The International Union of Catholic Jurists (“U.I.J.C.” in its French abbreviation) was recently granted recognition by the Holy See as a “private international association of Christian faithful, under pontifical law”, endowed with a legal personality in conformity with the canons 298-311 and 321-329 of the Code of canon law. The Union seat is fixed at the Chancery Palace, in Rome, in the extraterritorial zone, where the Supreme Tribunals of the Church are located.

The decree of canon recognition , signed by Cardinal James Francis Stafford, President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, gave the “U.I.J.C.” legal personality and confirmed the nomination of a Cardinal, as its ecclesiastic Adviser.

The ceremony awarding the pontifical decree took place at the Vatican and was attended numerous cardinals and prelates from the Roman Curia, as well as several ambassadors accredited to the Holy See.

Founded in 1986 in Paris, the International Union aims to promote, throughout the world, the spiritual and temporal unity of action of the catholic jurists and their associations in order to contribute to maintain or to reintroduce Christian principles and natural law in the philosophy and science of the law, in legislative, judicial and administrative activities, in education and research, in professional as well as in public life.

U.I.J.C. comprises presently catholic associations from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Canada, Spain, France, Italy, Luxemburg, Malaysia, Philippines, Poland, Switzerland, Ungary and regroups over 5000 members.