[Tax-chick]

I was surprised by his example, that something so picayune would be specified in Canon Law.

However, in addition to such cases in which it could said with complete accuracy that “the Church” has small-minded rules, there are rules at various levels in the Church that can be an impediment to the real mission. I’m thinking particularly of rules for “gatekeeping” the Sacraments which emphasize “inputs” such as classroom time rather than the “product”: a person who knows and believes the Catholic Faith.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Before 1918 (if I understand this correctly) there wasn't a single "Code" of Canon Law, there was a huge collection of Canons what has been passed all over the world by Synods, Bishops Conferences, Abbots, etc. etc. They tended to respond to exigent local situations which didn't necessarily apply elsewhere.

For instance,Canon law in Germany attached ecclesiastical penalties to dueling. The reason why was that, although dueling was already prohibited under German secular law, thi prohibition was rarely enforced, and at some of the German Universities, dueling (sometimes with sabers!) was rather an acceptable thing for a young man to do, in particular in defense of his "honor." Having a saber scar across one's cheek was romantic and "distinguished."

So the German Church specifically penalized it, not because dueling is worse than other kinds of fighting, but because secular society was way too accepting of it.