Article — Vermeersch, On Forbidden Books
Article 7
Since by experience it is manifest that if the Sacred Bibles in the vernacular language are permitted everywhere without distinction, more detriment than usefulness arises from this on account of the rashness of men: all versions in the vernacular language, even those made by Catholic men, are altogether prohibited unless they have been approved by the Apostolic See, or published under the vigilance of Bishops with annotations drawn from the holy Fathers of the Church and from learned and Catholic writers.
General force of the article concerning versions in the vernacular language
71. 1. Authentically, as regards the substance,1 by this article there is promulgated the discipline which had already long since been introduced by various declarations of the Holy See;2 and there is no longer required the license of the parish priest or confessor which, from the fourth rule of the former Index, had to be sought for reading a Catholic version even illustrated with legitimate notes. Cf. Arndt, pp. 132-134, n. 112.
Clause: "Even by Catholic men."
2. When in this article it is said: even those made by Catholic men, it is clearly indicated that the cause of the prohibition is not to be placed in the religion of the author, but in the quality of the work, which in vernacular language, without notes, transfers the Sacred Bibles to popular use. But the Supreme Pontiff is by no means thinking here of condemning versions of non-Catholics unless they observe conditions which they will never satisfy. Besides, that conditioned toleration is taken away in the following article.
Usage of the Holy See
3. The Holy See has not yet approved any version lacking notes.
Clause: "Under the vigilance of Bishops."
4. The clause under the vigilance of Bishops imposes on authors or publishers the law of seeking episcopal approval, unless they prefer the edition to be proscribed; and it imposes on Bishops a special care concerning these editions of the Sacred Bibles made in the vernacular language.
What if published without episcopal approval?
But Bibles adorned with Catholic notes, but lacking episcopal approval, which were published before this Constitution, do not seem to be proscribed, on account of the general rule given above, n. 28.
How the condition of annotations is satisfied
5. It is sufficient that the annotations be drawn from the holy Fathers and from learned and Catholic writers mediately and equivalently. Mediately, if you place notes consonant with the tradition of the Church, whence Catholic writers are accustomed to draw their explanations; equivalently, if in place of notes you publish a "paraphrastic" version such as Carrière made. For thus at the same time you translate and propose the Catholic interpretation. Cf. Arndt, p. 129, n. 110.
Benign exception from usage
6. Where usage stands thus, certain parts seem today able to be translated and published even without these scholia: for example, the book of Tobit, the epistles, the Gospels of the year, which are inserted in many Euchologia.
What of sacred histories
7. The special sanctions of this article by no means fall upon histories of either Testament by which, for the use of young people, as it were a summary of the Sacred Bibles is handed down. Péries, cited work, p. 83.
Persons exempt from this prohibition
8. Versions, although destitute of notes, can nevertheless be read by those who devote themselves to theological or biblical studies. This can easily be drawn from article VIII, section 2, which grants even non-Catholic versions to the same persons.
1 For the words under the vigilance of Bishops are now added.
2 Sacred Congregation of the Index, June 13, 1757; January 7, 1836.