708. Notions. 1. A twofold censorship of books is distinguished: previous censorship, which consists in the examination of a book to be published and in its approval or rejection; and repressive censorship, which consists in the prohibition of a book already published. Through the former the Church intends to impede the publication of bad books; through the latter, to avert from the faithful the danger of books already existing.

2. Previous censorship, concerning which we treat here, and approval and license of printing and publishing a book, is not approval of the matter concerning which the book treats, but of itself signifies nothing else than that the book is such that in the present circumstances it can be read without danger to faith and morals.

The precept concerning not publishing a book without previous license refers both to the publisher and to the author. Although this precept of itself is grave, nevertheless the fault contracted because license was not sought, with scandal and contempt of authority excluded, will scarcely ever be grave if there is question of a new edition of an approved book; but if there is question of a first edition, fault can be grave if the book is of the gravest moment or of a difficult argument.

Note. According to the ancient discipline, all books to be committed to type had to be subjected to previous ecclesiastical censorship. But since this law in the course of time became impossible, it fell into desuetude for the greater part. The writings must be indicated which, from this our constitution, need previous approval.

709. What writings need previous censorship.

1. Books which regard divine Scriptures, sacred theology, ecclesiastical history, canon law, natural theology, ethics, or other religious or moral disciplines of this kind (n. 41).

a. Therefore books treating of liturgical matters and books describing the life of the saints must also be referred here. Of philosophical books only theodicy and ethics are subjected to previous censorship.

b. Since only books are subjected to previous censorship, publications which are of lesser bulk than to be judged books do not fall under this law, unless by reason of a peculiar argument (from n. 13, 17, 20, 32, 41) they need approval. And because only books which are published need approval, writings which are destined for private use, whether they are published lithographically or in type, do not need previous approval.

c. Periodical publications which treat theological disciplines and whose individual fascicles rise to the bulk of a book need approval of themselves from this decree.

2. All writings in which the interest of religion and honesty of morals is especially involved (n. 41).

The sense of the words is: all writings treating a matter which has special importance for religion and morals. Therefore it is established that not only books but all writings need approval if their object is of peculiar importance as to religion and morals. Thus at the time of the Vatican Council, writings treating of the infallibility of the Roman pontiff and its definition would have needed approval by force of this decree, because religion had a special interest.¹

3. New editions and translations into another language of a work which is subject to the law of censorship, even if already approved (n. 44).

a. And a new edition indeed, because it is accustomed to be emended and enlarged; but a translation, because that which is harmless in one place can be harmful in another, and ecclesiastical authority will discern this.

b. Elaborations first published in periodical papers and afterwards published separately do not need new approval.²

4. All translations of sacred Scripture, even those made by Catholic men (n. 7).

5. Books and writings which narrate new apparitions, revelations, visions, prophecies, miracles, or which introduce new devotions, even under the pretext that they are private (n. 13).

a. Not only books, but also writings or publications of whatever bulk or form, whether they are printed in type or not printed, provided they are published, need approval.

b. Devotions are called new whose object is new, as the heart of St. Joseph, of St. Teresa, or whose mode of worshiping is new, as the girdle of St. Anthony.

6. New images printed in any way whatever of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of the angels and saints or other servants of God, whether they have prayers attached or are published without them (n. 15).

Therefore images which have already long been spread among the faithful and approved, as it were, by long use do not need approval: for those images are new and are called new which exhibit a recently invented representation, not used up to now.

7. All books of indulgences, summaries, booklets, sheets, etc., in which their grants are contained (n. 17).

a. By this statute it is provided that apocryphal indulgences not be spread among the faithful; at the same time ecclesiastical superiors are enjoined to take away from the hands of the faithful apocryphal indulgences already spread.

b. Therefore images which are distributed among friends in memory either of the first sacrifice offered to God or of some deceased person do not need approval, nor also images which are simply spread, even if they have attached prayers enriched with indulgences: for one thing is a sheet containing grants of indulgences (Ablasszettel), another is an image having attached prayers enriched with indulgences (Andenkenbilder mit einem Ablassgebet).

8. All litanies except those already approved by the Holy See, which are: the litanies of all saints and of the dying, of the Blessed Virgin of Loreto, of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus,³ and of St. Joseph⁴ (n. 19).

Litanies which are published with the approval of the ordinary can be recited only privately; in order that they be recited publicly in a church or public oratory, they need the approval of the Sacred Congregation of Rites.⁵

9. Books and booklets of prayers, devotion, or religious, moral, ascetical, mystical doctrine and instruction, and others of this kind, although they may seem to conduce to fostering the piety of the Christian people (n. 20).

Therefore printed sheets do not need approval, nor writings which are not printed in type; but periodical publications of this argument do need it, unless they are so slight that they do not deserve the name of booklet.

10. Books proscribed by the Apostolic See, if from a grave cause they seem to be published again (n. 31).

11. Writings which in any way pertain to causes of beatifications and canonizations of servants of God (n. 32).

There is discussion of those servants of God whose causes are not yet concluded; therefore proofs brought by the defender, observations made by the promoter of the faith, etc., cannot be published without the license of the Sacred Congregation of Rites.

12. Collections of decrees of the individual Roman congregations (n. 33).

¹ Vermeersch, l.c., n. 21.

² Sacred Congregation of the Index, May 23, 1898.

³ Approved Apr. 2, 1899.

⁴ Sacred Congregation of Rites, Mar. 18, 1909.

⁵ Holy Office, Apr. 18, 1860.

710. Who must grant approval. 1. The Holy See has reserved to itself or to Roman congregations the approval of certain works:

a. Versions of the Bible in the vernacular language which are published without notes must be approved by the Holy See itself (n. 7).

b. Books prohibited by the Apostolic See must be approved by the Sacred Congregation of the Index if, from a grave cause and with the prescribed conditions observed, they are permitted to be published again (n. 31).

c. Writings pertaining to causes of beatifications and canonizations of servants of God must be approved by the Sacred Congregation of Rites (n. 32).

d. Collections of decrees of Roman congregations must be approved by the Sacred Congregation whose decrees are published (n. 33).

e. Writings or books, whether treating directly or indirectly of religion or discussing ecclesiastical matters, which are published by missionaries subject to the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda Fide, must be examined and approved by the Congregation of the Index or the Holy Office; and approval must be obtained in writing and printed at the beginning of the work (n. 34).

Nevertheless bishops or apostolic vicars can permit that small doctrines, catechisms, instructions, and prayers which serve the daily use of the faithful be published.

f. Books, summaries, booklets, and sheets of indulgences must be approved by the competent authority (n. 17). What this competent authority is, we learn from statutes of law already long in force. Therefore: a. approval must be given by the Sacred Congregation of the Office if there is question of publishing new indulgences or of new collections to be published for the first time; b. it can be given by the bishop if there is question of publishing indulgences which are taken from pontifical rescripts or from collections already approved;¹ c. the catalogue of indulgences which are customarily attached to crosses, rosaries, medals, etc., and are commonly called papal indulgences, must be approved by the Holy See or by the Sacred Congregation of the Office.

2. The ordinary of the place in which writings are made public must approve those whose approval is not reserved by the Holy See (n. 35).

a. According to the ancient discipline, the work had to be approved by the bishop of the place in which printing took place; but according to the recent discipline, by the bishop of the place in which the work is made public or where the publisher exists. An exception is made (n. 37) with respect to authors dwelling at Rome.

b. If the bishop himself publishes a book, and this in his own diocese, he needs no approval; but if he publishes it outside the diocese, the approval of the bishop of the place where the book is published is required.

3. The cardinal vicar of the City and the Master of the Sacred Palace must approve the works of an author dwelling at Rome, even if he wishes to print the book elsewhere; but besides this no other approval is required, even if the work is published elsewhere outside the City (n. 37).

¹ Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, Jan. 23, 1858; Sacred Congregation of the Index, Aug. 7, 1897.

711. Particular points. 1. It is prescribed to secular clerics:

a. That they not publish even books which treat of merely natural arts and sciences without consulting their ordinaries, so that they may furnish an example of an obedient spirit toward them (n. 42).

Most authors think that this article contains a true precept by which clerics are held to go to their ordinary and seek his counsel before they publish a book, even a profane one. Nevertheless, especially in large dioceses, this precept will easily fall into desuetude.

b. That without the previous permission of the ordinary they not undertake the direction of journals or periodical papers (n. 42).

2. Regulars, besides the license of the bishop, must also obtain from their superior the faculty of publishing a work, as the Council of Trent prescribes¹ (n. 36).

Therefore regulars need the bishop's approval for all books which are subject to ecclesiastical censorship; but the Council of Trent strictly requires the license of their prelate only for sacred Scriptures, their annotations, and commentaries; nevertheless the statutes of the order extend the obligation of seeking the superior's approval also to other books.

3. In three cases the book itself is prohibited if it has been published without previous approval; in other cases, however, he who prints the book without approval indeed sins, but the reading and retention of the book is not prohibited.

a. The books which are prohibited if they are published without approval are: a. books narrating new apparitions, revelations, visions, etc. (n. 13); b. books and booklets of prayers, devotion, Christian doctrine, etc. (n. 20); c. versions of sacred Scripture, even those made by Catholic men in the vernacular language (n. 7).

b. Yet if in some region books of this kind are published without approval, and they are widely known as useful for fostering the piety of the faithful, it is not necessary that the faithful abstain from reading them.

Question Fourth. On the Prohibition of Books in Particular

The works whose reading and retention are prohibited by general decrees can be reduced to three heads.

¹ Sess. 4, decree de edit. et usu sacr. libr.

712. Books absolutely prohibited to all. 1. All books which before the year 1600 either the supreme pontiffs or ecumenical councils condemned, except those which are permitted by these general decrees (n. 1).

a. Some examples of books which before this time were condemned either by a supreme pontiff or by a council are listed in this constitution itself (preface), namely books of the Manichaeans and Monothelites, books of Berengar, Abelard, Marsilius of Padua, Wycliffe, Hus, Luther, etc.; but an authentic catalogue of them does not exist.

b. Yet books of heretics of the first period, as of Tertullian, Eusebius of Neocaesarea, Origen, Pelagius, etc., which before this constitution were commonly excepted from the prohibition, seem also now to be excepted, although they were condemned by supreme pontiffs. For since today every danger which might threaten the faithful from reading them has been removed, the end of the law has altogether ceased as regards those books; on the contrary, the reading of them can be very useful at least to theologians. Wherefore they are held as merely historical documents which can be read by all.

2. Books of apostates, heretics, schismatics, and any writers whatsoever defending heresy or schism, or overthrowing in any way the very foundations of religion (n. 2).

a. To these two conditions are assigned, each of which causes the book to be absolutely prohibited: the defense of heresy and the overthrow of the foundations of religion, even if the book does not treat of religion.

b. He is said to defend heresy not who simply proposes heresy, but who upholds and defends it with reasons added.

c. By foundations of religion are understood truths of the natural order which must be known in order that someone can embrace faith, of which kind are the existence of God, the immortality of the soul, the possibility of miracles, the probative force which is in miracles, the possibility and existence of revelation, etc.

d. To overthrow in any way, whether directly or indirectly, whether by arguments or insults, by attacking these things; wherefore by this decree are also prohibited books which defend materialism or skepticism, because if those theories are admitted, the existence of God cannot be demonstrated.

3. Books which expressly treat, narrate, or teach lascivious or obscene matters (n. 9).

a. In order that a book treat expressly of some matter, it is required that that matter be the principal argument of the book, and therefore that it treat of it directly and notably. It treats directly of obscene matters if from the whole character of the book the intention of the writer appears of instructing the reader concerning shameful sins or of exciting him to lust; of this kind are novels which narrate and describe illicit loves. It treats of them notably if there is discussion of them not only incidentally and scattered here and there, but either in the whole book or in a great part of it, for example, an entire chapter.

b. Therefore by these words books are not prohibited which treat indeed of obscene matters, but for this end, that they provide necessary instruction about them, as anatomical, medical, and moral-science books.

4. Books in which detraction is made against God, or the Blessed Virgin Mary, or the saints, or the Catholic Church and its worship or sacraments, or the Apostolic See (n. 11).

In order that a book be prohibited under this head, it does not suffice that detraction be made incidentally and accidentally, but it is required that it fill a notable part of the book (several pages, an entire chapter).

5. Books in which the concept of the inspiration of sacred Scripture is perverted, or its extension is too greatly narrowed (n. 11).

It is clear that only those works are prohibited which attack certain doctrine concerning inspiration, either by perverting its formal reason or by too greatly narrowing its extension, of which kind would be a book in which it is not only affirmed but defended by reasons that inspiration must be narrowed to matters of faith and morals or to only some parts of Scripture.

6. Books which deliberately cover the ecclesiastical hierarchy or the clerical or religious state with reproaches (n. 11), not only some person or some religious order.

In order that a book deliberately treat of some matter, it is not required that that matter be the principal argument of the book; yet it is required that there be discussion of it not incidentally and transiently, but either more often in the course of the book or in a notable part of it, for example, an entire chapter, and indeed with the intention of instructing the reader concerning it.

7. Books in which sorceries, divination, magic, evocation of spirits, and other superstitions of this kind are taught or commended (n. 12).

Therefore by this decree are prohibited the Talmud, Magazor, books explaining dreams in a superstitious mode, and finally books treating of magic and spiritism or another superstition of this kind, as of animal magnetism, etc.; not however books which simply narrate superstitious facts, but those which teach or commend the magical or spiritistic art.

8. Books which establish that duels, suicide, or divorce are lawful (n. 14).

a. Divorce is understood as perfect, which consists in the dissolution of the matrimonial bond, so that while the other party is still living, one party is permitted to pass to other nuptials.

b. They establish, that is, they not only affirm lawfulness but try to demonstrate it by reasons.

9. Books which treat of Masonic sects or other societies of the same kind and contend that they are useful and not pernicious to the Church and civil society (n. 14).

a. Sects are said to be similar to Masonic sects which plot against the Church and civil society. Of this kind are anarchist, nihilist, Fenian, Carbonari, Mazzinian, and socialist sects.¹

b. Therefore two things are required in order that books of this argument be judged prohibited: a. that they try to demonstrate that those societies are useful; b. that they treat of them not incidentally and by the way, but in such a way that they are the principal object of an entire book or of a great part of it.

10. Books which defend errors proscribed by the Apostolic See (n. 14).

It does not matter whether the proposition was condemned by the supreme pontiff himself or by some Roman congregation; for either condemnation is said to have proceeded from the Apostolic See. By this decree are comprehended very many books in which errors condemned by the Syllabus are defended.²

11. Journals, papers, and periodical booklets which deliberately attack religion or good morals. Let ordinaries, however, where there is need, take care opportunely to warn the faithful concerning the danger and damage of reading of this kind (n. 21).

a. The name of religion in this decree can be taken in a twofold sense: either so that it signifies true religion both natural and revealed (Catholic), or so that it signifies only natural religion. If it is taken in the latter sense, only those newspapers are prohibited which attack natural religion, of which kind are newspapers defending materialism and atheism. The decree seems to be taken in the former sense, so that newspapers which attack all true religion are prohibited, of which kind are liberal and socialist newspapers, and atheistic and materialistic newspapers.

b. By journals are understood daily newspapers; by papers, newspapers which appear either once or several times in the week; by periodical booklets, fascicles of lesser bulk appearing at stated times.

c. These periodical publications are prohibited also by positive law if they deliberately attack religion or good morals, that is, if from the frequency and abundance with which impious or shameful matters are treated in them, their intention of attacking religion or good morals appears. Therefore by positive law periodical publications are not prohibited in which here and there, incidentally and accidentally, something against religion or good morals is contained, nor those in which only once or again an article of this kind, even a longer one, is found.

d. From the fact that publications of this kind are now also prohibited by positive law, these two things follow: a. that they are forbidden also to those who suffer no damage from reading them; b. that they are forbidden in their entirety, not only the dangerous parts. But other publications which are not contained in this law can be read by those who fear no damage.

e. Not only those who are subscribed to the purchase of papers of this kind gravely offend against this law, but also those who habitually or often read them without subscription, or who once or again read a notable part treating of that matter because of which they are prohibited. To read once or again, indeed even more often, in a prohibited paper those things which do not pertain to the prohibited matter, as merely political articles, merely literary articles, commercial news, does not exceed venial sin; and if it is done from a reasonable cause, it is wholly without sin. Nevertheless it cannot be approved at all that priests traveling by railway buy and read liberal papers. For, leaving aside the sin which they commit unless they have license to read papers of this kind, they are a scandal to others, because they induce fellow travelers both to contemning the laws of the Church, which they see are not observed even by priests, and to reading papers harmful to themselves.

12. Images printed in any way whatever of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of the angels and saints or other servants of God, which are discordant from the sense and decrees of the Church (n. 15).

a. The term images (Bilder) seems to be taken strictly, so that neither medals nor statues or paintings are comprehended by this prohibition, although they were contained by the Tridentine prohibition:³ for the constitution speaks of printed images which are published.

b. Images discordant from the sense and decrees of the Church are first of all images which furnish an occasion of error in faith or which by sensual beauty provoke to lasciviousness. Besides, Benedict XIV explains in the constitution Sollicitudini (Oct. 1, 1745) the norms to be observed in approving or rejecting images.

c. Therefore if new images are published without ecclesiastical license, the publisher indeed sins, but the use of the images is not forbidden to the faithful, provided they are not discordant from the sense and decrees of the Church (n. 709, 6).

¹ What qualities are required so that a sect may belong to the genus of Masonic sects is explained in De poenis eccles., n. 74.

² Sacred Congregation of the Index, May 23, 1898.

³ Cf. Council of Trent, sess. 25, De sacr. imag.

713. Books prohibited under condition. 1. Books or writings which narrate new apparitions, revelations, prophecies, miracles, or which introduce new devotions, even under the pretext that they are private, are proscribed if they are published without the legitimate license of the superiors of the Church (n. 13).

a. Therefore writings which narrate apparitions already known to the faithful, as the apparitions of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus or of the Blessed Virgin of Lourdes, or which explain and commend to the faithful devotions already used in the Church, do indeed need approval (n. 41), but where they are published without approval, the reading and retention of them is not prohibited.

b. By these words are not prohibited newspapers which narrate and spread marvelous facts seemingly exceeding the order of nature, because they narrate such things only incidentally, not as their proper object.

2. New editions of the Missal, Breviary, Ritual, Ceremonial of Bishops, Roman Pontifical, and other liturgical books approved by the Holy Apostolic See are prohibited if they are diverse from authentic editions (n. 18).

a. Those editions are called authentic which have been approved by legitimate power, that is, by the Holy See. Now new editions are prohibited even if they have been changed only in matters of lesser moment, whether by adding, omitting, or transposing something; for it is said (n. 18): let no one presume to change anything. But a new edition is not judged changed because, for the convenience of users, certain things are repeated in their own places.

b. New editions of liturgical books must be approved by the bishop, both because from the bishop's approval this conformity is established, and because n. 41 and n. 44 require approval. But if they are published without approval, the books themselves are not prohibited, provided they are conformable to authentic or typical editions; and therefore they can be used not only for private use but also for public or liturgical use.¹

3. Books or booklets of prayers, devotion, or religious, moral, ascetical, mystical doctrine and instruction, and others of this kind, although they may seem to conduce to fostering the piety of the Christian people, are prohibited if they are published without the license of legitimate authority (n. 20).

By this decree are not comprehended books which theoretically set forth religious, moral, or ascetical doctrine, but books and booklets which intend practically to instruct the faithful in religious, moral, or ascetical matters. Hence it follows that books of the former kind indeed need approval (n. 41), but if they are published without approval, they are not prohibited; but books of the second kind are prohibited unless they have been approved.

4. Books of non-Catholics which expressly treat of religion are prohibited, unless it is established that nothing is contained in them against Catholic faith (n. 3).

a. Non-Catholics by the force of the word are properly called not only heretics and schismatics, but also Jews and unbelievers; but in theological use only heretics and schismatics are signified by this term. In this decree, however, the term seems to be taken in the broader sense.

b. Books are judged to treat of religion not only if they deal strictly with revealed dogmas, but all which treat theological disciplines: sacred Scripture, canon law, ecclesiastical history, moral disciplines, liturgical matters, Christian asceticism, and books of piety.

c. Books of non-Catholics treating expressly of religion are prohibited even if only here and there they contain something against faith; on the contrary, books of non-Catholics not treating expressly of religion are not prohibited, even if here and there they mix in something against faith (n. 4).

d. Therefore it is not lawful to read these books unless, before the reading, it is established from the testimony of others that nothing is contained in them which is against faith: for of themselves they are judged prohibited, because non-Catholics treating of religion are presumed to write things contrary to faith.

5. All versions of the Bible in the vernacular language, even those made by Catholic men, are prohibited unless a. they have been approved by the Apostolic See, or b. they have been published with annotations taken from the holy Fathers of the Church and from learned and Catholic writers and have been approved by bishops (n. 7).

a. Therefore to publish a licit version of sacred Scripture in the vernacular language without notes, the approval of the Holy See is required; to publish it with notes, the approval of the bishop suffices.

b. Versions of sacred Scripture in the common language can be read and retained by all, even lay persons, if the prescribed conditions are observed in their publication, that is, if they have been approved.

c. By these words it is not forbidden that annotations which regard not faith and morals but profane matters, as geography, archaeology, ethnography, etc., can be taken from learned works of non-Catholics, provided they are approved by the bishop.

d. Prayer books in which parts of sacred Scripture are contained without notes, for example the epistles and gospels of the ecclesiastical office, likewise what are called biblical histories, by use already received can be published without the special approval of the Holy See and with the approval of the bishop alone.

¹ Therefore the prescription of Urban VIII is judged abolished by which the use of liturgical books was forbidden if they were published (outside the City) without the license of the ordinary of the place; this license, to be obtained in writing, had to mention diligent collation with the typical exemplar and the conformity found between the two, and had to be printed at the beginning or end of the book.

714. Books permitted only to some. 1. Editions of the original text and of ancient Catholic versions of sacred Scripture, even of the Eastern Church, published by any non-Catholics; other versions of the sacred Bibles, whether in Latin or in another non-vernacular language, published by non-Catholics; all versions of the sacred Bibles in any vernacular language made by any non-Catholics, and especially those which are spread by Bible societies, are permitted: a. to those who devote themselves to theological or biblical studies; b. provided Catholic dogmas of faith are not attacked in the prolegomena or annotations (n. 5, 6).

a. Therefore editions of the Bible and versions both in another language besides the vernacular and in the vernacular, made by Catholics, whether they are published by non-Catholics or by Catholics, are permitted a fortiori to those who devote themselves to theological or biblical studies. But of themselves even versions in the vernacular language made by Catholics and published by Bible societies are prohibited: for biblical versions without approval, even if published with notes, are altogether prohibited (n. 7).

b. These are permitted not only to those who study sacred theology in universities, colleges, or seminaries, but to all, whether clerics or laymen, who truly devote effort for at least some time to theological or biblical studies, for example, to prepare an examination or to compose an essay.¹ Wherefore they are not judged permitted indiscriminately to all priests, whether secular or regular, but only to those who truly are occupied in these studies. Yet what Ballerini-Palmieri has (II, n. 1175) seems to be approved, namely that the privilege granted to those occupied in biblical studies does not cease when studies have been completed, if afterwards priests still study theological or biblical matters in some way.

2. Books of authors, whether ancient or recent, whom they call classic, even if they expressly treat or narrate obscene matters, because of the elegance and propriety of the language, are permitted to those whom the reason of office or teaching excuses (n. 10).

a. Only classical authors are permitted who otherwise are prohibited because of obscenity, but not classics who are prohibited because of errors against religion or for another reason. Classics are permitted, however, even if because of obscenity they have been placed in the Index.

b. Since this license cannot remove the natural law, it can happen that classical authors whom the Church permits are prohibited by the natural law.

c. The reason of office excuses those who professionally (not merely accidentally) either compose or judge works of letters; the reason of teaching excuses those who teach letters (but not those who teach another discipline); whether the reason is office or teaching, it excuses those who prepare themselves to compose literary works or to teach letters in universities.

d. It is expressly added that these classics are by no means to be handed over or read aloud to children or adolescents unless they have been expurgated with careful attention. Since childhood lasts up to the eighteenth year and adolescence up to the twenty-fifth year of age, from the strict rigor of law this prescription also applies to those who study in universities. But if the public laws of schools prescribe uncorrected editions, they may be used through epikeia; yet it is not lawful to read obscene parts before children, unless perhaps this is judged the lesser evil, when children, though warned, nevertheless do not omit the reading of them.

Note. Whether a determinate book is prohibited by general decrees is permitted to be discerned by the judgment of individuals, unless there is a declaration of the Church. Wherefore a book which is not established to be prohibited can be read insofar as is required to form this judgment. He who cannot discern the matter himself is bound to question one more expert, especially the pastor or confessor.

¹ Sacred Congregation of the Index, May 23, 1898.