159. On Favor toward Heretics

1. Frigerius, for the sake of curiosity, frequents the temples of heretics and assists at their assemblies and offices, together with other Protestants. He himself, however, is internally altogether Catholic.

It is asked: Whether Frigerius incurs excommunication?

R. First, Frigerius does not act rightly and sins. For although to go to the temples of Protestants, for the mere sake of curiosity, without any communication in sacred things, is an act indifferent in itself, and Frigerius does not internally adhere to heresy, nevertheless frequently to go to the temples of Protestants is not without scandal, nor is it without some favor toward heresy and heretics. Besides, since, by frequently going even to the temples of heretics, he is present at their assemblies and offices, there can practically be no doubt that communication in sacred things is had, nor without scandal, since Frigerius is a Catholic and is certainly regarded as such, and wishes to be regarded as such, by the very fact that internally he does not adhere to the errors of heresy. Hence certainly he cannot be excused from excommunication because of favor. This is openly confirmed from the Instruction of the Eminent Cardinal Vicar for parish priests and confessors of Rome. Cf. Enchir. Moral. 365, 367, and Commentar. in Const. Apostolicae Sedis, ed. 5, n. 9 seqq.

2. Petrus possesses an old and spacious house in Rome in the square called Navona. The Methodist Protestants would like to buy it, so that there they may open a public school and boarding house for boys and girls. Moreover that sale would be altogether useful to Petrus; nevertheless he does not wish at all to complete it before he is certain of its liceity.

It is asked: 1.º What is cooperation in sin, and is it licit? - 2.º Whether Petrus licitly sells the house in the Case? - 3.º Insofar as the response to the second is negative, whether he also incurs excommunication?

R. To the 1st. Cooperation in sin is to concur by some work in the sin of another. As it is illicit to sin, so also it is illicit to cooperate by direct will in sin; and then the cooperation is called formal. But if the cooperation is not toward the sin, but toward some other work which is ordered by the sinner to the sin, the cooperation is material, and consequently in itself is not illicit. But from the circumstances its liceity or illiceity in the concrete is to be defined.

To the 2nd. Negatively. For there is a sufficiently proximate cooperation, the circumstances considered, toward public harm, through the instruction of boys and girls in Protestantism, especially since the place is very favorable for a school and boarding house of this sort for attracting several families and for gathering boys and girls in no small number. Besides, public scandal is present, namely if it becomes known that a Roman and a Catholic sold a house in Rome to Protestants in the most principal square of the City, so that there a school and boarding house of Protestants might be established.

To the 3rd. Affirmatively. For there seems no doubt that such a deed, by itself, would greatly favor heresy and its propagation in the City.

3. Cornelius, a Catholic, receives several heretical newspapers to which he is subscribed, and reads them only occasionally.

It is asked: Whether Cornelius incurs excommunication?

R. There is no doubt, speaking in itself, that it is a grave sin to read newspapers of this sort by natural law itself, on account of the grave danger of falling away from the faith. Moreover, the reading of them is positively prohibited by the General Decree of the Constitution Officiorum of Leo XIII, VIII Kal. Febr. 1896, Cap. VIII, n. 21. But as regards excommunication, the following Decision is had of the Holy Office, Apr. 21, 1880: "Whether those knowingly reading newspapers which champion heresy incur the excommunication of the second article of the Constitution Apostolicae Sedis, reserved in a special mode to the Supreme Pontiff? R. Negatively." But although Cornelius, because of the reading and because of the retention of these newspapers, does not incur the aforesaid excommunication, he does indeed incur it because of favor, by reason of the subscription.