SINGULARI NOS
ENCYCLICAL OF POPE GREGORY XVI
ON THE ERRORS OF LAMMENAIS
JUNE 25, 1834
To All the Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops, and Bishops.
Venerable Brothers, Greetings and Apostolic Blessing.
The illustrious examples of faith, obedience, and devotion conveyed by the
enthusiastic reception given everywhere to Our encyclical letter of August
15, 1832, gave Us great joy. We declared in it the only sound doctrine to
be followed concerning the main points in the fulfillment of the duties of
Our office for the whole Catholic flock. The statements made by many who
had approved those counsels and opinions which so grieved Us have increased
Our joy, for they have acted as prompt defenders and supporters of Our
decrees. We recognized that that evil which is still inflamed against both
sacred and civil matters is not yet removed. Widely disseminated but very
shameless pamphlets and certain gloomy machinations openly denoted those
things which We condemned in a letter sent to Our venerable brother, the
bishop of Rennes, in the month of October. Moreover, his response to those
things which cause Us so much concern and anxiety has been gratefully
received. His statement sent to Us on December 11 of last year distinctly
confirmed that he would follow solely and absolutely the teaching
transmitted in Our encyclical letter and that he would not write or approve
anything which differs from it. In that matter We opened Our heart in
paternal love to the son who was moved by Our warnings. We should also have
trusted that he would produce more brilliant writings in time to confirm
his compliance in word and deed with Our decision.
2. It hardly seemed believable that he whom We welcomed with such good will
and affection would so quickly forget Our kindness and desert Our
resolution. We can hardly believe that the good hope which occupied Us with
the fruit of Our teaching has died. However, We have learned of the
pamphlet written in French under the title Paroles d'un croyant, for it has
been printed by this man and disseminated everywhere. It was written under
a pseudonym, but matters of public record make clear the author's identity.
Though small in size, it is enormous in wickedness.
3. We were very much amazed, venerable brothers, when at first We
understood the blindness of this wretched author, for in him knowledge does
not come from Cod, but from the elements of the world; this "knowledge"
bursts forth. Against the oath solemnly given in his declaration, he
cloaked Catholic teaching in enticing verbal artifice, in order ultimately
to oppose it and overthrow it. We expressed this in Our letter mentioned
above concerning both the dutiful submission toward authorities and the
prevention of the fatal contamination of the people by indifferentism. It
also concerned measures to use against the spreading license of ideas and
speeches. Finally, it concerned that freedom of conscience which should be
thoroughly condemned and the repulsive conspiracy of societies enkindling
destruction of sacred and state affairs, even from the followers of false
religions, as We have made clear by the authority handed down to Us.
4. The mind shrinks from reading through those things in which the author
tries to break the bond of loyalty and submission toward leaders. Once the
torch of treason is ignited everywhere, it ruins public order, fosters
contempt of government, and stimulates lawlessness. It overthrows every
element of sacred and civil power. From this, the writer transposes the
power of princes, through a new and wicked idea, to the power of Satan and
an omen of subterfuge, as if it were dangerous to divine law, even a work
of sin. He brands the same marks of wickedness on the priests and rulers
because of the conspiracy of crimes and labors in which he dreams they are
joined against the rights of the people. Not content with such temerity, he
thrusts forth every kind of opinion, speech, and freedom of conscience. He
prays that everything will be favorable and happy for the soldiers who will
fight to free liberty from tyranny, and he encourages groups and
associations in the furious combat which engulfs everything. He stands so
firm in such heinous thoughts that We feel him trample right from the
beginning Our advice and orders.
5. It is annoying to recount here everything which throws all human and
divine affairs into confusion with the wicked fruit of impiety and daring.
But these things especially arouse Our indignation and should clearly not
be tolerated by religion. Especially dangerous is the fact that holy
Scriptures that have been tainted with the errors of this author are
disseminated to the unwary. Acting as if he were sent and inspired by God,
he speaks in the name of the Trinity and then uses Scripture as a pretext
for releasing the people from the law of obedience. He twists the words of
holy Scripture in a bold and cunning manner in order to firmly establish
his depraved ravings. He does this in order that, as St. Bernard used to
say, "He might spread clouds for light or give poison for honey, or rather
in the honey, creating a new Gospel for the people and laying a different
foundation from the one which is already laid."
6. He who placed Us as scouts in Israel for bids Us to hide in silence the
great harm brought to sound doctrine. So We must warn about the error those
whom Jesus, the author and perfector of the faith, entrusted to Our care.
Therefore, We consulted many of Our venerable brothers, the cardinals of
the Holy Roman Church. We have studied the book entitled Paroles d'un
croyant. By Our apostolic power, We condemn the book: furthermore, We
decree that it be perpetually condemned. It corrupts the people by a wicked
abuse of the word of God, to dissolve the bonds of all public order and to
weaken all authority. It arouses, fosters, and strengthens seditions,
riots, and rebellions in the empires. We condemn the book because it
contains false, calumnious, and rash propositions which lead to anarchy;
which are contrary to the word of God; which are impious, scandalous, and
erroneous; and which the Church already condemned, especially in regard to
the Waldensians, Wycliffites, Hussites, and other heretics of this kind.
7. Venerable brothers, it will now be your duty to strongly support Our
orders which We urgently demand as necessary for the safety and welfare of
both sacred and civil affairs. Let us see that no writing of this kind
comes out of hiding into the light, since it would be that much more
harmful if it were to set sail through the passion of insane reform and
creep far and wide like a crab among the people. It should be your duty to
encourage sound doctrine through this whole affair and to make known the
craftiness of the innovators. Watch more keenly over the care of the
Christian flock, so that zeal for religion, piety of actions, and public
peace might happily flourish and increase. We wait for this, trusting in
your faith and commitment to the common good so that, with the help of God
who is the Father of lights, We might give thanks (with St. Cyprian) that
the error has been understood and weakened and then laid low, because it
was recognized and discovered.
8. As for the rest, We greatly deplore the fact that, where the ravings of
human reason extend, there is somebody who studies new things and strives
to know more than is necessary, against the advice of the apostle. There
you will find someone who is overconfident in seeking the truth outside the
Catholic Church, in which it can be found without even a light tarnish of
error. Therefore, the Church is called, and is indeed, a pillar and
foundation of truth. You correctly understand, venerable brothers, that We
speak here also of that erroneous philosophical system which was recently
brought in and is clearly to be condemned. This system, which comes from
the contemptible and unrestrained desire for innovation, does not seek
truth where it stands in the received and holy apostolic inheritance.
Rather, other empty doctrines, futile and uncertain doctrines not approved
by the Church, are adopted. Only the most conceited men wrongly think that
these teachings can sustain and support that truth.
9. While We write these things to understand and preserve the sound
doctrine divinely delegated to Us, We sign over the harsh wound inflicted
to Our heart by the error of Our son. In the great sadness We suffer, there
is no hope of consolation, unless We can recall him to the way of
righteousness. Therefore, at the same time, let Us raise Our eyes and hands
to Him who is the leader of wisdom and the corrector of the wise. Let Us
beseech Him with repeated prayer to give this man a docile heart and a
great spirit to hear the voice of the most loving and most sorrowful
Father. May he hasten the joy of the Church, the joy of your order, the joy
of this Holy See, and the joy of Our unworthiness. Certainly We shall
provide an auspicious and happy occasion to take hold of him and embrace
him as a son returning to the bosom of his Father. We are and We shall be
very optimistic from his example that others will come to their senses,
others who might have been led into error by the same author. May there be
an agreement of teaching, one course of thinking, one harmony of action and
study, among all for the good of sacred and public matters. We need you and
We expect you to beseech the Lord with Us in your pastoral concern for this
great gift. We pray for divine assistance in this work and We lovingly
impart Our apostolic blessing on you and on your flock as a sign of this.
Given in Rome, at St. Peter's, on June 25, 1834, in the fourth year of Our
pontificate.