|
Social Fruits of
Catholicism |
"In
non-Catholic, even in non-Christian countries, men recognize the great
value to society of the social doctrine of the Church." (Pope Pius
XI, "Divini Redemptoris", 1937)
"The
Church preserved and saved the treasures of ancient culture, which
without her and her monasteries would have been almost entirely
lost" (Pope Pius XI, "Ad Catholici Sacerdotii", 1935)
"The
music and songs of the Catholic Church are among the richest treasures
of civilization" (Curran)
"Catholic writers have produced most of the world's greatest literature...literature written by Catholics is one of the word's greatest treasures." (Curran)
"There
was a time when the philosophy of the Gospel governed the states. In
that epoch, the influence of Christian wisdom and its divine virtue
permeated the laws, the institutions, the customs of the people, all
categories and all relations of civil society. Then the religion
instituted by Jesus Christ, solidly established in the degree of dignity
due it, flourished everywhere thanks to the favor of the princes and the
legitimate protection of the magistrates. Then the Priesthood and the
Empire were united in happy concord, harmony, and the friendly exchange
of good offices. Thus organized, society bore fruits beyond all
expectations, whose memory subsists and will subsist, registered as it
is in innumerable documents that no artifice of the adversaries can
destroy or obscure" (Pope Leo XIII, 1895 A.D.)
"The
Church...carries civilization with it, wheresoever it goes, for it
carries with it the true notion of God and of the supernatural end of
man. Barbarism recedes; pagan institutions, how ancient soever they may
be, are forced to give way. Even Greece and Rome laid down their own
laws to adopt those of the Christian code - the code which was based on
the Gospel." (Gueranger)
"Wherever
the Church was listened to she changed the lives of all men for the
better." (Curran)
"Are
not consecrated virgins, who dedicate their lives to the service of the
poor and the sick, without making any distinction as to race, social
rank, or religion, are not these virgins united intimately with their
miseries and sorrows, and affectionately drawn to them, as though they
were their mothers? And does not the priest likewise, moved by the
example of his Divine Master, perform the function of a good shepherd,
who knows his flock and calls them by name?" (Pope Pius XII,
"Sacra Virginitas", 1954)
"What
a glory it is for the Catholic Church, that she alone has the gift of
this holy state of virginity, which is the source of every other
sacrifice, because nothing but the love of God could inspire a human
heart to vow virginity!" (Gueranger)
"[H]ow
many have been, and are, in the priesthood, preeminent in holiness, in
learning, in works of zeal, nay, even in martyrdom." (Pope Pius XI,
"Ad Catholici Sacerdotii", 1935)
"But
thanks be to God, it is just this flame of apostolic zeal which is one
of the brightest jewels in the crown of the Catholic priesthood. Our
heart fills with fatherly consolation at the sight of Our Brothers and
Our beloved Sons, Bishops and Priests, who like chosen troops ever
prompt to the call of their chief hasten to all outposts of this vast
field. There they engage in the peaceful but bitter warfare of truth
against error, of light against darkness, of the Kingdom of God against
the kingdom of Satan." (Pope Pius XI, "Ad Catholici Sacerdotii",
1935)
"The
experience of twenty centuries fully and gloriously reveals the power
for good of the word of the priest. Being the faithful echo and reecho
of the 'word of God,' which 'is living and effectual and more piercing
than any two-edged sword,' it too reaches 'unto the division of the soul
and spirit'; it awakens heroism of every kind, in every class and place,
and inspires the self-forgetting deeds of the most generous hearts. All
the good that Christian civilization has brought into the world is due,
[at least partially], to the word and works of the Catholic
priesthood." (Pope Pius XI, "Ad Catholici Sacerdotii",
1935)
"Priests
have a duty which, in a certain way, is higher than that of the most
pure spirits 'who stand before the Lord.' Is it not right, then, that he
live an all but angelic life? A priest is one who should be totally
dedicated to the things of the Lord. Is it not right, then, that he be
entirely detached from the things of the world, and have his
conversation in Heaven? A priest's charge is to be solicitous for the
eternal salvation of souls, continuing in their regard the work of the
Redeemer. Is it not, then, fitting that he keep himself free from the
cares of a family, which would absorb a great part of his
energies?" (Pope Pius XI, "Ad Catholici Sacerdotii",
1935)
"[S]cience,
scientific methods and scientific research; they have nothing to fear
from the full and perfect mandate which the Church holds in the field of
education. Our Catholic institutions, whatever their grade in the
educational and scientific world, have no need of apology. The esteem
they enjoy, the praise they receive, the learned works which they
promote and produce in such abundance, and above all, the men, fully and
splendidly equipped, whom they provide for the magistracy, for the
professions, for the teaching career, in fact for every walk of life,
more than sufficiently testify in their favor." (Pope Pius XI,
"Divini Illius Magistri", 1929)
"The
Church alone can introduce into society and maintain therein the
prestige of a true, sound spiritualism, the spiritualism of Christianity
which both from the point of view of truth and of its practical value is
quite superior to any exclusively philosophical theory. The Church is
the teacher and an example of world good-will, for she is able to
inculcate and develop in mankind the 'true spirit of brotherly love'
(St. Augustine, De Moribus Ecclesiae Catholicae, i, 30) and by raising
the public estimation of the value and dignity of the individual's soul
help thereby to lift us even unto God." (Pope Pius XI, "Ubi
Arcano Dei Consilio", 1922)
"This
law of charity which He imposed upon His Apostles, they in the most holy
and zealous way put into practice; and after them those who embraced
Christianity originated that wonderful variety of institutions for
alleviating all the miseries by which mankind is afflicted. And these
institutions carried on and continually increased their powers of relief
and were the especial glories of Christianity and of the civilization of
which it was the source, so that right-minded men never fail to admire
those foundations, aware as they are of the proneness of men to concern
themselves about their own and neglect the needs of others." (Pope
Leo XIII, "Graves De Communi Re", 1901)
"In
several countries of Europe...the custom has been kept up of wishing a
'Happy Christmas', which was the ancient salutation when this Feast was
the beginning of a new year. Hence too, in these countries, the custom
of making presents, of writing letters of good wishes, and other
friendly acts. How many of our practices of everyday life have
originated from Faith, and yet are looked upon as mere consequences of
natural good-feeling, or even compliments which society requires us to
pay to each other!" (Dom Gueranger)
"Where
life is involved, the service of charity must be profoundly consistent.
It cannot tolerate bias and discrimination, for human life is sacred and
inviolable at every stage and in every situation; it is an indivisible
good. We need then to 'show care' for all life and for the life of
everyone. Indeed, at an even deeper level, we need to go to the very
roots of life and love. It is this deep love for every man and woman
which has given rise down the centuries to an outstanding history of
charity, a history which has brought into being in the Church and
society many forms of service to life which evoke admiration from all
unbiased observers." (Pope John Paul II, 1995)
"And,
in truth, whatever in the State is of chief avail for the common
welfare; whatever has been usefully established to curb the license of
rulers who are opposed to the true interests of the people, or to keep
in check the leading authorities from unwarrantably interfering in
municipal or family affairs; whatever tends to uphold the honor,
manhood, and equal rights of individual citizens - of all these things,
as the monuments of past ages bear witness, the Catholic Church has
always been the originator, the promoter, or the guardian." (Pope
Leo XIII, "Immortale Dei", 1885)
"History
bears witness how, particularly in modern times, the State has violated
and does violate rights conferred by God on the family. At the same time
it shows magnificently how the Church has ever protected and defended
these rights, a fact proved by the special confidence which parents have
in Catholic schools. As We pointed out recently in Our letter to the
Cardinal Secretary of State: The family has instinctively understood
this to be so, and from the earliest days of Christianity down to our
own times, fathers and mothers, even those of little or no faith, have
been sending or bringing their children in millions to places of
education under the direction of the Church." (Pope Pius XI, "Divini
Illius Magistri", 1929)
"Hence
the Church, which from the fountains of the Sacraments turns the stream
of grace into our souls, is rightly entitled holy. For by her tireless,
ceaseless influence she unites countless souls with God in the close
bond of a friendship, in which they abide. What is more, many of these
souls she guides and leads to an invincible fortitude, to perfect
sanctity of life, to deeds of heroism. Why, is there not a growth year
by year in the number of her martyrs, virgins, confessors, whom she
holds up to her children for their admiration and imitation? Are not
they so many fair flowers of staunch virtues of chastity and charity,
transplanted by Divine grace from earth to heaven?" (Pope Pius XI,
"Ad Salutem", 1930)
"The
Catholic Church, that imperishable handiwork of our all-merciful God,
has for her immediate and natural purpose the saving of souls and
securing our happiness in heaven. Yet, in regard to things temporal, she
is the source of benefits as manifold and great as if the chief end of
her existence were to ensure the prospering of our earthly life. And,
indeed, wherever the Church has set her foot she has straightway changed
the face of things, and has attempered the moral tone of the people with
a new civilization and with virtues before unknown. All nations which
have yielded to her sway have become eminent by their gentleness, their
sense of justice, and the glory of their high deeds." (Pope Leo
XIII, "Immortale Dei", 1885)
"So
powerful, so conspicuous, in this respect is the influence of the Church
that experience abundantly testifies how savage customs are no longer
possible in any land where she has once set her foot; but that
gentleness speedily takes the place of cruelty, and the light of truth
quickly dispels the darkness of barbarism. Nor has the Church been less
lavish in the benefits she has conferred on civilized nations in every
age, either by resisting the tyranny of the wicked, or by protecting the
innocent and helpless from injury, or, finally, by using her influence
in the support of any form of government which commended itself to the
citizens at home, because of its justice, or was feared by their enemies
without, because of its power." (Pope Leo XIII, "Libertas
Praestantissimum", 1888)
"It
is quite true that there have been some worthwhile compensations for
these great spiritual misfortunes. Among these compensations is one
which stands out in bold relief and gives the lie to many ancient
calumnies, namely, that a pure love of country and a generous devotion
to duty burn brightly in the souls of those consecrated to God, and that
through their sacred ministry the consolations of religion were brought
to thousands dying on the fields of battle wet with human blood. Thus,
many, in spite of their prejudices, were led to honor again the
priesthood and the Church by reason of the wonderful examples of
sacrifice of self, with which they had become acquainted. For these
happy results we are indebted solely to the infinite goodness and wisdom
of God, Who draws good from evil." (Pope Pius XI, "Ubi Arcano
Dei Consilio", 1922)
"The
well-known origin of the Rosary, illustrated in celebrated monuments of
which we have made frequent mention, bears witness to its remarkable
efficacy. For, in the days when the Albigensian sect, posing as the
champion of pure faith and morals, but in reality introducing the worst
kind of anarchy and corruption, brought many a nation to its utter ruin,
the Church fought against it and the other infamous factions associated
with it, not with troops and arms, but chiefly with the power of the
most holy Rosary, the devotion which the Mother of God taught to our
Father Dominic in order that he might propagate it. By this means the
Church triumphed magnificently over every obstacle and provided for the
salvation of her children not only in that trial but in others like it
afterward, always with the same glorious success" (Pope Leo XIII,
"Magnae Dei Matris", 1892)
"Columbus,
as We have elsewhere expressly shown, sought, as the primary fruit of
his voyages and labors, to open a pathway for the Christian faith into
new lands and new seas. Keeping this thought constantly in view, his
first solicitude, wherever he disembarked, was to plant upon the shore
the sacred emblem of the cross. Wherefore, like as the Ark of Noe,
surmounting the overflowing waters, bore the seed of Israel together
with the remnants of the human race, even thus did the barks launched by
Columbus upon the ocean carry into regions beyond the seas as well the
germs of mighty States as the principles of the Catholic religion... The
names newly given to so many of your towns and rivers and mountains and
lakes teach and clearly witness how deeply your beginnings were marked
with the footprints of the Catholic Church." (Pope Leo XIII, "Longinqua",
1895)
"These
services of Our predecessors, to omit mention of many others, have been
witnessed to in a special manner by the records of the times of St. Leo
the Great, Alexander III, Innocent III, St. Pius V, Leo X, and other
Pontiffs, by whose exertions or protection Italy has escaped unscathed
from the utter destruction threatened by barbarians; has kept unimpaired
her old faith, and, amid the darkness and defilement of the ruder age,
has cultivated and preserved in vigor the luster of science and the
splendor of art. To this, furthermore, bears witness Our own fostering
city, the home of the Popes, which, under their rule, reaped this
special benefit, that it not only was the strong citadel of the faith,
but also became the refuge of the liberal arts and the very abode of
wisdom winning for itself the admiration and respect of the whole
world." (Pope Leo XIII, "Inscrutabili Dei Consilio",
1878)
"Finally,
the priest, in another way, follows the example of Christ. Of Him it is
written that He 'passed the whole night in the prayer of God' and 'ever
lives to make intercession for us'; and like Him, the priest, is public
and official intercessor of humanity before God; he has the duty and
commission of offering to God in the name of the Church, over and above
sacrifice strictly so-called, the 'sacrifice of praise,' in public and
official prayer; for several times each day with psalms, prayers and
hymns taken in great part from the inspired books, he pays to God this
dutiful tribute of adoration and thus performs his necessary office of
interceding for humanity. And never did humanity, in its afflictions,
stand more in need of intercession and of the divine help which it
brings. Who can tell how many chastisements priestly prayer wards off
from sinful mankind, how many blessings it brings down and
secures?" (Pope Pius XI, "Ad Catholici Sacerdotii", 1935)
"Though
a long and deadly war has pitilessly broken the bond of brotherly union
between nations, We have seen Our children in Christ, in whatever part
of the world they happened to be, one in will and affection, lift up
their hearts to the common Father [the pope], who, carrying in his own heart the
cares and anxieties of all, is guiding the barque of the Catholic Church
in the teeth of a raging tempest. This is a testimony to the wonderful
union existing among Christians; but it also proves that, as Our
paternal love embraces all peoples, whatever their nationality and race,
so Catholics the world over, though their countries may have drawn the
sword against each other, look to the Vicar of Jesus Christ as to the
loving Father of them all, who, with absolute impartiality and
incorruptible judgment, rising above the conflicting gales of human
passions, takes upon himself with all his strength the defense of truth,
justice and charity." (Pope Pius XII, "Mystici Corporis
Christi", 1943)
"Let
us recall that in every age the Church has exercised the most diligent
care of the young and has rightly deemed this as an official mission
assigned in a very special way to her charity. And as she did this and
continues to do it, she undoubtedly was following in the footsteps and
obeying the injunctions of her Divine Founder, Who, gently gathering the
children around Him, said to the Apostles who rebuked their mothers:
'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for of such
is the kingdom of God' (Mark 10, 14)... Venerable Brethren, you see with
what love, diligence and care the Church looks after infants and
children following the lead of her Founder. While she exercises all
possible care to see that they be provided with food, shelter and
clothing for their bodies, she does not ignore or neglect their souls
which - born, so to speak, from the breath of God - seem to portray the
radiant beauty of Heaven. Her first care and endeavor is, then, to
preserve their innocence from stain and provide for their eternal
salvation." (Pope Pius XII, "Quemadmodum", 1946)
"But
from the time when the civil society of men, raised from the ruins of
the Roman Empire, gave hope of its future Christian greatness, the Roman
Pontiffs, by the institution of the Holy Empire, consecrated the
political power in a wonderful manner. Greatly, indeed, was the
authority of rulers ennobled; and it is not to be doubted that what was
then instituted would always have been a very great gain, both to
ecclesiastical and civil society, if princes and peoples had ever looked
to the same object as the Church. And, indeed, tranquility and a
sufficient prosperity lasted so long as there was a friendly agreement
between these two powers. If the people were turbulent, the Church was
at once the mediator for peace. Recalling all to their duty, she subdued
the more lawless passions partly by kindness and partly by authority.
So, if, in ruling, princes erred in their government, she went to them
and, putting before them the rights, needs, and lawful wants of their
people, urged them to equity, mercy, and kindness. Whence it was often
brought about that the dangers of civil wars and popular tumults were
stayed." (Pope Leo XIII, "Diuturnum", 1881)
"The
suffrages of the Church for the dead are as so many satisfactions of the
living in lieu of the dead: and accordingly they free the dead from the
punishment which the latter have not paid." (St. Thomas Aquinas,
Doctor of the Church and "greatest theologian in the history of the
Church")
"[I]t
is owing to the wisdom and exertions of the Church that there has always
been continued from century to century that cultivation of Holy
Scripture which has been so remarkable and has borne such ample
fruit." (Pope Leo XIII, "Providentissimus Deus", 1893)
"Indeed,
in all ages the Catholic clergy has distinguished itself in every field
of human knowledge; in fact, in certain centuries it so took the lead in
the field of learning that the word 'cleric' became synonymous with
'learned.'" (Pope Pius XI, "Ad Catholici Sacerdotii",
1935)
"Surely
there is not one that does not know how many and how great are the works
that the tireless zeal of Catholics is striving everywhere to carry out,
both for social and economic welfare as well as in the fields of
education and religion." (Pope Pius XI, "Quadragesimo Anno",
1931)
"The
Church, truly, to our great benefit, has carefully preserved the
monuments of ancient wisdom; has opened everywhere homes of science, and
has urged on intellectual progress by fostering most diligently the arts
by which the culture of our age is so much advanced." (Pope Leo
XIII, "Libertas Praestantissimum", 1888)
"Moreover,
[the Church] gives encouragement to every kind of art and handicraft,
and through her influence, directing all strivings after progress toward
virtue and salvation, she labors to prevent man's intellect and industry
from turning him away from God and from heavenly things." (Pope Leo
XIII, "Immortale Dei", 1885)
"As
to what regards the people, the Church has been established for the
salvation of all men and has ever loved them as a mother. For it is the
Church which by the exercise of her charity has given gentleness to the
minds of men, kindness to their manners, and justice to their
laws." (Pope Leo XIII, "Diuturnum", 1881)
"The
wisdom of the pagan philosophers, and the eloquence of their orators,
were confounded at the extraordinary sight of the death and triumphs of
the early martyrs. The tyrants and judges were seized with astonishment
when they witnessed the faith, courage, and even the gaiety of these
holy champions of the faith." (St. Ephrem)
"Thanks
be to God, there are not lacking among the Italian clergy priests who
give noble proof of what a minister of God, penetrated with that spirit,
can do; wonderful, indeed, is the generosity of many who to spread the
Kingdom of Jesus Christ voluntarily hasten to distant countries, there
to encounter fatigues, privations and hardships of every kind and even
martyrdom itself." (Pope Leo XIII, "Fin Dal Principio",
1902)
"Thus,
the powerful influence of the Church has ever been manifested in the
custody and protection of the civil and political liberty of the people.
The enumeration of its merits in this respect does not belong to our
present purpose. It is sufficient to recall the fact that slavery, that
old reproach of the heathen nations, was mainly abolished by the
beneficent efforts of the Church." (Pope Leo XIII, "Libertas
Praestantissimum", 1888)
"[T]he
Church, whilst directly and immediately aiming at the salvation of souls
and the beatitude which is to be attained in heaven, is yet, even in the
order of temporal things, the fountain of blessings so numerous and
great that they could not have been greater or more numerous had the
original purpose of her institution been the pursuit of happiness during
the life which is spent on earth." (Pope Leo XIII, "Longinqua",
1895)
"Hence,
so far is the church from hindering the development of human arts and
studies, that in fact she assists and promotes them in many ways. For
she is neither ignorant nor contemptuous of the advantages which derive
from this source for human life, rather she acknowledges that those
things flow from God, the lord of sciences, and, if they are properly
used, lead to God by the help of his grace." (First Vatican
Council)
"The
Catholic Church rejoices in and is proud of the charity beyond praise
which inspires the clergy to proclaim the Gospel of Christian peace and
to bring the blessings of salvation and civilization even to barbarous
races; through their unsparing labor, sometimes consecrated by their
blood, the kingdom of Christ is expanding constantly and the Christian
faith gains added splendor from these new triumphs." (Pope St. Pius
X, "Haerent Animo", 1908)
"As
these ages sped, the Church of God, though afflicted by many a disaster
and social upheaval, torn by many a heresy and schism, anguished by the
treason of her followers and by the disloyalty of her sons,
nevertheless, trusting in the promises of her Founder, while human
institutions of varying origin that surrounded her fell in ruins, not
only stood safe and unharmed, but also in every age glowed with brighter
beauty in noble lives of holiness and devotion, while in many Christians
she made the fire of charity burn with growing heat. Moreover, thanks to
her missionaries and martyrs she brought into her Fold fresh nations,
among whom the pristine glory of virginity renews its bloom and the rank
of priest and Bishop keeps its vigor. In fine, so deeply has she imbued
all peoples with her spirit of charity and justice, that the very men
who treat her with indifference or hostility, cannot refrain from
borrowing her way of speaking and acting." (Pope Pius XI, "Ad
Salutem", 1930)
"In
fact, from the lowest ranks to the highest, there prevailed an
enthusiasm and a generous and eager ardor to be affiliated to this
Franciscan Order. Amongst others, King Louis IX, of France, and St.
Elizabeth of Hungary, sought this honor; and, in the course of
centuries, several Sovereign Pontiffs, Cardinals, Bishops, Kings, and
Princes have not deemed the Franciscan badges derogatory to their
dignity. The associates of the Third Order displayed always as much
courage as piety in the defense of the Catholic religion; and if their
virtues were objects of hatred to the wicked, they never lacked the
approbation of the good and wise, which is the greatest and only
desirable honor. More than this, Our Predecessor, Gregory IX, publicly
praised their faith and courage; nor did he hesitate to shelter them
with his authority, and to call them, as a mark of honor, 'Soldiers of
Christ, new Maccabees;' and deservedly so. For the public welfare found
a powerful safeguard in that body of men who, guided by the virtues and
rules of their founder, applied themselves to revive Christian morality
as far as lay in their power and to restore it to its ancient place of
honor in the State. Certain it is, that to them and their example it was
often due that the rivalries of parties were quenched or softened, arms
were torn from the furious hands that grasped them, the causes of
litigation and dispute were suppressed, consolation was brought to the
poor and the abandoned; and luxury, that gulf of fortunes and instrument
of corruption, was subdued. And thus domestic peace, incorrupt morality,
gentleness of behavior, the legitimate use and preservation of private
wealth, civilization and social stability, spring as from a root from
the Franciscan Third Order; and it is in great measure to St. Francis
that Europe owes their preservation." (Pope Leo XIII, "Auspicato
Concessum", 1882)
"What a spectacle for heaven and earth is not the Church in prayer! For
centuries without interruption, from midnight to midnight, is repeated
on earth the divine psalmody of the inspired canticles; there is no hour
of the day that is not hallowed by its special liturgy; there is no
stage of life that has not its part in the thanksgiving, praise,
supplication and reparation in common use by the mystical body of
Christ, which is the Church. Thus prayer of itself assures the presence
of God among men, according to the promise of the divine Redeemer:
'Where there are two or three gathered together in my Name, there am I
in the midst of them' (Matth. xviii. 20)." (Pope Pius XI, "Caritate
Christi Compulsi", 1932)
Indeed, the Saints have ever been, are, and ever
will be the greatest benefactors of society, and perfect models
for every class and profession, for every state and condition of
life, from the simple and uncultured peasant to the master of
sciences and letters, from the humble artisan to the commander of
armies, from the father of a family to the ruler of peoples and
nations, from simple maidens and matrons of the domestic hearth to
queens and empresses. What shall we say of the immense work which
has been accomplished even for the temporal well-being of men by
missionaries of the Gospel, who have brought and still bring to
barbarous tribes the benefits of civilization together with the
light of the Faith? What of the founders of so many social and
charitable institutions, of the vast numbers of saintly educators,
men and women, who have perpetuated and multiplied their life
work, by leaving after them prolific institutions of Christian
education, in aid of families and for the inestimable advantage of
nations?" (Pope Pius XI, Divini Illius Magistri, 1929 A.D.)
"Again,
if We consider the achievements of the see of Rome, what can be more
wicked than to deny how much and how well the Roman bishops have served
civilized society at large? For Our predecessors, to provide for the
peoples' good, encountered struggles of every kind, endured to the
utmost burdensome toils, and never hesitated to expose themselves to
most dangerous trials. With eyes fixed on heaven, they neither bowed
down their head before the threats of the wicked, nor allowed themselves
to be led by flattery or bribes into unworthy compliance. This apostolic
chair it was that gathered and held together the crumbling remains of
the old order of things; this was the kindly light by whose help the
culture of Christian times shone far and wide; this was an anchor or
safety in the fierce storms by which the human race has been convulsed;
this was the sacred bond of union that linked together nations distant
in region and differing in character; in short, this was a common center
from which was sought instruction in faith and religion, no less than
guidance and advice for the maintenance of peace and the functions of
practical life. In very truth it is the glory of the supreme Pontiffs
that they steadfastly set themselves up as a wall and a bulwark to save
human society from falling back into its former superstition and
barbarism." (Pope Leo XIII, "Inscrutabili Dei Consilio",
1878)
"And
so, with [Pope] Leo's Encyclical pointing the way and furnishing the light, a
true Catholic social science has arisen, which is daily fostered and
enriched by the tireless efforts of those chosen men whom We have termed
auxiliaries of the Church... Nor is the benefit that has poured forth
from Leo's Encyclical confined within these bounds; for the teaching
which On the Condition of the Working Class contains has gradually and
imperceptibly worked its way into the minds of those outside Catholic
unity who do not recognize the authority of the Church. Catholic
principles on the social question have as a result, passed little by
little into the patrimony of all human society, and We rejoice that the
eternal truths which Our Predecessor of glorious memory proclaimed so
impressively have been frequently invoked and defended not only in
non-Catholic books and journals but in legislative halls also courts of
justice... We, of course, do not deny that even before the Encyclical of
Leo, some rulers of peoples have provided for certain of the more urgent
needs of the workers and curbed more flagrant acts of injustice
inflicted upon them. But after the Apostolic voice had sounded from the
Chair of Peter throughout the world, rulers of nations, more fully alive
at last to their duty, devoted their minds and attention to the task of
promoting a more comprehensive and fruitful social policy." (Pope
Pius XI, "Quadragesimo Anno", 1931)
"[I]t
was Christianity that first affirmed the real and universal brotherhood
of all men of whatever race and condition. This doctrine she proclaimed
by a method, and with an amplitude and conviction, unknown to preceding
centuries; and with it she potently contributed to the abolition of
slavery. Not bloody revolution, but the inner force of her teaching made
the proud Roman matron see in her slave a sister in Christ. It is
Christianity that adores the Son of God, made Man for love of man, and
become not only the 'Son of a Carpenter' but Himself a 'Carpenter.' It
was Christianity that raised manual labor to its true dignity, whereas
it had hitherto been so despised that even the moderate Cicero did not
hesitate to sum up the general opinion of his time in words of which any
modern sociologist would be ashamed: 'All artisans are engaged in sordid
trades, for there can be nothing ennobling about a workshop.' Faithful
to these principles, the Church has given new life to human society.
Under her influence arose prodigious charitable organizations, great
guilds of artisans and workingmen of every type. These guilds, ridiculed
as 'medieval' by the liberalism of the last century, are today claiming
the admiration of our contemporaries in many countries who are
endeavoring to revive them in some modern form. And when other systems
hindered her work and raised obstacles to the salutary influence of the
Church, she was never done warning them of their error." (Pope Pius
XI, "Divini Redemptoris", 1937)
"The
Church, moreover, intervenes directly in behalf of the poor, by setting
on foot and maintaining many associations which she knows to be
efficient for the relief of poverty. Herein, again, she has always
succeeded so well as to have even extorted the praise of her enemies.
Such was the ardor of brotherly love among the earliest Christians that
numbers of those who were in better circumstances despoiled themselves
of their possessions in order to relieve their brethren; whence 'neither
was there any one needy among them.'... Thus, by degrees, came into
existence the patrimony which the Church has guarded with religious care
as the inheritance of the poor. Nay, in order to spare them the shame of
begging, the Church has provided aid for the needy. The common Mother of
rich and poor has aroused everywhere the heroism of charity, and has
established congregations of religious and many other useful
institutions for help and mercy, so that hardly any kind of suffering
could exist which was not afforded relief. At the present day many there
are who, like the heathen of old, seek to blame and condemn the Church
for such eminent charity. They would substitute in its stead a system of
relief organized by the State. But no human expedients will ever make up
for the devotedness and self-sacrifice of Christian charity. Charity, as
a virtue, pertains to the Church; for virtue it is not, unless it be
drawn from the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ; and whosoever turns
his back on the Church cannot be near to Christ." (Pope Leo XIII,
"Rerum Novarum", 1891)
"It
must consequently be acknowledged that the Church has deserved
exceedingly well of all nations by her ever watchful care in guarding
the sanctity and the indissolubility of marriage. Again, no small amount
of gratitude is owing to her for having, during the last hundred years,
openly denounced the wicked laws which have grievously offended on this
particular subject; as well as for her having branded with anathema the
baneful heresy obtaining among Protestants touching divorce and
separation; also, for having in many ways condemned the habitual
dissolution of marriage among the Greeks; for having declared invalid
all marriages contracted upon the understanding that they may be at some
future time dissolved; and, lastly, for having, from the earliest times,
repudiated the imperial laws which disastrously favored divorce. As
often, indeed, as the supreme pontiffs have resisted the most powerful
among rulers, in their threatening demands that divorces carried out by
them should be confirmed by the Church, so often must we account them to
have been contending for the safety, not only of religion, but also of
the human race. For this reason all generations of men will admire the
proofs of unbending courage which are to be found in the decrees of
Nicholas I against Lothair; of Urban II and Paschal II against Philip I
of France; of Celestine III and Innocent III against Alphonsus of Leon
and Philip II of France; of Clement VII and Paul III against Henry VIII;
and, lastly, of Pius VII, that holy and courageous pontiff, against
Napoleon I" (Pope Leo XIII, "Arcanum", 1880)
"[A]
perfect harmony of opinion should prevail; in which intent we find Paul
the Apostle exhorting the Corinthians with earnest zeal and solemn
weight of words: 'Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no
schisms among you: but that you be perfectly in the same mind, and in
the same judgment.' The wisdom of this precept is readily apprehended.
In truth, thought is the principle of action, and hence there cannot
exist agreement of will, or similarity of action, if people all think
differently one from the other. In the case of those who profess to take
reason as their sole guide, there would hardly be found, if, indeed,
there ever could be found, unity of doctrine. Indeed, the art of knowing
things as they really are is exceedingly difficult; moreover, the mind
of man is by nature feeble and drawn this way and that by a variety of
opinions, and not seldom led astray by impressions coming from without;
and, furthermore, the influence of the passions oftentimes takes away,
or certainly at least diminishes, the capacity for grasping the truth.
On this account, in controlling State affairs means are often used to
keep those together by force who cannot agree in their way of thinking.
It happens far otherwise with Christians; they receive their rule of
faith from the Church, by whose authority and under whose guidance they
are conscious that they have beyond question attained to truth. Consequently, as the Church is one, because Jesus Christ is one, so throughout the whole Christian world there is, and ought to be, but one doctrine:
'One Lord, one faith;' 'but having the same spirit of faith,' they possess the saving principle whence proceed spontaneously one and the same will in all, and one and the same tenor of action."
(Pope Leo XIII, "Sapientiae Christianae", 1890)
"There
was once a time when States were governed by the philosophy of the
Gospel. Then it was that the power and divine virtue of Christian wisdom
had diffused itself throughout the laws, institutions, and morals of the
people, permeating all ranks and relations of civil society. Then, too,
the religion instituted by Jesus Christ, established firmly in befitting
dignity, flourished everywhere, by the favor of princes and the
legitimate protection of magistrates; and Church and State were happily
united in concord and friendly interchange of good offices. The State,
constituted in this wise, bore fruits important beyond all expectation,
whose remembrance is still, and always will be, in renown, witnessed to
as they are by countless proofs which can never be blotted out or ever
obscured by any craft of any enemies. Christian Europe has subdued
barbarous nations, and changed them from a savage to a civilized
condition, from superstition to true worship. It victoriously rolled
back the tide of Mohammedan conquest; retained the headship of
civilization; stood forth in the front rank as the leader and teacher of
all, in every branch of national culture; bestowed on the world the gift
of true and many-sided liberty; and most wisely founded very numerous
institutions for the solace of human suffering. And if we inquire how it
was able to bring about so altered a condition of things, the answer is
- beyond all question - in large measure, through religion, under whose
auspices so many great undertakings were set on foot, through whose aid
they were brought to completion." (Pope Leo XIII, "Immortale
Dei", 1885)
"The
Son of God, redeemer of the human race, our Lord Jesus Christ, promised,
when about to return to his heavenly Father, that he would be with this
Church militant upon earth all days even to the end of the world. Hence
never at any time has he ceased to stand by his beloved bride, assisting
her when she teaches, blessing her in her labors and bringing her help
when she is in danger. Now this redemptive providence appears very
clearly in unnumbered benefits, but most especially is it manifested in
the advantages which have been secured for the Christian world by
ecumenical councils, among which the council of Trent requires special
mention, celebrated though it was in evil days. Thence came 1. A closer
definition and more fruitful exposition of the holy dogmas of religion
and 2. The condemnation and repression of errors; thence too, 3. The
restoration and vigorous strengthening of ecclesiastical discipline, 4.
The advancement of the clergy in zeal for learning and piety, 5. The
founding of colleges for the training of the young for the service of
religion; and finally 6. The renewal of the moral life of the Christian people by a more accurate instruction of the faithful, and a more
frequent reception of the sacraments. What is more, thence also came 7.
A closer union of the members with the visible head, and an increased vigor
in the whole mystical body of Christ. Thence came 8. The
multiplication of religious orders and other organizations of Christian piety; thence too 9.
That determined and constant ardor for the
spreading of Christ's kingdom abroad in the world, even at the cost of
shedding one's blood." (First Vatican Council)
"Now,
who would make bold to deny that the Church, by spreading the Gospel
throughout the nations, has brought the light of truth amongst people
utterly savage and steeped in foul superstition, and has quickened them
alike to recognize the Divine Author of nature and duly to respect
themselves? Further, who will deny that the Church has done away with
the curse of slavery and restored men to the original dignity of their
noble nature; and - by uplifting the standard of redemption in all
quarters of the globe, by introducing, or shielding under her
protection, the sciences and arts, by founding and taking into her
keeping excellent charitable institutions which provide relief for ills
of every kind - has throughout the world, in private or in public life,
civilized the human race, freed it from degradation, and with all care
trained it to a way of living such as befits the dignity and the hopes
of man? And if any one of sound mind compare the age in which We live,
so hostile to religion and to the Church of Christ, with those happy
times when the Church was revered as a mother by the nations, beyond all
question he will see that our epoch is rushing wildly along the straight
road to destruction; while in those times which most abounded in
excellent institutions, peaceful life, wealth, and prosperity the people
showed themselves most obedient to the Church's rule and laws.
Therefore, if the many blessings We have mentioned, due to the agency
and saving help of the Church, are the true and worthy outcome of
civilization, the Church of Christ, far from being alien to or
neglectful of progress, has a just claim to all men's praise as its
nurse, its mistress, and its mother." (Pope Leo XIII, "Inscrutabili
Dei Consilio", 1878)
"As
We said on a recent occasion: Right back in the far-off middle ages when
there were so many...monasteries, convents, churches, collegiate
churches, cathedral chapters, etc., there was attached to each a home of
study, of teaching, of Christian education. To these we must add all the
universities, spread over every country and always by the initiative an
under the protection of the Holy See and the Church. That grand
spectacle, which today we see better, as it is nearer to us and more
imposing because of the conditions of the age, was the spectacle of all
times; and they who study and compare historical events remain astounded
at what the Church has been able to do in this matter, and marvel at the
manner in which she had succeeded in fulfilling her God-given mission to
educate generations of men to a Christian life, producing everywhere a
magnificent harvest of fruitful results. But if we wonder that the
Church in all times has been able to gather about her and educate
hundreds, thousands, millions of students, no less wonderful is it to
bear in mind what she has done not only in the field of education, but
in that also of true and genuine erudition. For, if so many treasures of
culture, civilization and literature have escaped destruction, this is
due to the action by which the Church, even in times long past and
uncivilized, has shed so bright a light in the domain of letters, of
philosophy, of art and in a special manner of architecture. All this the
Church has been able to do because her mission to educate extends
equally to those outside the Fold, seeing that all men are called to
enter the kingdom of God and reach eternal salvation. Just as today when
her missions scatter schools by the thousand in districts and countries
not yet Christian, from the banks of the Ganges to the Yellow river and
the great islands and archipelagos of the Pacific ocean, from the Dark
Continent to the Land of Fire and to frozen Alaska, so in every age the
Church by her missionaries has educated to Christian life and to
civilization the various peoples which now constitute the Christian
nations of the civilized world." (Pope Pius XI, "Divini Illius
Magistri", 1929)
"We
feel the deepest joy at the thought of the innumerable army of virgins
and apostles who, from the first centuries of the Church up to our own
day, have given up marriage to devote themselves more easily and fully
to the salvation of their neighbor for the love of Christ, and have thus
been enabled to undertake and carry through admirable works of religion
and charity. We by no means wish to detract from the merits and
apostolic fruits of the active members of Catholic Action: by their
zealous efforts they can often touch souls that priests and religious
cannot gain. Nevertheless, works of charity are for the most part the
field of action of consecrated persons. These generous souls are to be
found laboring among men of every age and condition, and when they fall
worn out or sick, they bequeath their sacred mission to others who take
their place. Hence it often happens that a child, immediately after
birth, is placed in the care of consecrated persons, who supply in so
far as they can for a mother's love; at the age of reason he is
entrusted to educators who see to his Christian instruction together
with the development of his mind and the formation of his character; if
he is sick, the child or adult will find nurses moved by the love of
Christ who will care for him with unwearying devotion; the orphan, the
person fallen into material destitution or moral abjection, the
prisoner, will not be abandoned. Priests, religious, consecrated virgins
will see in him a suffering member of Christ's Mystical Body, and recall
the words of the Divine Redeemer: 'For I was hungry, and you gave me to
eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you
took me in; naked, and you covered me; sick, and you visited me; I was
in prison, and you came to me...Amen I say to you, as long you did it to
one of these my least brethren, you did it to me.' Who can ever praise
enough the missionaries who toil for the conversion of the pagan
multitudes, exiles from their native country, or the nuns who render
them indispensable assistance?' To each and every one We gladly apply
these words of Our Apostolic Exhortation, 'Menti Nostrae:' '...by this
law of celibacy the priest not only does not abdicate his paternity, but
increases it immensely, for he begets not for an earthly and transitory
life but for the heavenly and eternal one.'" (Pope Pius XII,
"Sacra Virginitas", 1954)
"But
the Church, not content with pointing out the remedy, also applies it.
For the Church does her utmost to teach and to train men, and to educate
them and by the intermediary of her bishops and clergy diffuses her
salutary teachings far and wide. She strives to influence the mind and
the heart so that all may willingly yield themselves to be formed and
guided by the commandments of God. It is precisely in this fundamental
and momentous matter, on which everything depends that the Church
possesses a power peculiarly her own. The instruments which she employs
are given to her by Jesus Christ Himself for the very purpose of
reaching the hearts of men, and drive their efficiency from God. They
alone can reach the innermost heart and conscience, and bring men to act
from a motive of duty, to control their passions and appetites, to love
God and their fellow men with a love that is outstanding and of the
highest degree and to break down courageously every barrier which blocks
the way to virtue. On this subject we need but recall for one moment the
examples recorded in history. Of these facts there cannot be any shadow
of doubt: for instance, that civil society was renovated in every part
by Christian institutions; that in the strength of that renewal the
human race was lifted up to better things - nay, that it was brought
back from death to life, and to so excellent a life that nothing more
perfect had been known before, or will come to be known in the ages that
have yet to be. Of this beneficent transformation Jesus Christ was at
once the first cause and the final end; as from Him all came, so to Him
was all to be brought back. For, when the human race, by the light of
the Gospel message, came to know the grand mystery of the Incarnation of
the Word and the redemption of man, at once the life of Jesus Christ,
God and Man, pervaded every race and nation, and interpenetrated them
with His faith, His precepts, and His laws. And if human society is to
be healed now, in no other way can it be healed save by a return to
Christian life and Christian institutions. When a society is perishing,
the wholesome advice to give to those who would restore it is to call it
to the principles from which it sprang; for the purpose and perfection
of an association is to aim at and to attain that for which it is
formed, and its efforts should be put in motion and inspired by the end
and object which originally gave it being. Hence, to fall away from its
primal constitution implies disease; to go back to it, recovery."
(Pope Leo XIII, "Rerum Novarum", 1891)
"It
may be said in all truth that the Church, like Christ, goes through the
centuries doing good to all." (Pope Pius XI, "Divini
Redemptoris", 1937)
Also
See: The
Catholic Church is Key to Happy Life | Catholic
Law vs. Modern Law |
The Church Alone Has Teaching Mandate | The
Church is at Our Side Throughout Our Life |
The Church is Heaven in Miniature | The
Church is Removed by Only One Degree from Heaven |
The Church is the Safe Guide to Conscience / The Church is Errorless
| The Church's Faithfulness to Her Mission |
Divine
Origin of the Catholic Church | Forgiveness
of Sins is a Comfort to the Guilty | Name
'Catholic' Distinguishes from Heretics |
No Greater Gift Than the Catholic Faith |
Nothing More Glorious Than Belonging to the Church | Outside
the Church is Night |
Praise of the Church | The
Unshakable Church | The
World Needs the Church | Catholic
Basics Section | Non-Catholics
(apologetics)
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