The sixth principle contributes to the spirituality of canon law by safeguarding the rights of Christ’s faithful, reinforcing the exercise of authority as service in facilitating the journey of holiness, and avoiding abuses that undermine it, ultimately promoting the salvation of souls.
When there is no decree on a matter, “the competence of each diocesan bishop remains intact, nor is a conference or its president able to act in the name of all the bishops unless each and every bishop has given consent” (Can. 455 §4).
Delegation is a manifestation of the spirituality of canon law because it ensures that suitable persons govern the Church, thereby protecting the integrity of sacraments, maintaining governance within the Church, promoting justice, and ultimately, safeguarding and promoting the relationship of the faithful with God.
Subsidiarity is connected to the spirituality of canon law because it promotes the participation of the entire faithful and prevents unnecessary centralisation.
The principle of subsidiarity also applies to Church governance because the Church is a society structured in layers—parish, diocese, province, and episcopal conference.
The main function of a pontifical legate is “to continually make stronger and more effective the bonds of unity which exist between the Apostolic See and particular churches” (Can. 364).
The dicastery has been granted several special faculties, as certain circumstances in mission territories necessitate a degree of flexibility from the Church’s universal norms.
The fourth principle aligns with the spirituality of canon law because it empowers diocesan bishops and local ordinaries to dispense the faithful from universal and particular disciplinary laws when doing so contributes to the faithful’s spiritual well-being.
Precepts fit into the spirituality of canon law because they are commands from the competent authority imposed on the faithful to help promote Christian life and deepen the faithful’s relationship with God
The faculty is granted exclusively in favour of the spiritual good of the faithful and for cases of genuine need.
