In brief, what is the difference between a simoniacal and a non-simoniacal price list?
The simoniacal lists define the fees that allegedly were to be charged for the forgiveness of sins, something forbidden by God and the Church, since no one can profit from spiritual gifts. These lists never existed in the Church. The non-simoniacal lists (the ones that actually came from the pope or their officers) set fees for the work of preparing and issuing documents related to a canonical process. These lists do not charge for administering the grace, but only for the work of the tribunal officers, just as any worker is paid for his labor. These lists were used during several centuries. A sample analogy of our times may help: the papal blessing that pilgrims tend to buy in Rome for their relatives and friends cost a certain amount (and for this there must be price lists proportional to intent and so on). There is no fee for the blessing, something that any pilgrim can obtain any time the pope is around (blessings are even issued to the entire word through the mass media). What is
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