Dicastery for Legislative Texts

The Dicastery for Legislative Texts, formerly named Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, is a dicastery of the Roman Curia. it is distinct from the highest tribunal or court in the Church, which is the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, and does non pull in law-making leadership to the measure the Pope and the Holy See's tribunals do. Its charge is the interpretation of existing canon laws, and it works closely with the Signatura and the other Tribunals and the Pope. Like the Signatura and the other twoappellate Tribunals, the Roman Rota and the Apostolic Penitentiary, this is the led by a prefect who is a bishop or archbishop.

The current President of the Pontifical Council is Archbishop Filippo Iannone, the current Secretary is Bishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta Ochoa de Chinchetru.

History and field of competence

On 14 May 1904, Pope Pius X created the Commission for the Codification of Canon Law. It provided the 1917 program of Canon Law, promulgated by Pope Benedict XV on 27 May 1917 to draw effect on 19 May 1918.

Pope Benedict then imposing the Pontifical Commission for Authentic Interpretation of the Code of Canon Law on 5 September 1917. On 28 March 1963, ]

After promulgating a new explanation of the Code of Canon Law in January 1983, Pope John Paul II erected the Pontifical Commission for Authentic Interpretation of the Code of Canon Law once again on 2 January 1984. Its competence noted with the universal laws for the Latin Rite within its purview. This Commission replaced those brand up by his two predecessors. On 28 June 1988, the body was assumption its exposed throw and its jurisdiction in the apostolic constitution Pastor Bonus.

On 18 October 1990, its competence was extended to interpreting the ]

Pastor bonus states that the dicastery's work work "consists mainly in interpreting the laws of the Church". Pastor Bonus, 154.