There's been something bugging me about the canonical trial. And it's this:
"However, Byrnes added there is no way of knowing how long these next steps will take or what the exact penalties could be. He said that he and canon lawyers he has consulted with are in uncharted waters, given that this is the first time in history that a canonical trial of this nature has been called for concerning a bishop." GUAM DAILY POST, July 6, 2017
It's the word "uncharted." The presumption is that this is "uncharted" because "this is the first time in history that a canonical trial of this nature has been called for concerning a bishop."
That's true, but that's what bothers me. Why should a legal process be "uncharted" just because the defendant is a bishop?" Sure there is the expectation of Vatican corruption and the good ol' boy network amongst bishops having each others backs as is commonly alleged, but those possibilities do not explain the word "uncharted."
