II. On the Other Part

Precept of custody

99. Diligent custody is prescribed under grave guilt, yet its manner is not defined.

The guilt will be grave if negligence creates grave danger lest a proscribed book be read by those to whom it is prohibited under grave guilt.

Yet the manner is not defined. And so it is not prescribed that books be locked up with keys, although this caution is to be commended in libraries and sometimes will be the only one by which satisfaction is made to the law; but it suffices that it be morally established that the book will not be read by those to whom it is not lawful.

Come then, let Catholic and even ecclesiastical men, who for the best ends and with legitimate permission possess prohibited books in their Library, bear due solicitude concerning the destination of works of this sort after their death: lest through their negligence they then begin to harm others, when for their own good deeds they hope for eternal reward for themselves.

N.B. The formulas of faculties which are customarily conceded by the Sacred Congregation of the Index are contained below, in part four.