Bishops' Competencies in the Sphere of Censorship

Abstract

The freedom of word seems to be very important value in the contemporary word. It is guaranteed in the constitutions of the democratic societies. The topic of the article shows in the first place that censorship is still present in the Catholic Church, in the second place that the bishops are its subjects. The meaning of church censorship has to be understood in the right way. It does not mean the prohibition of dissemination word. It is like the tool given by the authorities of the Church itself for the faithful. It makes them sure that read book contains texts according to the teaching of the Church. If the book does not receive the prior „imprimatur” it means that it contains only private opinions. This is why the canons of the Code of Canon Law are concerned only with the prior censorship of official or semiofficial publications i.e. biblical and liturgical texts, prayer books, catechisms, religious textbooks and literature distributed in churches. The author shows the categories of writings which need prior censorship and the rules of grant it.