TITLE 27

Penal Sanctions in the Church

Canon 1401

Since God employs every means to bring back the erring sheep,

those who have received from Him the power of loosing and binding, are to treat appropriately the illness of those who have

committed offenses, by correcting, reproving, appealing, constantly teaching and never losing patience, and are even to impose penalties in order to ensure that the wounds inflicted by

the offense may receive a cure and to preclude the offender from

being given to dissoluteness of life and contempt of the law.