Canon 822. §1 In exercising their office the pastors of the Church, availing themselves of a right which belongs to the Church, are to make an ample use of the means of social communication.

§2 Pastors are also to teach the faithful that they have the duty of working together so that the use of the means of social communication may be imbued with a human and christian spirit.

§3 All Christ’s faithful, especially those who in any way take part in the management or use of the media, are to be diligent in assisting pastoral action, so that the Church can more effectively exercise its office through these means.

§1. Ecclesiae pastores, in suo munere explendo iure Ecclesiae proprio utentes, instrumenta communicationis socialis adhibere satagant.

§2. Iisdem pastoribus curae sit fideles edocere se officio teneri cooperandi ut instrumentorum communicationis socialis usus humano christianoque spiritu vivificetur.

§3. Omnes christifideles, ii praesertim qui quoquo modo in eorundem instrumentorum ordinatione aut usu partem habent, solliciti sint operam adiutricem actioni pastorali praestare, ita ut Ecclesia etiam his instrumentis munus suum efficaciter exerceat.

Canon 823. §1 In order to safeguard the integrity of faith and morals, pastors of the
Church have the duty and the right to ensure that in writings or in the use of the means of social communication there should be no ill effect on the faith and morals of Christ’s faithful. They also have the duty and the right to demand that where writings of the faithful touch upon matters of faith and morals, these be submitted to their judgement. Moreover, they have the duty and the right to condemn writings which harm true faith or good morals.

§2 For Christ’s faithful entrusted to their care, the duty and the right mentioned in §1 belong to the Bishops, both as individuals and in particular councils or Episcopal
Conferences; for the whole people of God, they belong to the supreme authority in the Church.

§1. Ut veritatum fidei morumque integritas servetur, officium et ius est Ecclesiae pastoribus invigilandi, ne scriptis aut usu instrumentorum communicationis socialis christifidelium fidei aut moribus detrimentum afferatur; item exigendi, ut quae scripta fidem moresve tangant a christifidelibus edenda suo iudicio subiciantur; necnon reprobandi scripta quae rectae fidei aut bonis moribus noceant.

§2. Officium et ius, de quibus in §1, competunt Episcopis, tum singulis tum in conciliis particularibus vel Episcoporum conferentiis adunatis quoad christifideles suae curae commissos, supremae autem Ecclesiae auctoritati quoad universum Dei populum.

Canon 824. §1 Unless it is otherwise provided, the local Ordinary whose permission or approval for publishing a book is to be sought according to the canons of this title, is the author’s proper local Ordinary, or the Ordinary of the place in which the book is published.

§2 Unless the contrary is clear, what is said in the canons of this title about books, applies also to any writings intended for publication.

§1. Nisi aliud statuatur, loci Ordinarius, cuius licentia aut approbatio ad libros edendos iuxta canones huius tituli est petenda, est loci Ordinarius proprius auctoris aut Ordinarius loci in quo libri publici iuris fient.

§2. Quae in canonibus huius tituli statuuntur de libris, quibuslibet scriptis divulgationi publicae destinatis applicanda sunt, nisi aliud constet.

Canon 825. §1 Books of the sacred Scriptures may not be published unless they are approved by the Apostolic See or the Episcopal Conference. The publication of translations of the sacred Scriptures requires the approval of the same authority, and they must have necessary and sufficient explanatory notes.

§2 With the permission of the Episcopal Conference, catholic members of Christ’s faithful, in cooperation with separated brethren, may prepare and publish versions of the Scriptures, with appropriate explanatory notes.

§1. Libri sacrarum Scripturarum edi non possunt nisi ab Apostolica Sede aut ab Episcoporum conferentia approbati sint; itemque ut eorundem versiones in linguam vernaculam edi possint, requiritur ut ab eadem auctoritate sint approbatae atque insimul necessariis et sufficientibus explicationibus sint instructae.

§2. Versiones sacrarum Scripturarum convenientibus explicationibus instructas, communi etiam cum fratribus seiunctis opera, parare atque edere possunt christifideles catholici, de licentia Episcoporum conferentiae.

Canon 826. §1 For liturgical books, the provisions of can. 838 are to be observed.

§2 To republish liturgical books or to publish translations of all or part of them, it must be established, by an attestation of the Ordinary of the place in which they are published, that they accord with an approved edition.

§3 Prayer books, for either the public or the private use of the faithful, are not to be published except by permission of the local Ordinary.

§1. Ad libros liturgicos quod attinet, serventur praescripta can. 838.

§2. Ut iterum edantur libri liturgici necnon eorum versiones in linguam vernaculam eorumve partes, constare debet de concordantia cum editione approbata ex attestatione Ordinarii loci in quo publici iuris fiunt.

§3. Libri precum pro publico vel privato fidelium usu ne edantur nisi de licentia loci Ordinarii.

Canon 827. §1 Without prejudice to the provisions of can. 775 §2, the publication of catechisms and other writings pertaining to catechetical formation, as well as their translations, requires the approval of the local Ordinary.

§2 Books dealing with matters concerning sacred Scripture, theology, canon law, church history, or religious or moral subjects may not be used as textbooks on which the instruction is based, in elementary, intermediate or higher schools, unless they were published with the approbation of the competent ecclesiastical authority or were subsequently approved by that authority.

§3 It is recommended that books dealing with the subjects mentioned in §2, even though not used as basic textbooks, and any writings which specially concern religion or good morals, be submitted to the judgement of the local Ordinary.

§4 Books or other written material dealing with religion or morals may not be displayed, sold or given away in churches or oratories, unless they were published with the permission of the competent ecclesiastical authority or were subsequently approved by that authority.

§1. Catechismi necnon alia scripta ad institutionem catecheticam pertinentia eorumve versiones, ut edantur, approbatione egent loci Ordinarii, firmo praescripto can. 775, §2.

§2. Nisi cum approbatione competentis auctoritatis ecclesiasticae editi sint aut ab ea postea approbati, in scholis, sive elementariis sive mediis sive superioribus, uti textus, quibus institutio nititur, adhiberi non possunt libri qui quaestiones respiciunt ad sacram Scripturam, ad theologiam, ius canonicum, historiam ecclesiasticam, et ad religiosas aut morales disciplinas pertinentes.

§3. Commendatur ut libri materias de quibus in §2 tractantes, licet non adhibeantur uti textus in institutione tradenda, itemque scripta in quibus aliquid habetur quod religionis aut morum honestatis peculiariter intersit, iudicio subiciantur loci Ordinarii.

§4. In ecclesiis oratoriisve exponi, vendi aut dari non possunt libri vel alia scripta de quaestionibus religionis aut morum tractantia, nisi cum licentia competentis auctoritatis ecclesiasticae edita sint aut ab ea postea approbata.

Canon 828. Collections of decrees or acts published by any ecclesiastical authority may not be republished without first seeking the permission of the same authority and observing the conditions which it lays down.

Collectiones decretorum aut actorum ab aliqua auctoritate ecclesiastica editas, iterum edere non licet, nisi impetrata prius eiusdem auctoritatis licentia et servatis condicionibus ab eadem praescriptis.

Canon 829. Approval or permission to publish a work is valid only for the first edition, but not for new editions or translations.

Approbatio vel licentia alicuius operis edendi pro textu originali valet, non vero pro eiusdem novis editionibus vel translationibus.

Canon 830. §1 Every local Ordinary retains the right to appoint persons whom he considers competent to give a judgement about books. The Episcopal Conference, however, may draw up a list of censors who are outstanding for their knowledge, right doctrine and prudence, to be available to diocesan curias; it may even establish a commission of censors whom the local Ordinary can consult.

§2 In carrying out this task, a censor must put aside all preference of persons and look only to the teaching of the Church concerning faith and morals, as declared by its magisterium.

§3 The censor must give an opinion in writing. If it is favourable, the Ordinary may, in his prudent judgement, give his permission for the work to be published, adding his own name and the date and place of the permission. If he does not give this permission, the Ordinary must inform the author of the reasons for the refusal.
[NB see Authentic Interpretation of canon 830 §3, 20.VI.1987]

§1. Integro manente iure uniuscuiusque loci Ordinarii committendi personis sibi probatis iudicium de libris, ab Episcoporum conferentia confici potest elenchus censorum, scientia, recta doctrina et prudentia praestantium, qui curiis dioecesanis praesto sint, aut constitui etiam potest commissio censorum, quam loci Ordinarii consulere possint.

§2. Censor, in suo obeundo officio, omni personarum acceptione seposita, prae oculis tantummodo habeat Ecclesiae de fide et moribus doctrinam, uti a magisterio ecclesiastico proponitur.

§3. Censor sententiam suam scripto dare debet; quae si faverit, Ordinarius pro suo prudenti iudicio licentiam concedat ut editio fiat, expresso suo nomine necnon tempore ac loco concessae licentiae; quod si eam non concedat, rationes denegationis cum operis scriptore Ordinarius communicet.

Canon 831. §1 Unless there is a just and reasonable cause, no member of Christ’s faithful may write in newspapers, pamphlets or periodicals which clearly are accustomed to attack the catholic religion or good morals. Clerics and members of religious institutes may write in them only with the permission of the local Ordinary.

§2 It is for the Episcopal Conference to lay down norms determining the requirements for clerics and members of religious institutes to take part in radio and television programmes which concern catholic doctrine or morals.

§1. In diariis, libellis aut foliis periodicis quae religionem catholicam aut bonos mores manifesto impetere solent, ne quidpiam conscribant christifideles, nisi iusta et rationabili de causa; clerici autem et institutorum religiosorum sodales, tantummodo de licentia loci Ordinarii.

§2. Episcoporum conferentiae est normas statuere de requisitis ut clericis atque sodalibus institutorum religiosorum partem habere liceat in tractandis via radiophonica aut televisifica quaestionibus, quae ad doctrinam catholicam aut mores attineant.

Canon 832. To publish writings on matters of religion or morals, members of religious institutes require also the permission of their major Superior, in accordance with the constitutions.

Institutorum religiosorum sodales ut scripta quaestiones religionis morumve tractantia edere possint, licentia quoque egent sui Superioris maioris ad normam constitutionum.