Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent

J. Schroeder Rev. Fr. H.

Description

This Council spanned the pontificates of five popes and shone as a beacon to all the world, condemning errors of the Protestant Reformation and making pronouncements on a vast number of Church doctrines and disciplines. Covers such topics as Holy Orders, Original Sin, Purgatory, Nicene Creed and much more! Fr. Schroeder's translation demonstrates the authority and clarity with which the Church makes her official pronouncements.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie
• Christian theology
• Catholic Church
• Christianity

Informations

• Publié par: TAN Books
• Date de parution: 01 janvier 2005
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781618905031
• Langue: English

Extrait

Nihil Obstat:   Fr. Humbertus Kane, O.P. Fr. Alexius Driscoll, O.P. Imprimi Potest:   Fr. Petrus O’Brien, O.P. Prior Provincialis Nihil Obstat:   Sti. Ludovici, die 5. Septembris, 1941 A. A. Esswein, Censor Deputatus Imprimatur:   Sti. Ludovici, die 5. Septembris, 1941 Joannes J. Glennon, Archiepiscopus
Copyright © 1941 by B. Herder Book Co.
Copyright © 1978 by TAN Books.
Library of Congress Catalog Card No.: 78-66132
ISBN: 978-0-89555-074-3
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Cover Design by Milo Persic
Cover Art: Seduta del Concilio di Trento nella chiesa di S. Maria Maggiore , with the consent of the Castello del Buonconsiglio Monu - menti e collezioni provinciali. This image may not be reproduced or reprinted in any manner without prior written consent of the museum.
Printed and bound in the United States of America.
TAN Books Charlotte, North Carolina 2011
Translator’s Foreword
Some fifteen years ago the writer formed the intention of making accessible to English readers the disciplinary decrees of the ecumenical or general councils of the Church, a work which, with the exception of the Council of Trent, had up to that time received no attention. The fact that the last of these, that of the Vatican, did not issue any such decrees narrowed my field of labor to nineteen councils, leaving, nevertheless, a field still large enough to make anyone who has taken sufficient time to look carefully over the ground hesitant about undertaking the work. The results of these labors, covering the first eighteen councils, appeared in 1937 under the title, Disciplinary Decrees of the General Councils. The present volume covers the Council of Trent, giving the translation and text of its canons and decrees.
The original intention of limiting myself to the disciplinary decisions of the councils could not very well be carried out in the case of Trent without producing a one-sided work amounting almost to a monstrosity. In the list of general councils Trent holds the first place, not only because of its restatement of Catholic doctrine and its initiation of a genuine reform, but also because of its extraordinary influence both within and without the Church. Its purpose was twofold, to define the doctrines of the Church in reply to the heresies of the Protestants, and to bring about a thorough reform of the inner life of Christians. We have become so accustomed to look upon the two parts as one that either without the other seems incomplete. Moreover, it is scarcely necessary to state that the translation of these dogmatic decisions will be of immense advantage not only to the clergy but also and especially to the seminarian and the educated layman. In them the council proclaimed to the world the doctrines that were committed to the keeping of the Church on the day of Pentecost. They are a sign erected on everlasting foundations indicating to the passer-by the straight road along which the Church has traveled ever since that day and along which she will continue to travel till the Day of Judgment. She recognizes no detours, for these lead only to destruction. Again, many of the Council’s dogmatic decrees are gems, masterpieces of theology reduced to the briefest possible form, yet sufficiently complete to leave nothing wanting. I make mention particularly of the famous decree on justification, in the working out and formulation of which “the spirit of God is easily discernible.” The Council spent seven months of arduous labor in formulating that decree as we have it today. There had been no decisions on that point of Catholic doctrine by earlier councils by which to be guided or on which to lean. In the works of the Fathers we look in vain for a definite and satisfactory exposition. The older theologians incorporated what they had to say on that subject in their treatises on grace, while the controversial works of later Catholic writers were more or less tainted by the false doctrine of a twofold formal cause of justification, namely, the justitia inhaerens and the justitia imputata, a compromise contrivance designed to conciliate the heretics. In the reform decrees the reader will find the means employed by the Church to correct and remove prevailing moral evils and abuses.
The first English translation of the canons and decrees of the Council of Trent, so far as I am aware, was made by the Rev. J. Waterworth and published in London in 1848. As is well known, this work has been out of print and off the market for many years. As long as it was available it filled a real need. In 1687 there appeared an anonymous translation. But the work was so poorly done and so unfaithful to the original that it must be regarded as a travesty and burlesque rather than as a translation. Another rendition was made by T. A. Buckley and published in England in 1851. This I have not seen, and had it not been for an item in the catalogue of a London antiquarian some years ago, I would not know of its existence. Whether an English rendering of Trent has ever been made in this country, I do not know. A translation of the dogmatic decrees only was made by an Oxford convert in Catholic Doctrine as Defined by the Council of Trent (Philadelphia, 1869), which is a translation of a series of conferences delivered in Geneva by the Rev. A. Nampon, S.J., under the title, Étude de la doctrine catholique dans le concile de Trente.
The Latin text of the canons and decrees given in the second part of this book and upon which the accompanying translation is based, is that of the Neapolitan edition of 1859, which was made from the Roman edition of 1834 issued by the Collegium Urbanum de Propaganda Fide. In transcribing this text typographical errors were corrected by reference to the new edition of the Acts of the council sponsored by the Görres-Gesellschaft in so far as it was available and also to the edition of Le Plat (Antwerp, 1779). In the spelling of certain words changes were made to conform to current usage. In the translation I have endeavored to adhere to the text as closely as possible, that is, to make it as literal as the text would permit, without, however, making that adherence a slavish one. Only direct scriptural quotations, not paraphrases, are printed in italics. For the benefit of those who are interested in a wider acquaintance with pre-Tridentine legislation, references to provincial councils and to the Corpus Juris Canonici will be found more copious and more complete under the Latin text. The references to a few papal bulls are given to indicate the action of popes to enforce the decrees of Trent.
—Rev. H. J. Schroeder, O.P.
Contents
Bull of the convocation of the Council of Trent under Pope Paul III
FIRST SESSION
Decree concerning the opening of the council
Announcement of the next session
SECOND SESSION
Decree concerning the manner of living and other matters to be observed during the council
Announcement of the next session
THIRD SESSION
Decree concerning the symbol of faith
Announcement of the next session
FOURTH SESSION
Decree concerning the canonical Scriptures
Decree concerning the edition and use of the sacred books
Announcement of the next session
FIFTH SESSION
Decree concerning original sin
Decree concerning reform
C HAPTER I. The establishment of lectureships in Holy Scripture and the liberal arts
C HAPTER II. Preachers of the Word of God and questors of alms
Announcement of the next session
SIXTH SESSION
Decree concerning justification. Introduction
C HAPTER I. The impotency of nature and of the law to justify man
C HAPTER II. The dispensation and mystery of the advent of Christ
C HAPTER III. Who are justified through Christ
C HAPTER IV. A brief description of the justification of the sinner and its mode in the state of grace

C HAPTER V. The necessity of preparation for justification in adults and whence it proceeds
C HAPTER VI. The manner of preparation
C HAPTER VII. In what the justification of the sinner consists and what are its causes
C HAPTER VIII. How the gratuitous justification of the sinner by faith is to be understood
C HAPTER IX. Against the vain confidence of heretics
C HAPTER X. The increase of the justification received
C HAPTER XI. The observance of the commandments and the necessity and possibility thereof
C HAPTER XII. Rash presumption of predestination is to be avoided
C HAPTER XIII. The gift of perseverance
C HAPTER XIV. The fallen and their restoration
C HAPTER XV. By every mortal sin grace is lost, but not faith.
C HAPTER XVI. The fruits of justification, that is, the merit of good works, and the nature of that merit
Canons concerning justification
Decree concerning reform
C HAPTER I. Duty of prelates to reside in their churches
C HAPTER II. Obligation of residence by those holding a benefice that requires it
C HAPTER III. Excesses of secular clerics and of regulars who live outside their monasteries shall be corrected by the local ordinary
C HAPTER IV. Duty of visitation by bishops and other prelates.
C HAPTER V. Bishops shall neither exercise pontifical functions nor ordain in another diocese
Announcement of the next session
SEVENTH SESSION
Decree concerning the sacraments. Foreword
Canons on the sacraments in general
Canons on baptism
Canons on confirmation
Decree concerning reform
C HAPTER I. The competency required to conduct cathedral churches
C HAPTER II. Those holding several cathedral churches are commanded to resign in a specified manner and time all but one
C HAPTER III. Benefices are to be conferred only on competent persons
C HAPTER IV. The holder of several benefices contrary to the canons shall be deprived of them

C HAPTER V. Regulation