly with the help of his curia. The diocesan curia can be composed of clerics alone or a combination of clerics and lay persons together. The lay persons have been given much involvement in the Church after the Second Vatican Council. The Council taught that on receiving baptism, lay persons participate in the priestly, prophetic and kingly functions of Christ (cf. LG 31). Today, lay people are involved in the administration of the Church, both at the universal as well as at diocesan level; thus their role in the Church is also emphasized. They can function in many offices in the diocesan curia.  

Traditionally, clerics are appointed in the diocesan curia. However, now lay people, who are outstanding in the requisite knowledge, prudence and integrity, can be appointed in the diocesan curia. There are lay persons who are experts in various fields, especially in the administration of temporal goods, including that of financial matters. While the Latin Code permits a lay person to hold chancellor’s office (in the Eastern Churches, the chancellor must be a cleric), both the codes allow the laity to function as finance officer, members of the finance council, judge, defender of the bond, promoter of justice, notaries, etc.

Forward written by: Gorge Cardinal Alencherry, Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church 

Size of the Book: 215 x 140 mm
Pages 360 + Cover
Cover; Multicolour
Binding: Section Stitched and perfect bound

Copies are available in Dharmaram Publications, Bangalore.