Monitum (Warning) regarding the
Writings of Fr. Teilhard de Chardin
SACRED CONGREGATION OF THE
HOLY OFFICE
MONITUM CONCERNING THE
WRITINGS
OF FR. TEILHARD DE CHARDIN
June 30, 1962
Reiterated on July 20, 1981
Admonition
Several works of Fr. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, some of which were
posthumously published, are being edited and are gaining a good deal of success.
Prescinding from a judgment about those points that concern the positive
sciences, it is sufficiently clear that the above-mentioned works abound in such
ambiguities and indeed even serious errors, as to offend Catholic doctrine.
For this reason, the most eminent and most revered Fathers of the Holy Office
exhort all Ordinaries as well as the superiors of Religious institutes, rectors
of seminaries and presidents of universities, effectively to protect the minds,
particularly of the youth, against the dangers presented by the works of Fr.
Teilhard de Chardin and of his followers.
Given at Rome, from the palace of the Holy Office, on the thirtieth day of
June, 1962.
SEBASTIANUS MASALA, Notarius
A re-iteration of the previous notification was given to
clarify the rumors that the ban had been lifted.
Communique of the Press Office of the Holy See appearing in
the English edition of L'Osservatore Romano, July 20, 1981.
The letter sent by the Cardinal Secretary of State to His Excellency Mons.
Poupard on the occasion of the centenary of the birth of Fr. Teilhard de Chardin
has been interpreted in a certain section of the press as a revision of previous
stands taken by the Holy See in regard to this author, and in particular of the
Monitum of the Holy Office of 30 June 1962, which pointed out that the work of
the author contained ambiguities and grave doctrinal errors.
The question has been asked whether such an interpretation is well founded.
After having consulted the Cardinal Secretary of State and the Cardinal
Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which, by
order of the Holy Father, had been duly consulted beforehand, about the letter
in question, we are in a position to reply in the negative. Far from being a
revision of the previous stands of the Holy See, Cardinal Casaroli's letter
expresses reservation in various passages--and these reservations have been
passed over in silence by certain newspapers-- reservations which refer
precisely to the judgement given in the Monitum of June 1962, even though this
document is not explicitly mentioned.
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