IL DIRITTO PENALE DELLA CHIESA NELL’ESERCIZIO DEL MINISTERO SACERDOTALE

The text offers a general synthesis of what theology has developed and what ecclesiastical practice has proposed regarding the treatment of censures and impediments. The reflection aims to highlight above all the Church's criminal offence, with particular reference to the ecclesial relevance of sin, and the concepts of crime, punishment and criminal imputability.
At the same time, the author presents the censures or medicinal penalties, the cessation and suspension of penalties, penalties latae sententiae, particularly those reserved for the Apostolic See. Finally, the author addresses the problem of the penal protection of the Sacrament of Penance, and the modus agendi of the Confessor with penitents who accuse sins involving censure.