Article — Vermeersch, On Forbidden Books
Article 5
Editions of the original text and of the ancient Catholic versions of Sacred Scripture, even of the Eastern Church, published by non-Catholics of any kind, although they appear to have been faithfully and integrally edited, are permitted only to those who devote themselves to theological or biblical studies, provided, however, that the dogmas of the Catholic faith are not attacked in the prolegomena or notes.
Non-Catholic editions are prohibited
69. 1. By this article, non-Catholic editions of the Sacred Bibles or of ancient Catholic versions, even of the Eastern Church, are prohibited to all who do not devote themselves to theological or biblical studies; and this even if the editions are faithful or appear so.
Non-Catholic, a word which here is to be taken broadly, so that it also designates Jews and unbelievers. For the article concerns non-Catholics of any kind whatever.
Yet they are permitted to students of Theology or Sacred Scripture
2. The same editions are permitted to those who devote themselves to biblical or theological studies. Nor is it required that the editions be faithful or appear so, provided the condition appended at the end is preserved.
Who these are
3. Laymen or clerics can devote themselves to theological or biblical studies, in a public college or privately, as doctors or beginners.1
They devote themselves to them who are occupied in these studies sufficiently frequently that they have them among their habitual "occupations," either constantly or from some occasion which demands a certain space of time. But if this is sufficiently constant, they enjoy a perpetual faculty; if only from some occasion, for example of preparing an examination, after they have made the examination, the faculty ceases together with the occasion.
But one who by a merely transitory act, for example for writing a sermon, has wished to elucidate some point of Scripture, cannot use the benefit of this article.
Yet priests who fairly often give sacred sermons, or who preserve the laudable practice of assigning some part of their time to sacred studies, easily enjoy it.2
Biblical studies are not studies of the Hebrew or Greek language alone. Therefore, to students who are not at the same time studying biblical or theological sciences, non-Catholic editions cannot be proposed without an apostolic faculty.3
Condition to which the faculty is subject
4. Provided, however, that in the prolegomena or annotations the dogmas of the Catholic faith are not attacked.
Attack says more than mere contradiction, but supposes this contradiction strengthened with reasons.
Dogmas of the Catholic faith, and not only the manner of acting of the Church, for example in prohibiting versions of Sacred Scripture. Indeed, the plural word dogmas seems to excuse the use of a non-Catholic edition in which even some dogma is attacked, but once only or very rarely. We are confirmed by the benignity of the preceding article.
1 On May 19-23, 1898, the Congregation of the Index declared that the article has force concerning all beginners of theology.
2 Indeed Palmieri on this place judges that the right of using these editions, from a certain equity, perseveres even when studies have been completed in those who devoted labor to these studies in public schools. Yet this is perhaps excessive if they have completely abandoned those studies.
3 Sacred Congregation of the Index, June 21, 1898. Therefore the negative response does not affect students of theology. Cf. Wernz, n. 111, note 57.