HUKUMAN SUSPENSI DALAM GEREJA KATOLIK BERDASARKAN KHK 1983

Abstract

Penalties not only serve as compensation or deterrence but also remedy. There are two remedial penalties, namely suspense and cencures. The problem of suspense is that it often brings about tension between church authorities (ordinarius) who are in charge of imposing suspense and the suspensed clerics. Preventing the problem requires the prior knowledge of the nature of suspense. Suspense is a clerical penalty that is different from excommunication and interdict imposed to any believer.The church has innate and proper right (natural but not derivative of anyone or any institution (can. 1311)) to penalize every cleric who breaks the laws. As a remedial penalty, suspense emphasizes more on the offender?s reform and reintegration. The duration of penalties is indefinite but it has to be remitted when an offender has ceased being contumacious and willed to reintegrate into the communion (cann. 1358 § 1, 1347 § 2). The clerics who are suspended do not lose their clerical status because the primary objective is reconciliation and the salvation of the suspended. That is why, the church, through its authority, should welcome the suspended if they are true repentants: have made suitable reparation for the damages and scandals or at least have wholeheartedly promised to do so. The true repentant should show their redemptive and healed personalities and affirm their ecclesial unity faithfully and charitatively. Church authorities should deal patiently and charitably with the suspended.