40. On New Cults

1. Renatus, a parish priest, from devotion toward the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, and to promote it more and more, often speaks to his parishioners about the Heart of Jesus doing penance for us, and counsels them this special devotion, namely toward the Penitent Heart of Jesus, and this frequent invocation: Penitent Heart of Jesus for us, have mercy on us.

2. Nicolinus, a parish priest, likewise to promote devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, propagates among his parishioners certain new emblems of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Eucharist. For he asserts that worship toward the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Eucharist is more perfect than simple worship toward the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, since it embraces the Sacrament of the Eucharist itself, which is the Sacrament of love.

3. Nicolaus, a parish priest, propagates a special cult toward the adorable Face of the Divine Redeemer, and one diverse from that usual one, up to now attributed to the image of the Holy Face.

4. Lucianus, a parish priest, from devotion toward St. Joseph, propagates a special cult of this Saint under the title: of St. Joseph, friend of the Sacred Heart. But from devotion toward the Most Holy Virgin he preaches that she is to be worshipped under the title of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and distributes among his parishioners images of that Virgin which represent her standing with hands spread out, and the child Jesus standing likewise before her knees.

5. Lucas, with every effort, from devotion and love of Our Lord Jesus Christ, propagates devotion toward the Most Holy Soul of Jesus Christ, makes an image representing it, and institutes Confraternities in its honor. He likewise propagates devotion toward the Interior of the Blessed Virgin Mary; he also makes an image, and institutes a Congregation of nuns. Finally, among the faithful he propagates a certain formula of prayer "for obtaining that all men may recognize the supreme dominion of Christ and of Mary Immaculate over all creatures."

Q. What is to be held concerning these various cults?

R. Renatus does not act rightly, nor can he persevere in that practice. For the Holy Office, 15 July 1893, prohibited and condemned the titles: Penitent Heart of Jesus, Penitent Heart of Jesus for us, Penitent Jesus, Penitent Jesus for us. M. E., v. 8, p. 1, p. 175.

Nicolinus likewise does not act rightly, nor can he persevere in his practice. For by the Holy Office, 3 June 1891, it was decided: "The new emblems of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Eucharist are not to be approved by the Apostolic See. For fostering the piety of the faithful, the images of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus already used and approved in the Church are sufficient; because the cult toward the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Eucharist is not more perfect than the cult toward the Eucharist itself, nor another from the cult toward the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus." Monit. Eccles., v. 7, p. 1, p. 101. But when doubts had been proposed: "1. Whether the images of the Sacred Heart representing the Heart alone without the rest of the body can safely be distributed? 2. Whether they are approved at Rome? 3. Whether they must be withdrawn from the houses of the faithful, where they are an object of veneration?" The Holy Office, 26 Aug. 1891, responded: "To the first, second, and third: The image of the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ, concerning which there is question, is permitted from private devotion, provided it is not exposed on altars to be worshipped with public veneration." M. E., v. 9, p. 1, p. 32.

Nicolaus likewise must abstain from the propagation of the aforesaid special cult, and one diverse from the usual one, toward the adorable Face of the Divine Redeemer. For, when the doubt had been proposed concerning approving or at least permitting a cult of this sort, the Holy Office declared: It is not expedient. Therefore Nicolaus may indeed propagate the cult toward the image of the Face of the Divine Redeemer, or copies of that image, but as it was already usual from ancient times, namely so that in the minds of the faithful, from veneration and contemplation of the aforesaid image, the memory of the sufferings of Christ may grow more day by day, and in their hearts sorrow for faults and an ardent desire of repairing the injuries inflicted on the divine Majesty may be increased. M. E., v. 7, p. 2, p. 221.

As regards Lucianus, concerning the cult of St. Joseph under the title Friend of the Sacred Heart, the Fathers of the S. I. C. "decreed, with the approval of Our Most Holy Lord Leo XIII, that there is not to be an interlocution concerning the matter proposed. Besides, they ordered that the Sacred Congregation of Rites be warned lest in the future decrees, rescripts, etc., be issued in which the new title mentioned above is approved in any way, or even in which mention simply is made of it." M. E., v. 7, p. 2, p. 220. But as regards that title and image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the same S. I. C., 3 Apr. 1895, decreed "that the title indeed can be admitted, but the images are not approved and are to be removed from public veneration."

As regards Lucas, although that prior cult contains nothing false, nor even anything incongruous, nevertheless it is a new cult, as it is proposed, and is not to be propagated publicly without the approval of the Church. "The Most Holy One.... commanded... that the writers are to be warned who sharpen their talents over.... arguments which savor of novelty, and, under the appearance of piety, strive to promote unaccustomed titles of cult even through journals, that they desist from their plan, and weigh the danger which lies beneath of drawing the faithful into error even concerning dogmas of faith, and of giving an occasion to haters of Religion for disparaging the purity of faith, Catholic doctrine, and true piety." Holy Office, 15 July 1893, M. E., v. 8, p. 1, p. 175. And this especially, in this cult of the Soul of Christ, is to be noted: that in it the whole Humanity of Christ and Christ the Redeemer appear less clearly than in the cult of the Most Sacred Heart, the Most Precious Blood, the Five Wounds, and the other mysteries of the life and Passion of Jesus Christ; whence surely the cult seems less suitable to be spread among the people.

But concerning the other cult toward the Interior of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the following doubts were proposed: "1. Whether and how it is fitting to approve the title of the Interior of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which the new Institute of the Sisters A. of M. of the diocese of P. assumes? 2. Whether, the aforesaid title being admitted, it is fitting also to admit among the other feasts of the aforesaid Institute that of the Interior of the Blessed Virgin Mary?" The Holy Office, 13 Dec. 1893, responded: "To both, negatively." But as regards that prayer, the Holy Office, 12 June 1895, decreed: "the prayer concerning which there is question is not to be approved, nor propagated among the faithful, nor enriched with indulgences."