Replies to questions on the interpretation of the decree Ecclesiae Pastorum

Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

Replies to questions
on the interpretation of the decree “Ecclesiae Pastorum”*

Following is the text of the letter sent by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and Abp. Jérôme Hamer to Cardinal Silvio Oddi, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Clergy.

Your Eminence,

With the letter dated 2 July 1982, you presented to this Congregation five questions pertaining to the interpretation of the dispositions of the Decree Ecclesiae Pastorum, Article 4, concerning the approval of works intended for catechesis.

This question was submitted to the study of the Consultors and their Eminences, Cardinal Members of this Congregation, who examined them during their meetings of 23 March and 22 June 1983. The decisions were then approved by the Holy Father during the audiences of 26 March and 1 July 1983.

I have the honour now of delivering to Your Eminence the answers to the five questions of the Sacred Congregation for the Clergy, preceded by an introduction expressly willed by their Eminences, with the aim of recalling the fundamental principles on which the responses are based (cf. Attached).

With feelings of distinct esteem, Your Eminence, I am most devotedly in the Lord,

JOSEPH Cardinal RATZINGER
Prefect

Fr JÉRÔME HAMER, OP.
Titular Archbishop of Lorium
Secretary

7 July 1983.

* * *

INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT

The various questions which were posed about the procedure for the approval of publications on catechesis concern the exercise of the authority of the Apostolic See, of the diocesan bishops arid of the Episcopal Conferences, respectively; Therefore, before giving the particular responses, the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith deems it opportune to point out the general principles of doctrinal, juridical and pastoral order which are its basis, enunciated in particular in the Directorium Catechisticum Generale of the Sacred Congregation for the Clergy, of 11 April 1971, no. 134 (AAS 64, 1972, 173); in the Decree Ecclesiae Pastorum of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith of 18 March 1974, a. 4, par. 1 (AAS 67, 1975, 283); and in the Responsio of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith of 25 June 1980 (AAS 72, 1980, 576); in can. 775 of the new Code of Canon Law.

1. “The Roman Pontiff... by divine institution, enjoys supreme, full, immediate and universal authority over the care of souls... Since he is pastor of all the faithful, his mission is to provide for the common good of the universal Church and for the good of the individual Churches. He holds, therefore, a primacy of ordinary power over all the Churches” (Second Vatican Council, Decree Christus Dominus, no. 2; new Code, can. 331).

By virtue of this title, he establishes for the universal Church the norms on the subject of catechesis which, in the application of the Second Vatican Council, have been enunciated in the Directorium Catechisticum Generate (AAS 64, 1972, 97-176) and recalled to a large extent in the Apostolic Exhortation Catechesi Tradendae.

2. “Bishops too have been appointed by the Holy Spirit, and are successors of the Apostles as pastors of souls. Together with the Supreme Pontiff and under his authority, they have been sent to continue throughout the ages the work of Christ... Hence they have been made the true and authentic teachers of the faith, pontiffs, and shepherds (Christus Dominus, no. 2; cf. new Code, can. 375).

As the Sovereign Pontiff does for the universal Church, so each bishop for his particular Church, by virtue of ius divinum, immediately exercises the power to teach (munus docendi). Therefore, in his diocese he is the prime authority re norms of the Apostolic See (cf. can. 775, par. 1 of the new Code; cf. also can. 827, par. 1; Catechesi Tradendae, no. 63).

3. The Episcopal Conference is “a kind of council in which the bishops of a given nation or territory jointly exercise their pastoral office by way of promoting that greater good which the Church offers mankind, especially through forms and programmes of the apostolate which are fittingly adapted to the circumstances of the age” (Christus Dominus, no. 38; new Code, can. 447).

It holds powers which are accorded to it by law (cf. Christus Dominus, no. 38; par. 4; can. 455 of the new Code), and cannot delegate its legislative power to commissions or to other organisms created by it (cf. Response of the Commission for the Interpretation of the Decrees of the Second Vatican Council, 10 June 1966).

As far as catechesis is concerned, safeguarding the right proper to each bishop (cf. can. 775, par, 1; can. 827, par. 1 of the new Code), it is within the competence of the Episcopal Conference, if it seems useful, to publish catechisms for its own territory, with the approval of the Apostolic See (cf. can. 775; par. 2 of the new Code; Directorium Catechisticum Generale, nos 119 and 134).

4. Pastoral catechetical action must be carried out in an effective and coordinated manner, within the framework of a region, of a nation or even of a number of nations which belong to the same socio-cultural area.

This implies – with respect for the competences recalled above – a necessary understanding among diocesan bishops, Episcopal Conferences and the Apostolic See, in a common action which is both fraternal and respectful of the principle of collegiality.

QUESTIONS FROM THE SACRED CONGREGATION FOR THE CLERGY

Q. I. After the Decree De Ecclesiae Pastorum vigilantia circa libros (AAS 67, 1975, p. 283) and the further clarification by the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in response to the doubt regarding article 4 (AAS 72, 1980, p. 756), can the national or regional Episcopal Conferences publish national or regional catechisms and catechetical documents valid on the extradiocesan level without the prior approval of the Holy See?

A. Negative

Observations:

Refer to the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith's response to the doubt cited in the question, in conformity with nos 119 and 134 of the Directorium Catechisticum Generate and above all to canon 775 par. 2 of the new Code: Episcoporum conferentiae est, si utile videatur, curare ut catechismi pro suo territorio, previa Sedis Apostolicae approbations edantur.

Q. II. Without the prior approval of the Holy See, can the Episcopal Com ferences propose and circulate catechisms on the national level for “consultation and experimentation”?

A. Negative

Observations:

a) As far as experimentation is concerned: the publication of catechisms ad experimentum cannot be permitted: the catechisms intended for an entire nation must already have a proven value as to content and method, which assures the authoritativeness and the stability befitting catechesis. Not excluded, however, are the experimenta particularia preceding publication. Confer n. 119, par. 2, of the Catechetical Directory (AAS 64, 1972, 166).

b) As far as consultation is concerned: the concept of catechisms “for consultation” would require more precise clarification. But if it is a question of a catechetical work of consultation intended for an entire nation and. proposed by the Episcopal Conference, the precepts cited above are in force (R. 1).

Q. III. Can the individual diocesan Ordinaries who have given a favourable opinion for a national catechism grant the imprimatur to particular catechisms when they are sure as to the content and clear as to the exposition?

A. Affirmative

Q. IV. Can an Episcopal Commission have the permanent authority to approve or hot approve catechisms on a national level or for individual dioceses?

A. Negative

Observations:

The responsibility of curare ut catechismi pro suo iemiorio, praevia Sedis Apostolicae approbatione, edantur, belongs collegially to the Episcopal Conference. An episcopal commission can be charged with preparing the catechetical material, even on a permanent basis, but always respecting the right of the Episcopal Conference as a whole to decide whether or not to accept it and, as far as national catechisms are concerned, whether or not to present them to the Holy See for approval.

This decision which regards the institutio catechetica, opportunely placed by the new Code in the second book De munere docendi, falls within the legislative power of the Episcopal Conference and as such it must be made by a qualified majority, according to the norm of can. 455, par. 2, and cannot be delegated (cf. Response ad dubium of the Pontifical Commission for the Interpretation of the Decrees of the Second Vatican Council, 25 May 1966: AAS 60, 1968, 361). On the other hand, according to can. 29: Decreta generalia proprie sunt leges.

Q. V. Besides the official catechism, can other catechisms properly approved by the ecclesiastical authority be used?

A. Affirmative “iuxta mentem”:

1. For catechesis carried out, under the authority of the bishop, in the parishes and schools, catechisms approved and adopted as official texts by the bishop himself or by the Episcopal Conference must be used.

2. Other catechisms approved by the ecclesiastical authority can be used as subsidiary means.

Following is the text of the letter sent to the President of the French Episcopal Conference, Mons. Jean Vilnet.

Your Excellency,

With the letter dated 3 August 1982, you officially presented to our Congregation a question concerning the interpretation of the disposition of the Decree Ecclesiae Pastorum, Article 4, about the Imprimatur of works intended for catechesis.

This question was submitted to the study of the Consultors and the Cardinal Members of our Congregation, who examined them during their meetings of 23 March and 22 June 1983. The decisions were then approved by the Holy Father during the audiences of 26 March and 1 July 1983.

I have the honour now of delivering to you the answer to the question posed (cf. Attached). As you will see, it is preceded by an introduction expressly willed by their Eminences, which recalls the fundamental principles on which these responses are based.

Your Excellency, please accept the expression of my feelings of great respect.

Devotedly in the Lord,

JOSEPH Cardinal RATZINGER
Prefect

Fr JÉRÔME HAMER, O.P.
Titular Archbishop of Lorium
Secretary

7 July 1983.

* * *

INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT

Before responding to the question posed, the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith deems it opportune to point out the general principles of doctrinal, juridical and pastoral order, enunciated in particular in the Directorium Catechisticum Generale of the Sacred Congregation for the Clergy, of 11 April 1971, n. 134 (AAS 64, 1972, 173); in the Decree Ecclesiae Pastorum of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith of 18 March 1974, a. 4, par. 1 (AAS 67, 1975, 283); and in the Responsio of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith of 25 June 1980 (AAS 72, 1980, 576); in can. 775 of the new Code of Canon Law.

By virtue of this title, he establishes for the universal Church the norms on the subject of catechesis which, in the application of the Second Vatican Council, have been enunciated in the Directorium Catechisticum Generale (AAS 64, 1972, 97-176) and recalled to a large extent in the Apostolic Exhortation Catechesi Tradendae.

2. “Bishops too have been appointed by the Holy Spirit, and are successors of the Apostles as pastors of souls. Together with the Supreme Pontiff and under his authority, they have been sent to continue throughout the ages the work of Christ. Hence... they have been made the true and authentic teachers of the faith, pontiffs, and shepherds (Christus Dominus, no. 2; cf. new Code can. 375).

As the Sovereign Pontiff does for the universal Church, so each bishop for his particular Church, by virtue of ius divinum, immediately exercises the power to teach (munus docendi). Therefore, in his diocese he is the prime authority responsible for catechesis, respecting the norms of the Apostolic See (cf. can. 775, par, 1 of the new Code; cf. also can. 827, par. 1; Catechesi Tradendae, no. 63).

As far as catechesis is concerned, safeguarding the right proper to each bishop (cf. can. 775, par. 1; can. 827, par. 1 of the new Code), it is within the competence of the Episcopal Conference, if it seems useful, to publish catechisms for its own territory, with the approval of the Apostolic See (cf. can. 775; par. 2 of the new Code; Directorium Catechisticum Generale nos 119 and 134).

QUESTION FROM THE FRENCH EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE

Does article 4 par. 1 of the Decree Ecclesiae Pastorum imply that the local Ordinary or the Episcopal Conference ought to take into consideration that a book is intended for catechetical usage when they are urged to give it the approval provided by this decree?

In effect, certain authors or publishers who prepare books with contents and for the purpose of “catechisms” argue from article 1 of the Decree Ecclesiae Pastorum in order to insist that the competent bishop give the “approval” provided for in this article, if the books in question do not contain anything contrary to faith and morals, independently of any consideration of the merit of its content for catechetical usage. They think that the granting of the imprimatur itself for books of catechetical content intended for such use is a “right” of the applicant, and consequently, a “duty” on the part of the bishop concerned.

A. Affirmative “iuxta mentem”, namely:

a) If approval is requested for the mere publication of a catechism, without this implying the adoption of the book as the official text for diocesan catechesis, it must be given according to the criteria which regulate in a general way the prior censure of the books to be submitted to the Ordinary's judgment, that is to say, taking into consideration above all the orthodoxy of the contents and the universal ecclesiastical norms concerning catechesis (new Code, can. 823, par. 1; 830, par. 2; Directorium Catechisticum Generale, no. 119; prooemium par. 6).

b) If approval is requested for catechisms intended for the official catechesis of the diocese, in addition to the orthodoxy of the content and the universal norms of catechesis, the Ordinary must take into consideration both the particular rules he himself has decreed in view of the concrete needs of the diocese (new Code, can. 775, par. 1) and the norms set by the Episcopal Conference and approved by the Holy See (Directorium Catechisticum Generale, n. 134).

* L’Osservatore Romano, English Edition, 19 December 1983, Pages 9. 11.