No new Code of Canon Law: Return to Tradition misreads a synod commission’s proposals

The General Secretariat of the Synod published the Canonical Commission’s final report on 29 September 2026. It proposes amendments to specific canons of the 1983 Code, and the Secretariat states that “the present Report is to be considered a working document” (synod.va; report). The proposals now go to Pope Leo XIV, who has not acted on them (America).

The report sorts its work into short-, medium- and long-term horizons. Only for the long term does it say “there is an obvious need for a complete revision of the two Codes” (report, Introduction). Most of the text consists of specific amendments for the short term.

The commission proposes a new first paragraph for canon 749: “The entire body of the Christian faithful, having received the anointing from the Spirit, cannot err in matters of faith”, when “from the bishops down to the last of the lay faithful, its universal consent in matters of faith and morals is demonstrated” (report). This restates Lumen Gentium 12: “The entire body of the faithful… cannot err in matters of belief” (LG 12).

The present § 1 on the Pope’s infallibility “in teaching when… he proclaims by definitive act that a doctrine of faith or morals is to be held” moves to § 2 unchanged, followed by the college of bishops (report; CIC can. 749). The proposed text does not call the faithful’s infallibility “first” or “fundamental”, or say that it overrides anyone.

Canon law defines the presbyteral council as “a group of priests which, representing the presbyterium, is to be like a senate of the bishop” (CIC can. 495 § 1). The commission keeps that definition (report).

The proposed canon 500 § 2 would require the presbyteral council’s consent “to erect or suppress a seminary”, among a short list of other acts such as erecting, suppressing or modifying parishes (report). It says nothing about changes to how a seminary is run or what it teaches.

The proposed canon 512 § 4 reads: “Others can be invited to the pastoral council to participate without the right to vote, including those who belong to a Church or ecclesial community not yet in full communion with the Catholic Church. It belongs to the diocesan bishop to determine their role” (report).