The Irish standard., 1915-09-11

so"A a. lAAu6S mOSI sacred TO us,
and in which our most vital interest
Is threatened whether or not such
productions have been pronounced up.
on by the authorities of the Church.
6. Who has charge of the book
legislation of the Church?
A committee of Cardinals and other
learned men, appointed by the Pope.
1t Is called the Congregation of The
Index" Before sentence is passed on
any book, the matter is discussed at
least three times: About thirty men
OF all nations, chosen for their learn.
ing and piety. take part in the pro.
ceedings.
z. In what ways are books pro.
hibited by the Church?
The Church exercises her power
either by general laws, prohibiting en-.
tire classes of books without enumer.
ating them singly, or by special de.
crees. prescribing individual works.
But the obligation imposed on us is
the same in either case. The duty of
refraining from the use of forbidden
books is equally grave whether the
book is expressly mentioned or only
included In one of the forbidden
classes.
8. What are our duties in relation
to forbidden books?
We are not allowed under pain of
mortal sin to read any forbidden book
not any considerable portion of it,
even though the portion be in itself
harmless. If the portion contains the
dangerous matter, the reading of less
than six pages would constitute a
mortal sin against the law of the
Church.
AS to forbidden newspapers, it
would be mortal sin to subscribe to
them or to indulge in reading such
sections as are especially dangerous,
though they may not be very long.
Minor offenses would be venial sins.
If book is forbidden on account
OF one or another Objectionable pas
sage, the prohibition ceases as soon
as these passages are expunged or
rendered illegible.
| If a prohibited publication is print.
ed Cor bound) together with others in
one volume. the whole volume is for.
hidden.
No one, whether he be the owner
or not, is allowed to keep forbid.
den book. He must either destroy it
or give it or sell it to some one who
has permission, or he must obtain
permission for himself.
1t is not lawful for a Catholic pub.
Usher or printer to issue or print, or
reprint, forbidden books. Nor may a
bookseller keep such books in stock
unless he has obtained leave to dc
SO; and he may sell them only to
those whom he can reasonably pre-
sumo to have permission for their
perusal
Although all the members of a
Catholic family should endeavor to
keep forbidden books out of the home
the head of the household is chiefly
responsible before God. It is to be
remarked, however, that Catholic Ii
brarians or servants do not violate
this law by keeping, handling, or cata
Logging forbidden books for their EN-
ployer in the latter's house, or, for
instance, in public library.
The legislation of the Church con.
Germs itself chiefly with books in the
strict sense of the word, l. e., with
type-printed publications which are
too bulky to be designated pamph.
lets in ordinary speech, and which do
not consist of detached sections but
form one organic whole.
Consequently, leaflets OF such pam
phlets as are not numbers of prohibit.
ed periodicals are not forbidden by
ecclesiastical law, unless they are ex-
pressly mentioned. Nor is it the in
tention Of the Church that the pro
hibition be understood to include the
reading Of small sections torn or cut
from prohibited works or the perus-
ing of articles clipped from forbidden
newspapers, even II It would be un-
lawful to read the same amount of
matter while still in the book or pa
| per. Nor Is sin against the law of
the Church committed by listening to
the reading Of prescribed publica-
tions. Finally productions printed or
otherwise multiplied, which are meant
to be private communications and
can in no way be said to be pub
lished," do not fall under the law Of
the Church..
Yet, as explained in questions and
5, this does not do away with the
duty Of spiritual selfpreservation;
unless a person is excused by q rea-
son which is In proportion to the
personal danger, and unless scandal
Is excluded. such q listening or read-
Ing is always fault and may become
q serious violation Of q natural law.
which binds 10 Independently Of all
Church legislation. "He who touches
pitch shall be denied BY It" tEccli.
IS. ~ IS n I 5as.
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