CHURCH AND STATE 1.doc

8/15/2019 CHURCH AND STATE 1.doc

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ON THE CHRISTIAN CONSTITUTION OF STATES

IMMORTALE DEI

Encyclical by Pope Leo XIII

To Our Venerable Brethren the Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops, Bishops, another Orinaries in Peace an !ommunion "ith the Apostolic #ee$

The !atholic !hurch, that imperishable hani"or% o& our all'merci&ul (o, has &or her immeiate an natural purpose the sa)in* o& souls an securin* ourhappiness in hea)en$ +et, in re*ar to thin*s temporal, she is the source o&bene&its as mani&ol an *reat as i& the chie& en o& her eistence "ere to ensurethe prosperin* o& our earthly li&e$ An, inee, "here)er the !hurch has set her&oot she has strai*ht"ay chan*e the &ace o& thin*s, an has attempere themoral tone o& the people "ith a ne" ci)ili-ation an "ith )irtues be&ore un%no"n$

All nations "hich ha)e yiele to her s"ay ha)e become eminent by their*entleness, their sense o& .ustice, an the *lory o& their hi*h ees$

/$ An yet a hac%neye reproach o& ol ate is le)ele a*ainst her, that the

!hurch is oppose to the ri*ht&ul aims o& the ci)il *o)ernment, an is "hollyunable to a&&or help in spreain* that "el&are an pro*ress "hich .ustly annaturally are sou*ht a&ter by e)ery "ell're*ulate #tate$ 0rom the )ery be*innin*!hristians "ere harasse by slanerous accusations o& this nature, an on thataccount "ere hel up to hatre an eecration, &or bein* 1so they "ere calle2enemies o& the Empire$ The !hristian reli*ion "as moreo)er commonly char*e"ith bein* the cause o& the calamities that so &re3uently be&ell the #tate,"hereas, in )ery truth, .ust punishment "as bein* a"are to *uilty nations by ana)en*in* (o$ This oious calumny, "ith most )ali reason, ner)e the *eniusan sharpene the pen o& #t$ Au*ustine, "ho, notably in his treatise, 4The !ity o&

(o,4 set &orth in so bri*ht a li*ht the "orth o& !hristian "isom in its relation tothe public "ealth that he seems not merely to ha)e pleae the cause o& the!hristians o& his ay, but to ha)e re&ute &or all &uture times impeachments so*rossly contrary to truth$ The "ic%e proneness, ho"e)er, to le)y li%e char*esan accusations has not been lulle to rest$ Many, inee, are they "ho ha)etrie to "or% out a plan o& ci)il society base on octrines other than thoseappro)e by the !atholic !hurch$ 5ay, in these latter ays a no)el conception o&la" has be*un here an there to *ain increase an in&luence, the outcome, as it

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is maintaine, o& an a*e arri)e at &ull stature, an the result o& pro*ressi)eliberty$ But, thou*h enea)ors o& )arious %ins ha)e been )enture on, it is clearthat no better moe has been e)ise &or the builin* up an rulin* the #tatethan that "hich is the necessary *ro"th o& the teachin*s o& the (ospel$ 6e eemit, there&ore, o& the hi*hest moment, an a strict uty o& Our apostolic o&&ice, tocontrast "ith the lessons tau*ht by !hrist the no)el theories no" a)ancetouchin* the #tate$ By this means 6e cherish hope that the bri*ht shinin* o& thetruth may scatter the mists o& error an oubt, so that one an all may see clearlythe imperious la" o& li&e "hich they are boun to &ollo" an obey$

7$ It is not i&&icult to etermine "hat "oul be the &orm an character o& the #tate"ere it *o)erne accorin* to the principles o& !hristian philosophy$ Man8snatural instinct mo)es him to li)e in ci)il society, &or he cannot, i& "ellin* apart,pro)ie himsel& "ith the necessary re3uirements o& li&e, nor procure the means o&

e)elopin* his mental an moral &aculties$ 9ence, it is i)inely oraine that heshoul lea his li&e '' be it &amily, or ci)il '' "ith his &ello" men, amon*st "homalone his se)eral "ants can be ae3uately supplie$ But, as no society can holto*ether unless someone be o)er all, irectin* all to stri)e earnestly &or thecommon *oo, e)ery boy politic must ha)e a rulin* authority, an this authority,no less than society itsel&, has its source in nature, an has, conse3uently, (o&or its Author$ Hence, it follows that all public power must procee from !o"For !o alone is the true an supreme #or of the worl" E$er%thin&,without e'ception, must be sub(ect to Him, an must ser$e him, so thatwhosoe$er hols the ri&ht to &o$ern hols it from one sole an sin&lesource, namel%, !o, the so$erei&n Ruler of all" )There is no power butfrom !o")*+

:$ The ri*ht to rule is not necessarily, ho"e)er, boun up "ith any special moeo& *o)ernment$ It may ta%e this or that &orm, pro)ie only that it be o& a nature o& the *o)ernment, rulers must e)er bear in min that (o is the paramount ruler o&the "orl, an must set 9im be&ore themsel)es as their eemplar an la" in theaministration o& the #tate$ For, in thin&s $isible !o has fashioneseconar% causes, in which His i$ine action can in some wise be

iscerne, leain& up to the en to which the course of the worl is e$ertenin&" In li-e manner, in ci$il societ%, !o has alwa%s wille that thereshoul be a rulin& authorit%, an that the% who are in$este with it shoulreflect the i$ine power an pro$ience in some measure o$er the humanrace"

;$ They, there&ore, "ho rule shoul rule "ith e)enhane .ustice, not as masters,but rather as &athers, &or the rule o& (o o)er man is most .ust, an is tempereal"ays "ith a &ather8s %inness$ (o)ernment shoul, moreo)er, be aministere

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are "e estine by our birth an aoption to en.oy, "hen this &rail an &leetin* li&eis ene, a supreme an &inal *oo in hea)en, an to the attainment o& this e)eryenea)or shoul be irecte$ #ince, then, upon this epens the &ull an per&ecthappiness o& man%in, the securin* o& this en shoul be o& all ima*inableinterests the most ur*ent$ 9ence, ci)il society, establishe &or the common"el&are, shoul not only sa&e*uar the "ellbein* o& the community, but ha)e alsoat heart the interests o& its ini)iual members, in such moe as not in any "ayto hiner, but in e)ery manner to rener as easy as may be, the possession o&that hi*hest an unchan*eable *oo &or "hich all shoul see%$ 6here&ore, &orthis purpose, care must especially be ta%en to preser)e unharme anunimpee the reli*ion "hereo& the practice is the lin% connectin* man "ith (o$

@$ 5o", it cannot be i&&icult to &in out "hich is the true reli*ion, i& only it besou*ht "ith an earnest an unbiase min? &or proo&s are abunant an stri%in*$

6e ha)e, &or eample, the &ul&illment o& prophecies, miracles in *reat numbers,the rapi sprea o& the &aith in the mist o& enemies an in &ace o& o)er"helmin*obstacles, the "itness o& the martyrs, an the li%e$ 0rom all these it is e)ient thatthe only true reli*ion is the one establishe by esus !hrist 9imsel&, an "hich9e committe to 9is !hurch to protect an to propa*ate$

$ 0or the only'be*otten #on o& (o establishe on earth a society "hich iscalle the !hurch, an to it 9e hane o)er the ealte an i)ine o&&ice "hich9e ha recei)e &rom 9is 0ather, to be continue throu*h the a*es to come$ 4Asthe 0ather hath sent Me, I also sen you$4


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maintenance an action$ An .ust as the en at "hich the !hurch aims is by &arthe noblest o& ens, so is its authority the most ealte o& all authority, nor can itbe loo%e upon as in&erior to the ci)il po"er, or in any manner epenent upon it$

$ In )ery truth, esus !hrist *a)e to 9is Apostles unrestraine authority inre*ar to thin*s sacre, to*ether "ith the *enuine an most true po"er o&ma%in* la"s, as also "ith the t"o&ol ri*ht o& .u*in* an o& punishin*, "hich&lo" &rom that po"er$ 4All po"er is *i)en to Me in hea)en an on earthF *oin*there&ore teach all nations $ $ $ teachin* them to obser)e all thin*s "hatsoe)er Iha)e commane you$4


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inasmuch as each o& these t"o po"ers has authority o)er the same sub.ects,an as it mi*ht come to pass that one an the same thin* '' relate i&&erently,but still remainin* one an the same thin* '' mi*ht belon* to the .urisiction anetermination o& both, there&ore (o, "ho &oresees all thin*s, an "ho is theauthor o& these t"o po"ers, has mar%e out the course o& each in ri*htcorrelation to the other$ 40or the po"ers that are, are oraine o& (o$4


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@$ In such or*ani-ation o& the #tate there is nothin* that can be thou*ht toin&rin*e upon the i*nity o& rulers, an nothin* unbecomin* them? nay, so &ar &rome*rain* the so)erei*n po"er in its ue ri*hts, it as to it permanence anluster$ Inee, "hen more &ully ponere, this mutual coorination has aper&ection in "hich all other &orms o& *o)ernment are lac%in*, an &rom "hichecellent results "oul &lo", "ere the se)eral component parts to %eep theirplace an uly ischar*e the o&&ice an "or% appointe respecti)ely &or each$

An, oubtless, in the constitution o& the #tate such as 6e ha)e escribe,i)ine an human thin*s are e3uitably share? the ri*hts o& citi-ens assure tothem, an &ence roun by i)ine, by natural, an by human la"? the utiesincumbent on each one bein* "isely mar%e out, an their &ul&illment &ittin*lyinsure$ In their uncertain an toilsome .ourney to the e)erlastin* city all see thatthey ha)e sa&e *uies an helpers on their "ay, an are conscious that othersha)e char*e to protect their persons ali%e an their possessions, an to obtain or

preser)e &or them e)erythin* essential &or their present li&e$ 0urthermore,omestic society ac3uires that &irmness an soliity so nee&ul to it &rom theholiness o& marria*e, one an inissoluble, "herein the ri*hts an uties o&husban an "i&e are controlle "ith "ise .ustice an e3uity? ue honor isassure to the "oman? the authority o& the husban is con&orme to the patterna&&ore by the authority o& (o? the po"er o& the &ather is tempere by a uere*ar &or the i*nity o& the mother an her o&&sprin*? an the best possiblepro)ision is mae &or the *uarianship, "el&are, an eucation o& the chilren$

$ In political a&&airs, an all matters ci)il, the la"s aim at securin* the common*oo, an are not &rame accorin* to the elusi)e caprices an opinions o& themass o& the people, but by truth an by .ustice? the rulin* po"ers are in)este"ith a sacreness more than human, an are "ithhel &rom e)iatin* &rom thepath o& uty, an &rom o)ersteppin* the bouns o& ri*ht&ul authority? an theobeience is not the ser)itue o& man to man, but submission to the "ill o& (o,eercisin* 9is so)erei*nty throu*h the meium o& men$ 5o", this bein*reco*ni-e as uneniable, it is &elt that the hi*h o&&ice o& rulers shoul be hel inrespect? that public authority shoul be constantly an &aith&ully obeye? that noact o& seition shoul be committe? an that the ci)ic orer o& the

common"ealth shoul be maintaine as sacre$

C$ #o, also, as to the uties o& each one to"ar his &ello" men, mutual&orbearance, %inliness, *enerosity are place in the ascenant? the man "ho isat once a citi-en an a !hristian is not ra"n asie by con&lictin* obli*ations?an, lastly, the abunant bene&its "ith "hich the !hristian reli*ion, o& its )erynature, eno"s e)en the mortal li&e o& man are ac3uire &or the community anci)il society$ An this to such an etent that it may be sai in sober truthF 4The

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conition o& the common"ealth epens on the reli*ion "ith "hich (o is"orshippe? an bet"een one an the other there eists an intimate an abiin*connection$4


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"hose remembrance is still, an al"ays "ill be, in reno"n, "itnesse to as theyare by countless proo&s "hich can ne)er be blotte out or e)er obscure by anycra&t o& any enemies$ !hristian Europe has subue barbarous nations, anchan*e them &rom a sa)a*e to a ci)ili-e conition, &rom superstition to true"orship$ It )ictoriously rolle bac% the tie o& Mohammean con3uest? retainethe heaship o& ci)ili-ation? stoo &orth in the &ront ran% as the leaer an teacher o& all, in e)ery branch o& national culture? besto"e on the "orl the *i&t o& truean many'sie liberty? an most "isely &oune )ery numerous institutions &orthe solace o& human su&&erin*$ An i& "e in3uire ho" it "as able to brin* about soaltere a conition o& thin*s, the ans"er is '' beyon all 3uestion, in lar*emeasure, throu*h reli*ion, uner "hose auspices so many *reat unerta%in*s"ere set on &oot, throu*h "hose ai they "ere brou*ht to completion$

//$ A similar state o& thin*s "oul certainly ha)e continue ha the a*reement o&

the t"o po"ers been lastin*$ More important results e)en mi*ht ha)e been .ustlyloo%e &or, ha obeience "aite upon the authority, teachin*, an counsels o&the !hurch, an ha this submission been specially mar%e by *reater an moreuns"er)in* loyalty$ 0or that shoul be re*are in the li*ht o& an e)er'chan*elessla" "hich I)o o& !hartres "rote to Pope Paschal IIF 46hen %in*om anpriesthoo are at one, in complete accor, the "orl is "ell rule, an the !hurch&lourishes, an brin*s &orth abunant &ruit$ But "hen they are at )ariance, notonly smaller interests prosper not, but e)en thin*s o& *reatest moment &all intoeplorable ecay$4


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"hose char*e it may commit itsel&, but in such "ise that it ma%es o)er to themnot the ri*ht so much as the business o& *o)ernin*, to be eercise, ho"e)er, inits name$

/;$ The authority o& (o is passe o)er in silence, .ust as i& there "ere no (o?or as i& 9e care nothin* &or human society? or as i& men, "hether in theirini)iual capacity or boun to*ether in social relations, o"e nothin* to (o? oras i& there coul be a *o)ernment o& "hich the "hole ori*in an po"er anauthority i not resie in (o 9imsel&$ Thus, as is e)ient, a #tate becomesnothin* but a multitue "hich is its o"n master an ruler$ An since the people iseclare to contain "ithin itsel& the sprin*'hea o& all ri*hts an o& all po"er, it&ollo"s that the #tate oes not consier itsel& boun by any %in o& uty to"ar(o$ Moreo)er$ it belie)es that it is not obli*e to ma%e public pro&ession o& anyreli*ion? or to in3uire "hich o& the )ery many reli*ions is the only one true? or to

pre&er one reli*ion to all the rest? or to sho" to any &orm o& reli*ion special &a)or?but, on the contrary, is boun to *rant e3ual ri*hts to e)ery cree, so that publicorer may not be isturbe by any particular &orm o& reli*ious belie&$

/>$ An it is a part o& this theory that all 3uestions that concern reli*ion are to bere&erre to pri)ate .u*ment? that e)ery one is to be &ree to &ollo" "hate)erreli*ion he pre&ers, or none at all i& he isappro)e o& all$ 0rom this the &ollo"in*conse3uences lo*ically &lo"F that the .u*ment o& each one8s conscience isinepenent o& all la"? that the most unrestraine opinions may be openlyepresse as to the practice or omission o& i)ine "orship? an that e)ery one

has unboune license to thin% "hate)er he chooses an to publish abroa"hate)er he thin%s$

/@$ 5o", "hen the #tate rests on &ounations li%e those .ust name '' an &or thetime bein* they are *reatly in &a)or '' it reaily appears into "hat an ho"unri*ht&ul a position the !hurch is ri)en$ 0or, "hen the mana*ement o& publicbusiness is in harmony "ith octrines o& such a %in, the !atholic reli*ion isallo"e a stanin* in ci)il society e3ual only, or in&erior, to societies alien &rom it?no re*ar is pai to the la"s o& the !hurch, an she "ho, by the orer an

commission o& esus !hrist, has the uty o& teachin* all nations, &ins hersel&&orbien to ta%e any part in the instruction o& the people$ 6ith re&erence tomatters that are o& t"o&ol .urisiction, they "ho aminister the ci)il po"er layo"n the la" at their o"n "ill, an in matters that appertain to reli*ion e&iantlyput asie the most sacre ecrees o& the !hurch$ They claim .urisiction o)er themarria*es o& !atholics, e)en o)er the bon as "ell as the unity an theinissolubility o& matrimony$ They lay hans on the *oos o& the cler*y,contenin* that the !hurch cannot possess property$ Lastly, they treat the!hurch "ith such arro*ance that, re.ectin* entirely her title to the nature an

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ri*hts o& a per&ect society, they hol that she i&&ers in no respect &rom othersocieties in the #tate, an &or this reason possesses no ri*ht nor any le*al po"ero& action, sa)e that "hich she hols by the concession an &a)or o& the*o)ernment$ I& in any #tate the !hurch retains her o"n a*reement publiclyentere into by the t"o po"ers, men &orth"ith be*in to cry out that mattersa&&ectin* the !hurch must be separate &rom those o& the #tate$

/$ Their ob.ect in utterin* this cry is to be able to )iolate unpunishe theirpli*hte &aith, an in all thin*s to ha)e unchec%e control$ An as the !hurch,unable to abanon her chie&est an most sacre uties, cannot patiently put up"ith this, an as%s that the ple*e *i)en to her be &ully an scrupulously acte upto, contentions &re3uently arise bet"een the ecclesiastical an the ci)il po"er, o&"hich the issue commonly is that the "ea%er po"er yiels to the one "hich isstron*er in human resources$

/C$ Accorin*ly, it has become the practice an etermination uner thisconition o& public polity 1no" so much amire by many2 either to &orbi theaction o& the !hurch alto*ether, or to %eep her in chec% an bona*e to the#tate$ Public enactments are in *reat measure &rame "ith this esi*n$ Thera"in* up o& la"s, the aministration o& #tate a&&airs, the *oless eucation o&youth, the spoliation an suppression o& reli*ious orers, the o)erthro" o& thetemporal po"er o& the Roman Ponti&&, all ali%e aim to this one en '' to paraly-ethe action o& !hristian institutions, to cramp to the utmost the &reeom o& the!atholic !hurch, an to curtail her e)er sin*le prero*ati)e$

7$ 5o", natural reason itsel& pro)es con)incin*ly that such concepts o& the*o)ernment o& a #tate are "holly at )ariance "ith the truth$ 5ature itsel& bears"itness that all po"er, o& e)ery %in, has its ori*in &rom (o, "ho is its chie& anmost au*ust source$

7$ The so)erei*nty o& the people, ho"e)er, an this "ithout any re&erence to(o, is hel to resie in the multitue? "hich is oubtless a octrine eceein*ly"ell calculate to &latter an to in&lame many passions, but "hich lac%s allreasonable proo&, an all po"er o& insurin* public sa&ety an preser)in* orer$Inee, &rom the pre)alence o& this teachin*, thin*s ha)e come to such a passthat may hol as an aiom o& ci)il .urispruence that seitions may be ri*ht&ully&ostere$ 0or the opinion pre)ails that princes are nothin* more than ele*ateschosen to carry out the "ill o& the people? "hence it necessarily &ollo"s that allthin*s are as chan*eable as the "ill o& the people, so that ris% o& publicisturbance is e)er han*in* o)er our heas$

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To hol, there&ore, that there is no i&&erence in matters o& reli*ion bet"een &ormsthat are unli%e each other, an e)en contrary to each other, most clearly leas inthe en to the re.ection o& all reli*ion in both theory an practice$ An this is thesame thin* as atheism, ho"e)er it may i&&er &rom it in name$ Men "ho reallybelie)e in the eistence o& (o must, in orer to be consistent "ith themsel)esan to a)oi absur conclusions, unerstan that i&&erin* moes o& i)ine"orship in)ol)in* issimilarity an con&lict e)en on most important points cannotall be e3ually probable, e3ually *oo, an e3ually acceptable to (o$

7/$ #o, too, the liberty o& thin%in*, an o& publishin*, "hatsoe)er each one li%es,"ithout any hinrance, is not in itsel& an a)anta*e o)er "hich society can "iselyre.oice$ On the contrary, it is the &ountain'hea an ori*in o& many e)ils$ Liberty isa po"er per&ectin* man, an hence shoul ha)e truth an *ooness &or itsob.ect$ But the character o& *ooness an truth cannot be chan*e at option$

These remain e)er one an the same, an are no less unchan*eable than natureitsel&$ I& the min assents to &alse opinions, an the "ill chooses an &ollo"s a&ter"hat is "ron*, neither can attain its nati)e &ullness, but both must &all &rom theirnati)e i*nity into an abyss o& corruption$ 6hate)er, there&ore, is oppose to)irtue an truth may not ri*htly be brou*ht temptin*ly be&ore the eye o& man,much less sanctione by the &a)or an protection o& the la"$ A "ell'spent li&e isthe only "ay to hea)en, "hither all are boun, an on this account the #tate isactin* a*ainst the la"s an ictates o& nature "hene)er it permits the license o&opinion an o& action to lea mins astray &rom truth an souls a"ay &rom thepractice o& )irtue$ To eclue the !hurch, &oune by (o 9imsel&, &rom li&e, &romla"s, &rom the eucation o& youth, &rom omestic society is a *ra)e an &atalerror$ A #tate &rom "hich reli*ion is banishe can ne)er be "ell re*ulate? analreay perhaps more than is esirable is %no"n o& the nature an tenency o&the so'calle ci)il philosophy o& li&e an morals$ The !hurch o& !hrist is the truean sole teacher o& )irtue an *uarian o& morals$ #he it is "ho preser)es in their purity the principles &rom "hich uties &lo", an, by settin* &orth most ur*entreasons &or )irtuous li&e, bis us not only to turn a"ay &rom "ic%e ees, bute)en to curb all mo)ements o& the min that are oppose to reason, e)en thou*hthey be not carrie out in action$

77$ To "ish the !hurch to be sub.ect to the ci)il po"er in the eercise o& her utyis a *reat &olly an a sheer in.ustice$ 6hene)er this is the case, orer isisturbe, &or thin*s natural are put abo)e thin*s supernatural? the many bene&its"hich the !hurch, i& &ree to act, "oul con&er on society are either pre)ente orat least lessene in number? an a "ay is prepare &or enmities an contentionsbet"een the t"o po"ers, "ith ho" e)il result to both the issue o& e)ents hastau*ht us only too &re3uently$

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7:$ Doctrines such as these, "hich cannot be appro)e by human reason, anmost seriously a&&ect the "hole ci)il orer, Our preecessors the Roman Ponti&&s1"ell a"are o& "hat their apostolic o&&ice re3uire o& them2 ha)e ne)er allo"e topass unconemne$ Thus, (re*ory XVI in his encyclical letter 4Mirari Vos,4 ate

Au*ust ;, 7/, in)ei*he "ith "ei*hty "ors a*ainst the sophisms "hich e)enat his time "ere bein* publicly inculcate'namely, that no pre&erence shoul besho"n &or any particular &orm o& "orship? that it is ri*ht &or ini)iuals to &orm theiro"n personal .u*ments about reli*ion? that each man8s conscience is his solean allsu&&icin* *uie? an that it is la"&ul &or e)ery man to publish his o"n )ie"s,"hate)er they may be, an e)en to conspire a*ainst the #tate$ On the 3uestiono& the separation o& !hurch an #tate the same Ponti&& "rites as &ollo"sF 45orcan 6e hope &or happier results either &or reli*ion or &or the ci)il *o)ernment &romthe "ishes o& those "ho esire that the !hurch be separate &rom the #tate, anthe concor bet"een the secular an ecclesiastical authority be issol)e$ It is

clear that these men, "ho yearn &or a shameless liberty, li)e in rea o& ana*reement "hich has al"ays been &rau*ht "ith *oo, an a)anta*eous ali%e tosacre an ci)il interests$4 To the li%e e&&ect, also, as occasion presente itsel&,i Pius IX bran publicly many &alse opinions "hich "ere *ainin* *roun, ana&ter"ars orere them to be conense in summary &orm in orer that in thissea o& error !atholics mi*ht ha)e a li*ht "hich they mi*ht sa&ely &ollo"$$ This, then, is the teachin* o& the !atholic !hurch concernin* the constitutionan *o)ernment o& the #tate$ By the "ors an ecrees .ust cite, i& .u*e

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ispassionately, no one o& the se)eral &orms o& *o)ernment is in itsel&conemne, inasmuch as none o& them contains anythin* contrary to !atholicoctrine, an all o& them are capable, i& "isely an .ustly mana*e, to insure the"el&are o& the #tate$ 5either is it blame"orthy in itsel&, in any manner, &or thepeople to ha)e a share *reater or less, in the *o)ernmentF &or at certain times,an uner certain la"s, such participation may not only be o& bene&it to theciti-ens, but may e)en be o& obli*ation$ 5or is there any reason "hy any oneshoul accuse the !hurch o& bein* "antin* in *entleness o& action or lar*enesso& )ie", or o& bein* oppose to real an la"&ul liberty$ The !hurch, inee,eems it unla"&ul to place the )arious &orms o& i)ine "orship on the same&ootin* as the true reli*ion, but oes not, on that account, conemn those rulers"ho, &or the sa%e o& securin* some *reat *oo or o& hinerin* some *reat e)il,allo" patiently custom or usa*e to be a %in o& sanction &or each %in o& reli*ionha)in* its place in the #tate$ An, in &act, the !hurch is "ont to ta%e earnest hee

that no one shall be &orce to embrace the !atholic &aith a*ainst his "ill, &or, as#t$ Au*ustine "isely remins us, 4Man cannot belie)e other"ise than o& his o"n"ill$4

7@$ In the same "ay the !hurch cannot appro)e o& that liberty "hich be*ets acontempt o& the most sacre la"s o& (o, an casts o&& the obeience ue tola"&ul authority, &or this is not liberty so much as license, an is most correctlystyle by #t$ Au*ustine the 4liberty o& sel&'ruin,4 an by the Apostle #t$ Peter the4cloa% o& malice$4


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in thralom, on the other han, she "illin*ly an most *laly "elcomes "hate)erimpro)ements the a*e brin*s &orth, i& these really secure the prosperity o& li&ehere belo", "hich is, as it "ere, a sta*e in the .ourney to the li&e that "ill %no" noenin*$

7C$ There&ore, "hen it is sai that the !hurch is hostile to moern politicalre*imes an that she repuiates the isco)eries o& moern research, the char*eis a riiculous an *rounless calumny$ 6il opinions she oes repuiate, "ic%ean seitious pro.ects she oes conemn, to*ether "ith that attitue o& min"hich points to the be*innin* o& a "ill&ul eparture &rom (o$ But, as all truthmust necessarily procee &rom (o, the !hurch reco*ni-es in all truth that isreache by research a trace o& the i)ine intelli*ence$ An as all truth in thenatural orer is po"erless to estroy belie& in the teachin*s o& re)elation, but cano much to con&irm it, an as e)ery ne"ly isco)ere truth may ser)e to &urther

the %no"le*e or the praise o& (o, it &ollo"s that "hatsoe)er spreas the ran*eo& %no"le*e "ill al"ays be "illin*ly an e)en .oy&ully "elcome by the !hurch$#he "ill al"ays encoura*e an promote, as she oes in other branches o&%no"le*e, all stuy occupie "ith the in)esti*ation o& nature$ In these pursuits,shoul the human intellect isco)er anythin* not %no"n be&ore, the !hurchma%es no opposition$ #he ne)er ob.ects to search bein* mae &or thin*s thatminister to the re&inements an com&orts o& li&e$ #o &ar, inee, &rom opposin*these she is no", as she e)er has been, hostile alone to inolence an sloth, anearnestly "ishes that the talents o& men may bear more an more abunant &ruitby culti)ation an eercise$ Moreo)er, she *i)es encoura*ement to e)ery %in o&art an hanicra&t, an throu*h her in&luence, irectin* all stri)in*s a&ter pro*ressto"ar )irtue an sal)ation, she labors to pre)ent man8s intellect an inustry&rom turnin* him a"ay &rom (o an &rom hea)enly thin*s$

:$ All this, thou*h so reasonable an &ull o& counsel, &ins little &a)or no"aays"hen #tates not only re&use to con&orm to the rules o& !hristian "isom, butseem e)en anious to recee &rom them &urther an &urther on each successi)eay$ 5e)ertheless, since truth "hen brou*ht to li*ht is "ont, o& its o"n nature, tosprea itsel& &ar an "ie, an *raually ta%e possession o& the mins o& men,

6e, mo)e by the *reat an holy uty o& Our apostolic mission to all nations,spea%, as 6e are boun to o, "ith &reeom$ Our eyes are not close to the spirito& the times$ 6e repuiate not the assure an use&ul impro)ements o& our a*e,but e)outly "ish a&&airs o& #tate to ta%e a sa&er course than they are no" ta%in*,an to rest on a more &irm &ounation "ithout in.ury to the true &reeom o& thepeople? &or the best parent an *uarian o& liberty amon*st men is truth$ 4Thetruth shall ma%e you &ree$4


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:$ I& in the i&&icult times in "hich Our lot is cast, !atholics "ill *i)e ear to Gs, asit behoo)es them to o, they "ill reaily see "hat are the uties o& each one inmatters o& opinion as "ell as action$ As re*ars opinion, "hate)er the RomanPonti&&s ha)e hitherto tau*ht, or shall herea&ter teach, must be hel "ith a &irm*rasp o& min, an, so o&ten as occasion re3uires, must be openly pro&esse$

:/$ Especially "ith re&erence to the so'calle 4liberties4 "hich are so *reatlyco)ete in these ays, all must stan by the .u*ment o& the apostolic see, anha)e the same min$ Let no man be ecei)e by the honest out"ar appearanceo& these liberties, but let each one re&lect "hence these ha)e ha their ori*in, anby "hat e&&orts they are e)ery"here uphel an promote$ Eperience has maeGs "ell ac3uainte "ith their results to the #tate, since e)ery"here they ha)eborne &ruits "hich the *oo an "ise bitterly eplore$ I& there really eistany"here, or i& "e in ima*ination concei)e, a #tate, "a*in* "anton an

tyrannical "ar a*ainst !hristianity, an i& "e compare "ith it the moern &orm o&*o)ernment .ust escribe, this latter may seem the more enurable o& the t"o$+et, unoubtely, the principles on "hich such a *o)ernment is *roune are, as6e ha)e sai, o& a nature "hich no one can appro)e$

:7$ #econly, action may relate to pri)ate an omestic matters, or to matterspublic$ As to pri)ate a&&airs, the &irst uty is to con&orm li&e an conuct to the*ospel precepts, an to re&use to shrin% &rom this uty "hen !hristian )irtueemans some sacri&ice sli*htly more i&&icult to ma%e$ All, moreo)er, are bounto lo)e the !hurch as their common mother, to obey her la"s, promote her honor,

e&en her ri*hts, an to enea)or to ma%e her respecte an lo)e by thoseo)er "hom they ha)e authority$ It is also o& *reat moment to the public "el&are tota%e a pruent part in the business o& municipal aministration, an to enea)orabo)e all to introuce e&&ectual measures, so that, as becomes a !hristianpeople, public pro)ision may be mae &or the instruction o& youth in reli*ion antrue morality$ Gpon these thin*s the "ell'bein* o& e)ery #tate *reatly epens$

::$ 0urthermore, it is in *eneral &ittin* an salutary that !atholics shoul etentheir e&&orts beyon this restricte sphere, an *i)e their attention to national

politics$ 6e say 4in *eneral4 because these Our precepts are aresse to allnations$ 9o"e)er, it may in some places be true that, &or most ur*ent an .ustreasons, it is by no means epeient &or !atholics to en*a*e in public a&&airs or tota%e an acti)e part in politics$ 5e)ertheless, as 6e ha)e lai o"n, to ta%e noshare in public matters "oul be as "ron* as to ha)e no concern &or, or tobesto" no labor upon, the common *oo, an the more so because !atholicsare amonishe, by the )ery octrines "hich they pro&ess, to be upri*ht an&aith&ul in the ischar*e o& uty, "hile, i& they hol aloo&, men "hose principleso&&er but small *uarantee &or the "el&are o& the #tate "ill the more reaily sei-e

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the reins o& *o)ernment$ This "oul ten also to the in.ury o& the !hristianreli*ion, &orasmuch as those "oul come into po"er "ho are baly isposeto"ar the !hurch, an those "ho are "illin* to be&rien her "oul be epri)eo& all in&luence$

:;$ It &ollo"s clearly, there&ore, that !atholics ha)e .ust reasons &or ta%in* part inthe conuct o& public a&&airs$ 0or in so oin* they assume not nor shoul theyassume the responsibility o& appro)in* "hat is blame"orthy in the actualmethos o& *o)ernment, but see% to turn these )ery methos, so &ar as ispossible, to the *enuine an true public *oo, an to use their best enea)ors atthe same time to in&use, as it "ere, into all the )eins o& the #tate the healthy sapan bloo o& !hristian "isom an )irtue$ The morals an ambitions o& theheathens i&&ere "iely &rom those o& the (ospel, yet !hristians "ere to be seenli)in* une&ile e)ery"here in the mist o& pa*an superstition, an, "hile al"ays

true to themsel)es, comin* to the &ront bolly "here)er an openin* "aspresente$ Moels o& loyalty to their rulers, submissi)e, so &ar as "as permitte,to the so)erei*n po"er, they she aroun them on e)ery sie a halo o& sanctity?they stro)e to be help&ul to their brethren, an to attract others to the "isom o&esus !hrist, yet "ere bra)ely reay to "ithra" &rom public li&e, nay, e)en to layo"n their li&e, i& they coul not "ithout loss o& )irtue retain honors, i*nities, ano&&ices$ 0or this reason, !hristian "ays an manners speeily &oun their "ay notonly into pri)ate houses but into the camp, the senate, an e)en into the imperialpalaces$ 46e are but o& yesteray,4 "rote Tertullian, 4yet "e s"arm in all yourinstitutions, "e cro" your cities, islans, )illa*es, to"ns, assemblies, the armyitsel&$ your "ars an corporations, the palace, the senate, an the la"courts$4= #o that the !hristian &aith, "hen once it became la"&ul to ma%e publicpro&ession o& the (ospel, appeare in most o& the cities o& Europe, not li%e anin&ant cryin* in its crale, but alreay *ro"n up an &ull o& )i*or$

:>$ In these Our ays it is "ell to re)i)e these eamples o& Our &ore&athers$ 0irstan &oremost, it is the uty o& all !atholics "orthy o& the name an "ish&ul to be%no"n as most lo)in* chilren o& the !hurch, to re.ect "ithout s"er)in* "hate)er is inconsistent "ith so &air a title? to ma%e use o& popular institutions, so &ar as

can honestly be one, &or the a)ancement o& truth an ri*hteousness? to stri)ethat liberty o& action shall not trans*ress the bouns mar%e out by nature anthe la" o& (o? to enea)or to brin* bac% all ci)il society to the pattern an &ormo& !hristianity "hich 6e ha)e escribe$ It is barely possible to lay o"n any&ie metho by "hich such purposes are to be attaine, because the meansaopte must suit places an times "iely i&&erin* &rom one another$5e)ertheless, abo)e all thin*s, unity o& aim must be preser)e, an similaritymust be sou*ht a&ter in all plans o& action$ Both these ob.ects "ill be carrie into

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e&&ect "ithout &ail i& all "ill &ollo" the *uiance o& the apostolic see as their rule o&li&e an obey the bishops "hom the 9oly #pirit has place to rule the !hurch o&(o$


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society, the sa&ety o& "hich is eceein*ly imperile by e)il teachin*s an bapassions$

;$ This, )enerable brethren, is "hat 6e ha)e thou*ht it Our uty to epoun toall nations o& the !atholic "orl touchin* the !hristian constitution o& #tates anthe uties o& ini)iual citi-ens$ It behoo)es Gs no" "ith earnest prayer toimplore the protection o& hea)en, beseechin* (o, "ho alone can enli*hten themins o& men an mo)e their "ill, to brin* about those happy ens &or "hich 6eyearn an stri)e, &or 9is *reater *lory an the *eneral sal)ation o& man%in$ As ahappy au*ury o& the i)ine bene&its, an in to%en o& Our paternal bene)olence, toyou, )enerable brothers, an to the cler*y an to the "hole people committe toyour char*e an )i*ilance, 6e *rant lo)in*ly in the Lor the apostolicbeneiction$

(i)en at #t$ Peter8s in Rome, the &irst ay o& 5o)ember, ;, the se)enth yearo& Our ponti&icate$

CO00ISSU0 1I2INITUS 3On Church an State4

5ope !re&or% 62I

Encyclical Of Pope Gregory promulgated on 17 May 1835.

To the !ler*y o& #"it-erlan$

Venerable Brothers an Dearly Belo)e #ons, (reetin*s an ApostolicBeneiction$

The uty o& the apostolic o&&ice "hich (o entruste to Gs emans that6e continually "atch o)er the Lor8s &loc%$ 6e especially irect all Our-eal an thou*hts to pro)ie as much assistance as 6e can "hene)er

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the eternal sal)ation o& the sheep an the !atholic reli*ion seem to bein an*er$$ 6e are a"are o& an eplore the &act that Our enemiescunnin*ly try many thin*s, an not "ithout success$ Their "or%s are anopen blo" a*ainst the !hristian &loc% an an in.ury to the !atholiccause$ This sorro" is a**ra)ate because those "ho "ant to ecei)ethe un"ary claim that they o not inten to subtract anythin* &rom theinte*rity o& the &aith$ They preten to ha)e as their only purpose theprotection o& the ri*hts o& the laity$ They attempt, by a &alse pretense o&public interest, to introuce, "iely isseminate, establish, ansomeho" sanction the erroneous an "ic%e teachin*s "hich they&ollo"$

/$ 9ence they are to call to*ether an assembly to eliberate, an to

&abricate a rule "hereby aspects o& the temporal po"er in ecclesiasticala&&airs "ere re)eale an e&ine$ +ou alreay %no" that 6e arespea%in* about those thin*s "hich "ere ne&ariously accomplisheurin* anuary o& last year in Baen in the canton o& Aar*au$ Becauseo& them you eperience sharp sorro" an e)en no" they ma%e youanious an concerne$ 6e cannot %eep secret the &act that in thebe*innin* 6e "ere in&luence to o nothin*$ 6e belie)e that thelaymen *athere in the appointe place "ith no other intention than tostuy those matters "hich concern reli*ion$ 6e &urther belie)e they"ante to procee so that they mi*ht not only iscuss the many aspects

o& the ecclesiastical po"er, but also so that they mi*ht o&&er plans tothose "ho "iel hi*h ci)il authority? those persons mi*ht then con&irman sanction the plans by &orce o& la"$

7$ The acts o& that meetin* "ere recently publishe by (ynopeius at0rauen&el$ These acts contain the names o& the men "ho "ere presentat the meetin*, the speeches *i)en by some o& them in the sessions,an the articles passe there$ 6e "ere horri&ie in reain* thosespeeches an articles an the principles containe in them$ 6e %ne"

then that no)elties "ere bein* introuce in the !atholic !hurch "hichare contrary to its teachin* an iscipline an "hich lea to theestruction o& souls$ 6e cannot allo" this in any "ay$

:$ 9e "ho mae e)erythin* an "ho *o)erns by a pruent arran*ement"ante orer to &lourish in 9is !hurch$ 9e "ante some people to be inchar*e an *o)ern an others to be sub.ect an obey$ There&ore, the!hurch has, by its i)ine institution, the po"er o& the ma*isterium toteach an e&ine matters o& &aith an morals an to interpret the 9oly

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#criptures "ithout an*er o& error$ It also has the po"er o& *o)ernanceto preser)e an stren*then in the true octrine those "hom it "elcomesas chilren an to ma%e la"s concernin* all thin*s "hich pertain to thesal)ation o& souls, the eercise o& the sacre ministry, an i)ine"orship$ 6hoe)er opposes these la"s ma%es himsel& *uilty o& a )eryserious crime$

;$ This po"er o& teachin* an *o)ernin* in matters o& reli*ion, *i)en by!hrist to 9is #pouse, belon*s to the priests an bishops$ !hristestablishe this system not only so that the !hurch "oul in no "aybelon* to the ci)il *o)ernment o& the state, but also so that it coul betotally &ree an not sub.ect in the least to any earthly omination$ esus!hrist i not commit the sacre trust o& the re)eale octrine to the

"orlly leaers, but to the apostles an their successors$ 9e sai tothem onlyF 46hoe)er hears you, hears Me? "hoe)er re.ects you, re.ectsMe$4 These same apostles preache the (ospel, sprea the !hurch,an establishe its iscipline not in accorance "ith the pleasure o& layauthority, but e)en in spite o& it$ Moreo)er, "hen the leaers o& thesyna*o*ue are comman them to silence, Peter an ohn, "ho hause the e)an*elical &reeom, responeF 4+ou be the .u*e o& "hetherit is ri*ht in the eyes o& (o to listen to you rather than to (o$4 Thus, i&any secular po"er ominates the !hurch, controls its octrine, orinter&eres so that it cannot promul*ate la"s concernin* the holy ministry,

i)ine "orship, an the spiritual "el&are o& the &aith&ul, it oes so to thein.ury o& the &aith an the o)erturnin* o& the i)ine orinance o& the!hurch an the nature o& *o)ernment$

>$ These principles are &irm, unchan*eable, an supporte by theauthority an traition o& the ancient 0athers$ Bishop Ossius o& !oroba"rote to Emperor !onstantiusF 4Do not become in)ol)e inecclesiastical matters nor *i)e us orers concernin* these a&&airs$ Butrather learn this &rom usF (o *i)es you the empire? 9e entrusts

ecclesiastical po"er to us$ 6hoe)er secretly tries to snatch the empirea"ay &rom you opposes (o$ By the same to%en, ta%e care that you onot ra" ecclesiastical po"er to yoursel& an become *uilty o& a *reatcrime$4 The !hristian leaers "ere a"are o& this an they consiere ita *lorious thin* to ac%no"le*e publicly$ Amon* them "as the *reatleaer Basil "ho sai in the ei*hth synoF 46hat more can I say aboutyou lay peopleH I ha)e nothin* else to say ecept that it is not permitte&or you to spea% concernin* ecclesiastical matters$ It is the uty o&

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patriarchs, popes, an priests, to "hom the uty o& *o)ernin* has beenentruste, to in)esti*ate an stuy these matters$ They ha)e the po"ero& binin* an loosin* an o& sancti&yin*$ They are the ones "ho ha)ethe ecclesiastical an hea)enly %eys, not those "ho must be &e,sancti&ie, boun, an loose$4

@$ 9o"e)er, in the Baen meetin* the matter "as iscusse i&&erently$The articles "hich came &orth &rom it attac% the soun octrine o&ecclesiastical po"er an lea the !hurch itsel& into a scanalous anun.ust sla)ery$ It is e)en sub.ect to the .u*ment o& lay authority in thepromul*ation o& ecrees concernin* o*ma, an its isciplinary la"s areeclare to lac% &orce an e&&ect unless they are promul*ate by thea*reement o& secular authority "ith an ae proposition concernin*

the penalties a*ainst those "ho isobey$ 6hat thenH Po"er is *i)en tothat same ci)il authority either to appro)e or to oppose the celebrationo& the iocesan synos, to inspect the synos, to o)ersee seminaries,an to con&irm the system o& their internal *o)ernance establishe bybishops, to remo)e clerics &rom ecclesiastical uties, to *o)ern thereli*ious an moral instruction o& the people, an &inally to re*ulatee)erythin* "hich, they claim, pertains to the eternal iscipline o& the!hurch, althou*h these thin*s may be o& a spiritual nature or characteran may concern the "orship o& (o an the sal)ation o& souls$

$ There is nothin* "hich belon*s more to the !hurch an there isnothin* esus !hrist "ante more closely reser)e &or its shephersthan the ispensation o& the sacraments 9e institute$ The po"er to

.u*e concernin* their ispensation belon*s only to those "hom 9eestablishe as ministers o& 9is "or% on earth$ It is "ic%e i& the ci)ilauthority appropriates &or itsel& anythin* in this holy o&&ice It is "ic%e i&the ci)il authority prescribes anythin* at all concernin* it or *i)es orersto the ministers o& the sacraments It is "ic%e i& it tries "ith its la"s tooppose the rules hane o"n to Gs in "ritin* or by oral traition &rom

the early !hurch concernin* the istribution o& the sacraments to the!hristian people$ Our preecessor #t$ (elasius sai in his letter toEmperor AnastasiusF 4+ou %no", most merci&ul son, that you areallo"e to rule o)er the human race$ 5e)ertheless, submit yoursel& tothe bishops an see% &rom them the means o& your sal)ation$ Inrecei)in* the hea)enly sacraments an in istributin* themappropriately, you %no" that you shoul be sub.ect rather than *o)ern$+ou %no" there&ore that in these thin*s you epen on their .u*ment

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an that they o not "ant to be sub.ecte to your po"er$4 6hat seemsto be increible an portentous is that the meetin* at Baen pro*resseto the point that e)en the ri*ht an o&&ice o& ispensin* the sacraments"as attribute to secular authority$ The articles "hich "ere rashly"ritten concernin* the sacrament o& marria*e in !hrist an the !hurchcertainly incline in this irection as oes the support *i)en &orcontractin* mie marria*es$ The re3uirement that !atholic priestsbless these marria*es "hile i*norin* the reli*ious i&&erences bet"eenthe spouses an the threats o& punishment &or those "ho re&use to othis illustrate this tenency$

C$ These thin*s ou*ht to be conemne because the ci)il authorityma%es la"s concernin* the celebration o& a i)inely establishe

sacrament an ares to orer the priests in such a serious matter$ Butthey ou*ht to be reproache e)en more so because they &oster anabsur an impious iea "hich they call 4ini&&erentism?4 inee theyepen on it as necessary$ Moreo)er, they oppose !atholic truth an!hurch octrine "hich &orbis mie marria*es as is*race&ul becauseo& the communion in holy thin*s an because o& the serious an*er o&the per)ersion o& the !atholic spouse an the per)erte eucation o&the &uture chilren$ 5or i the !hurch e)er *rant the &ree po"er tocontract such a marria*e unless conitions "ere ae "hichpre)ente the causes o& an*er an e&ormity$

$ esus !hrist con&erre on 9is !hurch the supreme po"er o&aministerin* reli*ion an *o)ernin* !hristian society$ This is notsub.ect to the ci)il authority$ In his letter to the Ephesians the apostleteaches that !hrist establishe this ecclesiastical po"er &or the bene&ito& unity$ An "hat is this unity unless one person is place in char*e o&the "hole !hurch "ho protects it an .oins all its members in the onepro&ession o& &aith an unites them in the one bon o& lo)e ancommunionH The "isom o& the Di)ine La"*i)er orere that a )isible

hea be place o)er a )isible boy so that 4once so establishe, theopportunity &or i)ision mi*ht be remo)e$4 6here&ore, althou*h &or allthe bishops "hom the 9oly #pirit place as *o)ernors o& the !hurch o&(o there is a common i*nity an in matters o& ran% there isne)ertheless e3ual po"er, there is not the same ran% in the hierarchy&or all an they o not all ha)e the same etent o& .urisiction$

Gsin* the "ors o& #t$ Leo the (reat? 4Amon* the holy apostles there"as a similarity o& honor but a istinction o& po"erF "hile the election o&

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all "as e3ual, it "as *i)en only to one to ha)e preeminence amon* theothers $$$ because the Lor "ante the sacrament o& e)an*elical uty tobelon* to the o&&ice o& the apostles? thus 9e place it principally in #t$Peter, the hea o& all the apostles$4 9e *rante this to Peter alone out o& all the apostles "hen 9e promise him the %eys o& the %in*om o&hea)en an entruste to him the obli*ation o& &eein* the Lor8s sheepan lambs an the uty o& stren*thenin* his brothers$ 9e "ante this toeten to Peter8s successors "hom 9e place o)er the !hurch "ithe3ual ri*ht$ This has al"ays been the &irm an unite opinion o& all!atholics$ It is !hurch o*ma that the pope, the successor o& #t$ Peter,possesses not only primacy o& honor but also primacy o& authority an

.urisiction o)er the "hole !hurch$ Accorin*ly the bishops are sub.ectto him$

$ In the "ors o& #t$ Leo, "ho continues spea%in* about the 9oly #eeo& PeterF 4It is necessary that the !hurch throu*hout the "orl be unitean clea)e to the center o& !atholic unity an ecclesiastical communion,so that "hoe)er ares to epart &rom the unity o& Peter mi*htunerstan that he no lon*er shares in the i)ine mystery$4 #t$ eromeasF 46hoe)er eats the lamb outsie o& this house is unholy$ Those"ho "ere not in the ar% o& 5oah perishe in the &loo$4 ust as he "hooes not *ather "ith !hrist, so he "ho oes not *ather "ith !hrist8sVicar on earth, clearly scatters$ 9o" can someone "ho estroys the

holy authority o& the Vicar o& !hrist an "ho in&rin*es on his ri*hts*ather "ith himH It is throu*h these ri*hts that the pope is the center o&unity, that he has the primacy o& orer an .urisiction, an that he hasthe &ull po"er o& nurturin*, rulin*, an *o)ernin* the uni)ersal !hurch$

/$ 6e tear&ully amit that this "as attempte at the meetin* in Baen$The pope alone an no bishop has the ri*ht to trans&er the ays &ie bythe !hurch &or celebratin* &easts an obser)in* &asts an to annul theprecept o& attenin* Mass$ This "as clearly establishe in the

constitution Auctorem fidei

publishe by Our preecessor Pius VI on Au*ust /, @C:, a*ainst the Pistoians$

7$ The items containe in the Baen articles are contrary to this anare much more harm&ul because on the issue o& iscipline they reser)ethe ri*ht &or the ci)il authority$ The special pri)ile*e o& remo)in* reli*iouscon*re*ations "hich li)e uner a rule &rom the .urisiction o& the bishopsan sub.ectin* these con*re*ations irectly to himsel& belon*s to thepope' 'a ri*ht popes ha)e use &rom the earliest times$ The articles o&

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the Baen con)ention abri*e this ri*ht$ They ma%e no mention o& thenecessity o& as%in* an obtainin* the permission o& the 9oly #ee$ Thusplans may be unerta%en by a secular authority throu*h "hich, a&ter theeemption o& the monastic orers is abolishe in #"it-erlan, re*ularcon*re*ations can be mae sub.ect to the authority o& the orinarybishops$

:$ To these, 6e shoul a those thin*s "hich they inicate ha)ebeen authori-e concernin* the ri*hts o& bishops$ I& these thin*s areeamine mote eeply an re&erre bac% to the principles &rom "hichthe articles mae in the Baen con&erence procee, they seem tocon&irm that the .urisiction o& the bishops neither can nor shoul bes"aye by the supreme authority o& the pope$ 5or shoul they be

circumscribe by any limitations$ 5either shoul 6e omit those thin*s"hich "ere propose concernin* either the erection o& a metropolitansee or the uni&ication o& some o& those ioceses to another catheralchurch locate beyon the bounaries o& #"it-erlan$ The ri*hts o& the9oly #ee in this matter "ere i*nore$ Thus ci)il authority acte as i& it"ere totally &ree in these serious issues to establish by its o"n ri*htthose thin*s "hich it consiere to be a)anta*eous &or the spiritualnees o& the people$ 6e pass o)er many other thin*s "hich "oul betoo tiresome to enumerate ini)iually$ 9o"e)er, they in&lict *reat harmon this 9oly #ee o& Peter an threaten, )iolate, an espise its i*nity

an authority$

;$ #ince this is the situation an the !hurch is con&ronte by so *reatan open a isturbance o& soun octrine an ecclesiastical ri*hts anby so *reat an serious a an*er to the !atholic cause in these re*ions,it behoo)e Gs to raise Our )oice &rom this holy mountain soon a&ter themeetin* o& Baen "as hel an to openly critici-e, repro)e, anconemn those articles to e)eryone "ho participate in the con&erence$6e elaye Our ecision on their "ic%eness up until no" because 6e

hope that those "ho aminister ci)il a&&airs "oul totally re.ect anisappro)e o& them$ The matter i not, &or the most part, come to passaccorin* to Our epectation$ On the contrary, 6e, *reatly sorro"in*,learne that la"s "ere enacte "hich con&irme those articles anprotecte them by public ecree$

>$ 6e, in Our role as teacher an uni)ersal octor, ou*ht ili*ently tobe"are lest anyone be le into error by Our action an conclue thatthe articles o& the Baen meetin* are not inconsistent "ith the teachin*

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an iscipline o& the !hurch$ 6e %no" that 6e cannot hesitate or besilent any lon*er$ As this is a matter o& )ery serious importance, 6esub.ecte these articles to a care&ul eamination$ 6e ha)e hear thea)ice an recei)e the opinions o& the carinals o& the 9oly Roman!hurch an ha)e consiere the entire matter care&ully by Our o"n "illan "ith sure %no"le*e$ 6ith the &ullness o& the apostolic po"er, 6erepro)e an conemn the a&orementione articles o& the meetin* o&Baen as containin* &alse, rash, an erroneous assertions? asetractin* &rom the ri*hts o& the 9oly #ee, o)erthro"in* the *o)ernmento& the !hurch an its i)ine constitution, an sub.ectin* theecclesiastical ministry to secular omination? an as proceein* &romconemne premises$ 6e ecree that they shoul &ore)er beconsiere conemne$

@$ 6hile 6e inten to point these thin*s out openly because o& Ourapostolic uty, it remains &or Gs to spea% "ith paternal a&&ection to you"ho ha)e ta%en on a part o& 9is *o)ernance, the &ullness o& "hich thePrince o& #hephers entruste to Gs$ Amon* so many e)ils "hichbesie*e the !atholic !hurch in these e)il times, "hat *reat trials pressupon Our heart 6e ha)e eperience *reat saness, especially &romthose thin*s "hich "ere arin*ly attempte recently$ It shoul beenou*h to irect your attention to it, an it shoul not be necessary toeplain the etails$

$ In Our sorro" 6e must not ne*lect to mention that "hat you i in*uarin* the !atholic cause an carin* &or the sal)ation o& the &loc%entruste to your care brou*ht Gs *reat solace$ There&ore, 6e *i)ethan%s to the 0ather o& mercies an the (o o& all consolation "hocom&orte Gs "ith you "hile 6e "ere oppresse by such tribulation$6e must arouse your e)otion$ 6e ehort you to &i*ht &or the cause o&(o an the !hurch "ith *reater -eal as the attac%s o& the enemybecome more se)ere$ It is your uty to stan as a "all so that no other

&ounation can be place other than the one "hich has alreay beenlai$ It is also your uty to %eep the &aith une&ile$ There is anothersacre trust "hich you shoul &irmly e&en, namely, the holy la"s by"hich the !hurch establishes its iscipline, an the ri*hts o& this

Apostolic #ee$ There&ore, act accorin* to the position "hich you hol,accorin* to the i*nity "ith "hich you are )este, accorin* to theauthority "hich you recei)e, accorin* to the sacrament by "hich youboun yoursel)es in solemn consecration$ Gnsheathe the s"or o& the

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spirit "hich is the "or o& (o$ Denounce, beseech, rebu%e in allpatience an teachin*$ Labor an stru**le &or the !atholic reli*ion, &orthe i)ine authority an la"s o& the !hurch, &or the #ee o& Peter an itsi*nity an ri*hts 4so that not only those "ho are upri*ht may remainsa&e but also so that those "ho "ere ecei)e by seuction may becalle bac% &rom error$4

C$ Moreo)er, so that the esire outcome may result &rom these caresan labors uner ta%en by Our )enerable brothers, 6e also aressthose o& you "ho are ministers o& the sacraments, shephers o& souls,an preachers o& the i)ine "or$ It is your uty to be totally unite "iththem in "ill, to be in&lame "ith the same -eal, an to be in harmony"ith them in this "or% so that the people mi*ht be protecte &rom all

an*er o& error an contamination$ Eert yoursel)es so that e)eryonethin%s the same thin* an no one allo"s himsel& to be le astray bystran*e teachin*s$ Let e)eryone a)oi pro&ane no)elties, clin* to the!atholic &aith, an submit himsel& to the po"er an authority o& the!hurch$ Each person shoul bin himsel& e)er more &irmly to this #ee"hich the stron* Reeemer o& acob place as an iron pillar an as abron-e "all a*ainst the enemies o& reli*ion$ +ou shoul recei)e theseenemies as people "ho ou*ht to be eucate in the la" o& !hrist an o& the !hurch$

/$ It shoul be ob)ious that the secular po"er an those la"s enacteby it concernin* the "el&are o& ci)il society ou*ht to be obeye, not onlybecause o& the &ear o& "rath but also because o& conscience$ It is ne)erpermitte, ho"e)er, to shame&ully abanon the &aith because o& it$ #incethe spirits o& the people are traine in this "ay, consier your labors tobe both &or the tran3uility o& the citi-ens an the "el&are o& the !hurch?these t"o thin*s cannot be separate &rom one another$

/$ May the most merci&ul (o, &rom "hom comes e)ery per&ect *i&t,

accomplish these Our "ishes$ May Our apostolic blessin* "hich 6elo)in*ly impart to you, )enerable brothers, to Our brothers in the Lor,an to the &aith&ul be a si*n o& *oo thin*s "hich 6e arently esire &orthis part o& the !atholic &loc%$

(i)en in Rome, at #t$ Peter8s, on the @th ay o& May in the year 7;,the &i&th year o& Our Ponti&icate$

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1IUTURNU0 3On the Ori&in of Ci$il 5ower4

5ope #eo 6III

Encyclical of Pope Leo XIII promulgated on! "une 1881.

To the Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops, anBishops o& the !atholic "orl in (race an!ommunion "ith the Apostolic #ee$

The lon*'continue an most bitter "ar "a*ea*ainst the i)ine authority o& the !hurch hasreache the culmination to "hich it "astenin*, the common an*er, namely, o&human society, an especially o& the ci)il po"er on "hich the public sa&ety chie&ly reposes$ Inour o"n times most particularly this result isapparent$ 0or popular passions no" re.ect,"ith more bolness than &ormerly, e)eryrestraint o& authority$ #o *reat is the license onall sies, so &re3uent are seitions an tumults,that not only is obeience o&ten re&use tothose "ho rule states, but a su&&iciently sa&e*uarantee o& security oes not seem to ha)ebeen le&t to them$

/$ 0or a lon* time, inee, pains ha)e beenta%en to rener rulers the ob.ect o& contemptan hatre to the multitue$ The &lames o& en)y

thus ecite ha)e at last burst &orth, anattempts ha)e been se)eral times mae, at)ery short inter)als, on the li&e o& so)erei*nprinces, either by secret plots or by openattac%s$ The "hole o& Europe "as lately &ille"ith horror at the horrible murer o& a mostpo"er&ul emperor$


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ma*nitue o& the crime, abanone men onot &ear publicly to utter threats anintimiations a*ainst other European princes$

7$ These perils to common"ealth, "hich arebe&ore Our eyes, &ill Gs "ith *ra)e aniety,"hen 6e behol the security o& rulers an thetran3uillity o& empires, to*ether "ith the sa&etyo& nations, put in peril almost &rom hour to hour$5e)ertheless, the i)ine po"er o& the !hristianreli*ion has *i)en birth to ecellent principles o& stability an orer &or the #tate, "hile at thesame time it has penetrate into the customs

an institutions o& #tates$ An o& this po"er notthe least nor last &ruit is a .ust an "iseproportion o& mutual ri*hts an uties in bothprinces an peoples$ 0or in the precepts aneample o& !hrist our Lor there is a "oner&ul&orce &or restrainin* in their uty as much those"ho obey as those "ho rule? an &or %eepin*bet"een them that a*reement "hich is mostaccorin* to nature, an that concor o& "ills,so to spea%, &rom "hich arises a course o&

aministration tran3uil an &ree &rom allisturbance$ 6here&ore, bein*, by the &a)or o&(o, entruste "ith the *o)ernment o& the!atholic !hurch, an mae *uarian aninterpreter o& the octrines o& !hrist, 6e .u*ethat it belon*s to Our .urisiction, )enerablebrethren, publicly to set &orth "hat !atholictruth emans o& e)eryone in this sphere o&uty? thus ma%in* clear also by "hat "ay an

by "hat means measures may be ta%en &or thepublic sa&ety in so critical a state o& a&&airs$

:$ Althou*h man, "hen ecite by a certainarro*ance an contumacy, has o&ten stri)en tocast asie the reins o& authority, he has ne)eryet been able to arri)e at the state o& obeyin*no one$ In e)ery association an community o&

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men, necessity itsel& compels that some shoulhol pre'eminence, lest society, epri)e o& aprince or hea by "hich it is rule shoul cometo issolution an be pre)ente &rom attainin*the en &or "hich it "as create an institute$But, i& it "as not possible that political po"ershoul be remo)e &rom the mist o& states, itis certain that men ha)e use e)ery art to ta%ea"ay its in&luence an to lessen its ma.esty, as"as especially the case in the siteenthcentury, "hen a &atal no)elty o& opinionsin&atuate many$ #ince that epoch, not only hasthe multitue stri)en a&ter a liberty *reater than

is .ust, but it has seen &it to &ashion the ori*inan construction o& the ci)il society o& men inaccorance "ith its o"n "ill$

;$ Inee, )ery many men o& more recenttimes, "al%in* in the &ootsteps o& those "ho ina &ormer a*e assume to themsel)es the nameo& philosophers,


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@$ There is no 3uestion here respectin* &ormso& *o)ernment, &or there is no reason "hy the!hurch shoul not appro)e o& the chie& po"erbein* hel by one man or by more, pro)ieonly it be .ust, an that it ten to the commona)anta*e$ 6here&ore, so lon* as .ustice berespecte, the people are not hinere &romchoosin* &or themsel)es that &orm o&*o)ernment "hich suits best either their o"nisposition, or the institutions an customs o&their ancestors$


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Roman *o)ernor, ostentatiously pretenin*that he ha the po"er o& releasin* an o&conemnin*, our Lor esus !hrist ans"ereF4Thou shoulst not ha)e any po"er a*ainst meunless it "ere *i)en thee &rom abo)e$4


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in a ci)il society? an this is clearly sho"n bothby the &aculty o& lan*ua*e, the *reatestmeium o& intercourse, an by numerousinnate esires o& the min, an the manynecessary thin*s, an thin*s o& *reatimportance, "hich men isolate cannotprocure, but "hich they can procure "hen

.oine an associate "ith others$ But no", asociety can neither eist nor be concei)e in"hich there is no one to *o)ern the "ills o&ini)iuals, in such a "ay as to ma%e, as it"ere, one "ill out o& many, an to impel themri*htly an orerly to the common *oo?

there&ore, (o has "ille that in a ci)il societythere shoul be some to rule the multitue$ Anthis also is a po"er&ul ar*ument, that those by"hose authority the #tate is aministere mustbe able so to compel the citi-ens to obeiencethat it is clearly a sin in the latter not to obey$But no man has in himsel& or o& himsel& thepo"er o& constrainin* the &ree "ill o& others by&etters o& authority o& this %in$ This po"erresies solely in (o, the !reator anLe*islator o& all thin*s? an it is necessary thatthose "ho eercise it shoul o it as ha)in*recei)e it &rom (o$ 4There is one la"*i)eran .u*e, "ho is able to estroy aneli)er$4


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Lor o& the "orl, "ho is (o$

/$ Those "ho belie)e ci)il society to ha)erisen &rom the &ree consent o& men, loo%in* &or

the ori*in o& its authority &rom the same source,say that each ini)iual has *i)en upsomethin* o& his ri*ht,


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their uty$ An by this means authority "illremain &ar more &irmly seate in its place$ 0orthe citi-ens, percei)in* the &orce o& this uty"oul necessarily a)oi ishonesty ancontumacy, because they must be persuaethat they "ho resist #tate authority resist thei)ine "ill? that they "ho re&use honor to rulersre&use it to (o 9imsel&$

:$ This octrine the Apostle Paul particularlyinculcate on the Romans? to "hom he "rote"ith so *reat authority an "ei*ht on there)erence to be entertaine to"ar the hi*her

po"ers, that it seems nothin* coul beprescribe more "ei*htilyF 4Let e)ery soul besub.ect to hi*her po"ers, &or there is no po"erbut &rom (o, an those that are, are oraineo& (o$ There&ore he that resisteth the po"erresisteth the orinance o& (o, an they thatresist purchase to themsel)es amnation $ $ $"here&ore be sub.ect o& necessity, not only &or"rath, but also &or conscience8 sa%e$4= Anin a*reement "ith this is the celebrate

eclaration o& Peter, the Prince o& the Apostles,on the same sub.ectF 4Be ye sub.ect, there&ore,to e)ery human creature &or (o8s sa%e?"hether it be to the %in* as ecellin*, or to*o)ernors, as sent by him &or the punishmento& e)iloers, an &or the praise o& the *oo, &orso is the "ill o& (o$4


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o& rulers, he must obey esus !hrist, "hocommans us to 4*i)e to !aesar the thin*s thatare !aesar8s, an to (o the thin*s that are(o8s,4


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a most se)ere .u*ment shall be &or them thatbear rule$ $ $ 0or (o "ill not accept any man8sperson, neither "ill he stan in a"e o& anyman8s *reatness? &or he mae the little an the*reat, an he hath e3ually care o& all$ But a*reater punishment is reay &or the moremi*hty$


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princes an po"ers, to obey at a "or,4


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"as "ont to iminish .ust in proportion as thenumber o& !hristians increase$= There isalso a remar%able testimony to the same pointin the Epistle to Dio*netus, "hich con&irms thestatement that the !hristians at that perio"ere not only in the habit o& obeyin* the la"s,but in e)ery o&&ice they o& their o"n accor imore, an more per&ectly, than they "erere3uire to o by the la"s$ 4!hristians obser)ethese thin*s "hich ha)e obtaine the sanctiono& the la", an in the character o& their li)esthey e)en *o beyon the la"$4


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ie &or his reli*ion than oppose the publicauthority by means o& seition an tumult$

/$ But a&ter"ar, "hen !hristian rulers "ere

at the hea o& #tates, the !hurch insistemuch more on testi&yin* an preachin* ho"much sanctity "as inherent in the authority o&rulers$ 9ence, "hen people thou*ht o&princeom, the ima*e o& a certain sacrema.esty "oul present itsel& to their mins, by"hich they "oul be impelle to *reaterre)erence an lo)e o& rulers$ An on thisaccount she "isely pro)ies that %in*s shoul

commence their rei*n "ith the celebration o&solemn rites? "hich, in the Ol Testament, "asappointe by i)ine authority$


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6hence it "as o&ten brou*ht about that thean*ers o& ci)il "ars an popular tumults "erestaye$

/7$ On the other han, the octrines onpolitical po"er in)ente by late "riters ha)ealreay prouce *reat ills amon*st men, anit is to be &eare that they "ill cause the )ery*reatest isasters to posterity$ 0or anun"illin*ness to attribute the ri*ht o& rulin* to(o, as its Author, is not less than a"illin*ness to blot out the *reatest splenor o&political po"er an to estroy its &orce$ An

they "ho say that this po"er epens on the"ill o& the people err in opinion &irst o& all? thenthey place authority on too "ea% an unstablea &ounation$ 0or the popular passions, incitean *oae on by these opinions, "ill brea%out more insolently? an, "ith *reat harm to thecommon "eal, escen healon* by an easyan smooth roa to re)olts an to openseition$ In truth, suen uprisin*s an thebolest rebellions immeiately &ollo"e in

(ermany the so'calle Re&ormation,


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ha)e &anne no small &lames o& misery$ Thethin*s "e thus mention are neither un%no"nnor )ery remote &rom us$

/:$ This, inee, is all the *ra)er becauserulers, in the mist o& such threatenin*an*ers, ha)e no remeies su&&icient to restoreiscipline an tran3uillity$ They supplythemsel)es "ith the po"er o& la"s, an thin% tocoerce, by the se)erity o& their punishment,those "ho isturb their *o)ernments$ They areri*ht to a certain etent, but yet shoulseriously consier that no po"er o& punishment

can be so *reat that it alone can preser)e the#tate$ 0or &ear, as #t$ Thomas amirablyteaches, 4is a "ea% &ounation? &or those "hoare subue by &ear "oul, shoul an occasionarise in "hich they mi*ht hope &or immunity,rise more ea*erly a*ainst their rulers, inproportion to the pre)ious etent o& theirrestraint throu*h &ear$4 An besies, 4&rom too*reat &ear many &all into espair? an espairri)es men to attempt bolly to *ain "hat they

esire$4


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brea% the turbulent an restless spirit o&inno)ators, an ha)e o&ten "arne men o& thean*er they are to ci)il society$ In this respect"e may "orthily recall to min the eclarationo& !lement VII to 0erinan, Kin* o& Bohemiaan 9un*aryF 4In the cause o& &aith your o"ni*nity an a)anta*e an that o& other rulersis inclue, since the &aith cannot be sha%en"ithout your authority bein* brou*ht o"n?"hich has been most clearly sho"n in se)eralinstances$4 In the same "ay the supreme&orethou*ht an coura*e o& Our preecessorsha)e been sho"n, especially o& !lement XI,

Beneict XIV, an Leo XII,$ The !hurch o& !hrist, inee, cannot be anob.ect o& suspicion to rulers, nor o& hatre tothe people? &or it ur*es rulers to &ollo" .ustice,an in nothin* to ecline &rom their uty? "hileat the same time it stren*thens an in many

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"ays supports their authority$ All thin*s that areo& a ci)il nature the !hurch ac%no"le*es aneclares to be uner the po"er an authority o& the ruler? an in thin*s "hereo& &or i&&erentreasons the ecision belon*s both to thesacre an to the ci)il po"er, the !hurch"ishes that there shoul be harmony bet"eenthe t"o so that in.urious contests may bea)oie$ As to "hat re*ars the people, the!hurch has been establishe &or the sal)ationo& all men an has e)er lo)e them as amother$ 0or it is the !hurch "hich by theeercise o& her charity has *i)en *entleness to

the mins o& men, %inness to their manners,an .ustice to their la"s$ 5e)er oppose tohonest liberty, the !hurch has al"ays etestea tyrant8s rule$ This custom "hich the !hurchhas e)er ha o& eser)in* "ell o& man%in isnotably epresse by #t$ Au*ustine "hen hesays that 4the !hurch teaches %in*s to stuythe "el&are o& their people, an people tosubmit to their %in*s, sho"in* "hat is ue toallF an that to all is ue charity an to no onein.ustice$4


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*i)es sa&ety to %in*s,4


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;$ 6is$ >F7':$

>$ Ecclus$ @F:$

@$ ohn CF$

$ Tract$ > in oan$, n$ ; 1PL 7;, C:/2$

C$ Rom$ 7F':$

$ 4De ci)$, Dei,4 ;, / 1PL :, >@2$

$ In 4Epist$ a Rom$,4 9omil$ /7, n$ 1P( >,>;2$

/$ In 4Epist$ lib$ II,4 epist$ >$

7$ ames :F/$

:$ Eph$ 7F;$

;$ An allusion to the octrine o& 4#ocialcontract,4 e)elope by ean' ac3uesRousseau 1@/'@2$ Accorin* to this

octrine, all political po"er comes to rulers&rom the people $

>$ Rom$ 7F'/, ;$

@$ Peter /F7, ;$

$ Matt$ //F/$

C$ Acts ;F/C$

/$ 6is$ >F:'>, 'C$

/$ Rom$ F/$

//$ Tit$ 7F$

/7$ I Tim$ /F'7$

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/:$ 4Le*atio pro christianis,4 1P( >, CB'C:A2$

/;$ 4Apolo*$,4 7;$

/>$ 4Apolo*$,4 7@ 1PL , ;/>A2$

/@$ 4A Dio*n$,4 14A Dio*nete,4 e$ 9$ I$Marrou, Paris, C;, pp$ >:' >;2$

/$ I Kin*s CF>? F? >F7$

/C$ Especially the Peasant Re)olt an itsrepression by the (erman princes$ Luther

himsel& then ha to stress the uty o& theciti-ens to obey the ci)il po"er 14On the !i)ilPo"er,4 ;/72$

7$ 4On the (o)ernance o& Rulers,4 , $

7$ !lement XI 1@'/2? Beneict XIV 1@:';2? Leo XII 1/7'/C2$

7/$ 4De mor$ eccl$,4 , 7, ;7 1PL 7/, /7>2$

77$ Ps$ ;/F$

7:$ Isa$ 7@F$

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G5E 0OI# E5!ORE 1On the #eparation o& !hurch an #tate2

Pope Pius X

Encyclical promul*ate on > anuary C@$

To Our Venerable Brethren, the !arinals, Archbishops, an Bishops o&

0rance an to the 0rench !ler*y an People$

Venerable Brethren an Belo)e #ons, 9ealthan Apostolic Beneiction$

$ Once a*ain the serious e)ents "hich ha)ebeen precipitate in your noble country compelGs to "rite to the !hurch o& 0rance to sustain

her in her trials, an to com&ort her in her sorro"$ 6hen the chilren are su&&erin* the

heart o& the 0ather ou*ht more than e)er to *oout to them$ An so, no" that 6e see yousu&&er, &rom the epths o& our &atherly heart

&loos o& tenerness brea% &orth morecopiously than e)er, an &lo" to you "ith the

*reater com&ort an s"eetness$

/$ These su&&erin*s, Venerable Brethren anbelo)e sons, no" &in a sorro"&ul echo

throu*hout the "hole !atholic !hurch? but 6e&eel them more eeply still an 6e sympathi-e

"ith a pity "hich *ro"s "ith your trials an

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seems to increase ay by ay$

7$ But "ith these cruel sorro"s the Master has,it is true, min*le a consolation than "hich

none can be earer to our heart$ It sprin*s &romyour unsha%able attachment to the !hurch,

&rom your un&ailin* &ielity to this Apostolic #ee,an &rom the &irm an eeply &oune unity thatrei*ns amon*st you$ On this &ielity an union6e con&iently rec%one &rom the &irst, &or "e

"ere too "ell a"are o& the nobleness an*enerosity o& the 0rench heart to ha)e any &ear that on the &iel o& battle isunion "oul &in its

"ay into your ran%s$ E3ually *reat is the .oythat 6e &eel at the ma*ni&icent spectacle youare no" *i)in* to the "orl? an "ith our hi*h

praise o& you be&ore the "hole !hurch, 6e*i)e than%s &rom the epths o& Our heart to the

0ather o& mercies, the Author o& all *oo$

:$ Recourse to (o, so in&initely *oo, is all themore necessary because, &ar &rom abatin*, the

stru**le *ro"s &iercer an epans

unceasin*ly$ It is no lon*er only the !hristian&aith that they "oul uproot at all costs &rom thehearts o& the people? it is any belie& "hich li&tin*

man abo)e the hori-on o& this "orl "oulsupernaturally brin* bac% his "earie eyes tohea)en$ Illusion on the sub.ect is no lon*er possible$ 6ar has been eclare a*ainst

e)erythin* supernatural, because behin thesupernatural stans (o, an because it is

(o that they "ant to tear out o& the min anheart o& man$

;$ The "ar "ill be bitter an "ithout respite onthe part o& those "ho "a*e it$ That as it *oeson harer trials than those "hich you ha)e

hitherto %no"n a"ait you is possible an e)enprobable$ !ommon pruence calls on each o& you to prepare &or them$ An this you "ill o

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simply, )aliantly, an &ull o& con&ience, surethat ho"e)er &iercely the &i*ht may ra*e, )ictory

"ill in the en remain in your hans$

>$ The ple*e o& this )ictory is your union &irsto& all amon*st yoursel)es, an seconly "ith

this Apostolic #ee$ This t"o&ol union "ill ma%eyou in)incible, an a*ainst it all e&&orts "ill

brea%$

@$ Our enemies ha)e on this been uner nomisapprehensions$ 0rom the outset, an "ith

the *reatest clearness o& )ision, they

etermine on their ob.ecti)e? &irst to separateyou &rom Gs an the !hair o& Peter, an then toso" isorer amon* you$ 0rom then till no"

they ha)e mae no chan*e in their tactics? theyha)e pursue their en "ithout rest an by

e)ery means? some "ith comprehensi)e ancatchin* &ormulas? others "ith the most brutalcynicism$ #pecious promises, ishonorable

bribes o&&ere to schism, threats an )iolence,all these ha)e been brou*ht into play an

employe$ But your clear'si*hte &ielity has"rec%e all these attempts$ There' upon,

thin%in* that the best "ay to separate you &romGs "as to shatter your con&ience in the

Apostolic #ee, they ha)e not hesitate, &romthe tribune an in the press, to thro" iscreit

upon Our acts by misrepresentin* ansometimes e)en by calumniatin* Our

intentions$

$ The !hurch, they sai, is see%in* to arousereli*ious "ar in 0rance, an is summonin* to

her ai the )iolent persecution "hich has beenthe ob.ect o& her prayers$ 6hat a stran*eaccusation 0oune by 9im "ho came to

brin* peace to the "orl an to reconcile man"ith (o, a Messen*er o& peace upon earth,the !hurch coul only see% reli*ious "ar by

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repuiatin* her hi*h mission an belyin* itbe&ore the eyes o& all$ To this mission o& patients"eetness an lo)e she rests an "ill remainal"ays &aith&ul$ Besies, the "hole "orl no"%no"s that i& peace o& conscience is bro%en in0rance, that is not the "or% o& the !hurch but

o& her enemies$ 0air'mine men, e)en thou*hnot o& our &aith, reco*ni-e that i& there is astru**le on the 3uestion o& reli*ion in your

belo)e country, it is not because the !hurch"as the &irst to un&url the &la*, but because "ar

"as eclare a*ainst her$ Durin* the lastt"enty'&i)e years she has ha to uner*o this

"ar&are$ That is the truth an the proo& o& it isseen in the eclarations mae an repeate

o)er an o)er a*ain in the Press, at meetin*s,at Masonic con*resses, an e)en in

Parliament, as "ell as in the attac%s "hichha)e been pro*ressi)ely an systematically

irecte a*ainst her$ These &acts areuneniable, an no ar*ument can e)er ma%ea"ay "ith them$ The !hurch then oes not

"ish &or "ar, an reli*ious "ar least o& all$ Toa&&irm the contrary is an outra*eous calumny$

C$ 5or has she any esire &or )iolentpersecution$ #he %no"s "hat persecution is,&or she has su&&ere it in all times an in allplaces$ !enturies passe in blooshe *i)eher the ri*ht to say "ith a holy bolness thatshe oes not &ear it, an that as o&ten as maybe necessary she "ill be able to meet it$ But

persecution is in itsel& an e)il, &or it is in.usticean pre)ents man &rom "orshippin* (o in&reeom$ The !hurch then cannot esire it,

e)en "ith a )ie" to the *oo "hich Pro)iencein its in&inite "isom e)er ra"s out o& it$

Besies, persecution is not only e)il, it is alsosu&&erin*, an there "e ha)e a &resh reason"hy the !hurch, "ho is the best o& mothers,

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"ill ne)er see% it$

$ This persecution "hich she is reproacheas ha)in* pro)o%e, an "hich they eclare

they ha)e re&use, is no" bein* actuallyin&licte upon her$ 9a)e they not "ithin theselast ays e)icte &rom their houses e)en theBishops "ho are most )enerable by their a*ean )irtues, ri)en the seminarists &rom the*rans an petits seminaries, an entereupon the epulsion o& the cures &rom their

presbyteriesH The "hole !atholic "orl has"atche this spectacle "ith saness, an has

not hesitate to *i)e the name "hich theyeser)e to such acts o& )iolence$

$ As &or the ecclesiastical property "hich "eare accuse o& ha)in* abanone, it is

important to remar% that this property "aspartly the patrimony o& the poor an the

patrimony, more sacre still, o& the ea$ It "asnot permissible to the !hurch to abanon or

surrener it? she coul only let it be ta%en &rom

her by )iolence$ 5oboy "ill belie)e that shehas eliberately abanone, ecept uner thepressure o& the most o)er"helmin* moti)es,"hat "as con&ie to her %eepin*, an "hat

"as so necessary &or the eercise o& "orship,&or the maintenance o& sacre ei&ices, &or theinstruction o& her cler*y, an &or the support o&

her ministers$ It "as only "hen per&iiouslyplace in the position o& ha)in* to choose

bet"een material ruin an consent to the)iolation o& her constitution, "hich is o& i)ineori*in, that the !hurch re&use, at the cost o&

po)erty, to allo" the "or% o& (o to be toucheby her$ 9er property, then, has been "reste&rom her? it "as not she that abanone it$

!onse3uently, to eclare ecclesiasticalproperty unclaime on a *i)en ate unless the

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!hurch ha by then create "ithin hersel& ane" or*anism? to sub.ect this creation toconitions in ran% opposition to the i)ineconstitution o& the !hurch, "hich "as thuscompelle to re.ect them? to trans&er this

property to thir parties as i& it ha become4sans maitre,4 an &inally to assert that in thusactin* there "as no spoliation o& the !hurch

but only a isposal o& the property abanoneby herJthis is not merely ar*ument o&

transparent sophistry but ain* insult to themost cruel spoliation$ This spoliation isuneniable in spite o& )ain attempts at

palliatin* it by eclarin* that no moral personeiste to "hom the property mi*ht be hane

o)er? &or the state has po"er to con&er ci)ilpersonality on "homsoe)er the public *oo

emans that it shoul be *rante to,establishments that are !atholic as "ell as

others$ In any case it "oul ha)e been easy &or the state not to ha)e sub.ecte the &ormation o& 4associations cultuelles4 to conitions in irect

opposition to the i)ine constitution o& the!hurch "hich they "ere suppose to ser)e$

/$ An yet that is precisely "hat "as one inthe matter o& the 4associations cultuelles$4 They

"ere or*ani-e uner the la" in such a "aythat its ispositions on this sub.ect ran irectlycounter to those ri*hts "hich, eri)e &rom her

constitution, are essential to the !hurch,notably as a&&ectin* the ecclesiastical

hierarchy, the in)iolable base *i)en to 9is "or%by the Di)ine Master himsel&$ Moreo)er, thela" con&erre on these associations po"ers

"hich are the eclusi)e prero*ati)e o& ecclesiastical authority both in the matter o& the

eercise o& "orship an o& the proprietorshipan aministration o& property$ An lastly, notonly are these associations "ithra"n &rom

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ecclesiastical .urisiction but they are mae .uicially ans"erable to the ci)il authority$

These are the reasons "hich ha)e ri)en Gs inOur pre)ious Encyclicals to conemn these

4associations cultuelles4 in spite o& the hea)ysacri&ices "hich such conemnation in)ol)e$

7$ 6e ha)e also been accuse o& pre.uicean inconsistency$ It has been sai that 6e

ha re&use to appro)e in 0rance "hat 6e haappro)e in (ermany$ But this char*e is

e3ually lac%in* in &ounation an .ustice$ 0or althou*h the (erman la" "as blameable on

many points, an has been merely tolerate inorer to a)oi *reater e)ils, the cases "ere

3uite i&&erent, &or that la" containe anepress reco*nition o& the !atholic hierarchy,

"hich the 0rench la" oes not o$

:$ As re*ars the annual eclarationemane &or the eercise o& "orship, it i

not o&&er the &ull le*al security "hich one ha ari*ht to esire$ 5e)erthelessJthou*h in

principle *atherin*s o& the &aith&ul in churchha)e none o& the constituent elements proper

to public meetin*s, an it "oul, in &act, beoious to attempt to assimilate themJthe

!hurch coul, in orer to a)oi *reater e)ils,ha)e brou*ht hersel& to tolerate this

eclaration$ But by pro)iin* that the 4cure or o&&iciatin* priest "oul no lon*er,4 in his

church, 4be anythin* more than an occupier

"ithout any .uicial title or po"er to per&ormany acts o& aministration,4 there has beenimpose on ministers o& reli*ion in the )ery

eercise o& their ministry a situation sohumiliatin* an )a*ue that, uner such

conitions, it "as impossible to accept theeclaration$

There remains &or consieration the la"54


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recently )ote by the t"o !hambers$

;$ 0rom the point o& )ie" o& ecclesiasticalproperty, this la" is a la" o& spoliation an

con&iscation, an it has complete the strippin*o& the !hurch$ Althou*h her Di)ine 0ouner

"as born

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