Why the Church Needs Laws; and When They Don’t Bind – Questions with Father #59

About this episode

Fr. Ian Andrew Palko discusses the importance of Church laws and their role in the life of the faithful.

Today on Questions with Father , we step into a topic many Catholics hear about but rarely understand: the law of the Church. Why does the Church have laws at all? How are those laws made, interpreted, and applied—and what role do they play in the life of the faithful? Fr. Ian Andrew Palko explains the foundations of Canon Law, the difference between doctrine and discipline, and why the Church—like any visible society—must be governed by clear rules. Along the way, we’ll explore key principles from St. Thomas Aquinas, the purpose of penalties and mercy, and why the ultimate goal of every law in the Church remains the same: the salvation of souls. See all the episodes: https://sspxpodcast.com/questions/ We’d love your feedback on this series! podcast@sspx.org – – – – – – View this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/JMoPaSPSY4g – – – – – – – The Society of Saint Pius X offers this series and all of its content free of charge. If you are able to offer a one time or a small monthly recurring donation, it will assist us greatly in continuing to provide these videos for the good of the Church and Catholic Tradition. Please Support this Apostolate with 1-time or Monthly Donation…

People in this episode

Guest: Fr. Ian Andrew Palko

Topics covered

• Canon Law
• Church laws
• Catholic doctrine
• salvation of souls
• discipline
• mercy

Keywords

• Church laws
• Canon Law
• Catholicism
• doctrine
• discipline
• St. Thomas Aquinas
• salvation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Society of Saint Pius X

Books & works: Canon Law

More episodes of SSPX Podcast

• The Making of a Bishop: Ceremony, Symbolism, and Tradition - Episcopal Consecrations #10 · May 30, 2026 · 1h 37m
• Continuing Tradition in the Heart of North Dakota - Sacred Restorations · May 27, 2026 · 50 min
• Has This Happened Before? Consecrations without Permission - Episcopal Consecrations #9 · May 22, 2026 · 1h 36m
• Obey or Resist? A Catholic Dilemma – Episcopal Consecrations #8 · May 15, 2026 · 1h 14m
• Rooted and Rising – a New St. Joe’s in Armada – Sacred Restorations · May 12, 2026 · 37 min
• Does Rome Still Believe in Schism? – Episcopal Consecrations #7 · May 8, 2026 · 1h 49m