Pope Clement XIII.
To the Venerable Brothers, Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops and Bishops.
Venerable brothers, greetings and apostolic benediction.
In the Lord's field, which by divine Providence's disposition we have been set to cultivate, nothing requires such vigilant care and such persevering industry as the guarding of the good seed sown, namely of the Catholic doctrine received from Christ Jesus and from the Apostles and handed down to us; lest, if it be neglected through lazy idleness and the sloth of uncertainty, the enemy of the human race, while the labourers sleep, should sow tares over it, with the result that on the day of harvest there be found, rather than what should be stored in the granaries, that which must be burned in the flames. And to defend the faith once delivered to the saints, most blessed Paul strongly stirs us up, who writes to Timothy that he should guard the good deposit, since perilous times were at hand, when in the Church of God evil men and seducers would arise, through whose agency that insidious tempter would try to infect unwary minds with those errors, who are enemies of evangelical truth. But if, as often happens, certain perverse opinions arise in the Church of God, which, though contending with mutually opposed fronts, yet conspire in this — to undermine in some way the purity of the Catholic faith —, then indeed it is most difficult with such caution to balance our discourse between both enemies, so that we may appear to have turned our back on neither, but to have equally avoided and condemned both enemies of Christ. And sometimes the matter is such that diabolical falsehood easily covers itself with lies coloured by a certain appearance of truth, while the force of sentences is corrupted by a very short addition or alteration, and the confession, which worked salvation, sometimes through a subtle transition inclines toward death.
From these slippery and narrow paths, therefore, on which one can scarcely tread or walk without slipping, the faithful are to be turned away, and especially those who are of more uncultivated and simpler disposition;
Catechism of the Council of Trent.
nor are the sheep to be led through impassable places to pastures, nor are certain singular opinions, even those of Catholic doctors, to be proposed to them; but that most certain mark of Catholic truth must be handed down: universality, antiquity, and consent of doctrine. Moreover, since the multitude cannot ascend the mount upon which the glory of the Lord descended, and crossing the boundaries in order to see, they will perish; boundaries must be fixed for the people by their teachers round about, so that speech may not wander beyond those things which are necessary for salvation or supremely useful, and that the faithful may obey the apostolic saying: "Not to be more wise than it behoveth to be wise, but to be wise unto sobriety."
When our predecessors the Roman Pontiffs had rightly understood these things, they devoted all their effort to this end, not only to cut off with the sword of anathema the poisonous shoots of the errors springing up beneath, but also to prune certain opinions growing up, which either by their redundancy would impede the richer fruit of the faith in the Christian people, or could harm the souls of the faithful by their proximity to error. Therefore, after the Council of Trent had condemned those heresies which at that time had tried to obscure the light of the Church, and had brought forth the Catholic truth, as it were, with the cloud of errors dispelled, into a clearer light; since the same predecessors of ours understood that that sacred assembly of the universal Church had used such prudent counsel and such great moderation that it abstained from reprobating opinions which were supported by the authority of ecclesiastical doctors; they willed, according to the mind of that same sacred Council, that another work be composed which would embrace the whole doctrine by which the faithful ought to be formed, and which would be as far as possible from every error. This book they published in print under the name of the "Roman Catechism," deserving praise in this matter in two ways. For they brought together therein that doctrine which is common in the Church and stands far from every danger of error; and they proposed that this doctrine be publicly handed down to the people in the most explicit words, thus obeying the precept of Christ the Lord, who commanded the Apostles to say in the light what he himself had said in darkness, and to preach upon the housetops what they had heard in the ear; and obeying the Church his spouse, whose are these words: "Shew me where thou feedest, where thou liest in the midday;" for where it is not midday and a light so clear that truth may be clearly known, easily falsity is taken for truth because of the likeness of the truth, which in obscurity is distinguished with difficulty from the true. For they knew that there had been before, and would be thereafter, those who inviting those whom they pretended to feed would promise
richer pastures of wisdom and knowledge, to whom many would flock, because stolen waters are sweeter, and hidden bread is more pleasant. Therefore, lest the Church, seduced, should wander after flocks of companions, who themselves are wandering, fixed in no certain truth, ever learning and never coming to the knowledge of the truth; for this reason they proposed that those things which were necessary only for salvation and most useful be clearly and plainly explained in the Roman Catechism, and handed down to the Christian people.
But this book, composed with no small labour and study, approved by the consent of all and received with the highest praises, has in these times been as it were wrested from the hands of pastors by the love of novelty, when one and another catechism has been put forth in no way comparable to the Roman; whence two evils have arisen: the one, that that consent in the same manner of teaching has been almost abolished, and a certain kind of scandal has been offered to little ones, to whom they themselves now appear no longer to be in a land of one lip and the same words; the other, that from diverse and varied manners of handing down Catholic truth have arisen contentions, and from emulation, while one says he is a follower of Apollo, another of Cephas, another of Paul, have arisen separations of souls and great dissensions; than the bitterness of which dissensions we think nothing more fatal for diminishing the glory of God, nothing more calamitous for extinguishing the fruits which it is right that the faithful should reap from Christian discipline. Therefore, in order that at length we might remove this twofold evil from the Church, we have decided to return thither whence some, by counsel insufficiently prudent, and others also led by pride, in order to boast themselves wiser in the Church, had long been drawing away the faithful people; and we have judged it good to offer again to pastors of souls the same Roman Catechism; so that by the same manner in which of old the Catholic faith was confirmed, and the minds of the faithful strengthened in the doctrine of the Church, which is the pillar of truth, by that same means now also they may be turned away as far as possible from new opinions, to which neither consent nor antiquity give their vote. And that the book might become more approved, and more corrected of the blemishes which it had contracted through the fault of the workers, we have taken care to have it printed again, with all diligence applied, in the fostering City, according to the exemplar of that which our predecessor S. Pius V published by decree of the Council of Trent; which, translated into the vernacular tongue by command of the same S. Pius and published, shall in a short time, by our command likewise, come forth again into the light in print.
Therefore, since in this most difficult time of the Christian commonwealth
our care and diligence furnishes this most opportune aid for removing the frauds of perverse opinions, and for propagating and establishing true and sound doctrine, it is for you, venerable brothers, to labour that it may be received by the faithful. And therefore this book, which the Roman Pontiffs willed to be set before the pastors as a norm, as it were, of the Catholic faith and of Christian discipline, that the consent of all might stand also in the manner of handing down doctrine, we now most especially commend to you, venerable brothers, and we also strongly exhort you in the Lord, that you command it to be used by all who have the care of souls, in instructing the peoples in Catholic truth, whereby both the unity of erudition and the charity and concord of souls may be preserved. For it belongs to you to strive for the tranquility of all, which after all are the parts of a bishop; who therefore ought to keep his eyes intent to this end, that no one, acting proudly on account of his own honours, may make schisms, the bond of unity having been broken.
Nevertheless these books will offer no fruit of utility, or certainly only a small one, if those who ought to propose and explain them to hearers be themselves less fit for teaching. Therefore it is of very great importance that for this office of handing down Christian doctrine to the people you choose men endowed not only with knowledge of sacred things, but much more also with humility and with zeal for the sanctifying of souls, burning with charity. For the whole of Christian discipline consists not in abundance of word, not in subtlety of disputing, nor in appetite for praise and glory, but in true and voluntary humility. For there are those whom indeed greater knowledge raises up, but disjoins from the society of the rest, and the more they know, the more they are without wisdom in the virtue of concord — who are admonished by the very wisdom of God's word: "Have salt in yourselves, and have peace among you;" for thus the salt of wisdom is to be had, so that by it the love of our neighbour may be preserved and infirmities seasoned. But if from the pursuit of wisdom, even from care of our neighbour, they turn to discords, they have salt without peace, not a gift of virtue, but an argument of damnation; and the better they know, the worse they sin; whom indeed the sentence of the apostle James condemns in these words: "But if you have bitter zeal, and there be contentions in your hearts, glory not, and be not liars against the truth;" for this is not wisdom descending from above, but earthly, sensual, devilish; for where zeal is and contention, there is inconstancy and every evil work; but the wisdom that is from above, first indeed is chaste, then peaceable, modest, easy to be persuaded, consenting to the good, full of mercy and good fruits, without judging, without dissimulation.
While therefore in humility of heart and in affliction of soul we beseech God to bestow upon the efforts of our diligence and industry the largesse of his indulgence and mercy, that dissension may not disturb the faithful people, and that in the bond of peace and in the charity of the spirit we all may be of one mind, that we may praise and glorify the one God and our Lord Jesus Christ, we, venerable brothers, greet you with a holy kiss; and to you all and likewise to all the faithful of your churches we most lovingly impart the apostolic benediction.
Given at the fortress of Castel Gandolfo, on the XIV day of June, MDCCLXI, in the third year of our pontificate.
treating of the necessity, authority, and office of pastors in the Church and of the chief heads of Christian doctrine.
I. Man cannot, left to his own powers, attain true wisdom and certain means of obtaining beatitude.
Such is the condition of the human mind and intelligence that, though it has investigated and known by its own effort, with much labour and diligence applied, many other things which pertain to the knowledge of divine realities, yet it could never have known or perceived, even though illumined by the light of nature, the greater part of those things by which eternal salvation is obtained, for the sake of which chiefly man was established and created to the image and likeness of God. "The invisible things of God," as the Apostle teaches, "from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made; his eternal power also, and divinity:" But "the mystery which hath been hidden from ages and generations" so transcends human intelligence that, unless it had been made manifest to the saints, to whom God willed by the gift of faith to make known the riches of the glory of this sacrament among the Gentiles, which is Christ, by no study could man have aspired to that wisdom.
II. Whence so illustrious a gift of faith is conceived.
Since moreover "faith" is conceived "by hearing," it is evident how necessary for obtaining eternal salvation has always been the work and ministry of a legitimate teacher of the faithful; since it is said: "How shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach unless they be sent?" And indeed from the very origin of the world most clement and benign God was never wanting to his own, but in many and various ways spoke to the fathers in the Prophets, and showed them, according to the condition of the times, a certain and direct way to heavenly beatitude.
III. Christ came into this world to teach the faith, which afterwards the Apostles and their successors propagated.
But since he had foretold that he would give a teacher of justice as a light of the Gentiles, that his salvation might be unto the utmost part of the earth, he has in these last days spoken to us by his Son, whom also, a voice descending from heaven from the magnificent glory, he commanded that all should hear and obey his precepts. Then the Son gave some Apostles, others Prophets, others pastors and
teachers, who should announce the word of life, lest we be tossed about like little children, wavering with every wind of doctrine, but, adhering to the firm foundation of faith, we should be built up together into a dwelling place of God in the Holy Spirit.
IV. How the words of the pastors of the Church are to be received.
And lest anyone should receive the word of the hearing of God from the ministers of the Church as the word of men, but, as it truly is, as the word of Christ, that same our Saviour decreed that so great an authority was to be attributed to their ministry that he said: "He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me;" which indeed he willed to be understood not only of those with whom he was then speaking, but also of all those who by legitimate succession were to undertake the office of teaching, to all of whom he promised to be present all days even to the consummation of the world.
V. Truth having been now manifested, it is today also necessary that pastors preach the word of God.
But indeed, although the preaching of the divine word ought never to be intermitted in the Church, yet certainly at this time it must be laboured with greater zeal and piety, that the faithful may be nourished and strengthened by sound and uncorrupted doctrine as by the food of life; for false prophets have gone forth into the world, of whom the Lord said: "I did not send prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied," that by various and strange doctrines they might corrupt the souls of Christians. In which matter their impiety, equipped with all the arts of Satan, has gone so far that it seems it can be contained within almost no certain limits; and unless we relied on that glorious promise of our Saviour, who affirmed that he had established his Church on so stable a foundation that the gates of hell could never prevail against it: it would be greatly to be feared that at this time, besieged on every side by so many enemies, tried and attacked by so many engines, she might fall. For, to pass over those most noble provinces which formerly piously and holily retained the true and Catholic religion which they had received from their ancestors, but now, forsaking the right way, have erred, and publicly profess to cultivate piety chiefly in this — that they have receded as far as possible from the doctrine of their fathers: no region so remote or place so fortified, no corner of the Christian commonwealth can be found, into which this pestilence has not attempted to creep secretly.
VI. Heretics have striven above all by catechisms to corrupt the souls of Christians.
For those who proposed to themselves to corrupt the minds of the faithful, since they understood that it could in no way come about that they should speak with all face to face, and pour their poisoned voices into their ears: attempting the same thing by another method, they have spread abroad the errors of impiety much more easily and widely. For besides those huge volumes by which they have tried to overthrow the Catholic faith, (from which nevertheless it was perhaps no great labour and diligence to beware, since they contained open heresy), they have also composed innumerable little books, which, while they bore a show of piety, it is incredible how easily they have deceived the unwary souls of simple folk.
VII. The Holy Synod rightly decided that the pestilent voices and writings of false prophets must be met.
Wherefore the Fathers of the ecumenical Council of Trent, when they most greatly desired to apply some salutary remedy to so great and so pernicious an evil, did not think it enough to decree the weightier heads of Catholic doctrine against the heresies of our time, but they judged besides that it must be done by them, that they should hand down a certain formula and manner of instructing the Christian people from the very rudiments of the faith, which in all churches those should follow on whom the office of legitimate pastor and teacher devolved.
VIII. It was necessary also, by the zeal of the ecumenical council and by the authority of the Supreme Pontiff, after so many institutions of Christian doctrine had been written, to set forth a new catechism for the pastors.
Many indeed have hitherto laboured in this kind of writing with great praise of piety and doctrine, but yet it seemed to the Fathers to be of the greatest importance that a book should be published by the authority of the Holy Synod, from which parish priests, or all others to whom the office of teaching has been imposed, might seek and draw certain precepts for the edification of the faithful, so that, just as there is one Lord, one faith, so also there might be one common rule and prescription for handing down the faith, and for instructing the Christian people in all the duties of piety.
IX. Not all the dogmas of our religion are treated in detail here.
discussed.
Therefore, since there are many things which seem to pertain to this matter, let no one think that it was the aim of the Holy Synod that all the dogmas of the Christian faith, embraced in one book, should be subtly explained, which is wont to be done by those who profess to hand down
the instruction and doctrine of the whole religion. For this would have been a work of almost infinite labour, and clearly less agreeable to the plan. But since it undertook to instruct parish priests and priests, curators of souls, in the knowledge of those things which are most properly of the pastoral office, and adapted to the capacity of the faithful: it willed that only those things be brought forward which could help the pious zeal of pastors in this matter, if they were not so well versed in more difficult disputations of divine things. Since these things are so, before we proceed to treat them one by one, by which the sum of this doctrine is contained: the order of the instituted matter demands that a few things be set forth, which pastors especially ought to consider, and set before their eyes, so that they may know to what end, as it were, all their counsels, labours, studies are to be referred, and by what means they may more easily pursue and achieve what they desire.
X. Since pastors of souls are here undertaken to be instructed, what chiefly ought to be considered by them, that they may rightly perform their office.
This therefore seems to be the first thing, that they always remember that the whole knowledge of a Christian man is comprehended in this head, or rather, as our Saviour says: "This is eternal life, that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." Wherefore the work of the ecclesiastical doctor shall be occupied chiefly in this, that the faithful may desire from their heart to know Jesus Christ, and him crucified; and be certainly persuaded, and with the inmost piety and religion of the heart believe that no other name has been given unto men under heaven, in which it behoves us to be saved; for he himself is the propitiation for our sins. But because "in this we know that we have known him, if we keep his commandments," it is next to and most especially connected with what we have said, that at the same time it may also be shown, that the life of the faithful is not to be passed in idleness and sloth, but it is necessary that, as he walked, so also we walk, and pursue with all zeal justice, piety, faith, charity, meekness; for he gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and cleanse to himself an acceptable people, a pursuer of good works, which the Apostle commands the pastors to speak and exhort. But since our Lord and Saviour has not only said, but also shown by his own example, that the law and the Prophets depend upon love, and the Apostle afterwards confirmed that charity is the end of the precept and the fulfilment of the law: no one can doubt
that this is to be cared for with all diligence as the chief office, that the faithful people may be stirred up to love the immense goodness of God toward us, and, kindled with a certain divine ardour, may be carried away to that supreme and most perfect good, to cleave to which is solid and true happiness, as he will plainly feel who can say with the Prophet: "For what have I in heaven? and besides thee what do I desire upon earth?" This is indeed that more excellent way which the same Apostle pointed out, when he directed all the manner of his doctrine and instruction to charity, which never falls away. For whether something to be believed, or something to be hoped, or something to be done is proposed, the charity of our Lord must always be so commended in it, that everyone may perceive that all works of perfect Christian virtue have their origin from no other source than from love, and are to be referred to no other end than to love.
XI. It is not enough that pastors in teaching look to those two ends, but they must accommodate themselves to the capacity of each one.
Since moreover in every matter to be handed down it is of the greatest importance whether you teach something in this way or that, then indeed in the instruction of the Christian people it must be considered of the greatest moment. For the age, disposition, morals, and condition of the hearers must be observed, that he who exercises the office of teaching may become all things to all men, that he may both gain all to Christ, and may prove himself a faithful minister and dispenser, and, as a good and faithful servant, may be worthy to be set over many things by the Lord. Nor let him think that men of only one kind have been entrusted to his faith, so that by a certain prescribed and fixed formula of teaching he may instruct and direct to true piety all the faithful alike: but since some are, as it were, like newly born infants, others begin to grow up in Christ, and some indeed are in a manner of confirmed age: it is necessary to consider diligently for whom milk, for whom more solid food is needful, and to offer to each those nourishments of doctrine which increase the spirit, "till we all meet into the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ." And the Apostle indicated in himself that this is to be observed by all, when he said that he was a debtor to the Greeks and barbarians, to the wise and unwise; so that, namely, those who have been called to this ministry might understand that in handing down the mysteries of the faith and the precepts of life, the doctrine must be accommodated to the sense and intelligence of the hearers, so that, when
they have satisfied with spiritual food the souls of those who have senses exercised, they may not meanwhile suffer the little ones to perish with hunger, who ask for bread, and there is none to break it to them. Nor indeed ought anyone's zeal in teaching to be slowed down for this reason, that sometimes it is necessary that the hearer be instructed in the precepts of those things which seem lighter and lowlier nor are wont to be treated without annoyance by those especially whose mind is engaged and at rest in the contemplation of sublime things. For if the Wisdom of the eternal Father himself came down to earth, that in the humility of our flesh he might hand down to us the precepts of heavenly life: whom will not the charity of Christ constrain to become as a little one in the midst of his brethren, and, as a nurse cherishing her children, so eagerly to desire the salvation of his neighbours, that, as the Apostle testifies of himself, he should wish to impart to them not only the gospel of God, but even his own soul?
XII. Since God has withdrawn from us the visible presence of himself, pastors will draw his word from Scripture and from Traditions.
Now the whole manner of the doctrine which is to be handed down to the faithful is contained in the word of God, which is distributed into Scripture and Traditions; and therefore pastors will be engaged day and night in meditating upon these things, mindful of that admonition of the divine Paul, which, written to Timothy, all who are set over the care of souls will reckon to pertain to themselves. And this admonition is in this manner: "Attend unto reading, to exhortation and to doctrine;" for "all Sacred Scripture, divinely inspired, is profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct, to instruct in justice, that the man of God may be perfect, furnished to every good work." But since those things which have been divinely handed down are many and various, so that they cannot so easily either be grasped by the mind, or, having been grasped by the mind, retained in the memory, so that, when the occasion for teaching presents itself, a ready and prompt explanation of them may be at hand: our most wise ancestors reduced and distributed the whole force and manner of salutary doctrine into these four heads: the Apostles' Creed, the sacraments, the decalogue, the Lord's Prayer; for all things which are to be held by the discipline of the Christian faith, whether they pertain to the knowledge of God, or to the creation and government of the world, or to the redemption of the human race, or to the rewards of the good and the punishments of the evil, are contained in the doctrine of the Creed. But those things which are signs and as it were instruments for obtaining divine grace, the doctrine of the seven
sacraments embraces. Now those things which refer to the laws, the end of which is charity, are described in the decalogue. And whatever finally can be desired, hoped for and salutarily sought by men, is comprehended in the Lord's Prayer. Whence it follows that, these four common places, as it were, of sacred Scripture having been explained, nothing almost can be desired for understanding those things which are to be learned by a Christian man.
XIII. By what method parish priests will join the explanation of the gospel with the explanation of the catechism.
Therefore it has been thought good to admonish parish priests, that as often as it happens that they must interpret some passage of the gospel or any other passage of divine Scripture, they should understand that the sense of that passage, whatever it be, falls under some one of those four heads which we have mentioned, to which, as to the source of that doctrine which is to be explained, they will have recourse. For example, if that gospel of the first Sunday of Advent is to be explained: "There shall be signs in the sun and the moon, etc.," the things which pertain to that matter have been handed down in that article of the Creed: "He shall come to judge the living and the dead;" which having been taken thence, the pastor in one and the same effort shall teach the faithful people both the Creed and the Gospel. Wherefore in every office of teaching and interpreting he shall hold to this custom of directing all things to those first four heads, to which we have said that the whole force and doctrine of divine Scripture is to be referred. He shall use that order of teaching which seems accommodated both to persons and to time; we, following the authority of the Fathers, who, in initiating men in Christ the Lord, and in instructing them in his discipline, made the beginning from the doctrine of faith, have judged it worth while to explain first those things which pertain to faith.
CATECHISM
BY DECREE
OF THE COUNCIL OF TRENT