THE POPE AND ITALIAN CATHOLICS

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIII, Issue 33, 17 August 1905, Page 5

THE POPE AND ITALIAN CATHOLICS

AN IMPORTANT DOCUMENT

Some weeks ago the cable messages announced the puiflioatdon of a new Encyclical dealing with the action of Italian Catholics in the public life of the country. It is a lengthy document and is addressed in Italian to th« Biptiopa of Italy. It indicates a turning-point in the activity of Catholics in every part of the country. The Holy Father bc-gin& by slating that it gives him muoh pleasure to address words of. consolation and encouragement to the faithful in ltajyr— ail the more so because he had previously found himself compelled to condemn undisciplined tendencies which threatened to seriously "damage the Catholic cause. The Pope then defines Catholic action as the effort to renew all things in Christ, to promote Christian culture, and to fight anti-Christian civilisation by all legitimate means. Ihus understood, Catholic actfion is, he says, peculiarly :the affair- of the Catholic laity. This help the Church has at all times accepted from her children, but in different forms, according to the needs of the times. Not everything that was useful in other times is useful and opportune to-day. The Church has clearly shown during long centuries and in all cases a wonderful capacity for adapting itself to changing circumstances. His Holiness then sets forth the conditions which must be fulfilled in order that Catholic action may really be efieclue.

Above all things, men expect from a Catholic character and mainly virtue. Next the works to which Catholics devote themselves must correspond with the requirements of society to-day, must be so adapted to promote the

Moral and Material Interests of the people and the proletariate that they will be readily understood and welcomed, whilst at the same time the zeal of the leaders is stimulated through the excellent fruits to be secured. The difficult problems of modern life demand prompt and sure social solution, and Catholics must find out what the solution is and make it operative with the aid of an energetic, tactful, intelligent, well-orfganised propaganda directly calculated to meet opposition. The most earnest demand of Leo XIII. in the Encyclical "Rerum Novarum ' was the practical solution of the social question on the ground of Christian principles. For this obiject there must be perfect unity amongst Catholics. Here the Pope recommends the German Catholic Volksverein, or People's Association, and the Unione delle Opere Economiche. Catholic action must be made effective by all those practical means which the advance of sociology, experience and the conditions of social and public life suggest. The civil rights which the present Constitution of the State give to all, Catholics as well as others, must be preserved. Those rights are of different lands. Th,ey even raise the question of taking a direct share in the political life of the country by means of representation in Parliament. Weighty reasons dissuade his Holiness from abandoning the rules laid 'down by his predeoessors, Pius IX. and Leo XIII., of blessed memory, by which the participation of Catholics in

The Parliamentary Elections is forbidden in Italy. But other equally weighty reasons concerned with the highest interests of society, which must be safeguarded at, any cost, may bring it about that in special cases the rules referred to will be dispensed with, especially when Catholics are convinced that such a dispensation is absolutely necessary for the salvation of souls and the highest interests of the Church.

His Holiness then advises the Catholics to prepare themselves for public life and form electoral associations and other organisations having for their aim the welfare of the people. He recommends the holding of meetings, and declares that in the work that is t»o be done, whilst due freedom is to be allowed, the advice and leadership of the Bishops is necessary. As to the priests, they must be above parties, and must be careful not to^ compromise their person and dignity. They are therefore to take no part in the political and social organisations except after mature reflection and with tho assent of their Bishops.