A Concise Guide to Canon Law; A Practical Handbook for Pastoral Ministers

For more than twenty years, A Concise Guide to Canon Law has provided priests, deacons, and lay pastoral ministers with essential information about Church laws that regularly impact the lives of everyday Catholics.

This compact reference guide addresses topics such as who can receive the sacraments and when, the responsibilities of pastors and bishops; administration of parishes; and the role of finance and pastoral councils. The book also now includes the teachings of Popes Benedict XVI and Francis on issues such as marriage and annulment, as well as a new chapter on Catholic funerals.

Canon lawyer Aldean Hendrickson, director of the tribunal for the Diocese of New Ulm, also has updated this practical guide with additional material that includes:

• a chapter on the Liturgy of the Hours;
• an updated section of frequently asked questions and answers at the end of each chapter;
• a revised and enhanced glossary of key terms; and
• a suggested reading list for deeper study.

Fr. Kevin E. McKenna is a senior priest at St. Louis Church in Pittsford, New York. Before retiring, he served as pastor at St. Theodore’s Church in Rochester, New York. He also served as president of the Canon Law Society of America and as vice chancellor, chancellor, and canonical consultant for the Diocese of Rochester.

He is the author of numerous articles and books, including A Concise Guide to Canon Lawand A Concise Guide to Catholic Social Teaching, and general editor of the Concise Guide series.

Aldean B. Hendrickson is a canon lawyer and director and judge of the tribunal for the Diocese of New Ulm. He is a member of the editorial board of The Prairie Catholic.

Hendrickson earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of St. Thomas and both a master’s degree and a licentiate in canon law from the Université Saint-Paul in Canada. He is a member of the Canon Law Society of America.

Hendrickson lives in New Ulm, Minnesota. He has three children.