Page:The Roman index of forbidden books.djvu/35

Under Pope Pius X was brought about a long desired reform of the central government of the Church. The competency of many of the Roman Congregations was more clearly defined, and several of those originally instituted were either suppressed or united with others. The Congregation of the Index received a wider sphere and greater power. While formerly it passed only on books in regard to which it was expressly appealed to, it now became a regular vigilance committee for the whole Church. Pope Pius X says: "For the future it shall be the province of this Sacred Congregation, not only to examine diligently the books reported to it, to prohibit them if this should seem well, and to concede dispensations; but also to investigate officially in the best available way, whether writings of any kind, that should be condemned, are being circulated; and to remind the Ordinaries, how strictly they are bound to condemn pernicious writings and to denounce them to the Holy See." After the great Pontiff's death it became publicly known,