MOTU PROPRIO

In Gur tirst encyclical to the Bishops of the World, ip winch We echoed al] that Our glorious Predecessors had laid down concerning the Catholic action of the Laity, We declared that tins action was deserving of the highest praire, and was indeed necessary in the présent condition of the Church and of society. And We caunot but warmly praise the zeal shown by so manv illustrions personages who hâve for a long time dedicated themselves to this glorious task ê,nd the ardor of so many brilhant young people who hâve eagerly hastened to lend their aid in the same. The ninetenth Catholic Congress, lately held at Bologna, and by Us proinoted and encouraged, lias sufficiently proved to ail the vigor of the Catholic forces and what useful and salutary results may be obtained among a population of believers, when this action is well governed and disciplined, and where unity of thought, sentiment and action prevail among those who take part in it.

But We are very sorry to find that certain différences which arose in the midst of them hâve produced discussions, unfortunately too vivacious, which, if not dispelled in time, might serve to divide those forces of which We hâve spoken and render them less efficaciou. Before the Congress We recommended above ail things unity and harmony in order that it might be possible to lay down by corn mon accord the gênerai lines for the practical working of the Catholic movement, and We cannot therefore be silent now. And since divergence of views in matters of practice hâve commonly their origin in the domain of theory, and, indeed, necessarily find their fulcrum in the latter, it is necessarv to define

clearly the principles on which the entire Catholic movement must b3 based.

Our illustrious Predecessor, Léo XIII., of holy tnemory, traced out himiniously the rules that must be followed in the Christian movement amo»»g the people in the great encyclicals, "Quod Âpostolici Muneris," of Dec. 28, 1878 ; "Reniai novarum," of May 15, 1891, and "Graves de Communi," of Jan. 18, 1901, and further in a particular instruction emanating from the Sacred Congrégation of Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs of Jan. 27, 19 »2.

And We, realizing ]ike Our Predecessor before Us, the great need that the Christian movement among the people be rightly governed and conducted, désire to hâve those most prudent rules exactly and completely fulfilled, and to provide that nobody may dare to départ from them in the smallest particulars. Hence to keep them more vividly présent before people's mind We hâve deemed it well to summarize them in ths following articles, which will constitute the fundamental plan of the Catholic popular movement :

F undamental Régulations for Catholic Popular Action.

1. Huraan society, as established by God, is composed of unequal éléments, just as the différent parts of the human body are unequal ; to make them ail equal is impossible, and would mean the destruction of human society. — (Ency. Quod Apostolici Muneris. )

2. The equality existing among the various social members consists only in this : that ail men hâve their origin in God the Creator, hâve been redeemed by Jésus Christ and are to be judged, and re\varded or punished by God exactly according to their merits or demerits. (Enc}'. Quod Apostolici Muneris.)

3. Hence it follows that there are, according to the ordinance of God, in human society princes and subjects, masters and prolétariat, rich and poor, learned and

ignorant, nobles and plebeians, ail of wliom, United in the bonds of love, are to help one another to attain their last end in Heaven. and their material and moral weli'are hère on earth. — ( Ency. Quod Apostolici Muneris.)

4. Of the goods of the earth man has not merely the use, like the brute création, but lie hasalso the right of permanent proprietorship — and not merely of those fchingfl whieh are consumed by use, but also of those which are not consumed by use. (Ency. Rerum Novarum).

5 The right of private property, the fruit of labor or industry or of cession or donation by others is an incontrovertible natural right ; and everybody can dispose reasonably of such property as he thinks fit. — (Ency. Cerum Novarum.)

6. To heal the breach between the rich and the poor it is necessary to distinguish between justice and charity. There can be no claim for redress, except when justice is violated. ( Ency. Rerum Novarum.)

7. The following are obligations of justice binding on the prolétariat and the working man : To perform fully and faithfully the work which has been freely and according to equity agreed upon ; not to enjure the property or outrage the person of masters ; even in the defense of their own rights, to abstain from acts of violence, and never to make mutîny of their défense. — (Ency. Rerum Novarum.)

8. The following are obligations of justice binding on capitalists : To pay just wrages to their workmen ; not to enjure their just savings by violence or fraud or by ovprt or covert usuries ; not to expose then to corrupting séductions and danger of scandai, not to alienate them from the spirit of family life and from love of economy ; not to impose on them labor beyond their strength, or unsuitable for their âge or sex. — Ency. Rerum Novarum.