This week in Christian history: British missionary, Salem Witch Trials, Vatican book ban

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Sunday, June 09, 2019

Catholic Church softens stance on prohibited books – June 14, 1966

Saint Peter's Basilica is pictured at the Vatican March 7, 2013. | (Photo: Reuters/Stefano Rellandini)

This week marks the anniversary of when the Roman Catholic Church effectively abolished their “Index of prohibited books,” removing the punishments connected to the list.

The Vatican declared in a statement that while the index remained “morally binding,” the index “no longer has the force of ecclesiastical law with the attached censure.”

“In this matter, the Church trusts in the mature conscience of the faithful, and especially the authors, the Catholic publishers, and those concerned with the education of the youth,” continued the Church leadership.

“The Church places its most firm hope in the vigilant care of the individual Ordinaries and of the Episcopal Conferences, who have both the right and the duty to examine and also to prevent the publication of harmful books and, when it may be the case, to rebuke the authors and to admonish them.”