Canon Law

God continues to call people from all cultures to vowed, communal life to a myriad of religious institutes with varied charisms and customs. Using Canon Law, each religious institute has its own admission policies for women/men seeking to begin the application process. Read more...

Due diligence in assessing candidates is essential. Because members and those seeking membership are not employees of the religious institute, the constrictions of employment rules do not apply to interviews conducted with candidates. However, attention to preserving the applicant’s reputation and confidentiality needs to be taken in the gathering of the information and where it is stored. Read more...

(Special thanks to Sister Lynn Jarrell, OSU, CD, past Associate Director of the Legal Resource Center for Religious, for her preparation of this handout.) Read more...

Canon law gives the leaders of religious communities a fair amount of discretion when it comes to questions of health in applicants. Read more...

Canon law provides a foundation to vocation ministry—spelling out norms and expectations for both prospective members and communities. Read more...

Welcoming new members over age 40 comes with complications. An understanding of canon law helps keep the process fair for both the community and the new member. Read more...

Many important questions can be answered by a good understanding of canon law: How much can we ask about a candidate’s financial assets? What does canon law say about candidates to religious life? How do we deal with salary and tax issues during formation? Read more...