Canon Lawyers Hit the Road
Galway Bay
Every year Canon Law Societies have a conference and in-person general business meeting. They are usually not only educational but entertaining. (Who wouldn’t want to party with a bunch of Scots or Aussies?) The venue of the conference has a lot to do with it. The Canon Law Society of Great Britain and Ireland rotates its venue from Scotland to England to the great Republic of Ireland. Every five years it holds a special meeting in Rome.
Last year the CLSGB&I had its first in-person conference since before the pandemic. It was held in Rome. It was an excellent conference and that one kept it as the English-speaking conference not to miss. The only other English-speaking conference that vies for Best Canon Law conference is that of the Canon Law Society of Australia and New Zealand. (I have only been in attendance to that one virtually, so I am limited on measuring the entertainment ratio).
Because the Catholic Church is a universal church, the Canon Law Conferences are extremely important. They are not just a networking opportunity, but very important for keeping up with Canon Law and how it is being exercised within particular (local) churches around the world. The ideas exchanged on such an international cross-quilt is always fascinating and shows the Church at its most alive.
The Conference of the CLSGB&I is set for Galway, Ireland in May this year. This Irish one fills up fast. The information and registration materials arrived over Christmas tide. The Conference is limited to a cozy one hundred. Priority on attendance is given to members and we jump on the registration asap. Then perhaps, if there is a space or two left, non-members will sneak in. I have been going to this conference for twenty years and sing its praises all the time. I am constantly being asked about it when it is set for anywhere in Ireland. Great excuse for a road trip.
The most interesting thing about this Society is that the costs involved in it are so reasonable. Its dues, publications and conference fees are more reasonable, ok cheaper, than any other Canon Law Society. And when it comes to value for money this Society wins hands down. The marquee speaker for this May is the Irish cleric, Monsignor John J. Kennedy from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (Head of the Disciplinary Section, kind of like Pope Benedict XVI was). He is well-connected within the Curia and an excellent speaker. And he's just one in the line-up of speakers.
Well, I have my registration in and cannot wait! See you there?
http://www.clsgbi.org/the-annual-conference/2023-annual-conference/