I. Indults for Permitting the Reading of Prohibited Books

134. 1. For the use of Bishops:

"Most Ample¹ and Most Reverend Lord,

"The suppliant prayers, by which Your Amplitude requested the faculty of permitting to the Christian faithful committed to Your pastoral care the reading of books prohibited by the Apostolic See, Our Most Holy Lord Pius Pope X, benignly receiving them, committed to this Sacred Congregation of the Index that to You, concerning whose religion, doctrine, and piety he greatly confides, it should impart the aforesaid faculty, namely of conceding to the faithful of Your diocese, from a just and reasonable cause, license to read and retain prohibited books, with certain laws and conditions, however, having been observed, until __________.

"Wherefore you may be able to concede:

"1. To upright and learned men only, license to read and retain any books whatsoever prohibited by the Apostolic See (and newspapers), except those which defend heresy or schism, or overturn the very foundations of religion; the reading of which you may be able to permit only to those whom you have ascertained to be more outstanding in doctrine, piety, and zeal of faith; but let the reading of books treating expressly of obscene matters be permitted to no one.

"2. To adolescents who devote themselves to studies in public schools, gymnasia, lyceums, academies, you may similarly be able to concede license of reading and retaining books proscribed by the same Apostolic See, which they are compelled by command of the lay power to have before their hands, so long as they remain in that necessity.

"But the aforesaid licenses are to be conceded gratis under any title, and without any emolument to be received by Your episcopal curia, under penalty of nullity; and in the individual letters of concession express mention of the Apostolic faculty is to be made.

"In faith of which, etc.

"Given at Rome, from the Secretariat of the Sacred Congregation of the Index, on the day __________, month __________, year __________."

¹ If the Bishop is at the same time a Cardinal, for Most Ample and Amplitude, there is written: Most Eminent and Eminence.

135. 2. For the use of Rectors of a seminary or college:

"Most Illustrious Lord,

"The suppliant prayers offered by you to Our Most Holy Lord Pius Pope X, by which you implored the faculty of permitting to the pupils or adolescents of the seminary or college committed to your care the reading of books prohibited by the Apostolic See, the same His Holiness benignly hearing, committed to this Sacred Congregation of the Index that it should impart to you, until __________, the aforesaid faculty, to be exercised by you entirely gratis under any title, under penalty of nullity, with the following conditions:

"1. That only those books be permitted to the aforesaid pupils or adolescents, and to each of them, which are proper to their discipline and whose reading, by reason of their studies, seems necessary for them.

"2. That prohibited books of this kind, before the reading of them is permitted, be diligently examined, and it be ascertained whether they can be handed over to the hands of adolescents without graver 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, they are in no way to be permitted to adolescents. But in conceding the rest one must act cautiously, and it must diligently be cared for by you that the danger of infection, as far as can be done, be removed, and that against the poison with which these books are imbued, an opportune antidote be supplied.

"3. That you warn the same pupils that the license mentioned above has been conceded to them only for the time in which they remain in the college; but if they seem to need it also after departure from the discipline of the college, it is necessary that they have recourse to the Ordinary or to the Congregation of the Index itself.

"In faith of which, etc.

"Given at Rome, from the Secretariat of the Sacred Congregation of the Index, on the day __________, month __________, year __________.

"To the Most Illustrious Lord

Lord __________."

136. 3. For the use of Professors:

N., most devotedly prostrate at the feet of Your Holiness, humbly asks the faculty by which he may be able to permit his disciples, especially those who are occupied in writing a dissertation for obtaining the degree of doctor, that they may be able to read under his direction the prohibited books which they need for studies of this kind.

And God, etc.

"... by the authority committed to us, etc., we concede the requested faculty as in the prayers."

137. 4. For the use of a Librarian:

"... we concede that in a particular case it may be lawful for the petitioner to give to one asking from him a prohibited book kept in the said library, and that it may be lawful for the one asking to read it, provided that, according to the prudent judgment of the Petitioner, such a book will not bring harm, and is not among those which expressly attack the Catholic religion or destroy good morals."

a) We give the formulae as they are in use today, approved by the General Congregation on July 2, 1897. It is known that they are sometimes changed.

b) Except the first, all faculties have the clause: "If the things set forth are true and with attention given to the testimonial letters." Yet if these are lacking, mention of them is omitted.

c) Except for faculties which are made to pupils, for the sake of studies, and to a community of women, the remaining ones are conceded for as long as the petitioner shall have lived.

139. 1. Faculty reserved to Cardinals and Bishops:

"... Any prohibited books whatsoever and newspapers, yet under custody lest they come to the hands of others."

140. 2. Reserved to most outstanding priests and ecclesiastics, which is called "most ample":

"... As long as he shall have lived, to read and retain, under custody nevertheless lest they come to the hands of others and with scandal removed, any prohibited books whatsoever and newspapers. Except works treating expressly of obscene matters."

141. 3. Customarily conceded to ecclesiastics, which is called ample "for the effect":

"... As long as he shall have lived, under custody, ... and with scandal removed, any prohibited books whatsoever and newspapers, not excepting books expressly defending heresy or schism, or in any way overturning the very foundations of religion, for the effect of impugning them, and as an aid of the sacred ministry and of honest studies. Except works treating expressly of obscene matters."

N.B. For most outstanding laymen, it is said: "For the effect of impugning them (the books), and as an aid of one's own office (or function) and of honest studies, etc."

142. 4. Ample, special, and one which is also conceded to certain laymen (it is used very rarely):

"... As long as he shall have lived, under custody ... and with scandal removed, any prohibited books whatsoever and newspapers. Except works treating expressly of obscene matters, as well as books defending heresy or schism of set purpose, or in any way overturning the very foundations of religion."

143. 5. Common to secular and regular priests:

It is the same as n. 4, except that the word in any way at the end is suppressed.

144. 6. Customarily conceded to laymen of any status:

"... As long as he shall have lived, under custody ... and with scandal removed ... any books whatsoever and newspapers, except nevertheless books treating expressly of religion and similarly those which of set purpose treat, narrate, or teach obscene matters."

145. 7. Customarily conceded to pupils of universities, etc.

"... It may be lawful for the petitioner, by reason of studies ... to read and retain books proper to his discipline, except works treating expressly of obscene matters and defending heresy or schism or in any way overturning the very foundations of the Church. But when he shall have completed the course of studies and completed the twenty-fourth year of age, let him supplicate again, and account will be taken of him."

146. 8. For women, directed to the confessor:

"... the prayers are remitted to the prudent discretion of the confessor of the petitioner, with the necessary and opportune faculties of permitting the same petitioner to read and retain those books and newspapers ... which he shall have judged expedient for her. Except, etc."

N.B. Mention is not made of newspapers unless it is expressly requested. Sometimes only books treating expressly of obscene matters are excepted.

147. 9. For Spain, Lusitania, and South America:

The prayers, unless special ones have been offered, will be remitted to the confessor.

148. 10. For keeping books in the library of a family:

That faculty is conceded "except works treating expressly of obscene matters, which, if perchance they are found in it, are immediately to be burned"; with the "clause of diligent custody lest they come to the hands of others."

149. 11. For booksellers and typographers:

"With attention given to the testimonial letters of the Ordinary of the petitioner, the prayers are remitted to the discretion and conscience of the same Ordinary, with the rules prescribed in the newest General Decrees of the Index (t. 2, c. 4) concerning the printing and sale of prohibited books nevertheless being observed."

150. 12. For a librarian, or for an assistant librarian, if the librarian lacks faculty:

"... the faculty by which he may be able to hand over to those who ask prohibited books existing in the library of N. city N., yet with those asking warned that the book is prohibited, as often as this can conveniently be done and there is hope that the warning will be profitable. Except, nevertheless, works which expressly treat of obscene matters."

151. 13. For a pupil who is preparing a dissertation:

"... books, provided and insofar as, for the end ... they seem necessary or useful to him by the judgment of teachers or other learned men. Except those expressly obscene."

152. 14. For a community of women:

"... It is conceded to the prudent discretion of the confessor, with various clauses and usually for a two-year period. Except books expressly against religion or morals."

N.B. a) Nuncios request the faculty from the Secretariat of State.

b) To an Ordinary who alleges that too many books are published in his diocese for them to be able to be recognized by his examiners, it is permitted that he may be able to approve books examined and approved by the proper Ordinaries of the authors.