APOSTOLICAE
CURAE
On the Invalidity of Anglican Orders
BULL OF POPE LEO XIII SEPTEMBER 15, 1896
In Perpetual Remembrance
1. We have dedicated to the welfare of the noble English nation no
small portion of the Apostolic care and charity by which, helped by His
grace We endeavour to fulfill the office and follow in the footsteps of
"the Great Pastor of the sheep," Our Lord Jesus Christ. The letter
which last year We sent to the English seeking the Kingdom of Christ in
the unity of the faith is a special witness of Our goodwill towards
England. In it We recalled the memory of the ancient union of the
people with Mother Church, and We strove to hasten the day of happy
reconciliation by stirring up men's hearts to offer diligent prayer to
God. And, again, more recently, when it seemed good to Us to treat more
fully the unity of the Church in a General Letter, England had not the
last place in Our mind, in the hope that Our teaching might both
strengthen Catholics and bring the saving light to those divided from
us. It is pleasing to acknowledge the generous way in which Our zeal
and plainness of speech, inspired by no mere human motives, have met
the approval of the English people, and this testifies not less to
their courtesy than to the solicitude of many for their eternal
salvation.
2. With the same mind and intention, We have now determined to turn Our
consideration to a matter of no less importance, which is closely
connected with the same subject and with Our desires.
3. For an opinion already prevalent, confirmed more than once by the
action and constant practice of the Church, maintained that when in
England, shortly after it was rent from the centre of Christian Unity,
a new rite for conferring Holy Orders was publicly introduced under
Edward VI, the true Sacrament of Order as instituted by Christ lapsed,
and with it the hierarchical succession. For some time, however, and in
these last years especially, a controversy has sprung up as to whether
the Sacred Orders conferred according to the Edwardine Ordinal
possessed the nature and effect of a Sacrament, those in favour of the
absolute validity, or of a doubtful validity, being not only certain
Anglican writers, but some few Catholics, chiefly non-English. The
consideration of the excellency of the Christian priesthood moved
Anglican writers in this matter, desirous as they were that their own
people should not lack the twofold power over the Body of Christ.
Catholic writers were impelled by a wish to smooth the way for the
return of Anglicans to holy unity. Both, indeed, thought that in view
of studies brought up to the level of recent research, and of new
documents rescued from oblivion, it was not inopportune to re-examine
the question by our authority.
4. And We, not disregarding such desires and opinions, above all,
obeying the dictates of apostolic charity, have considered that nothing
should be left untried that might in any way tend to preserve souls
from injury or procure their advantage. It has, therefore, pleased Us
to graciously permit the cause to be re-examined, so that, through the
extreme care taken in the new examination, all doubt, or even shadow of
doubt, should be removed for the future.
5. To this end We commissioned a certain number of men noted for their
learning and ability, whose opinions in this matter were known to be
divergent, to state the grounds of their judgment in writing. We then,
having summoned them to Our person, directed them to interchange
writings, and further to investigate and discuss all that was necessary
for a full knowledge of the matter. We were careful, also, that they
should be able to re-examine all documents bearing on this question
which were known to exist in the Vatican archives, to search for new
ones, and even to have at their disposal all acts relating to this
subject which are preserved by the Holy Office-----or,
as it is called, the Supreme Council-----and to consider
whatever had up to this time been adduced by learned men on both sides,
We ordered them, when prepared in this way, to meet together in special
sessions. These to the number of twelve were held under the presidency
of one of the Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, appointed by Ourself,
and all were invited to free discussion. Finally, We directed that the
acts of these meetings, together with all other documents, should be
submitted to our venerable brethren, the Cardinals of the same Council,
so that when all had studied the whole subject, and discussed it in Our
presence, each might give his own opinion.
6. This order for discussing the matter having been determined upon, it
was necessary, with a view to forming a true estimate of the real state
of the question, to enter upon it, after careful inquiry as to how the
matter stood in relation to the prescription and settled custom of the
Apostolic See, the origin and force of which custom it was undoubtedly
of great importance to determine.
7. For this reason, in the first place, the principal documents in
which Our Predecessors, at the request of Queen Mary, exercised their
special care for the reconciliation of the English Church were
considered. Thus Julius III sent Cardinal Reginald Pole, an Englishman,
and illustrious in many ways, to be his Legate a latere for the purpose, ''as his
angel of peace and love," and gave him extraordinary and unusual
mandates or faculties and directions for his guidance. These Paul IV
confirmed and explained.
8. And here, to interpret rightly the force of these documents, it is
necessary to lay it down as a fundamental principle that they were
certainly not intended to deal with an abstract state of things, but
with a specific and concrete issue. For since the faculties given by
these Pontiffs to the Apostolic Legate had reference to England only,
and to the state of religion therein, and since the rules of action
were laid down by them at the request of the said Legate, they could
not have been mere directions for determining the necessary conditions
for the validity of ordinations in general. They must pertain directly
to providing for Holy Orders in the said kingdom, as the recognised
condition of the circumstances and times demanded. This, besides being
clear from the nature and form of the said documents, is also obvious
from the fact that it would have been altogether irrelevant thus to
instruct the Legate-----one whose learning had been
conspicuous in the Council of Trent-----as to the
conditions necessary for the bestowal of the Sacrament of Order.
9. To all rightly estimating these matters it will not be difficult to
understand why, in the Letters of Julius III, issued to the Apostolic
Legate on 8 March 1554, there is a distinct mention, first of those
who, "rightly and lawfully promoted," might be maintained in their
orders: and then of others who, "not promoted to Holy Orders" might "be
promoted if they were found to be worthy and fitting subjects". For it
is clearly and definitely noted, as indeed was the case, that there
were two classes of men; the first of those who had really received
Holy Orders, either before the secession of Henry VIII, or, if after
it, and by ministers infected by error and schism, still according to
the accustomed Catholic rite; the second, those who were initiated
according to the Edwardine Ordinal, who on that account could be
"promoted", since they had received an ordination which was null.
10. And that the mind of the Pope was this, and nothing else, is
clearly confirmed by the letter of the said Legate (29 January 1555),
sub-delegating his faculties to the Bishop of Norwich. Moreover, what
the letters of Julius III themselves say about freely using the
Pontifical faculties, even on behalf of those who had received their
consecration "irregularly (minus rite)
and not according to the accustomed form of the Church," is to be
especially noted. By this expression those only could be meant who had
been consecrated according to the Edwardine rite, since besides it and
the Catholic form there was then no other in England.
11. This becomes even still clearer when we consider the Legation
which, on the advice of Cardinal Pole, the Sovereign Princes, Philip
and Mary, sent to the Pope in Rome in the month of February, 1555. The
Royal Ambassadors-----three men "most illustrious and
endowed with every virtue," of whom one was Thomas Thirlby, Bishop of
Ely-----were charged to inform the Pope more fully as to
the religious condition of the country, and especially to beg that he
would ratify and confirm what the Legate had been at pains to effect,
and had succeeded in effecting, towards the reconciliation of the
Kingdom with the Church. For this purpose, all the necessary written
evidence and the pertinent parts of the new Ordinal were submitted to
the Pope. The Legation having been splendidly received, and their
evidence having been "diligently discussed," by several of the
Cardinals, "after mature deliberation," Paul IV issued his Bull
Praeclara Charissimi on June
20 of that same year. In this, whilst
giving full force and approbation to what Pole had done, it is ordered
in the matter of the Ordinations as follows:-----
Those who have been promoted to ecclesiastical Orders . . . by anyone
but
a Bishop validly and lawfully ordained are bound to receive those
Orders again.
12. But who those Bishops not "validly and lawfully ordained" were had
been made sufficiently clear by the foregoing documents and the
faculties used in the said matter by the Legate; those namely, who have
been promoted to the Episcopate, as others to other Orders, "not
according to the accustomed form of the Church," or, as the Legate
himself wrote to the Bishop of Norwich, "The form and intention of the
Church," not having been observed. These were certainly those
promoted according to the new form of rite, to the examination of which
the Cardinals specially deputed had given their careful attention.
Neither should the passage much to the point in the same Pontifical
Letter be overlooked, where, together with others needing
dispensation, are enumerated those "who had obtained both Orders as
well as benefices nulliter et de
facto. "For to obtain orders nulliter
means the same as by act null and void, that is invalid, as the very
meaning of the word and as common parlance require. This is specially
clear when the word is used in the same way about Orders as about
"ecclesiastical benefices". These, by the undoubted teaching of the
sacred canons, were clearly null if given with any vitiating defect.
13. Moreover, when some doubted as to who, according to the mind of the
Pontiff, could be called and considered bishops "validly and lawfully
ordained," the Pope shortly after, on October 30, issued a further
letter in the form of a Brief and said:
We, desiring to wholly remove such doubt, and to opportunely provide
for the peace of conscience of those who during the aforementioned
schism were promoted to Holy Orders, by clearly stating the meaning and
intention which we had in Our said letters declare that it is only
those bishops and archbishops who were not ordained and consecrated
in the form of the Church that can not be said to be duly and rightly
ordained.
14. Unless this declaration had applied to the actual case in
England, that is to say, to the Edwardine Ordinal, the Pope would
certainly have done nothing by this last letter for the removal
of doubt and the restoration of peace of conscience. Further, it was in
this sense that the Legate understood the documents and commands of the
Apostolic See, and duly and conscientiously obeyed them; and the same
was done by Queen Mary and the rest who helped to restore Catholicism
to its former state.
15. The authority of Julius III, and of Paul IV, which we have quoted,
clearly shows the origin of that practice which has been observed
without interruption for more than three centuries,
that Ordinations conferred according to the Edwardine rite should be
considered null and void. This practice is fully proved by the numerous
cases of absolute re-ordination according to the Catholic rite even in
Rome.
16. In the observance of this practice we have a proof directly
affecting the matter in hand. For if by any chance doubt
should remain as to the true sense in which these Pontifical documents
are to be understood the principle holds good that "Custom is the best
interpreter of law."
Since in the Church it has ever been a constant and established rule
that it is sacrilegious to repeat the Sacrament of Order, it never
could have come to pass that the Apostolic See should have silently
acquiesced in and tolerated such a custom. But not only did the
Apostolic See tolerate this practice, but approved and sanctioned it as
often as any particular case arose which called for its judgment in
the matter.
17. We adduce two cases of this kind out of many which have from time
to
time been submitted to the Supreme Council of the Holy Office. The
first was (in 1684) of a certain French Calvinist, and the other (in
1704) of John Clement Gordon, both of whom had received their orders
according to the Edwardine ritual.
18. In the first case, after a searching investigation, the Consultors,
not a few in number, gave in writing their answers-----or
as they call it,
their vota-----and
the rest unanimously agreed with their conclusion, "for
the invalidity of the Ordination," and only on account of reasons of
opportuneness did the Cardinals deem it well to answer with a dilata
(viz., not to formulate the conclusion at the moment.).
19. The same documents were called into use and considered again in the
examination of the second case, and additional written statements of
opinion were also obtained from Consultors, and the most eminent
doctors of the Sorbonne and of Douai were likewise asked for their
opinion. No safeguard which wisdom and prudence could suggest to ensure
the thorough sifting of the question was neglected.
20. And here it is important to observe that, although Gordon himself,
whose case it was, and some of the Consultors, had adduced amongst the
reasons which went to prove the invalidity, the Ordination of Parker,
according to their own ideas about it, in the delivery of the decision
this reason was altogether set aside, as documents of incontestable
authenticity prove. Nor, in pronouncing the decision, was weight given
to any other reason than the "defect of form and intention" and in
order that the judgment concerning this form might be more certain and
complete, precaution was taken that a copy of the Anglican Ordinal
should be submitted to examination, and that with it should be collated
the ordination forms gathered together from the various Eastern and
Western rites. Then Clement XI himself, with the unanimous vote of the
Cardinals concerned, on Thursday 17 April 1 704, decreed:
John Clement Gordon shall be ordained from the beginning and
unconditionally to all the orders, even Holy Orders, and chiefly of
Priesthood, and in case he has not been confirmed, he shall first
receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.
21. It is important to bear in mind that this judgment was in no wise
determined by the omission of the tradition of instruments, for in such
a case, according to the established custom, the direction would have
been to repeat the ordination conditionally, and still more important
is it to note that the judgment of the Pontiff applies universally to
all Anglican ordinations, because, although it refers to a particular
case, it is not based upon any reason special to that case, but upon
the defect of form, which defect equally affects all these ordinations,
so much so, that when similar cases subsequently came up for decision,
the same decree of Clement XI was quoted as the norm.
22. Hence it must be clear to everyone that the controversy lately
revived had already been definitely settled by the Apostolic See, and
that it is to the insufficient knowledge of these documents that we
must, perhaps, attribute the fact that any Catholic writer should have
considered it still an open question.
23. But, as we stated at the beginning, there is nothing we so deeply
and ardently desire as to be of help to men of good will by showing
them the greatest consideration and charity. Wherefore, we ordered
that the Anglican Ordinal, which is the essential point of the whole
matter, should be once more most carefully examined.
24. In the examination of any rite for the effecting and administering
of Sacraments, distinction is rightly made between the part which is
ceremonial and that which is essential, usually called the "matter and
form". All know that the Sacraments of the New Law, as sensible and
efficient signs of invisible grace, ought both to signify the grace
which they effect, and effect the grace which they signify. Although
the signification ought to be found in the whole essential rite, that
is to say, in the "matter" and "form", it still pertains chiefly to the
"form"; since the "matter" is the part which is not determined by
itself but which is determined by the "form". And this appears still
more clearly in the Sacrament of Order, the "matter" of which, in so
far as we have to consider it in this case, is the imposition of hands,
which, indeed, by itself signifies nothing definite, and is equally
used for several orders and for confirmation.
25. But the words which until recently were commonly held by Anglicans
to constitute the proper form of priestly ordination-----amely,
"Receive
the Holy Ghost,"-----certainly do not in the least
definitely express the
sacred Order of Priesthood (Sacerdotium)
or its grace and power, which
is chiefly the power "of consecrating and of offering the true Body and
Blood of the Lord" (Council of Trent, Sess. XXIII, de Sacr. Ord., Can
1) in that sacrifice which is no "nude commemoration of the sacrifice
offered on the Cross" (Ibid.,
Sess XXII., de Sacrif. Missae,
Can 3).
26. This form had, indeed, afterwards added to it the words "for the
office and work of a priest," etc.; but this rather shows that the
Anglicans themselves perceived that the first form was defective and
inadequate. But even if this addition could give to the form its due
signification, it was introduced too late, as a century had already
elapsed since the adoption of the Edwardine Ordinal, for, as the
Hierarchy had become extinct, there remained no power of ordaining.
27. In vain has help been recently sought for the plea of the validity
of Anglican Orders from the other prayers of the same Ordinal. For, to
put aside other reasons which show this to be insufficient for the
purpose in the Anglican rite, let this argument suffice for all. From
them has been deliberately removed whatever sets forth the dignity and
office of the priesthood in the Catholic rite. That "form" consequently
cannot be considered apt or sufficient for the Sacrament which omits
what it ought essentially to
signify.
28. The same holds good of episcopal consecration. For to the formula,
"Receive the Holy Ghost", not only were the words "for the office and
work of a bishop," etc. added at a later period, but even these, as we
shall presently state, must be understood in a sense different to that
which they bear in the Catholic rite. Nor is anything gained by quoting
the prayer of the preface, "Almighty God," since it, in like manner,
has been stripped of the words which denote the summum sacerdotium.
29. It is not relevant to examine here whether the episcopate be a
completion of the priesthood, or an order distinct from it; or whether,
when bestowed, as they say per saltum,
on one who is not a priest, it
has or has not its effect. But the episcopate undoubtedly, by the
institution of Christ, most truly belongs to the Sacrament of Order and
constitutes the sacerdotium
in the highest degree, namely, that which
by the teaching of the Holy Fathers and our liturgical customs is
called the Summum sacerdotium sacri
ministerii summa. So it comes to
pass that, as the Sacrament of Order and the true sacerdotium of Christ
were utterly eliminated from the Anglican rite, and hence the
sacerdotium is in no wise
conferred truly and validly in the episcopal
consecration of the same rite, for the like reason, therefore, the
episcopate can in no wise be truly and validly conferred by it, and
this the more so because among the first duties of the episcopate is
that of ordaining ministers for the Holy Eucharist and sacrifice.
30. For the full and accurate understanding of the Anglican Ordinal,
besides what we have noted as to some of its parts, there is nothing
more pertinent than to consider carefully the circumstances under which
it was composed and publicly authorised. It would be tedious to enter
into details, nor is it necessary to do so, as the history of that time
is sufficiently eloquent as to the animus of the authors of the Ordinal
against the Catholic Church; as to the abettors whom they associated
with themselves from the heterodox sects; and as to the end they had in
view. Being fully cognisant of the necessary connection between faith
and worship, between "the law of believing and the law of praying,"
under a pretext of returning to the primitive form, they corrupted the
Liturgical Order in many ways to suit the errors of the reformers. For
this reason, in the whole Ordinal not only is there no clear mention of
the sacrifice, of consecration, of the priesthood (sacerdotium), and of
the power of consecrating and offering sacrifice but, as We have just
stated, every trace of these things which had been in such prayers of
the Catholic rite as they had not entirely rejected, was deliberately
removed and struck out.
31. In this way, the native character-----or spirit as
it is called-----of the
Ordinal clearly manifests itself. Hence, if, vitiated in its origin, it
was wholly insufficient to confer Orders, it was impossible that, in
the course of time, it would become sufficient, since no change had
taken place. In vain those who, from the time of Charles I, have
attempted to hold some kind of sacrifice or priesthood, have made
additions to the Ordinal. In vain also has been the contention of that
small section of the Anglican body formed in recent times that the said
Ordinal can be understood and interpreted in a sound and orthodox
sense. Such efforts, we affirm, have been, and are, made in vain, and
for this reason, that any words in the Anglican Ordinal, as it now is,
which lend themselves to ambiguity, cannot be taken in the same sense
as they possess in the Catholic rite. For once a new rite has been
initiated in which, as we have seen, the Sacrament of Order is
adulterated or denied, and from which all idea of consecration and
sacrifice has been rejected, the formula, "Receive the Holy Ghost," no
longer holds good, because the Spirit is infused into the soul with the
grace of the Sacrament, and so the words "for the office and work of a
priest or bishop," and the like no longer hold good, but remain as
words without the reality which Christ
instituted.
32. Many of the more shrewd Anglican interpreters of the Ordinal have
perceived the force of this argument, and they openly urge it against
those who take the Ordinal in a new sense, and vainly attach to the
Orders conferred thereby a value and efficacy which they do not
possess. By this same argument is refuted the contention of those who
think that the prayer, "Almighty God, giver of all good Things," which
is found at the beginning of the ritual action, might suffice as a
legitimate "form" of Orders, even in the hypothesis that it might be
held to be sufficient in a Catholic rite approved by the Church.
33. With this inherent defect of "form" is joined the defect of
"intention" which is equally essential to the Sacrament. The Church
does not judge about the mind and intention, in so far as it is
something by its nature internal; but in so far as it is manifested
externally she is bound to judge concerning it. A person who has
correctly and seriously used the requisite matter and form to effect
and confer a Sacrament is presumed for that very reason to have
intended to do (intendisse)
what the Church does. On this principle
rests the doctrine that a Sacrament is truly conferred by the Ministry
of one who is a heretic or unbaptised, provided the Catholic rite be
employed. On the other hand, if the rite be changed, with the manifest
intention of introducing another rite not approved by the Church and of
rejecting what the Church does, and what, by the institution of Christ,
belongs to the nature of the Sacrament, then it is clear that not only
is the necessary intention wanting to the Sacrament, but that the
intention is adverse to and destructive of the Sacrament.
34. All these matters have been long and carefully considered by
Ourselves and by Our Venerable Brethren, the Judges of the Supreme
Council, of whom it has pleased Us to call a special meeting upon the
16th day of July last, the solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. They
with one accord agreed that the question laid before them had been
already adjudicated upon with full knowledge of the Apostolic See, and
that this renewed discussion and examination of the issues had only
served to bring out more clearly the wisdom and accuracy with which
that decision had been made. Nevertheless, We deemed it well to
postpone a decision in order to afford time both to consider whether it
would be fitting or expedient that we should make a fresh authoritative
declaration upon the matter, and to humbly pray for a fuller measure of
divine guidance.
35. Then, considering that this matter, although already decided, had
been by certain persons for whatever reason recalled into discussion,
and that thence it might follow that a pernicious error would be
fostered in the minds of many who might suppose that they possessed the
Sacrament and effects of Orders, where these are nowise to be found, it
seemed good to Us in the Lord to pronounce Our judgment.
36. Wherefore, strictly adhering, in this matter, to the decrees of
the Pontiffs, Our predecessors, and confirming them most fully, and, as
it were, renewing them by Our authority, of Our own initiative and
certain knowledge, We pronounce and declare that ordinations carried
out according to the Anglican rite have been, and are, absolutely null
and utterly void.
37. It remains for Us to say that, even as We have entered upon the
elucidation of this grave question in the name and in the love of the
Great Shepherd, in the same we appeal to those who desire and seek with
a sincere heart the possession of a hierarchy and of Holy Orders.
38. Perhaps until now aiming at the greater perfection of Christian
virtue, and searching more devoutly the Divine Scriptures, and
redoubling the fervour of their prayers, they have, nevertheless,
hesitated in doubt and anxiety to follow the voice of Christ, which so
long has interiorly admonished them. He in His goodness invites them
and wills them to come. In returning to His one only fold, they will
obtain the blessings which they seek, and the consequent helps to
salvation, of which He has made the Church the dispenser, and, as it
were, the constant guardian and promoter of His redemption amongst the
nations. Then, indeed, "They shall draw waters in joy from the
fountains of the Saviour," His wondrous Sacraments, whereby His
faithful souls have their sins truly remitted, and are restored to the
friendship of God, are nourished and strengthened by the heavenly
Bread, and abound with the most powerful aids for their eternal
salvation. May the God of all consolation, in His infinite tenderness,
enrich and fill with all these blessings those who truly yearn for
them.
39. We wish to direct our exhortation and our desires in a special way
to those who are ministers of religion in their respective communities.
They are men who from their very office take precedence in learning and
authority, and who have at heart the glory of God and the salvation of
souls. Let them be the first in joyfully submitting to the Divine call
and obey it, and furnish a glorious example to others. Assuredly, with
an exceeding great joy, their Mother, the Church, will welcome them,
and will cherish with all her love and care those whom the strength of
their generous souls has, amidst many trials and difficulties, led back
to her bosom. Nor could words express the recognition which this
devoted courage will win for them from the assemblies of the brethren
throughout the Catholic world, or what hope or confidence it will merit
for them before Christ as their judge, or what reward it will obtain
from Him in the heavenly kingdom! And We, ourselves, in every lawful
way, shall continue to promote their reconciliation with the Church in
which individuals and masses, as We ardently desire, may find so much
for their imitation. In the meantime, by the tender mercy of the Lord
our God, We ask and beseech all to strive faithfully to follow in the
path of Divine grace and truth.
40. We decree that these letters and all things contained therein shall
not be liable at any time to be impugned or objected to by reason of
fault or any other defect whatsoever of subreption or obreption of Our
intention, but are and shall be always valid and in force and shall be
inviolably observed both juridically and otherwise, by all of
whatsoever degree and pre-eminence, declaring null and void anything
which, in these matters, may happen to be contrariwise attempted,
whether wittingly or unwittingly, by any person whatsoever, by
whatsoever authority or pretext, all things to the contrary
notwithstanding.
41. We will that there shall be given to copies of these letters, even
printed, provided that they be signed by a notary and sealed by a
person constituted in ecclesiastical dignity, the same credence that
would be given to the expression of Our will by the showing of these
presents.
Given at Rome, at St. Peter's, in the year of the Incarnation of Our
Lord, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-six, on the Ides of
September, in the nineteenth year of Our Pontificate.
Leo PP. XIII
The Letter of Leo XIII to Cardinal Richard on the Authority of
the Bull
It is still, to some extent, a disputed question whether the
Bull is to be ranked as an infallible document or not. That it is final
and irreformable all theologians are agreed, and the distinction
between such a decision and one that is formally infallible does not
seem easy to draw.
Some theologians were inclined to argue at first that it was evident
from the absence of certain customary expressions in the wording of the
Bull that the Holy Father could not have intended to use his full
power, and that, therefore, it was lawful for Catholics to minimize, as
far as possible, the force of his words. Pope Leo XIII subsequently
made his intention very clear by the following letter to Cardinal
Richard which was published in the Acta
Sanctae Sedis.
To our well-beloved Son, Francis Mary, Cardinal Richard, Archbishop of
Paris.
Beloved Son, salutation and Apostolic benediction.
Taking heed, as Our office is, to religion and the eternal salvation of
souls among the English, We have lately put forth, as you know, the
Constitution Apostolicae Curae. It was Our intention thereby to deliver
a final judgment and to settle absolutely that most grave question
about Anglican Orders, which indeed was long since lawfully defined by
Our predecessors, but by Our indulgence was entirely reheard. And this
We did with such weight of argument and in such clear and authoritative
tones that no prudent or right-minded man could possibly doubt what Our
judgment was, and so all Catholics were bound to receive it with the
utmost respect, as being finally settled and determined without any
possible appeal. We must, however, confess that certain Catholics have
not so responded to it, a matter which has caused Us no little sorrow.
We have written this to you, beloved Son, because it especially applies
to a certain journal called the Revue
Anglo-Romaine, published in Paris. There are some among its
writers who, instead of defending and illustrating this Constitution,
try instead to weaken it by explaining it away. Wherefore you must see
that nothing is put forth in this journal which is not in full
accordance with Our Statements, and it will certainly be better for it
to cease and be silent rather than to bring difficulties against these
excellent statements and decisions.
In like manner, whereas certain Englishmen who dissent from the
Catholic religion, appeared to be enquiring of Us in the spirit of
sincerity what was the truth about their ordinations, but received that
truth when We had declared it to them before God in a very different
spirit, it clearly follows that the Catholics, of whom we have spoken,
at least all the religious men amongst them, should know what their
duty is. For it is no longer right or fitting for them to join in or
assist in any way the plans of such people, for by so doing they might
cause no small hindrance to the spread of religion which they desire.
We therefore willingly confide these serious matters, beloved Son, to
your tried prudence and wisdom, and as an auspice of Divine gifts and a
proof of Our special goodwill towards you We affectionately impart to
you the Apostolic bendiction.
Given at Rome at St. Peter's, the fifth day of November, 1896, in the
nineteenth year of our pontificate.
APOSTOLICAE
CURAE