Books Prohibited by Particular Decree

What authority can prohibit books, we said in n. 1118. But here there is discussion only of books which are prohibited by the Apostolic See, and so are inserted into what is called the Index of Prohibited Books. Moreover, that Index, revised by Leo XIII and promulgated in the year 1900, was published several times and again in the year 1929. For the rest, note:

I. The Apostolic See prohibits books either by itself, i.e. through Apostolic letters of the Roman Pontiff, or with the help of a Congregation. Moreover, formerly this business belonged to the Congregation of the Index, but now to the Congregation of the Holy Office, which undertook that function after the prior Congregation was suppressed¹ (can. 247, § 4).

II. With respect to the interpretation of particular prohibitions, note:

1. Whenever all the writings of some non-Catholic author are prohibited, only those works are understood which either treat of religion, or have been proscribed by some general or special decree. Whenever all the writings of some Catholic writer are forbidden, only those works are touched by the prohibition which are prohibited by some general or special decree.²

2. If the first or earlier volumes of some work are placed in the Index, and the later volumes have followed that decree of prohibition into public light; or if periodical booklets are proscribed which afterwards have been continued again and again; or if all the works of some writer are prohibited, and he has published other works after the decree was issued: in all these cases the volumes or booklets or works made public after the last special decree, although they are not comprehended by that special decree, nevertheless are held suspect, and are deservedly presumed to fall into the prohibition of some decree from the general ones, unless perhaps the author's recovery of sound sense is established.³

¹ Motu proprio, 25 March 1917 (A. A. S. 1917, p. 167; cf. p. 162).

² Cf. Preface of the Index of the year 1924, p. XIV.

³ Cf. Preface of the Index of the year 1924, pp. XVI-XVII.

"Whether in decree no. 17 of the General Decrees concerning the prohibition and censure of books recently issued by Our Most Holy Lord Pope Leo XIII, these words: let them not be published without the permission of the competent authority, are to be understood in such a way that henceforth all books, booklets, sheets, etc., of indulgences are to be referred only to the Ordinaries of places in order to obtain permission? Or are they to be subjected to the review either of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences or of the Ordinary of the place according to the norms established before the new Constitution Officiorum ac Munerum? - Response. To the first part: Negative. - To the second: Affirmative." Sacred Congregation of the Index, 7 August 1897.

"Article 12, section 3, of the Decrees issued after the old Rules of the Index is to be understood in such a way that, if there is question of publishing the grant of some indulgence, or a summary of indulgences which is to be taken from an Apostolic Brief or Rescript, or a summary already published by authority of the Sacred Congregation, it is within the power of the Ordinary to grant permission to print the grants of those indulgences (provided that there is not a special and express prohibition for some list); but, on the contrary, if there is question of a summary previously collected but never approved, or now to be collected for the first time from various grants, the express permission of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences is required. His Holiness approved." Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, 22 January 1858.

983. • The Index was composed and promulgated by command of Paul IV in the year 1558; Pius IV perfected it with the Council of Trent and published it in the year 1564. Clement VIII enlarged it in the year 1595. The Congregation of the Index was instituted by St. Pius V. See St. Alphonsus, Appendix On the Prohibition of Books, book 1, at the end, no. 17, etc.

The Index presents three principal classes of prohibited books. The first class contains all books of heretics which contain heresy or treat expressly of Religion. The second class embraces books of Catholics against the Faith or good morals. The third class contains books published without the name of the author which hand down depraved doctrine. St. Alphonsus, no. 289.

Books of the first class, which by the ancient law were all prohibited under penalty of excommunication, still all remain prohibited; but which are now forbidden under penalty of excommunication, and indeed a reserved one, was said above. Books of the second and third class are not considered prohibited unless they are specially designated in the Index, unless nevertheless they pertain to certain general classes of matters which are designated in the Rules of the Index. Furthermore, in the Index all books of heresiarchs are prohibited generally in hatred of the author, even if they do not contain heresy or treat of Religion ⁴.

⁴ Avanzini notes (Commentary, no. 8) that, with account taken of penalties, books prohibited or to be rejected can be divided into three classes, namely: 1. books prohibited under penalty of excommunication reserved to the Roman Pontiff, concerning which above, no. 972, II; 2. books prohibited under penalty of fault according to the Index of Prohibited Books and its rules in force. To this class can also be referred books or writings forbidden only by the law of nature, although not yet placed in the Index, which nevertheless can otherwise easily be referred to certain general classes of prohibited books; likewise, books prohibited by Bishops in individual dioceses. That Decree, however, both as regards the force of a positive precept and as regards the censure, if any were added, would bind only the subjects of each diocese. 3. Books which, according to the ancient usage in the Church, we shall call apocryphal, which, namely, we hold as destitute of all that authority, force, or use to which they might appear to be ordained. In this class we call a monument, canon, testament, decree, etc., apocryphal; but the Church simply repudiates these books without any sanctioned penalty. Of this kind are books treating of sacred matters but printed without the approval of the Ordinary. To this class can be referred all books of indulgences, journals, summaries, pamphlets, and sheets in which their concessions are contained but which were published without permission of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences; likewise ritual books issued without the approval of the Congregation of Sacred Rites, etc.

984. • 1. All books condemned before the year 1515 are prohibited, even if they are not found described in the Index.

2. All books of heresiarchs are altogether forbidden, even if not erroneous or not treating expressly of Religion. Other books of heretics which are not erroneous and do not treat of Religion can be permitted, provided they have been examined and approved ⁵.

⁵ This clause does not appear now to be in force.

3. The Scriptures and books of controversies in the vernacular language cannot be read unless they have been approved by the Holy See or published with notes taken from the holy Fathers of the Church or from learned Catholic men ⁶.

⁶ POSTULATUM. Since it has been reported with certainty to the Sacred Congregation of the Index that in some places the most sacred books of the Bible are printed in the vernacular language without the most salutary laws concerning this matter being observed, and since it is therefore to be feared that, such being the conspiracy of wicked men especially in these times, errors wrapped in the more sacred array of the divine word may be insinuated perversely, the same Sacred Congregation judged that those things which were otherwise decreed must again be recalled to the memory of all: namely, that vernacular versions of the Bible are not to be permitted unless they have been approved by the Apostolic See or published with annotations taken from the holy Fathers of the Church or from learned Catholic men. 13 June 1757. Likewise, 7 January 1836.

4. Books treating expressly of obscene things are absolutely prohibited, although they are not found in the Index.

5. Likewise, all books treating of astrology, divination, and sorceries are forbidden, more probably under an excommunication not reserved.

6. All books condemned on account of suspicion of false dogma are prohibited under penalty of excommunication, but see above, no. 972, II; others under guilt of mortal sin.

Besides the ten Rules issued by command of the Council of Trent, there exist other general Rules established by the Sacred Congregation of the Index itself and published by command of the Pontiffs in the volume of the Index of Prohibited Books, under this title: Decrees Concerning Prohibited Books, etc.

By the ancient law, books of heretics treating of Religion or containing heresy were prohibited under excommunication in two ways: one reserved to the Roman Pontiff through the Bull Coenae; the other not reserved. For the new law see above, no. 972, II.

Formulae and Catalogues

167. Understand the clause as All works, where another is not indicated; but the day as the day of the last decree, if the writer has been condemned several times.

Where by decree there is proscribed not the very universality of the works but a work whose title is general, for example All works, the words "All works" are written in ordinary letters and within parentheses. But if at any time that proscription seemed to be equated to a universal and collective one, we have prefixed to the name of the writer the sign *.

ALBERTI, Valentinus. - May 10, 1757.

ALSTEDIUS, Ioannes Henricus. - May 10, 1757.

• ALTING, Iacobus. All theological, analytical works, etc. - May 10, 1757.

ALTING, Henricus. - May 10, 1757.

AMESIUS, Guilelmus. - May 10, 1757.

ARNISAEUS, Henningius. - October 29, 1622.

BALZAC, H. de. All amorous novels. - June 20, 1864.

BARONIUS, Robertus. - May 10, 1757.

BASNACE, Jacques. - May 10, 1757.

BAYLE, Pierre. - May 10, 1757.

BEBELIUS, Balthazar. - May 10, 1757.

BLONDELLUS (Blondel), David. - May 10, 1757.

BORDAS-DEMOULIN, Jean-Baptiste. Oeuvres posthumes, published by J. Huet. - April 9, 1866.

BOTSACCUS, Johannes. - May 10, 1757.

• BOURIGNON, Antoinette. (Toutes les oeuvres contenues en dix-neuf volumes). - May 10, 1757.

BROCHTONUS (Broughton). - December 13, 1608.

BRUNO, Giordano. - February 8, 1600.

BUDDEUS, Johannes Franciscus. - May 5, 1750.

• BULLUS, Georgius. (All works.) - June 13, 1757.

CALIXTUS, Georgius. - July 7, 1693.

CASMANNUS, Otto. - March 6, 1610.

• CASSANDER, Georgius. (All works which could be found.) - February 23, 1617.

CATUMSYRITUS, I. B. All works which have not been recognized by the author and printed at Rome. - May 9, 1636.

CAVE, Gulielmus. - November 11, 1693.

• CAYLUS, Charles, Gabriel de Thubieres de. (Les oeuvres.) - August 29, 1753.

CHAMPFLEURY (Pseud.), see Fleury, Jules.

CLAPMARIUS, Arnoldus. - April 21, 1632.

CLAUDE, Jean. - May 10, 1757.

CLERICUS (Le Clerc), Iohannes. - March 16, 1733.

CLUVERIUS, Ioannes. - January 23, 1640.

• COLBERT DE CROISSY, Charles Ioachin. (Les oeuvres.) - May 15, 1743.

COLLIN DE PLANCY, Jacques-Albin-Simon. - September 10, 1827.

CONRINGIUS, Hermannus. - May 10, 1757.

CRELLIUS, Joannes. (All exegetical, dialectical works, etc.) - May 10, 1757.

DALLAEUS, Joannes. (Daille, Jean). - January 29, 1686.

DE DOMINIS, Marcus Antonius. - March 16, 1621.

DESCARTES, Renatus. (Philosophical works. Until corrected.) - November 20, 1663.

D'ESPAGNE, Jean. (Les oeuvres.) - November 17, 1676.

DIEU, Ludovicus de. - April 12, 1660.

DORSCHEUS, Iohannes Georgius. - May 10, 1757.

DRELINCOURT, Charles. - May 10, 1757.

DUDEVANT, see Sand, George.

DUMAS, Alexandre (father). All amorous novels. - June 22, 1863.

DUMAS, Alexandre (son). All amorous novels. - June 22, 1863.

DUMOULIN, Charles, see Molinaeus, Carolus.

DUMOULIN, Pierre, see Molinaeus, Petrus.

DU PLESSIS-MORNAY, Philippe, see Mornaeus, Phil.

EPISCOPIUS, Simon. (Theological works.) - September 5, 1684.

FERRARI, Giuseppe. - March 24, 1877.

FEYDEAU, Ern. All amorous novels. - June 20, 1864.

FLEURY, Jules. All amorous novels. - June 20, 1864.

FRISCHLIN, Nicodemus. - October 14, 1601.

GEIERUS, Martinus. - May 10, 1757.

GENTILIS, Albericus. - December 14, 1602.

GERHARDUS, Ioannes. - May 10, 1757.

GIOBERTI, Vincenzo. - January 14, 1852.

GIORDANI, Pietro. (Opere. Until corrected.) - September 5, 1825.

GOLDASTUS, Melchior. - September 20, 1706.

GROTIUS, Hugo. (All theological works.) - May 10, 1757.

GUICCIARDINI, Franciscus. (Opere inedite illustrate da G. Canestrini) - January 20, 1859.

HEIDEGGERUS, Ioannes Henr. - November 21, 1690.

HOBBES, Thomas. - May 7, 1703.

HOORNBEECK, Ioannes. - May 10, 1757.

HOTTINGERUS, Ioannes Henr. - May 10, 1757.

HUME, David. - September 10, 1827.

HUNNIUS, Helfericus Ulricus. - July 19, 1619.

JURIEU, Pierre. - May 10, 1757.

KORTHOLTUS, Christianus. - May 10, 1757.

LABADIE, Jean de. - November 23, 1694.

LAMBARDI, Giacomo. - March 28, 1675.

LA METTRIE, Iulius Offray de. (Oeuvres philosophiques, whether collected into one or separated.) - February 15, 1770.

LA PLACETTE, Jean. - May 10, 1757.

LAUNOIUS (Launoy), Ioannes. (All letters, comprised in eight parts.) - May 27, 1687.

LAURENTIUS, Iacobus. - September 22, 1692.

LAZZARETTI, David. - July 24, 1878.

LENFANT, Jacques. - May 10, 1757.

LETI, Gregorio. - March 20, 1702.

LEYDECKER, Melchior. - May 10, 1757.

LIGHTFOOTUS, Ioannes. (All works.) - February 28, 1690.

LUBBERT, Sibrandus. - May 10, 1757.

MARESIUS (Des Marets), Samuel. - June 27, 1678.

MESTREZAT, Jean. - May 10, 1757.

MOLINAEUS (Du Moulin), Carolus. - July 9, 1658.

MOLINAEUS, Petrus. - May 10, 1757.

MOLINOS, Miguel de. - November 20, 1687.

MORARDO, Gaspare. - December 17, 1821.

MORNAEUS (Mornay), Philippus. - September 1, 1629.

MORUS (More), Henricus. - July 11, 1701.

MURGER, Henry. All amorous novels. - June 20, 1864.

NOODT, Gerardus. (All works recognized by himself, etc.) - August 29, 1735.

OSIANDER, Ioannes Adam. - May 10, 1757.

OTTO (Ottius), Ioannes Henricus. - May 10, 1757.

PALLAVICINO, Ferrante. (Panegirici, epitalami, discorsi accademici, novelle e lettere amorose.) - December 9, 1659.

PERKINSUS, Guilielmus. - May 10, 1757.

PFAFFIUS, Christophorus Matthaeus. - May 10, 1757.

PISCATOR, Ioannes (of Strasbourg, 1546-1626). - May 10, 1757.

POZA, Ioannes Baptista. - December 10, 1631.

PRIDEAUX, Ioannes. (All theological works which exist in Latin.) - December 6, 1678.

PROUDHON, Pierre-Joseph. - January 22, 1852.

RAUPPIUS, Iacobus. - September 5, 1684.

RICHTERUS, Gregorius. - December 13, 1608.

RIVET, Andre. - May 10, 1757.

ROCCABELLA, Tommaso. - December 18, 1646.

SALMASIUS, Claudius. - December 18, 1646.

SAINT-AUBIN, Horace de (pseud.), see Balzac, Honore de.

SAND, George (pseud.). All amorous novels. - December 15, 1863.

SCHLUSSELBURGIUS, Conradus. - October 22, 1619.

SCHOOCKIUS, Martinus. - April 4, 1707.

SCULTETUS, Abrahamus. - May 10, 1757.

SOULIE, Frederic. All amorous novels. - June 20, 1864.

SPANHEMIUS, Fridericus senior. - May 10, 1757.

SPANHEMIUS, Fridericus junior. - May 10, 1757.

SPAVENTA, Bertrando. All philosophical works. - December 22, 1876.

SPINOZA, Benedictus de. (Posthumous works.) - August 29, 1690.

STENDHAL, Henri Beyle de. All amorous novels. - July 20, 1864.

SUE, Eugene. All amorous novels. - January 22, 1852.

THOMAS, Anglus, see White.

TURRETINUS, Benedictus. - May 10, 1757.

TURRETINUS, Franciscus. - May 10, 1757.

TURRETINUS, Ioannes Alphonsus. - May 10, 1757.

TWISSUS, Guilielmus. - May 10, 1757.

VAN ESPEN, Zeger Bernardus. - November 18, 1732.

VARLET, Dominique Marie. (Posthumous works.) - February 1, 1752.

VELTHUYSIUS, Lambertus. (All works.) - January 25, 1684.

VERA, Auguste. - December 22, 1876.

VIGORIUS, Simon. (All works.) - November 23, 1683.

VOLTAIRE. (Oeuvres, A. Dresde, 1748.) - September 6, 1752. The same. (Romans et Contes.) - July 2, 1804.

WHITBY, Daniel. - May 10, 1757.

WHITE, Thomas. - May 31, 1663.

ZOLA, Emile. - September 1, 1898.

¹ We have borrowed this from the work of P. Hilgers, Der Index, p. 94.

² In the years 1899 and 1900 no book is to be entered in the Index.

168. Having imitated the example of the new Index, we have given the day on which the decree was issued, not the day on which it was made public.

ALVI, Ciro. S. Francesco d'Assisi. (Novel.) - Milan, Palermo, Naples, 1903. (Decree, June 3, 1904.)

BUISSON, Ferdinando. La religion, la morale et la science; leur conflit dans l'education contemporaine. - Paris, Fischbacher, 1901. (Decree, March 5, 1903.)

COMBE, Em. Le grand coup avec sa date probable, c'est-a-dire le grand chatiment du monde et le triomphe universel de l'Eglise. Etude sur le secret de la Salette. 2nd ed., augmented by the brochure of Melanie and other justificatory pieces. - Vichy, 1896. (Decree, June 7, 1901.)

DENIS, Charles. Un careme apologetique sur les dogmes fondamentaux. - Paris, 1902. (Decree, December 4, 1903.)

The same. L'Eglise et l'Etat; les lecons de l'heure presente. - Paris, 1902. (Decree, December 4, 1903.)

DOMPIERRE, Jean de. Comment tout cela va finir. L'avenir jusqu'a la fin des temps; histoire anticipee des derniers ages du monde. - Rennes, 1900. (Decree, June 7, 1901.)

FOGAZZARO, Antonio. Il Santo. (Novel.) - Milan, 1905. (Decree, April 5, 1906.)

GEORGEL, l'abbe. La matiere; sa deification; sa rehabilitation au point de vue intellectuel et aimant; ses destinees ultimes. - Oran, 1902-1903. (Decree, December 4, 1903.)

HOUTIN, Albert. La question biblique chez les catholiques de France au XIX siecle. - (Decree, December 4, 1903.)

The same. Mes difficultes avec mon eveque. - (Decree, December 4, 1903.)

The same. L'Americanisme. - Paris, 1904. (Decree, June 3, 1904.)

LABERTHONNIERE, L. Essais de philosophie religieuse. - Paris, no date.

The same. Le Realisme chretien et l'Idealisme grec. - Paris, no date. (Decree, April 5, 1906.)

LIZZOCCI, Oniello. Nuovi orizzonti filosofici, ossia avviamento a studi di filosofia. Pistoia, Flori e C., 1904. (Decree, December 12, 1905.)

LOISY, Alfred. La Religion d'Israel. - (Decree of the Holy Office, December 16, 1903.)

The same. L'Evangile et l'Eglise. - (Decree of the Holy Office, December 16, 1903.)

The same. Etudes evangeliques. - (Decree of the Holy Office, December 16, 1903.)

The same. Autour d'un petit livre. - (Decree of the Holy Office, December 16, 1903.)

The same. Le quatrieme Evangile. - (Decree of the Holy Office, December 16, 1903.)

Lo scudo del debole oppresso e la giustizia di Dio verso l'oppressore unit (without place, author, and time). (Italian version of the title of the work inscribed in the Arabic language.) (Decree, June 7, 1901.)

MAGGIONI, Dr. Franco. Questioni delicate. - Rome, Forzani e C., 1904. (Decree, December 12, 1905.)

MULLER, Iozef. Der Reformkatholizismus, die Religion der Zukunft. Fur die Gebildeten aller Bekenntnisse dargestellt. First and second part. Wurzburg-Zurich, 1899. (Decree, June 7, 1901.)

OLIVE, Joseph. Lettre aux membres de la pieuse et devote association du Coeur de Jesus et de N. D. des Sept Douleurs. - Cette, 1886-1903. (Decree, December 4, 1903.)

PAYOT, Jules. De la croyance. - Paris, Felix Alcan, 1906. (Decree, March 5, 1903.)

The same. Avant d'entrer dans la vie. Aux instituteurs et aux institutrices, conseils et directions pratiques. Paris, Armand Colin, 1901. (Decree, March 5, 1903.)

PLANCHET, F. Regis. El derecho canonico y el clero mexicano, o sea anotaciones al Concilio V mexicano. Mexico, 1900. (Decree, June 7, 1901.)

The same. La ensenanza religiosa en la arquidiocesis de Mexico, y suplemento a la obra "El derecho canonico". Mexico, 1900. (Decree, June 7, 1901.)

PRESBYTER, Lucensis. L'antichita intorno all'elezione dei Sacri Pastori. - Lucca, Tip. del Serchio, 1902. (Decree, August 19, 1902.)

QUIEVREUX, Camille. Le paganisme au XIX siecle, 3 vols. - Abbeville, 1895-97. (Decree, June 7, 1901.)

SIFFLET, P. Cours lucide et raisonne de doctrine chretienne. Les sept mysteres chretiens; Trinite, Peche originel, Incarnation, Redemption, Eucharistie, Resurrection des Corps, Eternite, Souffrance, au regard de la nature, de la raison et de l'irreligion. - Lyon, Librairie S. Augustin and Librairie Delhomme et Briguet. (Decree, March 5, 1903.)

Turs el-agiz el mazlum Wa-adl Allah bel-baci bai en-naqum.²

VIOLLET, Paul. L'Infaillibilite du Pape et le Syllabus. (Historical and theological study.) Besancon-Paris, 1904. (Decree of April 5, 1906.)

VOGRINEC, Anton. Nostra maxima culpa! Die bedrängte Lage der Katholischen Kirche, deren Ursachen und Vorschläge zur Besserung. Vienna and Leipzig, 1904. (Decree, June 3, 1904.)

ZINAI, Zino. Il pentimento e la morale ascetica. - Turin, Fratelli Bocca, 1902. (Decree, August 19, 1902.)

¹ In the years 1899 and 1900 no book is to be entered in the Index.

² The shield of the weak oppressed man and the justice of God in punishing the oppressor.

774. Special prohibition of writings. - Apart from books prohibited by the general rules, some are also specially and by name entered in the Index, or prohibited in another way by the Apostolic See. This prohibition brings about:

1. that all editions already made are prohibited, unless the prohibition is limited to a determined edition;⁴ likewise all future editions "unless, corrections having been made, he who had prohibited the book, or his superior or successor, gives permission" (can. 1398, § 2);

⁴ Prohibitions which forbid books on account of matter are judged to regard all editions; prohibitions which forbid books on account of defect of approval are not extended to books previously published.

2. that all versions are prohibited, for "the prohibition of books brings it about that without due permission a book cannot... be translated into another language" (can. 1398, § 1), unless nevertheless only the version had been entered in the Index;

3. that if all the works of some author are prohibited, they are to be understood not as later works, but as the earlier ones which exist at the moment of condemnation. From the preface of the Catalogue of the Index published in the year 1940 we have in addition that "when all the works of some writer are condemned, all and each of the same writer's works are judged condemned," and not only those which are prohibited by the general rules. Since this norm is modifying, it does not have retroactive value, so that for condemnations issued before January 2, 1940, all works are only those which are prohibited by the general rules. Nevertheless, a presumption and suspicion is present against the others, whence in practice they are to be submitted to examination.

4. that if all the love-stories of someone are prohibited, all and each are also understood if the condemnation was issued after the year 1940; otherwise only those which are prohibited by the general rules.

5. that chrestomathies are also prohibited if they reproduce one or more condemned writings for the greater part.

Question 1. Are books condemned by the Apostolic See prohibited everywhere?

Response. Books condemned by the Apostolic See are to be considered prohibited in every place and into whatever language they are translated (Can. 1396). - Cf. Leo XIII, Officiorum ac Munerum, n. 45; S. C. of the Index, 24 Aug. 1864.¹

¹ Cf. Addenda, p. 1145, n. 117 bis.

VIII. In the Tridentine and Roman Index, besides the books of the Heresiarchs, many books of Catholics are prohibited. The former are named of the first class, the latter of the second. Those books of Catholics are prohibited which contain errors hostile to the doctrine of faith or of morals, or which instill a suspicion of error, or offend pious ears, or furnish scandal, or contain lax opinions. Books of this class are sometimes prohibited until they be corrected. This happens when in the book absolutely sound doctrine is contained, but some proposition, which is not capital, has fallen from the author's pen beside his intention, or from a slip of the mind, or through ignorance. Such books are prohibited under mortal sin, and an excommunication not reserved.