CENSORSHIP
524
CENSORSHIP
or the religious". It is hardly necessary to say that
a fair historical work, for example, on an individual
member of the hierarchy, of a religious order, or even
on any particular order who have but disgraced their
calling or the Church, is not included in paragraph 11.
With this second group may also be reckoned, among
the works forbidden by paragraphs 15 and 16, all
novel religious pictures that deviate from the spirit
and the decrees of the Church, also all works on indul-
gences containing spurious or falsified statements.
The third and last group also comprehends several classes of forbidden books. To these belong, in the first place, all editions and versions of Holy Writ not approved by competent ecclesiastical authorities. For by paragraphs 5, 6, and S, leave to use editions and versions published by non-Catholics, provided they do not attack Catholic dogmas either in the pre- face or the annotations, is given only to such as are occupied with theological or Biblical studies. And by paragraph 7 all vernacular versions, even those prepared by Catholic authors, are prohibited if they are not, on the one hand, approved by the Apostolic See or, on the other, are not supplied with annotations taken from the works of the Holy Fathers and learned Catholic writers and accompanied by an episcopal approbation. Second, according to paragraph 18, there belong to the third group of prohibited works all liturgical books such as missals, breviaries and the like, in case any change is made in them without special sanction of the Apostolic See. By a new de- cree of Pius X (1905), all editions of ecclesiastical liturgical chant differing from the pontifical edition are now forbidden. Third, by paragraph 20 are for- bidden prayer and devotional books or booklets, cate- chisms and books of religious instruction, books and booklets of ethics, asceticism, and mysticism, or any others of like kind, if they are published without per- mission of the competent ecclesiastical authorities. Fourth, the works condemned by paragraph 13 must here be mentioned, viz., books and writings contain- ing novel apparitions, revelations, visions, prophecies, miracles, or those endeavouring to introduce novel devotions, private or public, in case these works ap- pear without legitimate ecclesiastical approbation. These four classes of prohibited works are here put together in the third group because all of them are but conditionally forbidden, i. e. only in case the previous ecclesiastical approbation be wanting. It is just these classes of books that may be very dangerous, particularly to pious people, unless previous examina- tion and approbation sufficiently guarantee the ab- sence of anything contrary to Christian Faith or the Church. It was proper, therefore, to forbid them. Besides the three groups just quoted the Constitution "Officiorum ac Munerum" prohibits no other class of books. For all works individually mentioned in the Index and held to be still forbidden, belong one w r ay or the other to one of those groups, and for this very reason they have been put on the Index.
The Index of forbidden books is a general law strictly binding on all. inclusive of the learned, and this even if in a particular case no gnat risk would be incurred by the reader or owner of a forbidden book. The obligation refers to the reading as well as to the possession of the book in question. It is in itself a grave obligation by reason of the importance of the matter, since the safeguarding and protection of faith and morals are involved. This is also ap- parent both from the existence of ilir constitution and from its wording. Nevertheless it is self-evident that not only for subjective, but also for objective, reasons lighter transgressions and venial sins may be
committed when offending against the prohibit ion of books. Only in the event of more serious offences, in two particular cases, the heaviest ecclesiastical punishment is inflicted by the law. According to paragraph -17, the penalty of excommunication
specially (speciali niodo) reserved to the pope is forth-
with incurred by all who, though conscious of law and
penalty yet read or keep or print or defend books of
heretical teachers or apostates maintaining heresies.
Under the same penalty, and in like manner, books
individually condemned by letters Apostolic are inter-
dicted by paragraph 47, in case the letters referred to
are still in full force, and punish the reading of the
condemned book with excommunication reserved to
the pope. The penalty of the said paragraph applies
solely to books, not to smaller pamphlets or manu-
scripts of any kind. The paragraphs 23 to 26 deal
with the permission to read and keep forbidden books.
Whosoever desires such permission may obtain it
from the competent ecclesiastical authorities. To
these it appertains to judge of the need for the per-
mission requested. It is evident that the permission
granted by the Church can exempt only from the
ecclesiastical law. In spite, therefore, of a special
dispensation the licensee would not be at liberty to
read such books as would for some reason or other
cause him grievous harm in faith and morals. For
him also, the obligation of the natural law remains
intact, just as before the license was granted.
Since the prohibition of books concerns all, anyone wishing to use forbidden books is bound to get a dis- pensation either from the Apostolic See or from some person specially authorized by the pope (paragraph 23). By paragraph 24 full powers to that effect are given to the Roman Congregation of the Index as well as to that of the Holy Office; also to the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith with regard to the countries under it, and to the MagiMer Sacri. Palatii Apostolici with reference to Rome. Bishops as well as prelates with episcopal jurisdiction have the afore- said power, according to paragraph 25, by virtue of their office, only in urgent cases for individual books; they are, however, invested with full power, either directly by the Apostolic See or through the Congre- gation of the Index or the Propaganda. Dispensa- tions are to be granted with prudence and on just and reasonable grounds. The general authority given to the bishops directly by the pope, in the so-called quinquennial faculties, may be delegated by them to others since the decree of 14 December, 1898 (Acta S. Sedis, XXXI, 384). The bishops of England have this power from the Congregation of the Propaganda, and they make use of it by delegating it to their priests; thus the latter may, without further formal- ities, give permission (e. g. to their penitents) to read forbidden books. Still, a confessor or even a bishop, who foresees that the reading of prolubited writings would expose the petitioner to great risk regarding faith or morals, would not be free to grant the desired dispensation; and if the petitioner nevertheless ob- tains it, he is not allowed to make use of it, since he is at all times bound by the natural law. Whoever lias permission to use forbidden books may not read works distinctly forbidden by the bishop for his own diocese unless the dispensation refers expressly to "all books prohibited by whomsoever"; otherwise he must ask special leave of his bishop. In addition to this. paragraph 26 states that anyone having obtained a dispensation is strictly bound to keep forbidden 1 looks in such a way as to prevent them from falling into (lie hands of others.
It is, of course, absolutely impossible for both the pope and the Congregation of the lnde\ to watch over the press of all countries in order to suppress at once each and every pernicious writing. Nor is this neces- sary after tin' aforenamed definite classes have been marked out as pernicious ami consequently forbidden, for with regard to the worst and most dangerous works, even they who are unskilled in such things will soon perceive that these are strictly prohibited by the Church through the general deenes of the index, though they have never been individually
