ENCYCLICAL OF OUR HOLY FATHER, PIUS X., BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE POPE

To the Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops, fiishops and other Or s in Peace and Communion with the

Âpostoli ■

PIUS X., POPE

Vénérable Brothers,

Health and the Apostolic Blessing.

Addressing for the first time from the Chair of the Suprême Apostolate to which we'have, by the inscrufcptble disposition of God, been elevated, it is not necessnry to rcniind you with wliat iears and warm entreaties we exerted ourself to reniove from us this formidable burden of the Pontificate. Unequal in merit though we be with

Anselm, it seems to us that we may wiih truth make oui* own the words in which he lamented when constrained against his will and in spite of his struggles to n eeive the lionor of the episcopate. For to sliow the dispositions of mind and will with which we subjected ourself to the most serious charge of feeding the flock of Christ we can well adduce those same proofs of grief which he invokes in his ownbehalf . "My tears are wit-

ses," he wrote, "and the sounds and moanings issuing from the anguish of my heart, such as I never remember to hâve corne from me for any sorrow, before that day on which there seemed to fall upon me that great mis-

fortune of the arclibishopric of Canterbury. And those who fixed their gaze on my face on that day could not fail to see it. I, in color more like a dead than a living man, was pale for amazement and alarm. Hitherto I hâve, with true reasons, resisted, as far as I could, my élection or rather the violence done me. But novv I am constrained to confess, whether I will or no, that the judgments of God oppose greater and greater résistance to my efforts, so that I see no way of escaping them. Wherefore, vanquished as I am by the violence not so much of men as of God, against which there is no providing, I realize that nothing is left for me, after having prayed as much as I could, and striven that this chalice should if possible pass from me without my drinking it, but to sink my own feelings and my will and resign myself entirely to the design and the will of God. "

In trath, reasons both numerous and most weighty were not lacking to justify this résistance of ours. For apart from the fact that we deemed ourself altogether unworthy, through our littleness, of the honor of the Pontificate, who would not hâve been disturbed at seeing himself designated to succeed him, who, ruling the Church with suprême wisdom for nearly twenty-six years showed himself adorned with such sublimity of mind, such lustres of every virtue, as to attract to himslf the admiration even of adversaries and to leave his memory stamped in glorious achievements ?

Then again, to omit other motives, we were terrified beyond ail else by the disastrous state of human society to-day. For who can fail to see that society is now, more than in an}^ past âge, suffering from a terrible and deep-rooted malady which, developing every day and eating into its inmost being, is dragging it to destruction. You understand, vénérable brothers, what thisdisease is — apostasy from God, than which in truth nothing is more allied witli ruin, according to the word of the prophet : "For behold they that go far from Thee shall perish" (Ps. Ixxii., 17). We saw, therefore, that, in virtue of the ministry of the Pontiticate which

was to be intrusted to us, we rnust hasten to find a remedy for tins great evil, consideringas addressed to us that Divine command : "Lo, I hâve set thee this day over the nations and over kingdoms, to root up, and to pull down and to waste, and to destroy, and to build, and to plant " (Jerem i., 10). But, cognizant of oui- weakness we recoiled m terror Prom a task as urgent as it is arduous. Since however, it has been pleasing to the Divine W ill to raise our lowliness to sucli sublimity of power we take courage in Him Who strengthens us, and, settmg ourself to work, relyiog on the power of God, we proclaim that we hâve no other programme in the Suprême Pontificate but that " of restoring ail things in Christ, (Ephes, i., 10) so that "Christ may be ail and m ail (Coloss, iii., 2). Home will certainly be round who, measuring divine things by human standards, will seek to discover secret aims of ours, distorting fcnem to an earthly scope and to partisan designs. To ehminate ail vain delusion for such we say to them with emphasis that we do not wish to be, and with the divine assistance never shall be aught before human society but the minister of God of whose authority we are the depositary. The interests of God shall be our interests, and for thèse we are resolved to spend ail our sfcrength and our very life. Hence should anyone ask us for a symbol as the expression of our will, we will give tins and no other : "To renew ail things in Christ." **

In undertaking this glorious task we are oTeatly quickeued by the certainty that we shall hâve" ail of you vénérable brothers, as puerons co operators. Did we doubt it we should liave to regard you, unjustly, as eitner unconscious or heedle*s of that sacrilegious war which is now, almost every where, stirred up and fomented against God. For in truth "the nations hâve raged and the peoples imagined vain things" (Ps. ii 1) against their Creator, so fréquent is the cry of the éne- ,;,1,7 ol God: "Départ from us" (Job, xxi., 14). And as might be expected we find extinguished among the majority of men ail respect for the Eternal God, and

no regard paid in the manifestations of public and private life to the Suprême Will— nay, e"very effort and every artifice is used to destroy utterly the memory and the knowledge of God.

When ail this is considered there is good reason to fear lest this great perversity may be as it were a foretaste, and perhaps the beginning of those evils which are reserved for the last days : and that thore may be alreadv in the world the " Son ot Perdition" of whom the Apostle speaks (IL Thess. ii., 3). Such, in truth is the audacity and the wrath employed everywhere in personoting religion, in combating the dogmas of the taith, in brazen effort to uproot and destroy ail relations between mari and the Divinity ! Wbile, on the otlier hand, and this, accord ing to the same Apostle, # is the distinguishing mark of Antichrist, man h as with infinité temerity, put himself in the place of God, raising himself above ail tbat is called God ; in such wise that although he cannot utterly extinguish in himself ail knowledge of God, he lias condemned God's Majesty, and, as it were, made of the universe a temple wherein he himself is to be adored. " He sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself as if he were God." (II Thess. ii., 2).

Verily no one of sound mind can doubt the issue of this contest beween man and the Most High. Man, abusing his libertv, can violate the right and the majestyof ihe Creator of the universe ; but the victory will ever be with God— nay, defeat is nearest at the very moment when man, under the delusion of his triumph, rises up with most audacity. Of this we are assured, in the Holy Books by God Himself. Unmindfull, as it were, of His strength and greatness, He "overlooks the sins of men " (Sap. xi., 24) — but swiftly, after thèse apparent retreats, "awaked like a mighty man that hath been surfeited with wine" (10, Ps. lxxvii., 65) "He shall break the heads of His enemies" (Ps. ixvii, 22)— that ail may know "that God is the king of ail the earth "

(Ps. lxvi., 8) — " that the Gentilea may know themselves to be men" (Ps. ix., 20).

Ail this, vénérable brothers, we believe and expect with unshakable faitb. But this does not prevent us âlso, according to the measure given to each, f'roin exenting ourse] f to hasten the work of God — and not merely by pra^ ing assiduously : "Arise, 0 Lord, lot nob man be strengthened" (Ps. ix.. 19) — but, more important still. by affirming both by word and deed and in the light of day, God's suprême dominion over man and ail things, so that His right to command and His authority may be fully realized and respected. This is imposed upon us not only as a natural duty, but by the corn mon interest of mankind. For, vénérable brothers, who can help being appalled and afflicted when be beholds, in the midst of a progress in civilization justly extolled, the greater part of mankind fighting among themselves so savagely as to make it seem as though strife were universal ? The désire for peace is certainly harbored in every breast, and there is no one who does ■ not ardently invoke it. But to want peace without God is an absurdity, seeing that when God is absent, thence too, justice Aies, and when justice is taken away it is vain to cherish the hope of peace "Peace is the work of justice" (Is. xxxii., 17). There arfe many, we are well aware, who, in their yearning for peace, that is, for the tranquillity of order, band themselves into societies and parties, which they style parties of order. Hope and labor lost ! For there is but one party of order capable of restorino- peace in the midst of ail this turmoil, and that is the party of God. It is this party, therefore, that we must advance, and to it attract as many as possible if we are really urged by the love of peace.

But, vénérable brothers, we shah never, however much we exert ourselves, succeed in calling men back to the majesty and empire of God, except by means of Jésus Christ. "No one", the Apostle admonishes us, "can lay other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jésus Christ" (I, Cor. iii., II) It is Christ alone,

" whom tlie Fatlier sanctifiée! and sent into this world" (John x., 3C) — "the splendor of the Father and the image of His subtance," (Hebr. i., 3)— true God and true man, without whom nobody can knovv God for salvation — "neither doth any one know the Father but the Son, and he to whom it shall please the Son to reveal him" (Matt. xi., 27). Hence it follows that to restore ail things in Christ and to lead us back to submission to God is one and the saine aim. To this, then, it behooves us to dévote our care — to lead back mankind under the dominion of Christ ; this doné, we shall hâve brought it back to God. When we say to God we do not mean to that inert being heedless of ail things human which the dreams of materialists hâve imagined, but to the true and living God, one in nature, triple in person, Creator of the world, most wise Ordainer of ail things, Lawgiver mostjust, who punishes the wicked and has reward in store for virtue. Now the way to reach Christ is not hard to find ; it is the Church. Rightly does Christendom inculcate : "The Church is thy hope, the Church is thy salvation, the Church is thy refuge". (Hom. de capto Eutropio, n.. 6). It was , for this that Christ founded it, at the priée of His blood, and made it the depositary of His doctrine and His laws, bestowing upon it at the same time an inexhaustible treasury of grâces for the sanctification and salvation of men.

You see, then, vénérable brothers, the duty that has been iinposed alike upon us and upon you of bringing back to the discipline of the Church human society, now estranged from the wisdom of Christ ; the Church will subject it to Christ, and Christ to God. If we, through the goodness of God Himself, bring this task to a happy issue, we shall be rejoiced to see evil giving place to good, and hear, for our gladness, "a, loud voice from heaven saying : Now is corne salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ" ( Apoc. xii., 10). But if our désire to obtain this is to be fulfilled, we must use every means and exert ail our energy to bring about the utter disap-

pearance of that enonnous and détestable wickednêss, so characteristic of our time — the substitution of inau for God : tins doue, it remains to restore to their ançient place of honor the most hol y laws and counsels of the Gospel ; to proclaim aloud the truths taught by the Church, and lier teachings on the sanctity of marriage, on the éducation and discipline of youth, on the possession and use of property, the duties that men owe to those who rule the State and lastly to restore equilibriuic between the différent classes of society according to Christian precept and custom. Such îs what we, in submittino- ourself to the manifestations of the Divine will, purpose to aim at during our pontifîcate, and we will use ail our industry to attain it. It is for y ou, vénérable brothers, to second our efforts by your holiness, knowledo-e and expérience., and, above ail, by your zeal for the glory of God, with no other aim than that Christ may be formed in ail.

Astothe means to be employed in securing this great end, it seems superfluous to name them, for thev are obvious to themselves. Let your first care be to form Christ in those who are destined, from the duty of their vucation, to form Him in others. We apeak of the priests, vénérable brothers. For ail who bear the seal of the priesthood must know that they hâve the saine mission to the people in the midst of wliom they live as that which Paul in thèse tender words procl'aimed that lie himself received : "My little children, of whom I am in labor again until Christ be formed in you " (Gai. iv.. 1!)). But how will they be able to perfora tins dutv if they be r.ot first clothed with Christ themselves ? and clothed with Christ in such a way as to be able to say with the Apostle : " I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me/; (Ibid. ii, 20). "For me to live is Christ" Philip, i., 21). Plence, although ail are included in the exhortation "to advance toward the perfect man, in the measure of the âge of the fullncss of Christ" (Ephes. iv„ 3), it is addressed before ail others to those who exercise the sacerdotal rninistry ; thus thèse

are called anotber Christ, not merely by tbe communication of power, but by reason of tbe imitation of His works, and tbey sbould therefore bear stamped apon tbemselves tbe image of Christ.

Tins being so, vénérable brothera, of wbat nature and magnitude is the care tliat must be taken by you in forming tbe clergy to boliness ! Ail other tasks must yield to tins one. Wherefore tbe chief part of your diligence will be directed to governing and orderifig your scminaries aright so tbat tbey may flourish equally in lound teaehing and in the spotless morality. Regard yourseminary as the delight of your hearts, and neglect un ils behaïf noue of those provisions which the Council of Trent bas, with admirable forethought, prescribed. And when the time cornes for promoting tbe youthful candidates to holy orders, ah ! do not forget what Paul wrote to Timothy : "Impose not hands lightly upon any man" (I. Tim. v., 22), bearing carefully in mind that a« a gênerai rule the faithful will be such as are those whom you call to the priestbood. Do not, then, pay heed to private interests of any kind, but bave at heart only God and the Church and the eternal welfare of soûls so that, as the Apostle admonishes, "you may not be partakers of the sins of others". Then, again, be not lacking in solicitude for young priests who hâve just left the seminary. From tbe bottom of our heart we urge you to bring them often close to your breast, which should burn with celestial tire, kindle them, inflame them so that tbey may aspire solely after God and the salvation of soûls. Rest assured, vénérable brothers, that we on our side will use the greatest diligence to prevent the membeis of the clergy from being drawn into the snares of a certain new and fallacious science, which pavoreth not of Christ, but with masked and cunning arguments strives to open the door to the errors of rationalism and semi-rationalism, against which the Apostle warned Timothy to be on his guard, wben he wrote : "Keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding the profane novelties of words, and opposition of knowledge falsely

so caîled vvhich some promising hâve erred in the faith" (Tim. vi.. 20).

Thia does not prevent us froin esteeming worthy of braise those young priesta who dedicate themselvea to pseful atudiea in every branch of learnïngthe botter to prépare fchemselvea to défend thetrutb and to réfute the calumnies of the cneniiea of the faith. Yet we cannot conceal, nay, we proclaim in the most open manner possible, that oui* préférence is, and ever shall be, for those who, while cultivating ecclestastical and literary érudition, dedicate themselves more closely to the welfare of soûls through the exercise of those ministries proper to a priest zealous of the divine glory. "It is a gsvat grief and a continuai sorrow for our heart" fRom. ix., 2) to tînd Jeremiah's lamentation applicable to our times : "The little onea asked for bread and there was îîone to break it to them" (Lam. iv., 4). For there are not lacking among the clergy those who adapt themselves according to their bent to works of more apparent than real soliditj — but not so numerous, perhaps, are those who, after the example of Christ, take to themselves the words of the prophet : "The spirit of the Lord hath anointed me, hath sent me to evangelize the poor, to announce freedom to the captive and sight to the blind " (Luke, iv., 18, 19). Yet who can fail to see, vénérable brothers, that while raen are led by reason and liberty, the principal way to restore the empire of God in their soûls is religious instruction ? How niany there are who mi mie Christ and abhor the Church and the Gospel more through ignorance than through badness of mind, of whom it may well be said : " They blasphème ail that they do not know" (Jud. ii., 10). This is found to be the case not only among the people at large and among the lowest classes, who are thus easily led astray, but even among the more cultivated and among those endowed, moreover, with éducation beyond the common. The resuit is for a great many the loss of the faith. For it is not true that the progress of kncwledge extinguishes the faith — rather it is ignorance,

and the more ignorence prevails the greater is the havoc wrought b}^ incredulity. And this is why Christ comii] and cd the Apostlcs : "Go, teach ail nations" (Matth. xxviii., 19.)

Bat in order that the desired fruit may be derived. from this apostolate and this zeal for teaching, and that Christ may be formed in ail, remember, vénérable brothers, that no means is more efficacious than charity, "For the Lord is not found in commotion" (III, Kings xix., II) — it is vain to hope to attract soûls to God by a bitter zeal. On the contrary, harm is done more often than good by taunting men harshly with their faults, and reproving their vices with asperity. True, the Apostle exhorted Timothy : "Accuse, beseech, rebuke," but lie took care to add : "with ail patience" ( II. Tim. iv., 2). Jésus has certainly lef t us examples of this "Corne to me," we fînd him saying, " corne to me ail ye that labor and are burthened and 1 will refresh y ou" (Matth. xi., 28). And by those that labor and are burthened he meant only those who are slaves of sin and error. What gentleness was that shown by the Divine Master ! What tenderness, what compassion toward ail kinds of misery ! Isaias lias marvellously described His heart in the words : "I will set my spirit upon Him ; He shall not contend nor cry out ; the bruised reed He will not break, He will not extinguish the smoking flax" ((Is. lxii., I foll).. This charity, " patient and kind " (I. Cor. xii., 4), will extend itself also to those who are hostile to us and persécute us. "We are reviled," thus did St. Paul protest, "and we bless ; we are persecuted and we suffer it ; we are blasphemed and we entreat" (I. Cor., iv., 2). They, perhaps, seem to be wrorse than they really are. Their associations with others préjudice the counsel advice and example of others and tinally an illadvised scheme has dragged them to the side of the impious but their wills are not so depraved as they themselves would seek to make people believe. Who will prevent us from hoping that the flame of Christian charity may

dispel the darkness from their mincis and bring to theni the light and the peace of God ? Jt may be that fruit of our labora may be slow in coming, but charity wearies aot with waiting knowing that God prépares Bis rewards not for the resuit of toil but for the good will shown in it.

h is true, vénérable brothers, that in this arduous taak of oration of the huraan race in Christ, that

neither you ov your clergy should exclude ail assistance. \\ e know that God has commanded every one to liave a care for his neighbor (Eccl. Ixii., ]2) For it is not priests alone but ail the faithful, without exception, who inu-t concern themselves.with the interests of God and soûls — not of course, aecording to their own views, but always under the direction and orders of the Bisho£s . for to no one in the Church except you is it givén to préside over, to teach, to govern "the Church of God which the Holy. Ghost has placed you to rule" (Acta xx., 28). Our predecessors hâve long since approved and blessod those Catholics who hâve banded sther in societies of various kinds, but always reli- . their aim. We too, hâve no hésitation in awardour praise to this great idoa, and we earnestly re to see it propagated and flourish in town and country. But we wish that ail such associations aim firstlyandchiefly at the constant maintenance of Christian Ufeamong those who belong to them. For truly it is of little avail to discuss questions with nice sublety, or to mrse eloquently of rights and duties, when ail this is unconnected with practice. The times we live in demand action — but action consisting entirely in observing with fidelity and zeal the divine laws and the precepts of the Church, in the frank and open profession of religion, in the exercise of ail kinds of charitable works, and, independently of self-interest or worldly advantage. Such luminous examples given by the great arrny of soldiers of Christ will be of much greater force in movino- and drawing men than words and sublime dissertations ; and it will easily corne about that when liuman respect has

been subdued and préjudices and doubting laid aside, large numbers will be won to Christ, becoming in tlieir turn promoters of His knowledge and love, wbich are tbe road to true and solid happiness. Oh ! when in eveiy city and village the law of the Lord is faithfully observed, when respect is shown for sacred things, when the Sacraments are frequented, and the ordmanees of Christian life fulfilled, there will eertainly be no more need l'or us to labor to see ail things restored in Christ. Nor is it for the attainment of eternai welfare alone that this will be of service — it will also contributif largely to mens temporal welfare and the advantage of humau society. For when thèse conditions hâve been secured the upper and wealthy classes will learn to be just and charitable to those below, and the latter will be able to bear with tranquillity and patience the trials of their hard lot ; the citizens will obe}^ not lust but law ; révérence and love will be deemed a duty toward those that govern, "whose power cornes only from God" (Rom. xiii., 1). And then ? Then, at last, will be clear to ail that the Church, such as it was instituted by Christ, must enjoy full and entire liberty and independence of ail foreign dominion ; and wc, in demanding that saine liberty, are defending not only the sacred rights of religion, but are also consulting the cominon weal and the safety of nations. For it continues to be true that "piety is useful for ail things" (I. Tim. iv., 8) — when this is strong and ilourishing the people will "truly sit in the fullness of peace" (3, Is. xxxii. 18). May God, "who is rich in mercy" (Ephes, ii., 4), benignly speed this restoration of the human race in Jésus Christ, for "it is not of him that willeth, or of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy" (Rom. ix., 16). And let us, vénérable brothers, c: in the spirit of humility " with continuons and urgent prayer ask this of him through the merits of Jésus Christ. Let us turn, too, to the most powerful intercession of the Divine Mother — to obtain which we, addressing to you this letter of ours on the day appointed

especially for commemorating the Holy Rosary, ordain

and continu ail our predecessor's prescriptions with rôgar 1 bo the de lie ition of the présent month to the august Virgin, by the public récitation of the Rosary in ail churches : with the further exhortation that vve invoko as intercesaors with God the most pure Spouse of Mary, the Patron of the Catholic Ohurch, and the holy Princes of the Apostles Peter and Paul.

And that ail this inay be realized in fulfillment of our ardent désire, and that everything may be prospérons with you, \ve invoke upon you the most bountiful git'ts of divine grâce. And now in testîmony of that most tender charity wherewith we embrace you and ail the faithful whom Divine Providence bas intrusted to us, we impart, with ail affection in the Lord, the Apostolic Blcssing to you, vénérable brothers, to the clergy and to y our people.

Given at Rome, at St. Peter'a on the '4th day of October, 1903, in the first year of our Pontificate.