Catholic texts and their approval
Religious publications must have verified approval for the exact Catholic work and edition. A publisher’s name, a source link or free access is insufficient.
What qualifies
For private religious publications, we require an identifiable imprimatur or the competent ecclesiastical approval appropriate to the work. Official Church texts are identified by their actual approval, promulgation or issuance. They are not assigned a fictitious imprimatur.
An imprimatur for an original text does not automatically cover a translation, adaptation, new edition, app summary or AI explanation.
Code of Canon Law · canons 824–830What is withheld
The app’s original religious lessons, explanations and prayers have no recorded approval and are not published. Unverified Bible transcriptions, prayer adaptations and media embeds remain withheld. The two historical editions hosted here retain their printed pages; nine prayer transcripts have been checked against the approved catechism. Previously downloaded copies cannot be recalled; replace old lesson downloads with the current source list.
Approval and copyright are separate
The NABRE has documented ecclesiastical approval. Its digital reproduction still requires permission. The full NABRE remains at its publisher. The USCCB separately permits its current daily-readings RSS feed on freely accessible websites, so those readings appear here with their attribution. The two hosted historical books are in the U.S. public domain.
Navigation, search, personal scheduling and technical instructions are app functions. They do not themselves possess an imprimatur.
Verified works
Liturgy of the Hours · U.S. English edition
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Official approved liturgical text
Liturgy of the Hours · U.S. English edition
Four-volume first English edition; texts ©1974 ICEL as credited by DivineOffice.org; U.S. availability only
USCCB authorization reported by DivineOffice.org; official U.S. English Liturgy of the Hours · Publisher authorization statement undated; original decree not independently located
Verified 2026-09-10. This record covers the listed work, not other material linked by its publisher.
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Additional approval evidence (new tab)
Additional approval evidence (new tab)
The text is read at its source. Ecclesiastical approval does not give Catechumens permission to reproduce it.
An Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism
Read hereSource, approval and edition
Imprimatur
An Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism
Thomas L. Kinkead; sixth edition; Benziger Brothers, copyright 1891
Michael Augustine, Archbishop of New York; nihil obstat D. J. McMahon · 1891-09-05
Verified 2026-09-10. This record covers the listed work, not other material linked by its publisher.
Read the original approval page here
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This historical U.S. edition is in the public domain and hosted here. The original page images are retained.
The Holy Bible · Douay–Rheims
Read hereSource, approval and edition
Ecclesiastical approval of Scripture
The Holy Bible · Douay–Rheims
John Murphy Company, Baltimore, 1914; with Challoner’s notes
James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore; printed approbation · Undated approbation in the 1914 edition
Verified 2026-09-10. This record covers the listed work, not other material linked by its publisher.
Read the original approval page here
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This historical U.S. edition is in the public domain and hosted here. The original page images are retained.
Daily Mass readings · USCCB RSS
Read hereSource, approval and edition
Official approved liturgical text
Daily Mass readings · USCCB RSS
U.S. Lectionary for Mass, second typical edition; current official RSS feed
USCCB; authorized English-language Lectionary for U.S. dioceses · In use from 19 May 2002
Verified 2026-09-10. This record covers the listed work, not other material linked by its publisher.
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Additional approval evidence (new tab)
The current feed is displayed here under the USCCB’s free-access RSS permission. This does not license the complete NABRE.
Code of Canon Law · publication and approval
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Official papal approval or promulgation
Code of Canon Law · publication and approval
Canons 822–833, official Holy See English text of the Latin Church code
Pope John Paul II; Code promulgated 25 January 1983 · 1983-01-25
Verified 2026-09-10. This record covers the listed work, not other material linked by its publisher.
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The text is read at its source. Ecclesiastical approval does not give Catechumens permission to reproduce it.
Catechism of the Catholic Church
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Official papal approval or promulgation
Catechism of the Catholic Church
English text published by the Holy See; consult the publisher for current amendments
Pope John Paul II · 1992-10-11
Verified 2026-09-10. This record covers the listed work, not other material linked by its publisher.
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Additional approval evidence (new tab)
The text is read at its source. Ecclesiastical approval does not give Catechumens permission to reproduce it.
Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church
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Official papal approval or promulgation
Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church
Holy See English edition, 2005, including the Common Prayers appendix
Pope Benedict XVI · 2005-06-28
Verified 2026-09-10. This record covers the listed work, not other material linked by its publisher.
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The text is read at its source. Ecclesiastical approval does not give Catechumens permission to reproduce it.
New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE)
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Ecclesiastical approval of Scripture
New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE)
2011 NABRE on the USCCB Bible website; private reading and study
USCCB; canonical rescript signed by Cardinal Francis George · 2010-09-30
Verified 2026-09-10. This record covers the listed work, not other material linked by its publisher.
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Additional approval evidence (new tab)
The text is read at its source. Ecclesiastical approval does not give Catechumens permission to reproduce it.
Rosarium Virginis Mariae
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Official papal approval or promulgation
Rosarium Virginis Mariae
Apostolic letter of 16 October 2002, Holy See English text
Pope John Paul II · 2002-10-16
Verified 2026-09-10. This record covers the listed work, not other material linked by its publisher.
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The text is read at its source. Ecclesiastical approval does not give Catechumens permission to reproduce it.
Gaudete et exsultate
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Official papal approval or promulgation
Gaudete et exsultate
Apostolic exhortation of 19 March 2018, Holy See English text
Pope Francis · 2018-03-19
Verified 2026-09-10. This record covers the listed work, not other material linked by its publisher.
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The text is read at its source. Ecclesiastical approval does not give Catechumens permission to reproduce it.
How this remains enforced
Unknown works, editions and media are withheld by default. Search, resource readers and downloads use the same restricted source collection. Link checks cannot grant approval or publish generated religious text. Saved records and personal plans remain available for export or removal.