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| Pope Pius IX (1846 - 1878) |
To
Our Venerable Brethren, all Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops, and Bishops
having favor and Communion of the Holy See.
Venerable
Brethren, Health and Apostolic Benediction.
With
how great care and pastoral vigilance the Roman Pontiffs, our predecessors,
fulfilling the duty and office committed to them by the Lord Christ Himself in
the person of most Blessed Peter, Prince of the Apostles, of feeding the lambs
and the sheep, have never ceased sedulously to nourish the Lord's whole flock
with words of faith and with salutary doctrine, and to guard it from poisoned
pastures, is thoroughly known to all, and especially to you, Venerable
Brethren. And truly the same, Our
Predecessors, asserters of justice, being especially anxious for the salvation of souls, had nothing ever more at
heart than by their most wise Letters and Constitutions to unveil and condemn all those heresies and errors which,
being adverse to our Divine Faith, to the doctrine of the Catholic Church, to
purity of morals, and to the eternal salvation of men, have frequently excited
violent tempests, and have miserably afflicted both Church and State.
For which cause the same Our Predecessors, have, with Apostolic fortitude,
constantly resisted the nefarious enterprises of wicked men, who, like raging
waves of the sea foaming out their own confusion, and promising liberty whereas
they are the slaves of corruption, have striven by their deceptive opinions and
most pernicious writings to raze the foundations of the Catholic religion and
of civil society, to remove from among men all virtue and justice, to deprave
persons, and especially inexperienced youth, to lead it into the snares of
error, and at length to tear it from the bosom of the Catholic Church.
2.
But now, as is well known to you, Venerable Brethren, already, scarcely had we
been elevated to this Chair of Peter (by the hidden counsel of Divine
Providence, certainly by no merit of our own), when, seeing with the greatest
grief of Our soul a truly awful storm excited by so many evil opinions, and
(seeing also) the most grievous calamities never sufficiently to be deplored
which overspread the Christian people from so many errors, according to the
duty of Our Apostolic Ministry, and following the illustrious example of Our
Predecessors, We raised Our voice, and in many published Encyclical Letters and
Allocutions delivered in Consistory, and other Apostolic Letters, we condemned
the chief errors of this most unhappy age, and we excited your admirable
episcopal vigilance, and we again and again admonished and exhorted all sons of
the Catholic Church, to us most dear, that they should altogether abhor and
flee from the contagion of so dire a pestilence. And especially in our first
Encyclical Letter written to you on Nov. 9, 1846, and in two Allocutions
delivered by us in Consistory, the one on Dec. 9, 1854, and the other on June
9, 1862, we condemned the monstrous portents of opinion which prevail especially
in this age, bringing with them the greatest loss of souls and detriment of
civil society itself; which are grievously opposed also, not only to the
Catholic Church and her salutary doctrine and venerable rights, but also to the
eternal natural law engraven by God in all men's hearts, and to right reason;
and from which almost all other errors have their origin.
3.
But, although we have not omitted often to proscribe and reprobate the chief
errors of this kind, yet the cause of the Catholic Church, and the salvation of
souls entrusted to us by God, and the welfare of human society itself,
altogether demand that we again stir up your pastoral solicitude to exterminate
other evil opinions, which spring forth from the said errors as from a fountain.
Which false and perverse opinions are on that ground the more to be detested,
because they chiefly tend to this, that that salutary influence be impeded and
(even) removed, which the Catholic Church, according to the institution and
command of her Divine Author, should freely exercise even to the end of the
world -- not only over private individuals, but over nations, peoples, and
their sovereign princes; and (tend also) to take away that mutual fellowship
and concord of counsels between Church and State which has ever proved itself
propitious and salutary, both for religious and civil interests.1
For
you well know, venerable brethren, that at this time men are found not a few
who, applying to civil society the impious and absurd principle of "naturalism," as they call it, dare to teach that "the best constitution of
public society and (also) civil progress altogether require that human society
be conducted and governed without regard being had to religion any more than if
it did not exist; or, at least, without any distinction being made between the
true religion and false ones." (Today’s Church promotes Freedom of Religion as a means of
recognizing the innate human dignity of each person). And, against the doctrine of
Scripture, of the Church, and of the Holy Fathers, they do not hesitate to
assert that "that is the best condition of civil society, in which no duty is recognized, as attached to
the civil power, of restraining by enacted penalties, offenders against the
Catholic religion, except so far as public peace may require." From which
totally false idea of social government they do not fear to foster that
erroneous opinion, most fatal in its effects
on the Catholic Church and the salvation of souls, called by Our
Predecessor, Gregory XVI, an "insanity,"2 viz., that
"liberty of conscience and worship is each man's personal right, which
ought to be legally proclaimed and asserted in every rightly constituted
society;(Again, today’s primary
focus has been Religious Freedom as the pinnacle of basic human rights) and that a
right resides in the citizens to an absolute liberty, which should be
restrained by no authority whether ecclesiastical or civil, whereby they
may be able openly and publicly to manifest and declare any of their ideas
whatever, either by word of mouth, by the press, or in any other way."
But, while they rashly affirm this, they do not think and consider that they
are preaching "liberty of perdition;"3 and that "if human arguments are always allowed free
room for discussion, there will never be wanting men who will dare to resist
truth, and to trust in the flowing speech of human wisdom; whereas we know,
from the very teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ, how carefully Christian faith
and wisdom should avoid this most injurious babbling."4
4.
And, since where religion has been removed
from civil society, and the doctrine and authority of divine revelation
repudiated, the genuine notion itself of justice and human right is darkened
and lost, and the place of true justice and legitimate right is supplied
by material force, thence it appears why it is that some, utterly neglecting
and disregarding the surest principles of sound reason, dare to proclaim that "the people's will, manifested by what is
called public opinion or in some other way, constitutes a supreme law, free
from all divine and human control;(This is what Natural Law Theory is! It is what our country was
principally propagated by John Locke) and that in the political order accomplished facts, from the very
circumstance that they are accomplished, have the force of right." But who, does not see and clearly perceive that
human society, when set loose from the bonds of religion and true justice, can
have, in truth, no other end than the purpose of obtaining and amassing wealth,
and that (society under such circumstances) follows no other law in its
actions, except the unchastened desire of ministering to its own pleasure and
interests? (BINGO! Is this not what
our country probably was in the 19th Century and is an exponentially
worse version of today?) For this reason, men of
the kind pursue with bitter hatred the Religious Orders, although these have
deserved extremely well of Christendom, civilization and literature, and cry
out that the same have no legitimate reason for being permitted to exist; and
thus (these evil men) applaud the calumnies of heretics. For, as Pius VI, Our
Predecessor, taught most wisely, "the abolition of regulars is injurious
to that state in which the Evangelical counsels are openly professed; it is
injurious to a method of life praised in the Church as agreeable to Apostolic
doctrine; it is injurious to the illustrious founders, themselves, whom we venerate
on our altars, who did not establish these societies but by God's
inspiration."5 And (these wretches) also impiously declare that permission
should be refused to citizens and to the Church, "whereby they may openly
give alms for the sake of Christian charity"; and that the law should be abrogated (abolished) "whereby on
certain fixed days servile works are prohibited because of God's worship;"
(now everyone works on
Sunday at some point or another) and on the most deceptive pretext
that the said permission and law are opposed to the principles of the best
public economy. Moreover, not content with removing religion from public
society, they wish to banish it also from
private families.(California told parents
of gay children that they can’t tell them homosexuality is wrong; Canada wants
to ban any form of religious practice outside of the private home). For, teaching and professing the most fatal
error of "Communism and Socialism," they assert that "domestic
society or the family derives the whole principle of its existence from the
civil law alone; and, consequently, that on civil law alone depend all rights
of parents over their children, and especially that of providing for
education." By which impious opinions and machinations these most deceitful
men chiefly aim at this result, viz., that the
salutary teaching and influence of the Catholic Church may be entirely banished
from the instruction and education of youth, and that the tender and flexible
minds of young men may be infected and depraved by every most pernicious error
and vice. (This is rampant today;
public schools, media controls everything, kids having sex at younger ages (5th
and 6th grade), private schools have terrible curriculum, many private
Catholic Universities are teaching heretical ideas). For all who have endeavored to throw into
confusion things both sacred and secular, and to
subvert the right order of society, and to abolish all rights, human and
divine, have always (as we above hinted) devoted all their nefarious schemes, devices
and efforts, to deceiving and depraving
incautious youth and have placed all their hope in its corruption. For which
reason they never cease by every wicked method to assail the clergy,
both secular and regular, from whom (as the surest monuments of history
conspicuously attest), so many great advantages have abundantly flowed to
Christianity, civilization and literature, and to proclaim that "the clergy, as being hostile to the true and beneficial
advance of science and civilization, should be removed from the whole charge
and duty of instructing and educating youth."
Priests
don’t teach any more L
5.
Others meanwhile, reviving the wicked and so often condemned inventions of
innovators, dare with signal impudence to subject to the will of the civil
authority the supreme authority of the Church and of this Apostolic See given
to her by Christ Himself, and to deny all those rights of the same Church and
See which concern matters of the external order. For they are not ashamed of
affirming "that the Church's laws do not bind in conscience unless when
they are promulgated by the civil power; that acts and decrees of the Roman
Pontiffs, referring to religion and the Church, need the civil power's sanction
and approbation, or at least its consent; that the
Apostolic Constitutions,6 whereby secret societies are condemned (whether an
oath of secrecy be or be not required in such societies), (Freemasons) and whereby their frequenters and favourers are smitten with
anathema -- have no force in those regions of the world wherein associations of
the kind are tolerated by the civil government; that the excommunication
pronounced by the Council of Trent and by Roman Pontiffs against those who
assail and usurp the Church's rights and possessions, rests on a confusion
between the spiritual and temporal orders, and (is directed) to the pursuit of
a purely secular good; that the Church can
decree nothing which binds the conscience of the faithful in regard to their
use of temporal things; (today
“Catholics” just do whatever they want: contraception, abortion, drunkenness,
cheating, stealing…no grave consequences) that the Church has no right of restraining by temporal
punishments those who violate her laws; that it is conformable to the
principles of sacred theology and public law to assert and claim for the civil
government a right of property in those goods which are possessed by the
Church, by the Religious Orders, and by other pious establishments." Nor
do they blush openly and publicly to profess the maxim and principle of
heretics from which arise so many perverse opinions and errors. For they repeat
that the "ecclesiastical power is not by divine right distinct from, and
independent of, the civil power, and that such distinction and independence
cannot be preserved without the civil power's essential rights being assailed
and usurped by the Church." Nor can we pass over in silence the audacity
of those who, not enduring sound doctrine, contend that "without sin and
without any sacrifice of the Catholic profession assent and obedience may be
refused to those judgments and decrees of the Apostolic See, whose object is
declared to concern the Church's general good and her rights and discipline, so
only it does not touch the dogmata of faith and morals." But no one can be found not clearly and distinctly to
see and understand how grievously this is opposed to the Catholic dogma
of the full power given from God by Christ our Lord Himself to the Roman
Pontiff of feeding, ruling and guiding the Universal Church.
6.
Amidst, therefore, such great perversity of depraved opinions, we, well remembering our Apostolic Office, and very greatly
solicitous for our most holy Religion, for sound doctrine and the salvation of
souls which is entrusted to us by God, and (solicitous also) for the welfare of human society itself, (notice that he has his priorities in the correct
order; salvation of souls first, welfare of human society secondary) have thought it right again to raise up our
Apostolic voice. Therefore, by our Apostolic authority, we reprobate, proscribe, and condemn
all the singular and evil opinions and doctrines severally mentioned in this
letter, and will and command that they be thoroughly held by all children of
the Catholic Church as reprobated, proscribed and condemned.
7.
And besides these things, you know very well, Venerable Brethren, that in these
times the haters of truth and justice and most
bitter enemies of our religion, deceiving the people and maliciously
lying, disseminate sundry and other
impious doctrines by means of pestilential
books, pamphlets and newspapers dispersed over the whole world. Nor are
you ignorant also, that in this our age some men are found who, moved and excited by the
spirit of Satan, have reached to that degree of impiety as not
to shrink from denying our Ruler and Lord Jesus Christ, and from impugning His
Divinity with wicked pertinacity. Here, however, we cannot but extol you,
venerable brethren, with great and deserved praise, for not having failed to
raise with all zeal your episcopal voice against impiety so great.
8.
Therefore, in this our letter, we again most lovingly address you, who, having
been called unto a part of our solicitude, are to us, among our grievous
distresses, the greatest solace, joy and
consolation, because of the admirable religion and piety wherein you excel,(contrast this joy, solace and consolation caused
by admiration of the Catholic religion with the deep and profound admiration
for other religions promoted by Vatican II) and because of that marvelous love, fidelity, and dutifulness,
whereby bound as you are to us. and to this Apostolic See in most harmonious
affection, you strive strenuously and sedulously to fulfill your most weighty
episcopal ministry. For from your signal pastoral zeal we expect that, taking
up the sword of the spirit which is the word of God, and strengthened by the
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, you will, with redoubled care, each day more
anxiously provide that the faithful entrusted to your charge "abstain from
noxious verbiage, which Jesus Christ does not cultivate because it is not His
Father's plantation."7 Never cease also to inculcate on the said faithful
that all true felicity flows abundantly upon man from our august religion and
its doctrine and practice; and that happy is the people whose God is their
Lord.8 Teach that "kingdoms rest on the
foundation of the Catholic Faith; 9 and that nothing is so deadly, so
hastening to a fall, so exposed to all danger, (as that which exists) if,
believing this alone to be sufficient for us that we receive free will at our
birth, we seek nothing further from the Lord; that is, if forgetting our
Creator we abjure his power that we may display our freedom."10 And again
do not fail to teach "that the royal power was given not only for the
governance of the world, but most of all for the protection of the
Church;"11 and that there is nothing which can be of greater advantage and
glory to Princes and Kings than if, as another most wise and courageous
Predecessor of ours, St. Felix, instructed the Emperor Zeno, they "permit
the Catholic Church to practise her laws, and allow no one to oppose her
liberty. For it is certain that this mode of conduct is beneficial to their
interests, viz., that where there is question concerning the causes of God,
they study, according to His appointment, to subject the royal will to Christ's
Priests, not to raise it above theirs."12
9.
But if always, venerable brethren, now most of all amidst such great calamities
both of the Church and of civil society, amidst so great a conspiracy against
Catholic interests and this Apostolic See, and so great a mass of errors, it is
altogether necessary to approach with confidence the throne of grace, that we
may obtain mercy and find grace in timely aid. Wherefore, we have thought it
well to excite the piety of all the faithful in order that, together with us
and you, they may unceasingly pray and beseech the most merciful Father of
light and pity with most fervent and humble prayers, and in the fullness of
faith flee always to Our Lord Jesus Christ, who redeemed us to God in his
blood, and earnestly and constantly supplicate His most sweet Heart, the victim
of most burning love toward us, that He would draw all things to Himself by the
bonds of His love, and that all men inflamed
by His most holy love may walk worthily according to His heart, pleasing
God in all things, bearing fruit in every good work. But since without doubt
men's prayers are more pleasing to God if they reach Him from minds free from
all stain, therefore we have determined to open to Christ's faithful, with Apostolic
liberality, the Church's heavenly treasures committed to our charge, in order
that the said faithful, being more earnestly enkindled to true piety, and cleansed through the sacrament of Penance from the
defilement of their sins, (you just don’t see anything like this in today’s encyclicals…just
stuff about human dignity and freedom and peace) may with greater confidence pour forth their prayers to God, and
obtain His mercy and grace.
10.
By these Letters, therefore, in virtue of our Apostolic authority, we concede
to all and singular the faithful of the Catholic world, a Plenary Indulgence in
the form of Jubilee, during the space of one month only for the whole coming
year 1865, and not beyond; to be fixed by you, venerable brethren, and other legitimate
Ordinaries of places, in the very same manner and form in which we granted it
at the beginning of our supreme Pontificate by our Apostolic Letters in the
form of a Brief, dated November 20, 1846, and addressed to all your episcopal
Order, beginning, "Arcano Divinae Providentiae consilio," and with
all the same faculties which were given by us in those Letters. We will,
however, that all things be observed which were prescribed in the aforesaid
Letters, and those things be excepted which we there so declared. And we grant
this, notwithstanding anything whatever to the contrary, even things which are
worthy of individual mention and derogation. In order, however, that all doubt
and difficulty be removed, we have commanded a copy of said Letters be sent
you.
11.
"Let us implore," Venerable Brethren, "God's mercy from our
inmost heart and with our whole mind; because He has Himself added, 'I will not
remove my mercy from them.' Let us ask and we shall receive; and if there be
delay and slowness in our receiving because we have gravely offended, let us
knock, because to him that knocketh it shall be opened, if only the door be
knocked by our prayers, groans and tears, in which we must persist and
persevere, and if the prayer be unanimous . . . let each man pray to God, not
for himself alone, but for all his brethren, as the Lord hath taught us to
pray."13 But in order that God may the more readily assent to the prayers
and desires of ourselves, of you and of all the faithful, let us with all
confidence employ as or advocate with Him the Immaculate and most holy Virgin
Mary, Mother of God, who has slain all heresies throughout the world, and who,
the most loving Mother of us all, "is all sweet . . . and full of mercy .
. . shows herself to all as easily entreated; shows herself to all as most
merciful; pities the necessities of all with a most large affection;"14
and standing as a Queen at the right hand of her only begotten Son, our Lord
Jesus Christ, in gilded clothing, surrounded with variety, can obtain from Him
whatever she will. Let us also seek the suffrages of the Most Blessed Peter,
Prince of the Apostles, and of Paul, his Fellow-Apostle, and of all the Saints
in Heaven, who having now become God's friends, have arrived at the heavenly
kingdom, and being crowned bear their palms, and being secure of their own
immortality are anxious for our salvation.
12.
Lastly, imploring from our great heart for You from God the abundance of all
heavenly gifts, we most lovingly impart the Apostolic Benediction from our
inmost heart, a pledge of our signal love towards you, to yourselves, venerable
brethren, and to all the clerics and lay faithful committed to your care.
Given
at Rome, from St. Peter's, the 8th day of December, in the year 1864, the tenth
from the Dogmatic Definition of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary,
Mother of God.
In
the nineteenth year of Our Pontificate.
·
1. Gregory XVI, encyclical epistle "Mirari vos," 15 August
1832.
·
2. Ibid.
·
3. St. Augustine, epistle 105 (166).
·
4. St. Leo, epistle 14 (133), sect. 2, edit. Ball.
·
5. Epistle to Cardinal De la Rochefoucault, 10 March 1791.
·
6. Clement XII, "In eminenti;" Benedict XIV, "Providas
Romanorum;" Pius VII, "Ecclesiam;" Leo XII, "Quo
graviora."
·
7. St. Ignatius M. to the Philadelphians, 3.
·
8. Ps 143.
·
9. St. Celestine, epistle 22 to Synod. Ephes. apud Const., p. 1200.
·
10. St. Innocent. 1, epistle 29 ad Episc. conc. Carthag. apud Coust., p.
891.
·
11. St. Leo, epistle 156 (125).
·
12. Pius VII, encyclical epistle "Diu satis," 15 May 1800.
·
13. St. Cyprian, epist. 11.
· 14. St. Bernard,
Serm. "de duodecim praerogativis B. M. V. ex verbis
Apocalyp."
