Folio 602

Pius XI, 1922-1939

printed p. 570 · pdf p. 602

repeated many times, which was made a part of public law in EB n. 121 by authority of the Holy Office itself:

"This decree was passed to check the audacity of private teachers who attributed to themselves the right either of rejecting entirely the authenticity of the Johannine comma, or at least of calling it into question by their own final judgment. But it was not meant at all to prevent Catholic writers from investigating the subject more fully and, after weighing the arguments accurately on both sides, with that moderation and temperance which the gravity of the subject requires, from inclining toward an opinion in opposition to its authenticity, provided they professed that they were ready to abide by the judgment of the Church, to which the duty was delegated by Jesus Christ not only of interpreting Holy Scripture but also of guarding it faithfully."

Meetings to Procure the Unity of All Christians 1

[From the Decree of the Holy Office, July 8, 1927]

2199. Whether it is permitted Catholics to be present at, or to take part in conventions, gatherings, meetings, or societies of non-Catholics which aim to associate together under a single agreement all who in any way lay claim to the name of Christian?

Reply: In the negative, and there must be complete adherence to the decree (De participatione catholicorum societati, "ad procurandam christianitatis unitatem") on the participation of Catholics in a society "to procure the unity of Christianity." 2

The Connection of the Sacred Liturgy with the Church 3

[From the Apostolic Constitution, "Divini cultus," December 20, 1928]

2200. Since the Church has received from her founder, Christ, the duty of guarding the holiness of divine worship, surely it is part of the same, of course after preserving the substance of the sacrifice and the sacraments, to prescribe the following: ceremonies, rites, formulas, prayers, chant—by which that august and public ministry is best controlled, whose special name is Liturgy, as if an exceedingly sacred action. And the liturgy is an undoubtedly sacred thing; for, through it we are brought to God and are joined with Him; we bear witness to our faith, and we are obligated to it

  1. AAS 19 (1927), 278. ↩

  2. AAS 11 (1919), 309; letter of the Holy Office, "Apostolicae Sedis," September 16, 1864, to all the Bishops of England, and another letter, "Quod vos," November 8, 1865, to certain Anglican Puseyites, ibid., 310 ff. Cf. also the Encyclical, "Mortalium animos," of Pius XI, January 6, 1928 [AAS 20 (1928), 5 ff.]. ↩

  3. AAS 21 (1929), 33 f. ↩