The Congregation for Catholic Education (Institutes of Study), Vatican, has approved the aggregation of the Canon Law Institute of the Catholic University of Korea with the Faculty of Canon Law of the University of Santo Tomas in its rescript issued on February 22, 2019. On the same day, the Vatican also approved the appointment of Rev. Fr. Stefano YoungMan Han as Director of the Institute and issued the nihil obstat ad docendum or teaching license for its five permanent professors.
The aggregation enables the Institute to grant, through the University of Santo Tomas, an academic degree canonically recognized by the Catholic Church, particularly the Licentiate in Canon Law. The University in turn commits to safeguard and maintain the academic standards of the Institute and mentor its continued growth, as part of its service and educational leadership in the wider Catholic Church. In conveying the decision of the Congregation to the Master of the Order of Preachers Very Rev. Fr. Bruno Cadoré, O.P., Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi celebrated the fact that the Canon Law Institute, in effect, becomes “the first Ecclesiastical Higher Education Institution in Korea,” highlighting this important milestone in the history of Catholicism in the Korean Peninsula.
During his visit to the University of Santo Tomas on April 11 and 12, 2019, Fr. Han communicated to the Rector Very Rev. Fr. Herminio V. Dagohoy, O.P., the gratitude and joy of the Cardinal-Archbishop of Seoul, Andrew Yeom Soo-Jung, at the granting of the aggregation. He also met with the officials of the Faculty of Canon Law, headed by its Dean, Rev. Fr. Isaias D. Tiongco, O.P., to discuss the particulars of the aggregation.
Catholic Institute of Sydney explores possible aggregation with UST Canon Law
Two distinguished visitors from the Catholic Institute of Sydney (CIS), CIS Vice President Dr. Rohan Curnow, and the Judicial Vicar for the Province of Sydney and the Archdiocese of Canberra Rev. Fr. Julian Wellspring, visited the University of Santo Tomas on April 29, 2019, to explore a possible aggregation with the UST Faculty of Canon Law. Aggregation enables an Institute to grant ecclesiastical degrees under the auspices of a Pontifical Faculty, such as the UST Faculty of Canon Law. The visit was a follow-up of the September 13, 2018 visit of Prof. Isabell Naumann, ISSM, who is president of CIS.
