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Theology, law give Glover perfect background for job

Diocesan chancellor for canonical affairs spent four summers studying canon law

Published: August 17, 2015   

By Aprille Hanson
Associate Editor

Aprille Hanson

Matt Glover is the new chancellor for canonical affairs in the Diocese of Little Rock.

Aprille Hanson

Matt Glover is the new chancellor for canonical affairs in the Diocese of Little Rock.

This summer marked the end of a long journey of education for Matt Glover. Despite already having degrees in philosophy, religious studies and law, Glover spent a good portion of the last four summers away from his young family to pursue a degree in canon law at Catholic University in Washington, D.C., for his Diocese of Little Rock position.

“That was very, very, very, very difficult. My wife is a saint for having even entertained the thought of doing this,” Glover said of Brooke.

Glover, 36, a member of Christ the King Church in Little Rock, was named chancellor for canonical affairs for the Diocese of Little Rock upon the January retirement of Deacon Bo McAllister, who held the position for 12 years.

“I was disappointed and sad personally and professionally because he was very good to me in bringing me on here, mentoring me,” Glover said of McAllister. “Once I got over the shock of it, it started the ball rolling, putting the pieces in place to transition into being chancellor once he retired.”

McAllister said he never doubted Glover was the perfect person for the job.

“He’s an excellent civil attorney, excellent canon lawyer, a great family man, very devoted to the Church and the faith and he already is a fantastic chancellor,” McAllister told Arkansas Catholic. 

As chancellor, Glover provides legal counsel on a variety of issues both civilly and canonically to Bishop Anthony B. Taylor and to priests and Church leaders that ask. 

“The Church has a whole set of laws that cover every facet of its operation as an independent society,” Glover said.

Though the cradle Catholic always had an interest in law — his late father, James Glover, and two uncles were attorneys — his dreams changed throughout his life.

After graduating from Loyola University in New Orleans, his trust and love for God led Glover to the seminary. He spent most of his three years studying at North American College in Rome.

“I was very homesick already and then my dad was diagnosed with cancer,” Glover said. “It was very hard for me to be away.” 

In the summer of 2004, he took a year off to not only to be there for his father, whose cancer had spread to the brain, but to discern his call. In 2005, he officially left the seminary and began studying for his law degree in Little Rock.

After graduation Glover took a job at Wright, Lindsey, Jennings Law Firm in Little Rock where his father worked and stayed connected with his faith at Christ the King Church.

McAllister approached Glover about giving serious consideration to becoming a canon lawyer and working for the Diocese of Little Rock. In 2012 Glover was hired as the assistant for chancery and tribunal affairs, assisting as civil law counsel for both offices. Within a month, he was off to D.C. to start studying canon law. 

“I think a lot of people look at canon law or the existence of law in the Church as constrictive or that the chancellor is an enforcer and just trying to make people’s lives more difficult … and that’s an unfortunate misunderstanding,” Glover said, adding the supreme goal of “saving souls” is outlined in the final code of canon law. “So canon law big picture, and this is one of the things that appeals to me about it, is creating order so that the people who are really doing the work of saving souls can do it as effectively as possible.”

Away from the office, the father of two spends much of his time driving his 5-year-old son James to “every sport known to mankind” and coaching his soccer team, as well as bonding with his 2½-year-old daughter Elizabeth.

Throughout his many activities Glover said he tries to follow the example of his father and put his wife first.

“He’d always tell us kids how much he loved us and he always told me how proud he was of me and I’ve carried that on,” Glover said. “But he also always told us how much he loved us but, ‘I love your mother more’ … that has been a very good example to me.”

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