Concerning the Burning of Bad Books

Saint Paul and the burning of pagan books at Ephesus, Lucio Massari, 1612

UT VITENT IGNIBUS IGNES

To Avoid Fires by Fires

or A Defense for the Burning of Bad Books

from diverse sources

J + M + J + A

...ipsius naturae judicium sit,

libros illos qui religioni aut bonis moribus officiunt,

omni modo extripandos, ut theologi omnes docent...

PROTESTATION

Zealously professing all that which the Holy Roman Church has always and everywhere held and taught – quod ubique, quod semper, quod ab omnibus creditum est – I humbly submit myself and this work to the judgement of Holy Mother Church and her lawful pastors. All that which may herein be found good belongs to Christ and His Church; all whatsoever which may be judged erroneous or found wanting belongs to myself alone and, if there be any, I recant and repent of it without reservation.

DEDICATION

This little work is lovingly dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

If it displeases her Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart,

I pray that it may burn and be forgotten.

Omnia ad majorem Dei gloriam.

Amen.

P R O ΠM I U M

The Purpose

___This article began as a small collection of quotations from venerable authors concerning the righteous burning of injurious books, which eventually broadened to include excerpts on the general subject of just censorship. As it grew in length, I thought this collection might be found more useful to others if strung together in a manner similar to that of the Catena Aurea. Although I had intended on expanding and further refining this work, I fly now from the world in order to discern with a religious community, so, God willing, I will be unable to continue this project. Please forgive its clumsy construction. (The first section is perhaps the roughest; the examples from the Saints are most edifying.)  Also, it should be noted that this work was compiled with the faithful Catholic in mind, so it will undoubtedly fall short as an apologetic for the unsympathetic reader.

The Argument in Brief

___Good books are – at least potentially – useful[1] to their reader(s): they are instruments for attaining higher goods, namely knowledge, virtue[2], and even sanctity[3]; good books should be praised, propagated, and protected – the better the book, the more so (even unto death, in the case of sacred works[4]) not condemned, prohibited, or destroyed[5].

[1. Books are here considered as "useful goods" (in the Thomistic sense); these do not increase the honor, worth, or virtue of their possessor, but they can be used as a means for obtaining higher goods (called honorable, valuable, or virtuous goods), which do.]

[2. This can, of course, include the virtue of eutrapelia, that of right recreation or wholesome leisure, as befits one's state; in this way, a book used for pleasure is still more than a mere pleasurable good.]

[3. —with and through the grace of God, of course.] 

[4. Many were made martyrs or confessors precisely for their refusal to surrender and/or burn the holy books; e.g. "At Rome, the commemoration of many holy martyrs, who, despising the edict of the emperor Diocletian, which ordered that the sacred books should be delivered up, preferred to surrender themselves to the executioners rather than to give holy things to dogs." (RM; cf. VM)] 

[5. St. Vincent, Deacon & Martyr, says that "fire was not created by God to burn holy books, but to torture the wicked for ever." (in VM)]

___Conversely, bad books[6], – even if they are, in some respect, perceived as useful – contravene their purpose as a useful good, for such as these are truly injurious[7] to their reader(s)[8]: such books, because of the errors which they contain, whether doctrinal or moral, endanger those higher goods mentioned above (true knowledge, virtue, and sanctity)—some even to the point of perdition; such books, for this reason, are not good books. Wherefore, as attested below, bad books, in proportion to their danger, should be condemned, prohibited, and (in many cases) even destroyed, certainly not praised or propagated, and not even protected (if they ought to be destroyed)—the worse the book, the more emphatically so.

[6. "Bad," meaning harmful to faith and/or morals, not poorly written; those, though unartful, ought to be tolerated (even if, perhaps, they be rejected by critics and instructors), with better works simply given every manner of preference.]

[7. Injurious, not as a weapon (wherewith the harm is principally directed against another [though wicked men often employ the written word in this manner]), but like a dangerously defective tool (the harm being directed against its user). E.g. A severely irradiated hammer might still drive a nail, but its usage will harm its user, unless extraordinary precautions are taken—yet not all workmen are so equipped; and, even if one were so equipped, it would, without grave cause, be impractical (if not immoral) to go to such lengths, thereby endangering oneself for so little benefit. Such a tool, therefore, should not be put into general circulation, but either destroyed or locked up, lest an unwitting workman be injured, whereas a good hammer would serve the workman's purpose just as well and without causing him harm.]

[8. Not all food is fit for all folk, and some things are unfit to be eaten by any.]

TOLLE, LEGE

___For a more systematic defense and explanation of the prohibition of injurious writings, see "On the Utility and Necessity of Prohibiting Harmful Books," by St. Alphonsus, the first chapter of which may be read here in English, and the original Latin text may be read here in full.

___For an exhaustive treatment of what constitutes a bad book and other related points, see The Roman Index of Forbidden Books: Briefly Explained for Catholic Booklovers and Students, by Fr. Francis Sales Betten, S.J., which may be read here.

NOTE EPLAINING THE FORMATTING: 

Of what follows: 

Excepting the SECTION HEADINGS, 

all black text is a quotation;

the Authors, context, and (Citations) are given in red. 

Even in a quotation's text the Names of supportive authors are signified in red.

All blue, italicized text belongs to the editor (Little Gualbert), 

the SUBHEADINGS are given in blue to stand out from the quotation text. 

The Questions are an additional guide*, demarcating general lines of thought. 

[*Ideally, these would be included as marginalia.] 

Nearly all emphasis, found in the quotations, is added:

the central points or key words are in bold;

the details or explanation of these points are underlined; 

all italics are original emphasis.

Some of the quotations have been stitched together from different parts of the same source ; in which case, the seams are indicated by a bold, blue semicolon, as shown here ; if these excerpts are from a different work of the same author, the seam will include a (Citation) ; as shown here (with a Different Citation).

These markings are intended to be helpful; 

please forgive me if they are merely an eyesore.

NOTE: Many of the Church's positive laws quoted or referenced below have been abrogated; the moral principles of the natural law, however, – which inform all of these – have not been.

 

Index Librorum Prohibitorum, 1711

Note the illustration: the Holy Ghost supplies the hearts of Sts. Peter & Paul with fire to burn evil books

A D   F O N T E S

I.

THAT SOME BOOKS ARE INJURIOUS

AND THAT THESE OUGHT TO BE DETESTED

Are some books harmful?

1.

THAT SOME BOOKS ARE INJURIOUS

St. Alphonsus: Truly, The reading of spiritual works is as profitable as the reading of bad books is noxious. (TS)

Clement XIII: They pollute the pure waters of belief and destroy the foundations of religion. (CR)

Tridentine Fathers, approved by Pius IV: And regard must be had not only of faith, but of morals also, which are wont readily to be corrupted by the reading of such books ; which professedly treat of, relate, or teach lascivious or wanton subjects (CPB)

Leo XIII: Consider this noxious literature. Nothing can be conceived more pernicious, more apt to defile souls, through its contempt of Religion, and its manifold allurements to sin. (OM)

Bp. Morrow: Many novels are harmless; some are very helpful, but many are positively wicked. We must, therefore, be very careful in the selection of the books we read. (MCF)

Rev. Kinkead: Thus, The Church considers bad all books containing teaching contrary to faith or morals, or that wilfully misrepresent Catholic doctrine and practice. (BC-3)

Note well that Not all papers that bear the name of Catholic are worthy of it. A truly Catholic paper is one that teaches or defends Catholic truth, and warns us against its enemies, their snares, deceptions, etc. ; Also, A given book may not be bad in itself, but it may be bad for you, either because it is suggestive of evil, or you misunderstand it, and take evil out of it. In such a case you should not read it. ; Further still, You should avoid not only bad, but useless books. You could not waste all your time with an idle man without becoming like him--an idler. So if you waste your time on useless books, your knowledge will be just like the books--useless. Many authors write only for the sake of money, and care little whether their book is good or bad, provided it sells well. How many young people have been ruined by bad books, and how many more by foolish books! (BC-4) 

Bp. Morrow: We must remember that poisonous food will only kill the body, but poisonous reading kills the soul. (MCF) 

Are these 'bad books' numerous?

2.

THAT SUCH BOOKS ABOUND

Council of Trent: Regrettably, The number of suspected and pernicious books, wherein an impure doctrine is contained, and is disseminated far and wide, has in these days increased beyond measure. (EC-19)

Gregory XVI: We are horrified to see what monstrous doctrines and prodigious errors are disseminated far and wide in countless books, pamphlets, and other writings which, though small in weight, are very great in malice. We are in tears at the abuse which proceeds from them over the face of the earth. (MV)

Rev. Kinkead: At the present time there are so many bad books that persons should be very careful as to what they read. (BC-4)

Whence cometh these bad books?

3.

THAT SUCH BOOKS ARE WORKS AND WEAPONS OF THE ENEMY

Bl. Pius IX: You are certainly aware, our beloved sons and venerable brothers, that every kind of impious and deceitful writing, lies, calumny, and blasphemy has been let loose from hell. (QCM)

Roman Catechism: For those who intended to corrupt the minds of the faithful, knowing that they could not hold immediate personal intercourse with all, and thus pour into their ears their poisoned doctrines, adopted another plan which enabled them to disseminate error and impiety more easily and extensively. (CCT)

Bl. Pius IX: The crafty enemies of the Church and human society attempt to seduce the people in many ways. But One of their chief methods is the misuse of the new technique of book-production. (NN) Such unwholesome books emerge everywhere; in them the most skillful fabricators of lies attempt to mislead everyone by corrupt and evil opinions of all sorts and to confuse things human and divine in order to cause the foundations of Christian and civil society to collapse. (CN)

St. Alphonsus: Now, The first author of pious books is the Spirit of God; but the author of pernicious writings is the devil. (TS)

Second Council of Constantinople: And we count along with the devil, the father of lies, the uncontrolled tongues of heretics and their heretical writings, together with the heretics themselves who have persisted in their heresy even to death. (EC-5)

Clement XIII: Thus, the secondary authors of these books are men: For accursed men, who have given themselves over to myths and who do not uphold the stronghold of Sion from all sides, vomit the poison of serpents from their hearts for the ruin of the Christian people by the contagious plague of books which almost overwhelms us. (CR)

Bl. Pius IX: Hostile men in these lamentable times never stop planting thorns in the Lord’s field, first with destructive and ephemeral books and then with monstrous and depraved suppositions plainly opposed to Catholic faith and dogma. (A)

Roman Catechism: Besides those voluminous works by which they sought the subversion of the Catholic faith [...] they also composed innumerable smaller books, which, veiling their errors under the semblance of piety, deceived with incredible facility the unsuspecting minds of simple folk. (CCT)

Pius IV: Yet, truly, the reading of books published by heretics is wont not only to corrupt mere simple men, but also to lead learned and erudite men into various errors and opinions, foreign to the truth of the Catholic faith, (DG)

Leo X, at Lateran Council V: Yet, despite the magnitude of these perils, Some printers have the boldness to print and sell to the public, in different parts of the world, books, [... in various languages], containing errors opposed to the faith as well as pernicious views contrary to the christian religion and to the reputation of prominent persons of rank. Wherefore The readers are not edified. Indeed, they lapse into very great errors not only in the realm of faith but also in that of life and morals. This has often given rise to various scandals, as experience has taught, and there is daily the fear that even greater scandals are developing. (EC-18)

But... are not men free to publish and read whatsoever they like?

4.

THAT THE ABSOLUTE LIBERTY OF THE PRESS IS CONDEMNED

AND THE DANGERS OF THIS LIBERTY UNFETTERED

Leo XIII: In this warfare, many and varied are the stratagems and hurtful devices of the enemy; but most perilous of all is the uncurbed freedom of writing and publishing noxious literature. (OM)

Bl. Pius IX: Consider this proposition, put forward by the enemy of souls: “that a right resides in the citizens to an absolute liberty, which should be restrained by no authority whether ecclesiastical or civil, whereby they may be able openly and publicly to manifest and declare any of their ideas whatever, either by word of mouth, by the press, or in any other way” ; —this is an erroneous opinion, most fatal in its effects on the Catholic Church and the salvation of souls, called by Our Predecessor, Gregory XVI, an “insanity.” ; But, while they rashly affirm this, this so-called liberty (of speech, expression, and press), they do not think and consider that they are preaching, what St. Augustine called, the “liberty of perdition.” (QC)

St. Leo the Great: Nor do they consider that if human arguments are always allowed free room for discussion, there will never be wanting men who will dare to resist truth, and to trust in the flowing speech of human wisdom; whereas we know, from the very teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ, how carefully Christian faith and wisdom should avoid this most injurious babbling. (in QC)

St. Paul, in Holy Writ: For it is written: some going astray, are turned aside unto vain babbling. (1Tim.I.6) But shun profane and vain babblings: for they grow much towards ungodliness. And their speech spreadeth like a canker. (2Tim.II.16-17)

Clement XIII: Moreover, if it is necessary to avoid the company of evildoers because their words encourage impiety and their speech acts like a cancer, what desolation the plague of their books can cause! Well and cunningly written these books are always with us and forever within our reach. They travel with us, stay at home with us, and enter bedrooms which would be shut to their evil and deception. (CR)

Rev. Kinkead: Again, Reading brings us into the company of those who wrote the book. Now we should be just as careful to avoid a bad book as a bad man, and even more so; for while we read we can stop to think, and read over again, so that bad words read will often make more impression upon us than bad words spoken to us.(BC-4)

St. Paul, in Holy Writ: Therefore, O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding the profane novelties of words, and oppositions of knowledge falsely so called. Which some promising, have erred concerning the faith. (1Tim.VI.20-21)

Gregory XVI: Thus, The teaching of those who reject the censure of books as too heavy and onerous a burden causes immense harm to the Catholic people and to this See. They are even so depraved as to affirm that it is contrary to the principles of law, and they deny the Church the right to decree and to maintain it. (MV)

Clement XIII: The distortion of this hateful error ; that is, the unaccustomed and offensive licentiousness of books ; and the boldness of the enemy has so increased, especially at this time, in sowing weeds among the wheat either in word or in writing that unless We lay the scythe to the root and bind up the bad plants in bundles to burn, it will not be long before the growing thorns of evil attempt to choke the seedlings of the Lord Sabaoth. (CR)

But... are there not enough good books to compensate for the bad?

5.

AGAINST THE OBJECTION OF ANTIDOTE

Gregory XVI: Some are so carried away that they contentiously assert that the flock of errors arising from them, such bad books, is sufficiently compensated by the publication of some book which defends religion and truth. Nevertheless, Every law condemns deliberately doing evil simply because there is some hope that good may result. Is there any sane man who would say poison ought to be distributed, sold publicly, stored, and even drunk because some antidote is available and those who use it may be snatched from death again and again? (MV)

But... what if a bad book is beautifully written and useful for its style?

6.

AGAINST THE OBJECTION OF ARTISTIC VALUE

St. John Bosco: Let me ask you this: Would you drink something you knew was poisoned just because it was offered to you in a golden cup? (Source?) 

St. Alphonsus: The devil [...] often artfully conceals from certain persons the poison that such works contain, and makes these persons believe that the reading of such books is necessary in order to speak well, and to acquire a knowledge of the world for their own direction, or at least in order to pass the time agreeably. (TS) [Nevertheless, permissions may sometimes be had; cf. §14 below.]

Bp. Morrow: Of Obscene literature. Bad newspapers and magazines are no less dangerous because their wickedness is often not apparent, many hiding their evil under the guise of cleverness, science, art, etc. Bad periodicals gradually undermine faith and make one insensitive to evil. (MCF)

Clement XIII: Then consider how they, those wicked authors, sprinkle their writings with a certain refined splendor, a seductive pleasantness of speech and allurement so as to penetrate more easily into the readers’ minds and infect them more deeply with the poison of their error. (CR)

St. Jerome: No one steps into a leaky boat if he wants to learn to avoid shipwreck; would you then turn your innocent soul to a book full of heresies in order to learn the Catholic truth? (in TM)

Gretserus: For these purposes you will find everything you need, but more pure, whole, and sincere in the writings of Catholic writers. What need is there to turn to those muddy little streams? Who would not more eagerly drink limpid water, than water tinctured with venom, even if he knows how to filter out the venom? At least the one who drinks water free of any contagion is spared the danger of death and the labor of filtration. (in TM)

St. John Bosco: Therefore, Never read books you aren't sure about. (Source?)

How then should bad books be regarded?

7.

THAT SUCH BOOKS OUGHT TO BE DETESTED AND AVOIDED

Bl. Pius IX: Never will there be grief enough over the corruption of morals so extensively increasing and promoted by irreligious and obscene writings. (QCM)

Clement XIII: Wherefore, In a word, they, the faithful, should detest books which contain elements shocking to the reader; which are contrary to faith, religion, and good morals; and which lack an atmosphere of Christian virtue. (CR)

Bl. Pius IX: So you, Bishops, realize very well what vigilant and careful efforts you must make to inspire in your faithful people an utter horror of reading these pestilential books. (NN) Along with Us, you, priests, detest the great number of pestilential books, pamphlets, magazines, and posters which the virulent enemy of God and man, that is, the devil, incessantly spews forth to corrupt morals, attack the foundations of faith, and weaken the most sacred dogmas of our religion. (IM)

But... should even Protestant Bibles be regarded with disgust?

8.

THAT HERETICAL BIBLES OUGHT TO BE ABHORED

St. Pius X: A Christian to whom a Bible has been offered by a Protestant or an agent of the Protestants should reject it with disgust, because it is forbidden by the Church. [...] And Why does the Church forbid Protestant Bibles? (CPX)

Bl. Pius IX: Since these (i.e. all unapproved and heretical translations) infringe the Church’s rules, they are consequently subverted and most daringly twisted to yield a vile meaning. (NN)

St. Paul, in Holy Writ: "Subverted", for, as it is written: A man that is a heretic [...] such an one, is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned by his own judgment. (Tis.III.11)

St. Pius X: Again, The Church forbids Protestant Bibles because, either they have been altered and contain errors, or not having her approbation and footnotes explaining the obscure meanings, they may be harmful to the Faith. It is for that same reason that the Church even forbids translations of the Holy Scriptures already approved by her which have been reprinted without the footnotes approved by her. (CPX) [Cf. Append. I & II]

Johanno-Pauline Code: Even today, For the publication of their (sacred scriptures') translations into the vernacular, it is also required that they be approved by the same authority and provided with necessary and sufficient annotations. (CIC-1983) 

EXCURSUS:

THAT HERETICS EMPLOY & ABUSE SACRED SCRIPTURE

St. Vincent of Lerins: Here, possibly, some one may ask, Do heretics also appeal to Scripture? They do indeed, and with a vengeance; (C)

St. Cyril, at the Council of Ephesus: remember that the followers of every heresy extract from inspired scripture the occasion of their error, and that all heretics corrupt the true expressions of the holy Spirit with their own evil minds and they draw down on their own heads an inextinguishable flame. (EC-3)

St. Vincent of Lerins: hardly ever do they bring forward anything of their own which they do not endeavour to shelter under words of Scripture. [...] But the more secretly they conceal themselves under shelter of the Divine Law, so much the more are they to be feared and guarded against. For they know that the evil stench of their doctrine will hardly find acceptance with any one if it be exhaled pure and simple. They sprinkle it over, therefore, with the perfume of heavenly language, in order that one who would be ready to despise human error, may hesitate to condemn divine words. (C)

How much more pernicious, therefore, must such a book be—the Holy Bible itself, translated or annotated, in part or in full, by heretics?

Bl. Pius IX: Therefore, you Bishops, Remind them, the faithful, explicitly with regard to divine scripture that no man, relying on his own wisdom, is able to claim the privilege of rashly twisting the scriptures to his own meaning in opposition to the meaning which holy mother Church holds and has held. It was the Church alone that Christ commissioned to guard the deposit of the faith and to decide the true meaning and interpretation of the divine pronouncements. (NN) 

Johanno-Pauline Code: Nevertheless, the Church presently allows that, With the permission of the conference of bishops, Catholic members of the Christian faithful in collaboration with separated brothers and sisters can prepare and publish translations of the sacred scriptures provided with appropriate annotations. ; Still, these, like any other Books of the sacred scriptures, cannot be published unless the Apostolic See or the conference of bishops has approved them. (CIC-1983) 

Pius IV: Recall what has already been said, that the reading of books published by heretics is wont [...] to lead even learned and erudite men into various errors. (DG)

Leo XIII: For although the studies of non-Catholics, used with prudence, may sometimes be of use to the Catholic student, he should, nevertheless, bear well in mind - as the Fathers also teach in numerous passages - that the sense of Holy Scripture can nowhere be found incorrupt outside of the Church, and cannot be expected to be found in writers who, being without the true faith, only gnaw the bark of the Sacred Scripture, and never attain its pith. (PD)

St. Jerome: Moreover, as for the reading of apocryphal scriptures, may it be said: Such A book I have never so much as read! For what is the good of soiling one’s hands with a book the Church does not receive? (in SP)

[[[Editor Note: Research further: Cfr. Clem. Alex. Strom. vii., 16; Orig. de princ. iv., 8; in Levit. hom. 4, 8; Tertull. de praescr. 15, seqq.; S. Hilar. Pict. in Matth. 13, I.]]]

Frontispiece, Giovanni Fabri, from the Index librorum prohibitorum, 1758 Roman edition

II.

THAT INJURIOUS BOOKS SHOULD BE

PREVENTED, CONDEMNED, PROHIBITED, 

REMOVED, AND (ORDINARILY) DESTROYED

What then should be done with bad books?

9.

THAT BAD BOOKS MUST BE

CONDEMNED, PROHIBITED, AND REMOVED

Clement XIII: We cannot neglect our duty in the face of these evil books. (CR)

Leo XIII: Wherefore the Church, who is the custodian and vindicator of the Integrity of Faith and Morals, fearful of so great an evil, has from an early date realized that remedies must be applied against this plague; and for this reason she has ever striven, as far as lay in her Power, to restrain men from the reading of bad books, as from a deadly poison. (OM)

St. Alphonsus: Hence the Fathers in their writings especially tried to steer the faithful from reading books of this sort. (TM)

Council of Trent: which indeed has been the cause that many censures have been, out of a godly zeal, published in divers provinces, and especially in the fair city of Rome. (EC-19)

Gregory XVI: It is evident that this Holy See has always striven, throughout the ages, to condemn and to remove suspect and harmful books. (MV)

Pius IV: Hence, no books and writings of any kind, which are disapproved in it (the Index) [which remains morally binding; cf. §15] either as heretical, or as suspected of heretical depravity, or as detrimental to piety and purity of morals, or at least, as requiring any correction, should after be read by the faithful in Christ. ; no one should dare to read or keep any books contrary to the prescriptions of these rules, and the prohibition of the index itself. (DG)

Rev. Hilgers: in this, the Church not only keeps within the limits of her right, but also forbids only as much as she is bound to forbid by reason of her office as teacher and guide of all the faithful. She suppresses only those books that are in fact dangerous to all, those writings which every man of common sense must call destructive to faith and morality. (CB)

St. Pius X: Further, The Holy See neglects no means to remove writings of this kind, but their number has now grown to such an extent that it is hardly possible to subject them all to censure. Hence it happens sometimes that the remedy arrives too late, for the disease has taken root during the delay. We will, therefore, that the Bishops putting aside all fear and the prudence of the flesh, despising the clamor of evil men, shall, gently, by all means, but firmly, do each his own part in this work. (PDG)

Bl. Pius IX: Consequently, you rightly understand how you must labor and ever be on your guard to keep the faithful from those poisonous pastures, to urge them on to eternal salvation, and to imbue them in greater measure with the teachings of the Catholic Church. (A; 14)

Pio-Benedictine Code: Therefore, Local Ordinaries and others having care of souls shall opportunely advise the faithful about the danger and harm of reading depraved books, especially prohibited ones. (CIC-1917)

Bl. Pius IX: Strive to avert and repel this deadly pestilence of books from your flock. (CN)

Clement XIII: Bishops, Reveal to the faithful the wolves which are demolishing the Lord’s vineyard. They should be warned not to allow themselves to be ensnared by the splendid writing of certain authors in order to halt the diffusion of error by cunning and wicked men. (CR)

Bl. Pius IX: With similar diligence instruct the faithful in the doctrines of Catholic religion by word and by writing. Defend the people from the contagion of so many diabolic errors. Warn them to stand firm and unmoveable in the profession of our most holy faith and to observe most diligently the laws of God and His holy Church, never allowing themselves to be deceived and led into error by the followers of perverse doctrine. (CN)

St. Pius X: Pursuant to these ends, We order that you, Bishops, do everything in your power to drive out of your dioceses, even by solemn interdict, any pernicious books that may be in circulation there. [...] Should a Bishop, therefore, after having taken the advice of prudent persons, deem it right to condemn any of such books in his diocese, We give him ample faculty for the purpose and We lay upon him the obligation of doing so. (PDG)

Leo XIII: Therefore, Let the Ordinaries, acting in this also as Delegates of the Apostolic See, exert themselves to proscribe and to put out of reach of the faithful injurious books or other writings printed or circulated in their dioceses. (OM)

Bl. Pius IX: Strive, you Bishops, to remove this deadly pestilence of books and magazines from the faithful given into your care [...] that opinions and doctrines opposed to the same See and its authority may be suppressed, and that the darkness of error is banished and the minds of men illumined with the sweet light of truth. (IM)

Congregation for Bishops: and he, the Bishop, should not neglect to criticize writings which could be harmful or spiritually dangerous for the faithful. ; if these writings have been widely circulated in the diocese and the danger to faith and morals is grave and certain, then he should also refute them publicly. (AS)

Bl. Pius IX: Therefore, you priests, never cease to lead the flock entrusted to your care away from these poison pastures. Never cease to instruct, defend, and confirm them against the deluge of so many errors; use salutary and opportune admonitions and publications to do this. (IM)

CDF, Card. Ratzinger: This task of vigilance [...] is a necessary task so that no harm may come to that sound teaching which the faithful have a right to receive. (LPEC)

Bp. Morrow: And for the family, Only good books and newspapers must be admitted into the Catholic home. (MCF)

Should this censorship come only after publication?

10.

THAT THE PUBLICATION OF BAD BOOKS MUST BE PREVENTED

St. Pius X: It is not enough to hinder the reading and the sale of bad books — it is also necessary to prevent them from being published. (PGD)

Leo X, at Lateran Council V: Therefore, in order to prevent (the skill of book-printing) what has been a healthy discovery for the glory of God, the advance of the faith, and the propagation of good skills, from being misused for the opposite purposes and becoming an obstacle to the salvation of Christians, we have judged that our care must be exercised over the printing of books, precisely so that thorns do not grow up with the good seed or poisons become mixed with medicines. (EC-18)

Bl. Pius IX: that you may the more easily and readily protect sound doctrine and good morals and close even avenues of approach to error and corruption, do not fail to inspect accurately all books, especially those which treat of philosophy, theology, and sacred matters and also those which deal with canon and civil law. (CN)

Rev. Hilgers: Hence, This censorship, mentioned above, [...] may be exercised in two ways, viz.: before the printing or publishing of a work, by examining it (censura prævia); and after the printing or publishing, by repressing or prohibiting it (censura repressiva). (CB)

CDF, Card. Ottaviani: Wherefore, The Church places its most firm hope in the vigilant care of the individual Ordinaries and of the Episcopal Conferences, who have both the right and the duty to examine and also to prevent the publication of harmful books.

St. Pius X: Hence, let the Bishops use the utmost strictness in granting permission to print. (PGD)

Congregation for Bishop: The Bishop knows that it is his right and duty in the Church to examine books and periodicals, if possible before publication, and if necessary to criticize or censure any that are harmful to faith or morals. (AS)

Council of Trent: and all this, that is, both the approbation and the examination, shall be done gratis, that so what ought to be approved, may be approved, and what ought to be condemned, may be condemned. (EC-19)

Can a bad book be amended?

11.

THAT SOME BAD BOOKS MAY BE EXPURGATED

AND SUBSEQUNETLY APPROVED

Tridentine Fathers, approved by Pius IV: Books, whose prominent subject is good, in which, however, some things are incidentally inserted, which have a tendency to heresy or impiety, divination or superstition, may be allowed, when expurgated by Catholic theologians, by the authority of a general inquisition. (CPB)

Pio-Benedictine Code: A book that in any manner is prohibited cannot once again be brought out unless, the corrections having been made, permission is given by him who prohibited the book, or by his Superior or successor. (CIC-1917 ; C.1398, §2)

Tridentine Fathers, approved by Pius IV: Those books, which sometimes come forth as the works of heretical authors, in which they set down little or nothing of their own, [...] should they contain any matter mixed with them, which may require expurgation, those matters being first taken away or corrected by advice of the bishop or inquisitor together with the advice of Catholic theologians, may be permitted. (CPB)

Congregation for Bishops: Again, Permission to publish a new edition of a censured book should be given only when the requested amendments have been made. (AS)

As bad books cannot even be kept, what must be done with them?

12.

THAT BAD BOOKS SHOULD (ORDINARILY) BE DESTROYED

OR (OTHERWISE) SURRENDURED TO AN AUTHORITY

Rev. Hilgers: Down to more recent times, forbidden books were got out of the way in the simplest manner, by destroying or confiscating them. (CB)

St. Alphonsus: Nature herself teaches that books offending religion or good morals should be destroyed by all possible means. All theologians teach the same. (TM)

Rev. Kinkead: Immodest books and newspapers, for example, should be destroyed as soon as possible, and if we cannot destroy them ourselves we should induce their owners to do so. (BC-3)

Clement XIII: Indeed, It is necessary to fight bitterly, as the situation requires, and to eradicate with all our strength the deadly destruction caused by such books. The substance of the error will never be removed unless the criminal elements of wickedness burn in the fire and perish. (CR)

St. Alphonsus: Hence councils, Pontiffs, and saintly princes, by both pen and voice, by both censure and other penalties, were all for the extirpation of books that in any way worked to pollute faith and morals. (TM)

Gregory XVI: Indeed, The Church has always taken action to destroy the plague of bad books. This was true even in apostolic times for we read that the apostles themselves burned a large number of books. For it is held that St. Paul himself oversaw the burning at Ephesus: (MV)

St. Luke, in Holy Writ: And many of them who had followed curious arts, brought together their books, and burnt them before all;—(Act.XIX.19)

Rev. Haydock: Curious arts. By which are here meant books of divination and magic art.

Cornelius à Lapide: Much more ought the books of Heretics be incinerated, as they are more harmful. (CA)

St. Pius X: Wherefore, If it ; a Protestant Bible ; was accepted by inadvertence, it must be burnt as soon as possible or* handed in to the Parish Priest. (CPX)

St. Luke, in Holy Writ: continuing:—and counting the price of them, they found the money to be fifty thousand pieces of silver. (Act.XIX.19)

Cornelius à Lapide: Christians should learn from this to burn magical, heretical, and impure books, regardless of their value in gold, because the harm they cause cannot be measured by any amount of gold. (CA)

Rev. Haydock: Such baneful productions should be destroyed; for although they may possibly produce no bad effect during the life of the present possessors, no one can pretend to say into what hands they will afterwards fall, nor what evil they may hereafter occasion. (HC)

[*NOTE: As few priests have, in these woeful times, been trained to handle such books properly, it may be prudent to give preference to the former option.]

In her capacity as ruler, the Church makes regulations forbidding what is dangerous or sinful, as when she prohibits the reading of dangerous books and magazines. (MCF)

III.

THAT INJURIOUS BOOKS

NEED NOT ALWAYS BE DESTROYED

BUT THAT SOME MAY, FOR A JUST REASON,

BE RETAINED AND READ BY PERMITTED PERSONS

Can permissions be had to keep and read certain bad books?

13.

THAT PERMISSIONS MAY SOMETIMES BE HAD

TO KEEP AND READ CERTAIN PROHIBITED BOOKS

Rev. Betten: He must either destroy it or give or sell it to some one who has permission or he must obtain permission for himself. (RI)

Pio-Benedictine Code: As Canon Law once dictated: Can.1398§1. The prohibition of books brings it about that the prohibited book cannot be published, read, retained, sold, translated into another language, or in any other way communicated to others without necessary permission. (CIC-1917)

Rev. Betten: It is to be remarked, however, that Catholic librarians or servants do not violate this law, by keeping, handling or cataloguing forbidden books for their employer in the latter's house, or, for instance, in a public library. (RI)

Rev. Jone: Such Permission to read forbidden books may be had either according to the general rules of Canon Law or by special permission of a competent superior. (MT) Thus, some may be generally exempted, others specifically excused.

Pio-Benedictine Code: Under the previous Code, the following were exempted: Can.1401 Cardinals of the H. R. C., Bishops, even titular ones, and other Ordinaries, observing due precautions, are not restricted by the ecclesiastical prohibition* of books. [*Cf. §16]

Rev. Jone: The following are examples of those who were excused in some regard: all those who are in any manner engaged in theological or biblical studies may use the editions of the original text and all translations (even those unapproved, as discussed above) of Holy Scripture, provided the editions and translations are faithful and complete and they do not attack Catholic dogma in their introductions or annotations (C. 1400). This permission therefore extends to priests who continue their studies. (MT)

Rev. Jone: Furthermore, In case of necessity one may presume permission to read such books, if there is not sufficient time to have recourse to a competent superior for permission. (MT)

Rev. Betten: If we have a good reason to apply for permission — curiosity is not a good reason — then and then only can we expect a special protection from Divine Providence. ; Even still, humility is necessary: it is related of a certain priest, who has meanwhile died the death of the just [...] : In writing a work on Voltaire he had to study the books of that arch-agnostic. He obtained the requisite permission, but, while perusing Voltaire's writings, he was on his knees, to implore, as it were, by this humble posture the protection of God against the wicked influence to which he was exposed. (RI)

Why are such permissions given?

14.

THE PRINCIPAL REASONS FOR GRANTING SUCH PERMISSIONS

Most importantly, to refute the errors that such books contain:

Council of Constance: For example: This holy synod [...] forbids the reading, teaching, expounding and citing of the said books of John Wyclif or of any one of them in particular, unless it is for the purpose of refuting them. It forbids each and every Catholic henceforth, under pain of anathema, [...] to teach, approve or hold the said books, or to refer to them in any way, unless this is done, as has been said, for the purpose of refuting them. (EC-16)

St. Jerome: And if my opponents allege that I have done more than anyone else to form a collection of Origen's books, I answer that I only wish I could have the works of all theological writers that by diligent study of them, I might make up for the slowness of my own wits. I have made a collection of his books, I admit; but because I know everything that he has written I do not follow his errors. [...] I have read Origen, I repeat, I have read him; and if it is a crime to read him, I admit my guilt: indeed, these Alexandrian writings have emptied my purse. (JL-84)

Permissions may also be granted for professional reasons:

Rev. Jone: For example: Those who cannot omit reading the obscene classics without great disadvantage to themselves are excused from this prohibition in as far as it is of ecclesiastical* origin. (MT) [*Cf. §16]

Or, similarly, for educational purposes (observing due precautions):

Tridentine Fathers, approved by Pius IV: For example: the ancient books written by the heathens, are permitted by reason of the elegance and propriety of their language; on no account, however, are they to be used by boys in their lessons. (CPB)

Bl. Pius IX: Thus they (seminarians, namely) may acquire not only elegance in speaking and writing (this eloquence being both from the wisest works of the Holy Fathers and from the most renowned pagan authors expurgated of all flaws), but also an especially full and solid knowledge of the history of theological doctrines, ecclesiastical history, and the sacred canons, acquired from a source approved by this Apostolic See. (IM)

Are such permissions absolute?

15.

THAT ECCLESIASTICAL PERMISSIONS CANNOT DISPENSE

FROM THE PROHIBITIONS OF THE NATURAL LAW

Pio-Benedictine Code: Can.1405§1. Nevertheless, Permission obtained from anyone in no way exempts one from the prohibition in natural law against reading books that present a proximate spiritual danger to oneself. 

That is to say, persons can be excused insofar as reading a given book would not be for them a near-occasion of sin (whether against faith (by heresy), chastity (by impurity), studiosity (by curiosity), etc.)—for not even the Church can dispense from these natural prohibitions.

Rev. Betten: Suppose, on the other hand, there were no Church laws prohibiting pernicious reading. In that case should we be allowed to read any book we pleased? By no means. [...] But, as already hinted, there is another duty imposed on us by God Himself — the grave duty to guard our soul from serious danger. This duty does not depend on any positive law or decree of authority [...] This grave duty, therefore, is not imposed by the Church and cannot be taken away by the Church. It is a natural duty. (RI)

St. Alphonsus: not even the Pope Himself could permit someone to read a book that could be damaging to his faith. (TM)

Thus, in 1966, regarding the Index of Forbidden Books, the Holy Office authoritatively clarified:

CDF, Card. Ottaviani: the Index remains morally binding, in light of the demands of natural law, in so far as it admonishes the conscience of Christians to be on guard for those writings that can endanger faith and morals. But, at the same time, it no longer has the force of ecclesiastical law with the attached censure. (N) Thus, books which pose such a danger are still morally forbidden, though without the additional prohibition and attached penalty of ecclesiastical law.

Rev. Jone: Conversely, without the necessary permission, A forbidden book remains such even though it does not constitute dangerous reading in an individual case. (MT)

Legal Proof Of Books. Autodafe, 1600 Cristobal Llorens

IV.

EXAMPLES OF THE PRESERVATION OF INJURIOUS BOOKS

FROM THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH

AND THE LIVES OF THE SAINTS

16.

EXAMPLES OF THE PRESERVATION OF INJURIOUS BOOKS

Rev. Hilgers relates: It is worthy of note that when the Roman synod of 745 ordered the burning of the superstitious writings sent by St. Boniface to the Apostolic See, Pope St. Zachary ordered them to be preserved in the pontifical archives. Again, while the provincial synod of Paris strictly forbade certain works of Aristotle as found in the erroneous Arabic edition, Pope Gregory IX (1231) merely suspended the use of these writings until they had been minutely examined and cleared of all suspicion. (CB)

Dr. Forbes, (whom I gather is against the destructive censorship of books) comments: The surprising thing is not that some books got burned in the conflict between moribund paganism and nascent Christianity, but that the burned books were so few. When early Christianity had to fight for its life and when it found obnoxious matter in so much of the pagan literature, it really exercised great tolerance in destroying few books except those that contained heresies or frontal attacks upon itself. (BB)

V.

EXAMPLES OF THE DESTRUCTION OF INJURIOUS BOOKS

FROM THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH

AND THE LIVES OF THE SAINTS

17.

ACTS AND ADMONITIONS:

OF THE SAINTS

Gregory XVI asserts: we read that the apostles themselves burned a large number of books. (MV)

St. Cyriacus, "Holy Helper" (d. 303), relates of himself: "One day I saw in a dream [...] our Lady, the holy birthgiver of God, and the two men with her John the Baptist and John the Evangelist. I went outside and begged them to come in and offer prayer in my cell, but they would not [...] she replied to me quite severely: "You have an enemy of mine in your cell, and you still want me to come in?" she said. Upon which she disappeared. I earnestly began to accuse myself and examine my conscience [...] but could not find any way in which I could have sinned against her. I could see that this was making me very depressed so I went and picked up a book, hoping that reading might drive away my mournful thoughts. The book I picked up was one I had borrowed from the blessed Isychius, a presbyter of the church of Jerusalem, but as I turned the book over I noticed that two treatises of the ungodly Nestorius were written at the end of it. I immediately recognised that this was the enemy spoken of by our Lady, the birthgiver of God, Mary ever virgin. I immediately got up and took the book back to the person who had lent it to me. "Take your book back, brother," I said to him, "for it has not done me as much good as it has harm." He wanted to know what harm it had done, so I told him the whole of what happened, whereupon he became so inflamed with zeal for God that he immediately tore the two Nestorian treatises out of the volume and consigned them to the fire. "There shall no enemy of our Lady the holy birthgiver of God, Mary ever virgin, remain in my house" he said." (DVP)

NOTE: From this story one might discern a just principle: only to destroy those bad books which are one's own property, or otherwise under one's rightful authority.

St. Pachomius (290-346): Upon smelling a terrible smell, he discerned that some men had been reading the works of Origin, and so he pronounced to them: "Before God I say to you that anyone who reads Origen and agrees with his depraved opinions will be sent to the lowest parts of Hell, where his inheritance will be worms and outer darkness, where the souls of the wicked suffer eternal punishment. See now, I have taken care to pronounce to you what has been revealed to me by God, so I am in the clear. You will know if you have spurned what is right. If you would agree with me and please God in all things, drown all the books of Origen in the river lest you be also drowned with them." (DVP)

St. Symmachus, Pope (d. 415): indeed Symmachus had burned the books of the Manichæans which he had found in Rome. (Butler's Lives 1897, VIII.452)

St. Porphyrius, Bishop (~347-420): at his direction, in Palestine, the idols were every where burned or thrown into the common sewers, and all books of magic and superstition were cast into the flames. (Butler's Lives 1897, II.440)

St. Augustine, Bishop & Doctor of Grace, (354-430) writes, concerning Magus, whom he converted: "He had perished, now he is sought, found, and brought in: he carries with him the books to be burned, by which he himself had been set on fire; that these having been sent into the flames, he himself might pass into refreshment." (on psalm 61(62))

St. Patrick, Bishop, "Apostle of Ireland" (387-493, or d. 461): Concerning him, it is written: The author of the Lecan declared that St. Patrick, at one time, burnt one hundred and eighty books of the Druids. "Such an example," he said, "set the converted Christians to work in all parts, until, in the end, all the remains of the Druidic superstition were utterly destroyed."—Deo gratias! (Irish Druids and Old Irish Religions, p.10) [As the Leabhar Mór Leacáin is written in Middle Irish, the editor (L.G.) cannot confirm this source's claim.]

St. Gelasius I, Pope (d. 496): of Roman birth, but of African family, succeeded Felix II. on the throne of S. Peter in 492. He signalized his assumption of power by exiling all the Manichaeans he could detect in Rome, and burning their books before the basilica of S. Maria Maggiore. (Butler's 1897, XIV.487) The Lives Of The Saints

St. Dominic and the Albigenses, the burning of heretical Albigensian books in the early 13th century, miraculous preservation, etc. "During a debate with the heretics, a book by the Saint, defending Her Immaculate Conception, was thrown into the flames along with one by the heretics, to see whether one might be spared. Saint Dominic's was not injured, and many heretics were converted." (Source? Brev?) [Arguably, St. Dominic may have only witnessed this act, without approving of it--I know too little.]

St. Luis IX, Confessor & King (1214-1270): On at least one occasion, this being in the year 1242, St. Luis, pursuant to the decrees of Pope Gregory IX, ordered that every Talmudic text in France be confiscated and burned; this, it is said, amounted to some 24 cartloads, or about 12,000 volumes. (Source?)

St. John of God, Confessor (1495-1550): In this earlier chapter of his life, before his time as a holy fool, When he found himself master of a little capital he determined to give up labouring work and become a peddler in books. Loaded with devout books and pictures he went through the town and the neighbouring villages to sell them, not so much to make money as to scatter good ideas and draw souls to God by pious reading. Bad or impious books he never carried, and he would willingly exchange good ones for them in order to consign them to the flames. (Light From The Lowly, 1884, I.329)

Bl. John of Minami, Martyr (1568-1603): during the persecution in the Kingdom of Fingo, the magistrates of this city forcibly dragged into the house of a bonze, a gentleman named John Minami, in order to place upon his head the book of his sect; for this was a sign of apostasy [...] When the bonze, who was seated on a kind of throne, raised the volume to place it on John's head, the servant of God, not being able to do anything else, spit upon the infamous book. (in VM)

St. Charles Garnier, Martyr (1606-1649): One of his brothers relates of him, that, seeing an indecent book, he bought and destroyed it, lest other boys should be injured by it. (Butler's 1897, VIII.749) The Lives Of The Saints

St. Louis de Montfort: I will begin with what happened at Poitiers, when Abbé de Villeroy, now Archbishop of Lyons, was then Vicar General. M. de Montfort gave a mission there by his order and under his supervision. All through the mission he worked hard to destroy the reign of sin in people’s hearts. He also tried to destroy the exterior works of the devil, such as books against religion and morals, which were then circulated in large numbers in this area by heretics and other wicked people. It seemed to him that in order to achieve this purpose he could do no better than imitate what St Paul did at Ephesus, when he collected all the books on magic he could find in the city and burnt them publicly. Our apostolic missionary thought that it would be appropriate to urge all the inhabitants of Poitiers who might have such books in their possession to bring them to him. He would then burn them in public and this could not fail to create a stir, which would discredit such bad books. His aim was good and he fervently hoped that its achievement would bring very good results. He collected a tremendous quantity of pornographic books which were brought to him from all sides. He piled them up ready for burning in a square of the town intending to set fire to them after a sermon in the church where he had preached the mission. (Joseph Grandet, Life of Messire Louis Marie Grignion, pp. 88-92)

St. Leonard of Port Maurice (1676 - 1751): "Before going on, let us gather on one side all the books and all the heresies of Luther and Calvin, and on the other side the books and heresies of the Pelagians and Semi-Pelagians, and let us burn them. Some destroy grace, others freedom, and all are filled with errors; so let us cast them into the fire." (The Little Number of Those Who Are Saved) [Evidently a mere mental exercise, but evocative nonetheless.]

St. Jean-Marie-Baptiste Vianney, Priest (1786-1859): he obliged a lady of Paris to consign to the flames all the bad books in her library before he consented to give her absolution. (TCA)

St. Bernardine of Siena burning (or overseeing the burning) of dangerous books – ref picture Vatican Museum, Rome, (Textual Source?)

Book burning during the Council of Nicaea, Carel Christiaan Antony Last, 1835

18.

OF THE GENERAL COUNCILS

First Council of Nicaea (325; First Ecumenical): First of all the affair of the impiety and lawlessness of Arius and his followers was discussed in the presence of the most pious emperor Constantine. It was unanimously agreed that anathemas should be pronounced against his impious opinion and his blasphemous terms and expressions which he has blasphemously applied to the Son of God [...] Against all this the holy synod pronounced anathemas, and did not allow this impious and abandoned opinion and these blasphemous words even to be heard. (EC-1)

First Council of Constantinople (381; Second Ecumenical): Canon 1: Every heresy is to be anathematised. (EC-2)

Council of Chalcedon (451; Fourth Ecumenical): We decree that [...] those decrees also remain in force which were issued in Constantinople by the 150 holy fathers in order to destroy the heresies then rife and to confirm this same catholic and apostolic creed. (EC-4)

Second Council of Nicaea (787; Seventh Ecumenical): Canon 9: All those childish baubles and bacchic rantings, the false writings composed against the venerable icons, should be given in at the episcopal building in Constantinople, so that they can be put away along with other heretical books. If someone is discovered to be hiding such books, if he is a bishop, priest or deacon, let him be suspended, and if he is a lay person or a monk, let him be excommunicated. (EC-7)

Fourth Council of Constantinople (869; Eighth Ecumenical): However, the salt of the earth has not lost its savour, [...] nor has the fire of divine charity lost its destroying and burning power over sinful and worthless material, [...] but the precious cornerstone, which was laid down in Sion, that is, in the church, upon which the foundation stone of the apostles and prophets was laid for the building up of the church, in our time has sent out from every one of the church’s established ranks, even into the ruling city, the new Rome, many other stones rolling over the land, as the prophet says, to destroy and lay waste the intrigues of those who desired and attempted to destroy truth and divine justice.

Canon 6: After recalling many of the wicked deeds of Photius, including his irregular council: The records of all these things have been seen by us, records which were cobbled together by him with evil intent and lying words, and all of which have been burnt during this very synod.

Canon 11: Condemning the error that a human being has two souls. ; Therefore this holy and universal synod is hastening to uproot this wicked theory now growing like some loathsome form of weed. Carrying in its hand the winnowing fork of truth, with the intention of consigning all the chaff to inextinguishable fire, and making clean the threshing floor of Christ, in ringing tones it declares anathema the inventors and perpetrators of such impiety and all those holding similar views; it also declares and promulgates that nobody at all should hold or preserve in any way the written teaching of the authors of this impiety. If however anyone presumes to act in a way contrary to this holy and great synod, let him be anathema and an outcast from the faith and way of life of Christians.

Canon 15: no bishop may sell or in any way dispose of precious objects or consecrated vessels except [...] for the redemption of captives. [...] Whoever buys or acquires any of the aforementioned precious objects or endowments and does not restore to the church what belongs to it and does not hand over for burning the bills of sale or leases, is anathema until he does what has been determined by this holy and universal synod. (EC-8)

Council of Constance (1414-1418; Sixteenth Ecumenical): "The Archbishop of Prague, judicially decreed that the books of the same John Wyclif were to be burnt and he forbade the reading of those that survived. [...] So also, the Roman pontiff condemned the said books, treatises and pamphlets at the lately held council of Rome, ordering them to be publicly burnt and strictly forbidding anyone called a Christian to dare to read, expound, hold or make any use of any one or more of the said books, volumes, treatises and pamphlets, or even to cite them publicly or privately, except in order to refute them. In order that this dangerous and most foul doctrine might be eliminated from the church’s midst, he ordered, by his apostolic authority and under pain of ecclesiastical censure, that all such books, treatises, volumes and pamphlets should be diligently sought out by the local ordinaries and should then be publicly burnt; [...] This holy synod, therefore, in the name of our lord Jesus Christ, in ratifying and approving the sentences of the aforesaid archbishops and of the council of Rome, repudiates and condemns for ever, by this decree, the aforesaid articles and each one of them in particular, and the books of John Wyclif called by him Dialogus and Trialogus, and the same author’s other books, volumes, treatises and pamphlets (no matter what name these may go under, and for which purpose this description is to be regarded as an adequate listing of them). It forbids the reading, teaching, expounding and citing of the said books or of any one of them in particular, unless it is for the purpose of refuting them. It forbids each and every Catholic henceforth, under pain of anathema, to preach, teach or affirm in public the said articles or any one of them in particular, or to teach, approve or hold the said books, or to refer to them in any way, unless this is done, as has been said, for the purpose of refuting them. It orders, moreover, that the aforesaid books, treatises, volumes and pamphlets are to be burnt in public."

This most holy synod of Constance therefore declares and defines that the articles listed below, [...] which the same John Hus at a public hearing [...] has confessed to be contained in his books and pamphlets, are not catholic and should not be taught to be such but rather many of them are erroneous, others scandalous, others offensive to the ears of the devout, many of them are rash and seditious, and some of them are notoriously heretical and have long ago been rejected and condemned by holy fathers and by general councils, and it strictly forbids them to be preached, taught or in any way approved. [...] this most holy synod therefore reproves and condemns the aforesaid books and his teaching, as well as the other treatises and pamphlets written by him in Latin or in Czech, or translated by one or more other persons into any other language, and it decrees and determines that they should be publicly and solemnly burnt in the presence of the clergy and people in the city of Constance and elsewhere. [...] In order that this pernicious teaching may be eliminated from the midst of the church, this holy synod also orders that local ordinaries make careful inquiry about treatises and pamphlets of this kind, using the church’s censures and even if necessary the punishment due for supporting heresy, and that they be publicly burnt when they have been found. (EC-16)

Council of Basel (1431-1449; Seventeenth Ecumenical): This holy synod therefore condemns and censures a certain book by master Augustine, commonly called “of Rome”, archbishop of Nazareth. [...] Further, this holy synod orders all archbishops, bishops, chancellors of universities and inquisitors of heresy, who are responsible in this matter, to ensure that nobody has the said book and supporting treatises or presumes to keep them with him, rather he shall consign them to these authorities, so that they may deal with them in accordance with the law: otherwise let such persons be proceeded against with canonical censures. (EC-17)

Fifth Lateran Council (1512-1517; Eighteenth Ecumenical): We therefore establish and ordain that henceforth, for all future time, no one may dare to print or have printed any book or other writing of whatever kind in Rome or in any other cities and dioceses, without the book or writings having first been closely examined, at Rome by our vicar and the master of the sacred palace, in other cities and dioceses by the bishop or some other person who knows about the printing of books and writings of this kind and who has been delegated to this office by the bishop in question, and also by the inquisitor of heresy for the city or diocese where the said printing is to take place, and unless the books or writings have been approved by a warrant signed in their own hand, which must be given, under pain of excommunication, freely and without delay. In addition to the printed books being seized and publicly burnt, payment of a hundred ducats to the fabric of the basilica of the prince of the apostles in Rome, without hope of relief, and suspension for a whole year from the possibility of engaging in printing, there is to be imposed upon anyone presuming to act otherwise the sentence of excommunication. Finally, if the offender’s contumacy increases, he is to be punished with all the sanctions of the law, by his bishop or by our vicar, in such a way that others will have no incentive to try to follow his example. (EC-18)

Council of Trent (1545-1563; Nineteenth Ecumenical): And wishing, as is just, to impose a restraint, in this matter, also on printers, who now without restraint,–thinking, that is, that whatsoever they please is allowed them,–print, without the license of ecclesiastical superiors, the said books of sacred Scripture, and the notes and comments upon them of all persons indifferently, with the press ofttimes unnamed, often even fictitious, and what is more grievous still, without the author’s name; and also keep for indiscriminate sale books of this kind printed elsewhere; (this Synod) ordains and decrees, that, henceforth, the sacred Scripture, and especially the said old and vulgate edition, be printed in the most correct manner possible; and that it shall not be lawful for any one to print, or cause to be printed, any books whatever, on sacred matters, without the name of the author; nor to sell them in future, or even to keep them, unless they shall have been first examined, and approved of, by the Ordinary; under pain of the anathema and fine imposed in a canon of the last Council of Lateran. (EC-19)

Pope Leo X supervising burning of Martin Luther's books after Diet of Worms, 1521.

19.

OF POPES NOT CANONIZED

Pope ___? : After examining the report, the pope condemned the Perils by a bull, dated October 5th, 1256, and ordered the book to be burnt. (Butler's Lives 1897, III.139)

Pope Leo X oversaw the burning of Martin Luther's books. (Source?)

Burning of Arian books at Nicaea, overseen by Emperor Constantine

(illustration from a compendium of canon law, ca. 825, MS. in the Capitular Library, Vercelli)

20.

OF CHRISTIAN EMPERORS

Rev. Haydock (1774-1849), in his biblical commentary on Act.XIX.19, relates: "The Christian emperors, Constantine the Great (~274-337), Valentinian (321-375), Theodosius (347-395), Marcian (~390-457), and Justinian (~483-565), have made laws not less strict for destroying, than those of the Church for proscribing, the use of wicked books, where danger is likely to ensue." (HC)

Constantine decreed: "if any treatise composed by Arius should be discovered, let it be consigned to the flames" (Ecclesiastical Histories, Philip Schaff, Book I, Ch.IX)

In 435 and again in 448 Theodosius and Valentinian commanded the public burning of unorthodox books, and particularly those of Nestorius, in order to curb the Nestorian heresy and to support the decisions of the Councils of Nicaea and Ephesus. (BB)

 

Theodosius and Valentinian to Leontius, Prefect of the City: "Let no one venture to either have in his possession, read, or copy, the impious books of the wicked and sacrilegious Nestor, written against the venerated sect of the orthodox, and the decrees of the Holy Convocation of bishops at Ephesus, and which We order shall be diligently sought out and publicly burned" (The Code of Justinian Book I, Title 5.6, Scott)

The Emperors Valentinian and Martian to Palladius, Praetorian Prefect: "Moreover, opportunity shall not be afforded to any Eutychians or Apollinarians to [...] discuss their heretical errors, or to assert the false claims of their wicked dogmas. Nor shall it be lawful for any of them either to say or write, publish or distribute anything against the Holy Synod of Chalcedon, or to repeat what has been said or written by others on this subject. No person of this kind shall dare to have the books, or preserve the sacrilegious memorials of writers, and if they are convicted of such crimes, they shall be condemned to perpetual deportation. [...] All treatises of this kind, and all books which contain the dangerous dogmas of Eutyches and Apollinaris, shall be committed to the flames, so that every trace of their wicked perversity may be destroyed by fire." (The Code of Justinian, Book I, Title 5.8, Scott)

In 455 Marcian, the successor of Theodosius on the throne, fulminated with a decree for the burning of any books or writings which supported the dogmas of Apollinarius, the fourth century heretic of Laodicea, and of Eutyches, another heretic of similar views. (BB) 

So also, In the year 363 or 364 Emperor Jovian, the immediate successor of the apostate Julian on the throne of the eastern Roman empire, professed Christianity. As a document of his earnestness, he burned in the city of Antioch a library of pagan books that had been established there by Julian. The angry Antiochenes watched while all the books of the collection went up in smoke. (BB)

And In 398 Arcadius consigned the writings of Eunomius and his adherents to the flames. (BB)

In addition to these emperors, Cornelius à Lapide adds another by name: "Thus, the burning of the books of the Astrologers in the presence of the Bishops was sanctioned by Emperor Honorius (d. 423) and Theodosius I. Much more ought the books of Heretics be incinerated, as they are more harmful, as decreed by the same and other Emperors. The same decrees were sanctioned by Canons and Councils, especially those of Trent." (CA)

The Emperors Honorius and Theodosius to Caecilianus, Praetorian Prefect: "We decree that astrologers shall not only be banished from the City of Rome, but also from all other cities; unless, having burned all the books containing their errors under the eyes of the bishops, they are resolved to embrace the Christian religion, and never to return to their former errors. If, however, they should not do this, and should be found in any city, in opposition to Our Decree, or should teach the secrets of their false doctrines or profession, they shall be punished with deportation." (The Code of Justinian Book I, Title 4.11, Scott)

An edict of Theodosius II, 30 July, 435, condemned his (Nestorius') writings to be burnt. (NAN)

The Byzantine emperor (Tiberius II Constantine) decided that Gregory (Saint, later Pope, "the Great") was in the right, and ordered Eutychius's book to be burned. (PSG)

Burning of Martin Bucer’s and Paul Fagius’s bones and books at Cambridge, 6 February 1557

20.

OF CHURCHMEN AND OTHERS NOT CANONIZED

Finally, St. Alphonsus, Confessor & Doctor of Moral Theology (1696-1787) relates: "A young nobleman was reading one day, while at sea, an obscene book, in which he took great pleasure. A religious said to him: "Now come, would you give something to our Lady ?" "Yes," he answered ; and the other said, "I wish that, for love of the holy Virgin, you would tear that book in pieces and cast it into the sea." "Here it is, Father," said the young man. "No," said the religious, "I wish that you yourself would make this offering to Mary." He did so, and when he returned to Genoa, his native place, the mother of God so inflamed his heart with the love of God, that he became a religious." (GM)

HOLY MARY

OUR LADY OF HELP

EXTERMINATRIX OF HERESIES

✠  ✠  ✠    PRAY FOR US    ✠  ✠  ✠

Madonna del Soccorso di Morrovalle, Baldo De' Serofini, XVI century

B I B L I O G R A P H Y

The abbreviations are my own.

A - Amantissimus, On the Care of the Churches, Pope Pius IX, " 1862 A.D.

AS - Apostolorum Successores, Directory for the Pastoral Ministry of Bishops, 4 March 2004

• 141

BB - "Books for the Burning", Dr. Clarence Allen Forbes, 1936, in Transactions of the American Philological Society 67 (1936), pp.114-25.

• (Cod. Just. 1.1.3; Mansi Collectio conciliorum V 417.)

• (Cod. Just. 1.5.8.12.)

• (Suid. s.v. 'Iobiano&j; Jo. Antioch. Fr. 181) [sic.; poor OCR?]

• (Philostorg. 11.5; Cod. Theod. 16.5.34.)

• (Hil. Op. Hist. Fr. 3.27 (Migne x 674))

BC-3 - Baltimore Catechism No. 3, Supplemented by Rev. Thomas L. Kinkead, 1885

• Q. 1288.

• Q. 1287.

BC-4 - Baltimore Catechism No.4: An Explanation Of The Baltimore Catechism of Christian Doctrine, by Rev. Thomas L. Kinkead

C - Commonitorium, St. Vincent of Lerins

• Paragraph 64

• Paragraph 65

CA - Commentaria in Acta apostolorum, Cornelius à Lapide, S.J.

• XIX.19, p.285

CB - "Censorship of Books", Rev. Joseph Hilgers, S.J., in The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 3., 1908.

• (Mansi, XII, 380)

• (Du Plessis d'Argentré, Collectio judiciorum, I, 1, 133; Denifle, Charularium Universitatis Parisiensis, I, 70, 138)

• Motives of ecclesiastical laws regulating censorship

CCT - The Catechism of the Council of Trent (The Catechism for Parish Priests), [AKA "The Roman Catechism"] trans. John A. McHugh, O.P. and Charles J. Callan, O.P. (circa 1923)

• Introduction.

CIC-1917 - The 1917 or Pio-Benedictine Code of Canon Law: in English Translation with Extensive Scholarly Apparatus, 2001

• 

CIC-1983 - Code of Canon Law

• 825§2

• 825§1

CN - Cum Nuper, On Care for Clerics, Pius IX, 1858

• Paragraph 8.

CPB - Concerning Prohibited Books, 

• Rule VIII.

• Rule V.

CPX - Catechism of St. Pius X

• 31 Answer

• 32 Answer

CR - Christianae Reipublicae, On the Dangers of Anti-Christian Writings, Clement XIII, 1766

• Paragraph 1.

• Paragraph 2.

DG - Dominici gregis, Approbation of the Index of Prohibited Books, With the Rules Confirmed by the Fathers Deputed by the Holy Council of Trent, and the Prohibition to Keep or Read These Books, Pius IV, 1564

   [English: here]

DVP - De Vitis Patrum, Jerome and Others

• Book Ia, Life No. 6, Chapter XLIV

• Book X, Chapter XLVI, The wonderful vision of abba Cyriacus of the Laura of Calamon, and the two books of the ungodly Nestorius.

EC-1 - First Council of Nicaea,

• Letter of the Synod to the Egyptians

EC-3 - Council of Ephesus, 

• Letter of Cyril to John of Antioch about peace

EC-4 - The Council of Chalcedon, 

• Definition of the faith

EC-5 - Second Council of Constantinople, 553 A.D.

• Sentence against the “Three Chapters”

EC-7 - Second Council of Nicaea, 

EC-16 - Council of Constance, 

• Session 8

• Session 15

EC-17 - Council of Basel-Ferrara-Florence, 

• Session 22

EC-18 - Fifth Lateran Council, 1512-1517 A.D.

• Session 10, 4 May 1515

EC-19 - Council of Trent, 1545-1563 A.D.

• Session 18, On the Choice of Books, under Pius IV, 1562

• Session 4, Concerning the Edition and Use of the Sacred Books

EP - Enarrationo in Psalmum LXI, p.747

   [English: Exposition on Psalm 62]

GM - Glories of Mary, St. Alphonsus

• Of the Virtues, Various other Examples, Ex.2, p.680

HC - Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary, George Leo Haydock

• on XIX.19

IM - Inter Multiplices, Pleading for Unity of Spirit, Bl . Pius IX, 1853

• Paragraph 6.

• Paragraph 5.

• Paragraph 4.

JL-84 - Letter 84 (Jerome)

• Paragraph 3.

LPEC - Letter to the Presidents of Episcopal Conferences, CDF, Joseph Card. Ratzinger Prefect, 25 November 1990.

• Paragraph 9.

MCF - My Catholic Faith: A Manual of Religion, by the Most Reverend Louis Laravoire Morrow, S.T.D. Bishop of Krishnagar, 1949

• 24, p.96.

• 63, p.248.

• 66, p.258.

MT - Moral Theology, by Rev. Heribrt Jone, O.F.M. Cap., J.C.D. , 1962

• §401, p.272-273

MV - Mirari Vos, On Liberalism and Religious Indifferentism, Gregory XVI, 1832

• Paragraph 15.

• Paragraph 16.

N - Notification of 14 June 1966 (Latin in A.A.S., Vol.58 p.445).

NAN - "Nestorius and Nestorianism," John Chapman, in The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 10, 1911.

NN - Nostis Et Nobiscum, On the Church in the Pontifical States, Bl. Pius IX, 1849

• Paragraph 14.

OM - Officiorum ac munerum, Leo XIII, 1897

   [Unofficial English Translation: Officiorum ac Munerum ]

• Introduction.

• Paragraph 29. [translation as quoted in English of Pascendi]

PD - Providentissimus Deus, Leo XIII, 18 November 1893

• Paragraph 15.

PDG - Pascendi Dominici Gregis, On the Doctrine of the Modernists, St. Pius X, 1907

• Paragraph 51.

• Paragraph 52.

PSG - "Pope St. Gregory I ("the Great")," Gilbert Huddleston,  The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 6., 1909.

• As monk and abbot (c. 574-590).

QC - Quanta Cura, Condemning Current Errors, Bl. Pius IX, 1864

• Paragraph 3. (St. Augustine, epistle 105 (166).) (St. Leo, epistle 14 (133), sect. 2, edit. Ball.)

QCM - Quanto Conficiamur Moerore, On Promotion of False Doctrines, Bl. Pius IX, 1863

• Paragraph 12.

• Paragraph 3.

RI - The Roman Index of Forbidden Books: Briefly Explained for Catholic Booklovers and Students, Francis Sales Betten, S.J., 5th ed., 1920

• 6. Duties Imposed by Law and by Nature.

• Section II.I. Our Duties in Relation to Forbidden Books.

RM - The Roman martyrology, 1914

• The Second Day of January, p.3

SP - Spiritus Paraclitus, On St. Jerome, Pope Benedict XV, 1920

• Paragraph 45. (S. Jerome, Epist. ad Rusticum, 125, 7, 3.)

• Paragraph 38. (Id., Adv. Vigil., 6.)

TCA -  The Curé d'Ars: St. Jean-Marie-Baptiste Vianney, Abbé François Trochu, 1927

• Page 314-315.

TM - Theologia Moralis, Tom.I, Append.III, "Diss. de Prohibit. Libroroum", St. Alphonsus

   [Unofficial English Translation of Cap.I: On the Utility and Necessity of Prohibiting Harmful Books ]

• Paragraph 12.

• Paragraph 11. (De Iure et more prohib. etc. libros haeret. etc., lib. 1, cap. 29.)

TS - The True Spouse of Jesus Christ, St. Alphonsus

• Chapter XVII

TW - The Way of Salvation and of Perfection, St. Alphonsus

• Part II, Chapter XL

• Part II, Chapter VII

VM - Victories of the Martyrs, St. Alphonsus

• p. 59

• p. 329

The Committee on Moral Books, _____, 1866

A P P E N D I X   I.

THAT BOOKS ARE A USEFUL GOOD

Is it useful to read books?

BRIEF APOLOGIA FOR THE READING OF GOOD BOOKS

It is true, beyond doubt, that the reading of books is quite useful in many ways; nevertheless, a few words of support are here given.

Leo X, at Lateran Council V: Firstly, It is certainly possible to obtain without difficulty some learning by reading books. [...] These permit minds to devote themselves very readily to scholarly studies. (EC-18)

St. Alphonsus: Moreover, The reading of pious works fills the soul with holy thoughts and good desires. (TS)

St. Pio of Pietrelcina: Conversely, The harm that comes to souls from the lack of reading holy books makes me shudder.

St. Alphonsus: wherefore, To a spiritual life the reading of holy books is perhaps not less useful than mental prayer, (TS) —and we ought to recall that mental prayer is morally necessary for all ; because Prayer is not only useful, but necessary for salvation. (TW) Hence, Before all, the Apostle prescribed spiritual reading to Timothy, saying: (TS)

St. Paul, in Holy Writ: attende lectioni, that is, attend unto reading. (1Tim.iv.13)

St. Alphonsus: Mark the word Attend, which signifies that, although Timothy, as being bishop, was greatly occupied with the care of his flock, still the Apostle wished him to apply to the reading of holy books, not in a passing way and for a short time, but regularly and for a considerable time. (TS)

Bl. Pius IX: And, in addition to Sacred Scripture, books written by men outstanding for talent and sound doctrine [...] can enlighten the minds of people and dissipate the darkness of creeping errors. (IM)

St. John Bosco: In a word, Only God knows the good that can come about by reading one good Catholic book. (source?)

Leo X, at Lateran Council V: And, most fortunately, The skill of book-printing, with its advancement, [...] has brought many benefits to men and women since, at small expense, it is possible to possess a great number of books. (EC-18)

Rev. Kinkead: There should be in every family, according to its means, one or more good Catholic newspapers or magazines. ; Besides such a paper there should be a few standard good books in every family such as the New Testament, the Imitation of Christ, a large and full catechism of Christian doctrine, etc. On the other hand, all the books in your house need not be books treating of religion or piety. Any book that is not against faith or morals may be kept and read. ; Read good books in which you can find information that will be useful to you all through your life. (BC-4)

St. Jerome: Therefore, Always have a book in your hands and read it. (in SP) Again, Endeavor to have always in your hand a pious book, that with this shield you may defend yourself against bad thoughts. (Source?)

St. John Chrysostom: You, who are in the midst of battle, must protect yourself with the buckler of holy thoughts drawn from good books. (Source?)

A P P E N D I X   II.

GENERAL PROHIBITIONS

or General Principles for Identifying Bad Books

I cannot recall where I copied this from...

Note, however, that this list is taken almost verbatim that of CIC1917.

Books forbidden by the common law of the Church are:

1. Editions of the original text of the Sacred Scriptures published by non-Catholics; likewise, translations of the same made or published by them.

2. Books that in any way defend heresy or schism or that tend to undermine the foundations of religion.

"Defend" does not merely mean to assert or command but to substantiate with alleged proofs. By "foundations of religion" is meant such fundamental truths as the existence of God, immortality of the soul, miracles, free will, etc.

3. Books which, of set purpose, attack religion or morals.

4. Books of non-Catholics which professedly treat of religion unless it is clear that they contain nothing contrary to Catholic faith.

5. Books published without due ecclesiastical approval which treat of Sacred Scripture, or contain annotations and commentaries thereon or translations thereof into the vernacular; books containing new apparitions, revelations, visions, prophecies or miracles or which seek to introduce new devotions.

6. Books which attack or ridicule any Catholic dogma, or defend errors proscribed by the Holy See; books which disparage divine worship, or seek to undermine ecclesiastical discipline, or avowedly defame the ecclesiastical hierarchy, the clerical or religious state. 

Therefore, a book is forbidden which contains a collection of defamatory accounts concerning various popes or of the priestly or religious states, not, however, if the person of one individual pope or a certain religious Order is disparaged.  

 

7. Books which teach or approve of superstition, fortune telling, divination, magic, spiritism and other such practices. 

8. Books which declare duels, suicide and divorce to be lawful; furthermore, books that treat of freemasonry and similar secret societies, maintaining that they are useful or that they are harmless to the Church and civil society.

 

9. Books which, with avowed intention, treat of, describe or teach, lewd or obscene matters, such as the methods of birth control. 

Medical or moral works on topics of sex, etc., written for a good purpose do not fall under this bann. — Those who cannot omit reading the obscene classics without great disadvantage to themselves are excused from this prohibition in as far as it is of ecclesiastical origin. 

 

10. Liturgical books containing unauthorized changes so that they no longer agree with the authentic editions approved by the Holy See. 

 

11. Books which contain apocryphal indulgences, or such as have been condemned or revoked by the Holy See. 

 

12. Also forbidden are all images, however reproduced, of Christ, the Blessed Virgin, the Angels, Saints, or other Servants of God that are not in keeping with the sentiment and decrees of the Church. 

St. Bernardine of Siena burning dangerous books – Vatican Museum, Rome (Italy)

A P P E N D I X   III.

Translated excerpt from the great Commentary

of Cornelius à Lapide, on Acts XIX:19

The original text can be viewed here. The translation which follows is unofficial.

Contulerunt libros , & combuʃʃerunt. ] Vt vitent ignibus ignes , ait Arator. Idem magicis libris fecit Magus ille conuerſus à S.Auguſtino , de quo ipſe in pſal.61. ſub finem ſic ſcribit :  Perierat iste, nunc quæʃitus inuentus adductus eʃt : portat ʃecum codices incendendos , per quos fuerat incendendus ; ut illis in ignem miʃʃis , ipʃe in refrigerium tranʃeat. Sic libros Mathematicorum comburendos in oculis Epiſcoporum ſanxit Honorius Imper. & Theodoſius I. Mathemat. cap.de Epiʃc. aud. Multo magis cremandi ſunt libri Hæreticorum , vtpote nocentiores , vti ſanxerunt iidem aliique Imper. I. ult. de Hæret. Cod. Theodoſ. Idem ſanxerunt Canones & Concilia, præsertim Trident. Vide Bellarm. lib.3. de laicis cap.20.

They brought together their books, & burnt them. "To avoid fires by fires," saith Arator.* The same with magical books did Magus, converted by St. Augustine, concerning whom he himself writes at the end of [his commentary on] psalm 61: He had perished, now he is sought, found, and brought in: he carries with him the books to be burned, by which he himself had been set on fire; that these having been sent into the flames, he himself might pass into refreshment. Thus, the burning of the books of the Astrologers in the presence of the Bishops was sanctioned by Emperor Honorius and Theodosius I (Mathemat. cap.de Episc. aud.). Much more ought the books of Heretics be incinerated, as they are more harmful, as decreed by the same and other Emperors (I. ult. de Hæret. Cod. Theodos.). The same decrees were sanctioned by Canons and Councils, especially those of Trent. See Bellarmine, Bk.3. on laypeople Ch.20.

Inuenerunt pecuniam denariorum 50. millium. ] Græca & Syrus : Inuenerunt argenti quinque myriades. hoc eſt , quinquagies mille nummum. Budæus lib.5. de aſſe, & alij ex eo cenſent, hoc pretium fuiſſe quinque millium aureorum. Sic Romæ quinque millia aureorum valent quinquaginta millia Iuliorum , ſiue regalium Hiſpan. Aureus enim continet decem Iulios : quinquies autem decem faciunt quinquaginta. Porrò denarius pendebat drachmam , valebatque unum Iulium , ſiue regalem Hiſpan. vti dixi in ſine Pentateuchi. Diſcant hic Chriſtiani, libros magicos, hærcticos. ſpurcos comburere , quantouis pretio æſtimentur, etiamſi auro appendantur : quia noxa quam inferunt, nullo auro penſari poteſt. Quocirca Paulus & Apoſtoli Magorum, æquè ac Idolorum reſponſa ſuſtulerunt , vel ſtiterunt. Huc facit quod ſcribit Plinius lib.3.cap.2. Neronem à Magis toto Orbe conquiſitis, nullum reſponſum extorquere potuiſſe. Vnde & Plutarchus librum ſcripſit de Oraculorum defectu. Vide S.Auguſt.lib. de diuinat. dæmon. cap.6.

They found the money to be fifty thousand pieces of silver [denarii]. In Greek and Syriac: They found five myriads of silver. this is, fifty thousand coins. Budaeus, in Lib. V De Asse et Partibus Eius, and others following him, estimate this amount to be the value of five thousand aurei. In Rome, five thousand aurei are equivalent to fifty thousand julii, or Spanish reales. The aureus contains ten julii, and five times ten make fifty. Moreover, the denarius was worth a drachma and was equivalent to one julius or Spanish real, as mentioned in the Pentateuch. Christians should learn from this to burn magical, heretical, and impure books, regardless of their value in gold, because the harm they cause cannot be measured by any amount of gold. Therefore, Paul and the apostles rejected or stood against the responses of magicians and idol worshipers. This is supported by what Pliny writes in Bk.3.Ch.2 Nero, having sought responses from magicians worldwide, could not obtain any. Hence, Plutarch wrote a book on the failure of oracles. See St. Augustine's book De divinatione daemonum, Ch.6.

*In his epic poem, De actibus Apostolorum, Arator writes: "But others put magical books to the flames, / that they might merit the waters and avoid fires by fires." [ast alii magicis ponunt incendia libris, / ut mereantur aquas et uitent ignibus ignes.] (668-669)

St Dominic and the Miracle at Fanjeaux

A P P E N D I X   V.

A Catholic Life: Prayer for Book Burnings