I. Indults for Permitting the Reading of Prohibited Books

153. A) Separate indult:

"From the Audience of the Most Holy One held on the day __________.

"Our Most Holy Lord __________, by Divine Providence Pope __________, with me, the undersigned Secretary of the Sacred Congregation de Propaganda Fide, reporting, granted the faculty to __________

"of permitting, according to his own discretion and conscience, to priests, clerics, and other men more outstanding in virtue and knowledge subject to him, that they may be able to read and retain newspapers and books prohibited by the Apostolic See, except those treating expressly of obscene matters; under custody nevertheless, lest they come to the hands of others, and with those cautions and restrictions which are contained in the attached instruction. Anything whatsoever to the contrary notwithstanding.

"Given at Rome, from the Buildings of the Sacred Congregation de Propaganda Fide, on the day and year aforesaid.

"(Gratis)."

154. Attached Instruction on the faculty of reading prohibited books:

"The Bishop or Ordinary furnished with Apostolic authority of permitting to clerics or laymen subject to him that they may be able to read and retain books prohibited by the Holy See should note that these things which follow are to be observed.

"1. That to more outstanding priests, and those constituted in some ecclesiastical dignity, the aforesaid faculty can be conceded of reading prohibited books, even those expressly defending heresy or schism, or in any way overturning the very foundations of Religion, for the effect of impugning them or as an aid of the sacred ministry and of honest studies: always excepting works treating expressly of obscene matters.

"2. That to most outstanding laymen the faculty of reading prohibited books can be conceded as above n. 1, but only for the effect of impugning them or as an aid of one's own office and of honest studies.

"3. That to other priests, whether secular or regular, and also to laymen outstanding in virtue and knowledge, the aforesaid faculty can be conceded: always excepting those treating expressly of obscene matters, as well as those defending heresy or schism of set purpose, or in any way overturning the very foundations of Religion.

"4. That to clerics or laymen, for the sake of studies, the faculty of reading and retaining prohibited books proper to their discipline can be conceded by reason of studies and until they shall have completed the course of studies; except works treating expressly of obscene matters, as well as those defending heresy or schism, or in any way overturning the very foundations of Religion.

"5. That to laymen of either sex asking, there can be conceded, by the prudent discretion and conscience of their own Confessor, the faculty of reading and retaining, under custody nevertheless and with scandal removed, those prohibited books by name which the same Confessor shall have judged expedient in the Lord; altogether excepting works treating expressly of obscene matters, as well as those defending heresy or schism or in any way overturning the very foundations of Religion.

"Moreover, it will have to be noted that the aforesaid faculty can be conceded:

"I. To upright and learned men only, whom it has been ascertained to be more outstanding in doctrine, piety, and zeal.

"II. To adolescents who devote themselves to studies in public schools, gymnasia, lyceums, academies, as to those books which they are compelled by command of the lay power to have before their hands, as long as they remain in that necessity.

"III. But to pupils of the Seminary or of Colleges let only those books be permitted which are proper to their discipline, and whose reading by reason of their studies seems necessary to them. But books of this kind, before the reading of them is permitted, are to be diligently examined, and it is to be ascertained whether they can be handed over to the hands of adolescents without grave danger. But if from the examination of them it is clear that they expressly treat against faith or good morals, or are so depraved that it must gravely be feared lest they corrupt youthful minds and infect them with perverse opinions, in no way are they to be permitted to adolescents. But in conceding the rest one must act cautiously, and it will have to be diligently cared for that the danger of infection, as much as can be done, be removed, and against the poison with which the books are imbued, an opportune antidote be supplied to them; the same pupils always being warned that this license has been conceded to them only for the time in which they remain in the College or Seminary: but if they seem to need it also after departure, it will be necessary for them to have recourse to the Ordinary or to the Holy See itself.

"But the aforesaid license in individual cases is to be conceded gratis under any title, and mention having been made of the Apostolic power obtained for this."

B) Indults among the temporary faculties of Bishops.

155. 1. In formulae I, II, VI, X:

"... Of holding and reading, not however of conceding to others, except, however, for a time, to those Priests whom he knows to be especially fit and honorable, prohibited books, except the works of Dupuy, Volney, M. Reghellini, Pigault-Lebrun, De Potter, Bentham, J. A. Dulaure, Fetes et Courtisanes de la Grece, Novelle di Casti, and other works treating expressly of obscene matters and against Religion."

156. 2. In formula III (for Bishops of Austria, Belgium, Holland, Germany, etc.):

The same faculty except that after the word Priests there is added:

"or laymen whom he has ascertained to be more outstanding in doctrine, piety, and zeal of faith."

157. 3. In formula U:

"Of conceding license to Catholics subject to his spiritual jurisdiction of retaining and reading prohibited books, even those expressly treating against Religion, for the effect of impugning them, provided nevertheless that according to his prudence and discretion (which let him use sparingly) he knows that licenses of this kind are necessary and will yield to the good of Religion, except those astrological, superstitious, and expressly obscene."

3-bis. In formula Q the faculty is conceded in the same way, with only the word expressly suppressed.

158. 4. In formula T and Extr. C:

"Of retaining and reading books prohibited by the Apostolic See, even those expressly treating against Religion, for the effect of impugning them, which nevertheless he is to guard diligently lest they come to the hands of others, except those astrological, judicial, superstitious, and expressly obscene; and also of conceding the same faculty to others, sparingly nevertheless and provided he can prudently presume that they will suffer no detriment from reading of this kind."

159. 5. In formula S (Broader):

"Of retaining and reading books prohibited by the Apostolic See, even those expressly treating against Religion, for the effect of impugning them, which nevertheless he is to guard diligently lest they come to the hands of others, except the expressly obscene, and of communicating this faculty to his Missionaries."

160. 6. In formula IV (for Oriental Missions) many more books are excepted by name.