Gravissimo officii munere

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Gravissimo officii munere is an encyclical written by Pope Pius X , with which he turned to the French episcopate on August 10, 1906 , in order to judge “about the French worship associations”. Just six months after his encyclical Vehementer nos (“Against the separation of state and church in France” of February 11, 1906) and after examining the legal and canonical legislation, he turned against the “worship associations” and so-called “cult associations” (associations de culte) in France and categorically rejected their membership of the Roman Catholic Church .

Separation of state and church

After the break of the French Republic with the Catholic Church, the Church had now waited some time and watched the development of the religion . It now appears necessary to preserve and defend religion in their (note: he means the cardinals and bishops ) country. The associations, worship associations and cult associations established with the approval of the government , which would represent a form of substitute religion, would violate all sacred rights and do not belong to the life of the church.

Protection of Catholics

In individual cases, however, a membership can be checked in order to spare the threatened Catholics in France serious complications, but if such an association does not fulfill ecclesiastical and canonical rights, approval must be urgently discouraged. But if all rights are taken into account, then it is the duty of the Pope and the bishops to work for the security of these associations. Now the bishops in France are called upon to exhaust all legal and ecclesiastical provisions and to give their consent, but the highest goal must be return to the Catholic Church.

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