From Civil Lawyer to Canonist: Canon Law, Rights of the Faithful, and Defending our Priests.

In this episode we sit down with Dr. Michael J. Mazza, a civil and canon lawyer, husband, father, and independent advocate who has spent years defending the rights of priests and the faithful. Dr. Mazza shares his remarkable journey from youth minister to federal securities lawyer, and finally to Rome to study canon law. Along the way he unpacks: The profound differences between American civil law and the Church’s canonical tradition The history of the Code of Canon Law and why the 1983 Code is considered the “last document of Vatican II” The seven books of the Code and the often-overlooked rights and duties of the Christian faithful Key canons every Catholic should know The real state of due process for accused priests after the Dallas Charter — what is working, what is broken, and how the Church can do better Practical advice for the faithful when a beloved priest is removed, and for Catholic lawyers seeking to serve the Church with integrity  Whether you are a priest, a concerned layperson, or simply someone who wants to understand how the Church’s law actually works, this conversation is filled with clarity, charity, and hard-won wisdom.