Imprimatur

What it is

An imprimatur (Latin: "let it be printed") is the permission granted by a diocesan bishop (or his equivalent) for a work to be published, indicating that it has been reviewed and found to contain nothing contrary to Catholic faith or morals. It usually follows a nihil obstatGlossaryA censor's judgment that a manuscript contains nothing opposed to Catholic faith or morals—literally, "nothing stands in the way." from a censor. Together they are marks of ecclesiastical oversight for catechetical and theological publishing.

What it is not

An imprimatur is not a claim that every sentence is a defined dogma, nor that the bishop endorses every opinion or literary quality in the book. It is not infallibility. It is not required for every Catholic blog post. Absence of an imprimatur does not automatically mean a work is heretical—but for teaching materials, its presence is a serious sign of care.

How a Catholic encounters it

Look for nihil obstat and imprimatur on the copyright page of catechisms, theology texts, and prayer books. Prefer such editions when learning doctrine. Still read with a formed mind: the note means the work was cleared for printing, not that it replaces the Catechism or the living MagisteriumGlossaryThe Church's teaching authority, exercised by the Pope and bishops in communion with him, guarding and handing on the deposit of faith..