Book Third. On the Prohibition of Books

¹ A threefold prohibition of reading bad books must be distinguished: a. from the law of nature; b. from ecclesiastical law simply prohibiting; c. from ecclesiastical law prohibiting with censure. The third must be treated where ecclesiastical penalties are spoken of; the second must be treated in this place, yet in such a way that a few things are first premised also concerning the first.

¹ A. Vermeersch, De prohibitione et censura librorum, 2nd ed. (Rome: Desclee, 1906); J. Hollweck, Das kirchliche Buecherverbot, 2nd ed. (Mainz: Kirchheim, 1897); Ph. Schneider, Die neuen Buechergesetze der Kirche (Mainz: Kirchheim, 1900); M. C. Gennari, La costituzione "Officiorum" (Naples: Typogr. d. Artigianelli, 1898); G. Peries, L'Index (Paris: Roger et Chernoviz, 1898); J. Pennachi, Commentarium in constitutionem Officiorum ac munerum (Rome: Typogr. S. C. de prop. fide, 1898); A. Boudinhon, La nouvelle legislation de l'Index (Paris: Lethielleux, 1899); J. Hilgers, Der Index der verbotenen Buecher (Freiburg: Herder, 1904); Wernz, Ius decretalium (Rome: Typogr. polyglotta, 1901), III, De prohib. censura et divulgat. librorum, n. 95-131; Sleumer, Index romanus, 2nd ed. (Osnabrueck: Pillmeyer, 1906).

698. On the prohibition of books from the law of nature. 1. By the law of nature the reading of any book is prohibited which brings danger to faith or good morals; since therefore the reason for prohibiting is the spiritual danger which is to be feared from the reading, it follows: a. that everything is prohibited which can bring damage to the reader, of whatever form or size, whether printed in type or written by hand; likewise it makes no difference whether someone himself reads the book, or hears one reading; b. that this prohibition ceases where every danger of perversion ceases; therefore what is prohibited to one person can be lawful to another.

2. The gravity of the sin which one reading a book prohibited by natural right commits does not depend on the quality or size of the book, but solely on the danger which arises from the reading; therefore if a proximate danger of grave spiritual damage is to be feared, it will be grave; but if either a remote danger of grave damage or a proximate danger of light damage arises from the reading, it will be a light sin. Wherefore from a proportionately grave cause it is lawful to read books from which only a light or remote danger is to be feared.

Therefore to read bad papers (Zeitungen) is a grave sin if from the reading a proximate danger of grave spiritual damage is feared; and since frequent reading ordinarily brings a danger of this kind, it is ordinarily a grave sin.

3. To retain bad books is prohibited by the law of nature insofar as from retention there arises danger of spiritual damage to oneself or another.