Cooperation between laity and pastors in the framework of ecclesiastical courts

Students from the Faculty of Canon Law at "Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński" University in Warsaw, Poland, visited the Dicastery last week as part of a study trip that also included visits to various institutions of the Roman Curia.

Various themes on the presence of the laity in the life of the Church

Accompanied by Fr. Jan Dohnalik, canonist at the same University, the group of students, consisting of 12 lay people and 5 priests, were eager to explore various issues on the presence of the laity in the life of the Church. Received by the Secretary of the Dicastery, Gleison De Paula Souza, together with the Under-secretary for the Laity, Linda Ghisoni, they discussed various topics related to the collaboration between the laity and pastors within the ecclesiastical courts and the reality of women who want to carry out professional service in the field of Canon Law, reconciling it with their vocation for marriage and family life. Also at the center of the dialogue was the upcoming World Youth Day.

Meeting in the Dicastery, motivation for combining professional life with Church

At the end of the visit, Fr. Dohnalik emphasized how "such a warm welcome, a personal testimony from the Holy Father's collaborators, and the opportunity to visit the Roman Curia" represented "an experience that cannot be replaced by any lecture and is further motivation for young students to connect their professional lives with the Church."