The Propagation of Faith

I. Christ the Lord entrusted the deposit of faith to the Church, so that she herself, with the Holy Spirit continually assisting, might guard revealed doctrine holily and expound it faithfully (can. 1322, § 1). This is clear from Sacred Scripture.²

II. The Church, independently of any civil power, has the right and duty of teaching the evangelical doctrine to all nations (can. 1322, § 2). This likewise is taught by Sacred Scripture.³

III. As regards the persons upon whom the aforesaid right and duty rests, the Code teaches: The office of preaching the Catholic faith is committed chiefly to the Roman Pontiff for the universal Church, and to Bishops for their dioceses (can. 1327, § 1). Bishops, however, are bound by the duty of preaching the Gospel personally by themselves, unless they are prevented by a legitimate impediment; and besides, in addition to parish priests, they must also take other suitable men as helpers for carrying out this office of preaching salutarily (can. 1327, § 2). But to those who are not taken up by legitimate authority, public preaching is forbidden, according to these words of the Code: No one may exercise the ministry of preaching unless he has received a mission from a legitimate Superior, by a faculty particularly given, or by an office conferred, to which by the sacred canons the office of preaching is attached (can. 1328). I said public preaching; for private preaching belongs to all. Yet disputation properly so called is prohibited, for example, to those for whom it would be dangerous; sometimes it is prescribed, for instance if someone were equal to that duty and the honor of God or the salvation of neighbor required it. Yet can. 1325, § 3 must be attended to: "Let Catholics beware lest they have disputations or conferences, especially public ones, with non-Catholics, without permission of the Holy See or, if the case is urgent, of the local Ordinary."

IV. As regards preaching to non-Catholics specifically, note:

1. Local Ordinaries and parish priests should have non-Catholics dwelling in their dioceses and parishes commended to themselves in the Lord (can. 1350, § 1).

2. In other territories the entire care of missions among non-Catholics is reserved uniquely to the Apostolic See (can. 1350, § 2); and the Holy See exercises that care especially through the Sacred Congregation de Propaganda Fide, and, if Easterners are in question, through the Sacred Congregation for Orientals. But so that the said Congregations may be able to attain the end:

a) Religious institutes to which some mission has been entrusted should provide for it according to their strength.

b) Bishops, parish priests, and others, when opportunity is given, should foster an apostolic spirit in young men. "And you," thus Benedict XV in the Encyclical Maximum illud⁴ addresses the Bishops, "will do a thing especially worthy of your love of religion, if both in the clergy and in the diocesan Seminary you carefully foster the seeds of apostleship which someone perhaps has shown to be present in himself. Nor should any appearance of right deceive you, or any human reason move you, as if what you have permitted to foreign Missions you seem to have detracted from the usefulness of your diocese. For in place of one whom you send away abroad, God will raise up for you at home several very useful priests."

c) Let all assist missionaries: 1. by prayers, "which prayers, if ever at other times, certainly cannot lack effect in this cause, than which none is more excellent, none more pleasing to God";⁵ 2. by alms.⁶

Whether some priest in particular, on account of the spiritual necessity of nations, must come to their aid, see in the treatise on the cultivation of charity.

Question. To what extent can some authority compel unbelievers to hear or embrace the faith?

Response 1. The Church cannot compel unbelievers to hear the faith, since she lacks jurisdiction over them; the temporal prince of unbelievers can do this.

Response 2. No authority can directly compel unbelievers to embrace the faith, even sufficiently proposed, since conversion is a matter of persuasion and will, not of coercion (St. Thomas, II-II, q. 12, a. 1, ad 3). Yet they can be compelled indirectly, for example by hope of a good not owed or fear of an evil otherwise owed. Besides, the secular prince can compel unbelievers to bid farewell to errors and rites opposed to natural law; indeed the prince cannot tolerate the said errors and rites except on account of a most grave cause⁷ (St. Thomas, II-II, q. 10, a. 11; St. Alphonsus, II, 18).

Response 3. The Church per se can compel heretics and apostates to return, and this by penalties both spiritual and temporal (St. Thomas, II-II, q. 10, a. 8); this power of compelling heretics and apostates, according to the determination of the Church, can also belong to secular princes, as protectors of the Church, and must be exercised by them insofar as the Church prescribes it.

¹ Cf. Aertnys-Damen, II, n. 315 bis.

² Matt. 28:19-20; John 14:16, 17, 26.

³ Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15.

⁴ November 30, 1919 (Acta Apostolicae Sedis 1919, p. 452).

⁵ Benedict XV, in the cited Encyclical.

⁶ Benedict XV, in the cited Encyclical.

⁷ Leo XIII, Encyclical Immortale Dei, November 1, 1885; Encyclical Libertas, June 20, 1888.

II. Admonition, as is clear, must of itself be made if one's neighbor is in grave danger of sinning formally; moreover apply to this matter what has been said about correction.

III. Finally, concerning the spiritual works of mercy, it helps to note these things:

1. Since the Church herself, especially through religious Orders and Congregations, endeavors to provide for the propagation of the faith, no one in particular is bound to go to the regions of unbelievers, unless legitimate authority imposes this upon him. Moreover, all should contribute to the intended end by alms or at least by prayers (St. Alphonsus, II, 27).

2. It is difficult to determine accurately how far the dead must be helped; but it is certain that the faithful who fulfill their Christian duties satisfy the obligation: for so often they are present at the Sacrifice of the Mass and at public prayers, which are made for the dead or even for them.¹

¹ Aertnys-Damen, I, n. 372, question 30.

We now speak of Infidels who are without, not baptized.

The Saintly Doctor proves this power admirably, first on 14. Lucae, where the King commands: Go out into the highways and hedges: and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. There those ministers are the preachers, who are commanded by Christ to seek the gentiles outside the city, in the highways and hedges, according to the exposition of St. Gregory in the Gloss. in cap. 14. Lucae, et homil. 36. in Evang.; but by the ways, however, of the city they seek the Jews, who were known to keep the law under urban conversation. And He commands them to compel these by terrors of eternal punishments, not by the torments of war, as the Saintly Doctor notes, but by most efficacious reasons, as St. Thomas also notes, quaest. 22. de ver. art. 9. et alii.

The Saintly Doctor shows the same at the end of Lucae, on those words of Christ: Sic oportebat Christum pati, et resurgere a mortuis: et praedicari in nomine eius poenitentiam, et remissionem peccatorum in omnes gentes — Thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise again from the dead: and that penance and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all nations. And He shows this right from Genesis 22: Benedicentur in semine tuo omnes gentes — In thy seed shall all nations be blessed. Genesis 49: Ipse erit expectatio gentium — He shall be the expectation of nations. Psalm 2: Postula a me, et dabo tibi gentes — Ask of me, and I will give thee the nations. Ego autem sum Rex ab eo constitutus, praedicans praeceptum eius — But I am a king set up by him, preaching his command. Isaiah 49: Dedi te in lucem gentium — I have given thee for a light of the nations.

The Saintly Doctor confirms this, in 3. dist. 14. dub. 4., on that word of Matthew at the end: Data est mihi omnis potestas in caelo, et in terra. Euntes ergo docete omnes gentes — All power is given to me in heaven and on earth. Going therefore, teach all nations. Having premised this, he shows it from this place in 4. dist. 3. p. 2. quaest. 1. ad quintum.

And the Apostle, 2 Corinthians 5: Posuit in nobis verbum reconciliationis: Pro Christo ergo legatione fungimur — He hath placed in us the word of reconciliation: for Christ therefore we are ambassadors.

Since, therefore, with his divine power He has sent preachers as Legates to announce the Gospel, they have the right of coercing those who would wish to hinder this preaching; for such power belongs to a King for coercing those who would wish to hinder his own Legates, as is clear ex l. 2. ff. de his, quibus mandata est iurisdictio, C. Praeterea de officio delegati. Thus the Doctors commonly hold, as in Tanner 2. 2. disp. 1. quaest. 9. dub. 1. num. 10. et sequent.

There are, however, several questions about these.

The first is: To whom belongs the authority of sending preachers to the Infidels.

The Saintly Doctor answers, in opusculo. Quare fratres minores praedicent, that it belongs to the Pope and to the other Pastors, from Lucae 10. Hence Innocent, on that word of Rom. 10, Quomodo praedicabunt, nisi mittantur — How shall they preach unless they be sent, cited in cap. cum ex iniuncto de haereticis, says that no one ought to usurp the office of preaching for himself indiscriminately. This the Saintly Doctor proves from those words of Christ: Rogate ergo dominum messis, ut mittat operarios in messem suam — Pray therefore the lord of the harvest, that he send labourers into his harvest. Matthew 9.

But it belongs to Princes to defend the Missionaries, not directly by reason of their own jurisdiction, but as they are ministers of the Pontiff. Thus Alexander VI divided the Provinces of the Indies between the Kings of Castile and Portugal, so that they might defend the preachers and those sent into them.

That they may be accompanied by armed armies, so that they may go in safety, is taught by Maior 2. dist. 44. quaest. 2. et newly by Joannes Solorzano in Diana, 6. p. tract. 4. resol. 15.

The opposite, however, is held by Lugo disp. 19. sect. 2. §. 1., together with Suarez disp. 18. de fide.; Hurtado disp. 75.; Castro Palao Tom. 1. tract. 4. disp. 2. p. 5.

They prove it from that Matth. 10., where Christ sends the Apostles: Sicut agnos inter Lupos, sine baculo, etc. — As sheep among wolves, without staff, etc. But now our question is: Whether, if the preaching of the Gospel is offered peacefully and the Infidels refuse to hear it, they can be compelled by force of arms to hear it.

The first opinion is the affirmative one of Maior loc. cit.

The second is negative. So Valencia quaest. 10. p. 6. et, as Salmeron indicates, T. 12. tract. 38.; Coninck disp. 18. dub. 14. num. 24.; Cajetan, Bannes, Aragon 2. 2. quaest. 10. art. 8. et others commonly, as in Tanner disp. 1. quaest. 9. dub. 1. It seems also to be St. Bonaventure's, ad 9. Lucae, on those words: Nescitis cuius spiritus estis — You know not of what spirit you are.

The third, middle opinion asserts that unbaptized infidels are subjects of Christian Princes only. So Suarez disp. 18. sect. 2.; Hurtado disp. 75. sect. 3., who prove it from the Bull of Gregory XIII, compelling the Jews to hear our faith every week, only from a sermon. The same holds Scotus, 4. dist. 4. quaest. ult.; Castro lib. 2. de haeret. punit. cap. 14.

I assert this opinion with St. Bonaventure. It is proved from him. For Christ rebuked the disciples wishing to punish the Samaritans who refused to receive Christ, Lucae 9; and they are rebuked because it did not belong to the Apostles to coerce with punishments, since it had been said to them: Sicut misit me Pater, et ego mitto vos — As the Father hath sent me, I also send you. He Himself, when sent, was to announce to the gentle, anointed with the unction of love, as is said Isaie 61. et .42.: Dedi spiritum meum super eum: Calamum quassatum non conteret, et linum fumigans non extinguet — I have given my spirit upon him: the bruised reed he shall not break, and the smoking flax he shall not extinguish. Hence He answered the disciples there: Nescitis cuius spiritus estis. Filius hominis non venit animas perdere, sed salvare — You know not of what spirit you are. The Son of man came not to destroy souls, but to save. For this advent was not of justice, but of mercy, Ioan. 3: Non misit Deus Filium suum, ut iudicet mundum, sed ut salvetur mundus per ipsum — God sent not his Son to judge the world, but that the world be saved by him; whence from this He took the name JESU, Matth. 1., not Alexander's, not Caesar's. And therefore whoever has the Spirit of God ought not to seek vengeance, but to show patience, as Ambrose says in the Gloss there: Perfecta virtus non habet studium ultionis. Nec ulla est iracundia charitatis, sed plenitudo — Perfect virtue has no zeal for revenge. Nor is there any anger in charity, but fullness. Therefore it is said, Rom. 12. Non vosmetipsos defendentes charissimi, etc. — Not defending yourselves, most beloved, etc. These things, St. Bonaventure, locis citatis.

From which I see that he inclines to the opinions denying that any coercion whatsoever can be inflicted upon Infidels.

Nor does the power of preaching given by Christ entail the power of compelling to the sermon; otherwise a Preacher sent by a Bishop could compel hearers to the sermon.

The common opinion, therefore, is that outside infidels cannot be compelled to hear the faith; for no power for this given by Christ is found, as Lugo notes, loco citato, num. 65.

The first opinion is that infidels can be compelled to embrace the faith when sufficiently propounded. So Maior, 2. dist. 4., and indeed Genesius Sepúlveda, as in the Cardinal de Lugo disp. 19. sect. 2. §. 2.

The second opinion asserts this of infidels who are subjects in temporal things of a Prince coercing them to the faith; yet they assert this speaking of Divine law; for by Human law this coercion is prohibited. This Scotus teaches, 4. dist. 4. quaest. 7. at the end, and some of his School; Lorca asserts it probable, 3. disp. 36.

Others limit it to indirect coercion; but they deny it of direct. So Gabriel, dicta dist. 4. quaest. 2.; Angelus, as in Suarez disp. 18. sect. 3.

The common and true opinion altogether denies that infidels, whether they are subjects or not subjects, can be compelled to embrace the faith. So St. Thomas, quaest. 10. art. 8. and 12., where Cajetan and the other Thomists, Paludanus, Durandus, Antonius, Richardus, Sotus, Abul., Sylvester, Castro, Victoria and others, whom Suarez cites and follows above; Bannes, Aragon, Turrianus, Valencia, Azorias and others, whom Hurtado cites, disp. 75. sect. 2.; Coninck, disp. 18. dub. 14. num. 125.; Castro Palao, Tom. 1. tract. 4. disp. 2. p. 6.; Lugo, disp 19. sect. 2. §. 2.; Tannerus, disp. 1. quaest. 9. dub. 1., who reviews others. Add Bass., verb. Fides, 2. num. 8. And it is the opinion of St. Bonaventure, in 4. dist. 4. p. 1. art. 2. quaest. 1. arg. 4. opp., which he admits also in other places, adduced quaest. 3.

I assert with this opinion that infidels, whether subjects or not subjects, cannot be compelled to embrace the faith.

St. Gregory the Great commands this, lib. 11. epist. 15., cited in cap. Qui sincera, dist. 45., and the Fourth Council of Toledo, cap. 56. relatum eadem dist. cit. de Iudaeis. And Innocent III decrees the same in cap. Maiores, de Baptismo, where the Pontiff gives the reason: because it is against the Christian religion, which is the reason of St. Bonaventure: because the Evangelical Law is free; and it does not judge those that are outward, as the Apostle teaches, prima Corinth. 5., as St. Bonaventure notes, in 4. dist. 39. art. 2. quaest. 1.; and therefore the Saintly Doctor observes, ad 10. Lucae, the Mission of Christ: Ecce ego mitto vos, sicut Agnos inter Lupos — Behold I send you as sheep among wolves, where he says that the arms with which He wills the world to be brought to the faith are meekness, and not arms after the ancient manner; and he notes that Paul himself was thus converted, of whom it had been said, Genesi. 49. Beniamin Lupus rapax — Benjamin a ravening wolf, who, having been thrown from his horse by Christ the Monarch, yet convicted by arguments and lights, came of his own accord to the faith. Hence the adversaries bring forward this example in vain, as Lugo notes, num. 85. In this sense he expounds also that word of Lucae 14. Compelle eos intrare — Compel them to come in; that is, not by arms, but by heavenly motives; not by temporal punishments, but at most by the terror of eternal punishments, as St. Bonaventure expounds on this place: Arma enim militiae Christianae non sunt carnalia — For the arms of Christian warfare are not carnal, as is said 2. Cor. 10. St. Ambrose notes this, lib. 7. in Lucam. And he observes that the Apostles are forbidden to take up rods, which are signs of power, as the Saintly Doctor describes ad Psal. 22.; and in the commentary, cap. 22. Lucae, St. Bonaventure observes with St. Ambrose lib. 10. in Lucam, that it is commanded that for the time of the Passion alone the Apostles take up two swords for mere defense, and the Gloss adds: Donec sopita persecutorum insania, tempus euangelizandi redeat — Until the madness of the persecutors having been lulled, the time of evangelizing return. But if this coercive force did not remain in the Church, it does not appear how it could remain in Princes in regard to infidels: for to judge of the things of faith belongs to the Church.

But the Saintly Doctor proves this admirably ad 9. Lucae, on that remarkable event, when Christ was going to Samaria, and because the Samaritans were unwilling to receive Him for preaching, James and John wished to punish them with fire from heaven; but Christ rebuked them. Nescitis cuius spiritus estis. Filius hominis non venit animas hominum perdere, sed salvare — You know not of what spirit you are. The Son of man came not to destroy the souls of men, but to save; which place I weighed in the preceding question with St. Bonaventure. If some had weighed this, they would not have raged with such slaughter and savagery against the wretched infidels in distant lands, under the pretext of winning them to the Christian religion; on this see the Archbishop of Valencia in the history of America,^{1 1} Editor's note: the print reads 'vide Archiepiscopum Valentiz in historia Americz'; terminal 'z' is the OCR's garbling of the 'æ' ligature; rendered as 'Valentiæ in historiâ Americæ'.

It is proved by the Saintly Doctor ad 9. Lucae with reasons, because the nations ought to be moved to the faith voluntarily, in the spirit of rectitude; otherwise contentions and scandals arise, so that the nations say: Haeccine hic Christus eorum praecepit, qui se Salvatorem mundi praedicandum mandavit? — Did this Christ of theirs command, who bade himself be preached as the Savior of the world? Tanner also uses these, num. 4.

You will object, that Sisebutus King of Spain once compelled the Jews to Baptism, and he is praised by the Fourth Council of Toledo, cap. 56.; but King Ferdinand expelled the Jews from the kingdom.

It is answered, that the zeal of Sisebutus is praised, not the deed. Ferdinand indeed expelled the Jews by right, not wishing them to dwell in his kingdoms, lest they harm his subjects. So would that the bloodsuckers be driven out on every side.

You will object second, that St. Gregory Magn. lib. 3. epist. 26., cited in cap. Iam vero, 23. quaest. 6., seems to wish infidels to be compelled by exactions.

It is answered, that they are compelled indirectly and by right, by not remitting to them the tributes due, unless they be converted.

You will object third, the Laws enacted against Pagans and their rites, ut Lex prima, Lex Ne quis. Lex Nemo ea. Lex Nemo venerandi, C. de Paganis, which laws are praised by the Councils and Fathers, as in Suarez sect. 4.

It is answered, that those laws prohibit the sacrilegious cults of Demons and other things against the natural law, to which Princes have right by nature.

You will object fourth. Those baptized unwillingly are compelled to obey the Church, as is clear from the Fourth Council of Toledo, cap. 56., cited in cap. de Iudaeis, dist 45.

Lugo answers, num. 91., from St. Bonaventure, in 4. dist. 3. p. 1. art. 2. quaest. 1., that not all who are baptized unwillingly are so esteemed; but those who, driven by fear, so that they may avoid inconveniences, approach baptism; and these are said to be unwilling only in a certain respect.