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Post by Pacelli on Dec 30, 2022 9:02:37 GMT -5
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Post by Pacelli on Dec 30, 2022 9:07:44 GMT -5
The following is an English translation of the above document from Google translate:
The paragraph numbers were added in and not part of the original.
---------------------------------------- Instr. S. C. de. Prop. Fide. 1729 (Pro Missionariis Orietis)
1. When often and often, under the utilitarian brooms, of necessity, of the dangers of harassment, and even of persecution by the faithful, the case for this St. Congr. proposals were made by the missionaries and prelates of the East as to the communication in the divine of Catholics with heretics and schismatics; since it has been consistently and uniformly rewritten by this S. C.: it is not permitted; It was hoped that the missionaries of the East would be sufficiently and easily understood, that it would indeed be possible theoretically to imagine some cases in which it was permissible to tolerate some communication with the divine; let another general rule be prescribed, adapted to every kind of man, to every region, and to every time, than that which was repeatedly asked by the missionaries of the East, or given by this S. C. in the Instruction issued in 1719, based, of course, on the principle of doctrine that communication in divines with heretics and schismatics should regularly be held to be unlawful in practice, either because of the danger of perversion in the Catholic faith, or because of the danger of participating in heretical and schismatic rites, or in short because of the danger and opportunity of scandal, which circumstances are indeed regularly connected with communication in the divine with heretics and schismatics in practice, so that They are absolutely forbidden by natural and divine law, in which there is neither any power that dispenses, nor any conspiracy that excuses, so much so that there was no room left for inventing and proposing new doubts: hence it is clearly prescribed in that Instruction: Missionaries will be instructed that they must absolutely abstain from the protestant acts of a false sect, from communication in schismatic and heretical rites, from the danger of perversion, and from the occasion of a scandal.
2. These words are indeed added in the aforesaid Instruction: always being firm and safe and keeping your eye on them, if any further grave doubt arises, they should consult theologians and missionaries who have been long engaged in those regions. And some of these things contaminate the mind of St. this Congr. interpreted, they arrogated to themselves the right to define all the cases, and in writing they also handed down general rules, which were so intricately tangled in this matter; from which the scattered studies, the distracted plans, and the opinions of the missionaries, which were not at all coherent, complicated the question, which had been defined so many times, more and more, not without the loss of consciences, and the scandal and offense of the good; why this S.C. he took the opportunity to emphasize the above-mentioned Instruction again, and to completely prescribe to each of the missionaries that they should completely conform to and obey the rules handed down in it.
3. It should therefore be of the heart of every Prelate, missionary, or director of souls to educate and arouse the faithful to avoid these dangers, which regularly, or some, are incurred in the communication of divines with the heretics and schismatics of the East, who, although they still generally preserve the substance and value of the Sacraments, do not allow nevertheless, what they ought, Catholics should outwardly eat the signs of disapproval and segregation; from which it follows that this outward conformation in the same worship, and reverence for the pseudo-ministers of the liturgy, cannot deliver any Catholic, however firm in the faith, and appalled by the heretical or schismatic rites with which their worship is infected, yet from the danger of scandal.
4. This is further confirmed by the fact that there is scarcely any rite among the heterodox that is not tainted by some error in the matter of faith: for in their churches, it is either a dedication to the memory of some schismatic whom they venerate as a saint; either there are images, or relics are venerated, or festivals are celebrated of those who died in the schism, as if they were considered saints, or, finally, there is a commemoration of the living Patriarchs, and schismatic bishops, and heretics, who are recommended as Catholic preachers. As a matter of fact, those who in these rites and prayers and worship meet in these circumstances, Catholics, cannot be cleared of the guilt of perverted communication, or at least of pernicious scandal. He does not excuse the gods on the pretext of merely material assistance; for by the very act it is excluded that those who are involved in the function of these heretics or schismatics are sufficient to agree with them in the unity of prayer, in the unity of worship, in the unity of veneration and obedience, they preside over perverted heretical and schismatic ministers.
5. This is also evident from the fact that the Orientals themselves see every day with their eyes, hear with their ears, and confess with their mouths, namely, that no sectarian is confirmed in the scheme of approaching, attending, meeting in Catholic churches, or saying Mass. Whether he undertakes it, it is evidently for the reason that, blaspheming the assembly of the faithful as a perverse communion, they consider this intercourse pernicious and unlawful, and the rite reprehensible. Indeed, when they see Catholics approaching their churches, participating in their rites, partaking of their Sacraments, will they not believe, or at least fear, that they will not by this very fact be strengthened in their errors, and convince themselves that they are walking in the right path of salvation even by this example? From which it follows that it is very difficult to avoid the danger of a pernicious scandal by schismatics and heretics themselves: and consequently that a Catholic is not safe in conscience if he communes with them in divine things in this manner.
6. Of course these documents must be handed over to the faithful, and therefore these St. Congr. He earnestly enjoins the prelates, missionaries, and individual directors of souls in the East, that they should all say this very thing with one accord, and remain in the same sense and opinion, and not teach the contrary, either by way of counsel or by way of dispensation; that he should refrain from communion in the divine with schismatics and heretics, and if they ever deviate from that rule, exhort and teach them to confess this sin in the Sacrament of Penance, by which they may obtain forgiveness from God, and be more careful in the future.
7. But in receiving confessions, the missionaries, or the directors, carefully examine the circumstances of the case, which make the penitents more or less guilty, and submit them to their eyes; always intent on this, lest they cause their conscience to be lax in this matter, but rather more timid and careful with appropriate documents and warnings, lest by communicating in the divine with schismatics and heretics they should put their souls in jeopardy of salvation.
8. Indeed, it is customary to bring the cause of persecution, which Catholics are subjected to by schismatics and heretics, who abstain from their churches and functions. But the missionaries and directors see to it that everyone knows that fear is generally vain, nay, that it is even absolutely necessary not to yield to persecution, even if persecution itself is equivalent to questioning the faith; they will succumb, both to the principle of the aforesaid doctrine adopted by the Eastern Church itself, and finally to the dignity of the name of Catholics, which does not allow them to submit themselves to the enemies of souls and of the union of faith, which they are ennobled with the Roman Church, and to abandon this persecuting faithful, than to be recognized by them as heterodox as ministers of the true rites, of the true faith, of the true Church, and thus easily make Catholics, or transgressors from the faith, or at least approvers of errors by the very act; although they always say that they demand their communion only for the preservation of rites and alms. Indeed, if all these things have been impressed upon the minds of the faithful by seriously and gravely repeated warnings, it is certainly to be hoped that they will be of themselves more prompt and active in inflicting injuries on a daily basis, and that they will be firmer and more constant in the future in the union and communion of the truth of the one Church, which they profess.
9. He easily convinces himself that these S. C. companions and individual Prelates and directors of souls in the East, and especially the missionaries, will observe this Instruction as a rule in practice, completely omitting debates on this matter: neither in acting nor in teaching, they will lead to isolated disagreements. If, beyond hope, it should happen otherwise, let all those who take pride in the Catholic name know that this Sacred Congregation will prepare stronger remedies against transgressors, and will consider them as least suitable for the direction of souls and for the Missions of the East.
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