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

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/sspx-podcast-6815367/why-the-church-needs-laws-and-when-they-don-t-bind-questions-with-father-59
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/sspx-podcast-6815367/why-the-church-needs-laws-and-when-they-don-t-bind-questions-with-father-59.md
Podcast: [SSPX Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/sspx-podcast-6815367)
Published: 2026-03-07T16:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://sspxpodcast.com/episodes/did-the-church-ban-books-a-catholic-explanation-questions-with-father-59
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/02137c75-d8d0-43ad-9f2f-969482d00a14.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/sspx-podcast-6815367/episodes/why-the-church-needs-laws-and-when-they-don-t-bind-questions-with-father-59
Duration seconds: 6691

## Resource

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 >> – – – – – – – Explore more: Subscribe to this Podcast to receive this and all our audio episodes Subscribe to the SSPX YouTube channel for video versions of our podcast series and Sermons FSSPX News Website: https://fsspx.news Visit the US District website: https://sspx.org/ – – – – – What is the SSPX Podcast? The SSPX Podcast is produced by Angelus Press , which has as its mission the fortification of traditional Catholics so that they can defend the Faith, and reaching out to those who have not yet found Tradition. – – – – – – What is the SSPX? The main goal of the Society of Saint Pius X…

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