IV

97. Now We wish to address a few fatherly words specifically to each of the ranks within the Catholic Church.

Bishops

98. First of all "our heart is wide open to you,"⁴⁶ Venerable Brethren in the episopacy of both the Eastern and Western Church. As guides with Us of the Christian people, you have borne the burden of the day's heat.⁴⁷ We know your diligence. We know the apostolic zeal with which, in your respective dioceses, you strive to advance, strengthen, and spread the kingdom of God.

99. And We also know your hardships, your sorrows. You grieve that so many of your children are lost, pathetically duped by falsehood; you are confronted by a lack of material means, which sometimes makes impossible a wider spread of Catholicism in your dioceses; and the number of priests at your disposal is in many places inadequate to the mounting demands for their services.

100. But trust in Him from whom comes "every good gift and every perfect gift."(s. f. – n. d. r. 47) Have confidence in Jesus Christ; pray without ceasing to Him, without whom "you can do nothing."⁴⁸ By His grace you may each repeat the words of the Apostle, "I can do all things in Him who strengthens me."⁴⁹

101. "But may . . . God supply your every need according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus,"⁵⁰ that you may reap rich harvests and gather rich crops from the fields you have cultivated by your toil and your sweat.

The Clergy

102. We also address Ourselves with a father's love to the members of the diocesan and religious clergy: those who are your close assistants in your Curia, Venerable Brethren; those who toil in seminaries at a very important work, the formation and education of youths called to the Lord's service; those, finally, who are parish priests in crowded cities, in towns, or in distant and lonely outposts and whose mission today is very difficult, very demanding, and of the utmost importance.

103. We are sure it is unnecessary for us to mention it, but priests should be careful to be always obedient and submissive to their bishop. As Saint Ignatius of Antioch said: "Since you are subject to your bishop as to Jesus Christ,.....whatever you do must be done in union with your bishop."⁵¹ "All who belong to God and Jesus Christ are in union with their bishop."⁵²

104. Priests should also be mindful that they are more than public dignitaries; they are sacred ministers. And so, as they work to bring God's light to the minds of men, to redirect the wills of sinners with heaven's help and with brotherly love, as they work to advance and spread the peace-bringing kingdom of Jesus Christ, they must never think that there is a fixed limit to their time and belongings, their expenditures, or of their personal inconvenience. They must seek God's grace in humble and ceaseless prayer, and they must rely on this grace far more than on their own toil and labor.

Religious Men

105. We also extend Our paternal best wishes to Our sons in religious orders and congregations. These men have embraced the various states of evangelical perfection and live according to particular rules of their Institutes in obedience to their superiors. We urge them to strive tirelessly and with all their strength for the achievement of the goals their founders have set forth in those rules. They should, in particular, be fervent in prayer and assiduous in works of penance; they should undertake the sound formation and education of the young and assist, so far as they can, those who are beset in any way by want or distress.

106. We know, of course, that due to various conditions many of these beloved sons of Ours are frequently called upon to undertake the pastoral care of the faithful; and this has redounded to the benefit of the Christian name and Christian virtue. Although We are sure they need no such admonition, We again exhort these religious to meet the present-day needs of the people spontaneously and enthusiastically, cooperating zealously and energetically with the efforts of the other clergy.

Missionaries

107. And now Our thoughts turn to those religious who have left the homes of their ancestors and their beloved countries and have gone to foreign lands where they experience serious inconveniences and overcome all sorts of difficulties. Today, in distant fields, they toil to impart the truth of the gospel and Christian virtue to the people who dwell there, that "the word of the Lord may run and be glorified" among them.⁵⁴

108. A tremendous task is entrusted to these missionaries. To fulfill it and expand its scope, all Christians must cooperate by prayer and such contributions as their means permit. There is, perhaps, no undertaking that pleases God more than this one; it is an integral part of the duty all men have to spread the kingdom of God.

Ambassadors of Christ

109. These heralds of the gospel dedicate and consecrate their lives to God in order that the light of Jesus Christ may enlighten every man who comes into the world,⁵⁵ that the grace of God may enter and support every soul, and that all men may be aroused to a life that is good, honorable, and Christian. These men seek not their own interests, but those of Jesus Christ.⁵⁶ They have answered with generosity the call of their Divine Redeemer and can apply to themselves the words of the Apostle of the Gentiles: "On behalf of Christ . . . we are acting as ambassadors,''⁵⁷ and "though we walk in the flesh, we do not make war according to the flesh.''⁵⁸ They regard as a second fatherland and love with an active charity the land to which they have come to bring the light of the Gospel's truth. Although they will always have deep affection for their native land and their diocese or religious institute, they regard it as clear and certain that the good of the universal Church must be preferred and they must give it their first and wholehearted service.

110. We wish, therefore, to say that there is a special place in Our heart for these beloved sons, and for all who generously assist them in their fields of labor by teaching catechism or in other ways. Every day We offer humble prayers to God for them and their endeavors. We wish to confirm with Our authority, and with like affection, all that Our predecessors-especially Pius XI⁵⁹ and Pius XII⁶⁰-have seen fit to set down on this subject in their Encyclical Letters.

Religious Women

111. We must also write of those holy virgins who by their vows have consecrated themselves to God that they might serve Him alone and unite themselves closely with their Divine Spouse in mystic nuptials.

112. They may lead hidden lives in cloistered convents or dedicate themselves to the works of the apostolate. In either case, they can pursue their salvation the more easily and happily and also be of preeminent assistance in Christian countries and in those lands where the light of the Gospel has not yet shone.

113. How much these holy virgins accomplish! They render extensive and distinguished service which no one else could perform with the same blend of virginal and maternal concern! They do this not in one, but in many fields of endeavor. They attend to the sound formation and education of the young. They teach religion to boys and girls in parochial schools. They tend the sick in hospitals and lead their thoughts to heavenly things. They care for patients in homes for the aged with cheerful and merciful charity and move them in a wonderful and gentle way to a desire for eternal life. in homes for orphans, and for children born out of wedlock they stand in the place of a mother and cherish with a mother's love children who have lost their parents or been abandoned. They care for them, nurse them, and hold them dear.

114. These holy virgins have rendered outstanding services not only to the Catholic Church, to Christian education, to what are called the works of mercy, but to civil society as well. At the same time, they are winning for themselves that imperishable reward which lies ahead in heaven.

Catholic Action

115. But as you well know, Venerable Brethren and beloved sons, the problems that beset men today-and affect Christianity also-are so vast and varied that priests, religious men, and holy virgins seem now unequal to the task of providing the complete remedy. Priests, religious men, and virgins consecrated to God cannot make contact with every class of person. All paths are not open to them. Many men ignore or avoid them; some, alas, even despise and abhor them.

116. This is a serious matter that has occasioned much sorrow and unhappiness and induces Our predecessors to summon the laity to the ranks of a peaceful militia, Catholic Action. It was their wise intention that the laity should cooperate in the apostolate of the hierarchy. In this way, what the hierarchy could not do under present circumstances, these Catholic men and women would accomplish in a spirit of generosity. They would work, of course, in union with their bishops and in constant obedience to them.

117. Over the years the bishops and priests of lands that are still mission territories have been assisted by laymen of every rank and condition. It gives Us great comfort to recall the projects they have undertaken and carried forward with swift and energetic resolution in order that all men might recognize the truth of Christianity and feel the force and attraction of Christian virtue.

The Needs of Our Age

118. But vast areas still await their efforts. Great numbers of men have not had the benefit of their shining example and apostolic labor. We think this matter is so serious and important that We intend at some other time to discuss it at greater length.

119. Meanwhile, We are confident that all who serve in the ranks of Catholic Action, or in the many pious associations which flourish in the Church, will pursue this apostolate with very great diligence. The more overwhelming the needs of our age, the greater should be their efforts, concern, industry, and zeal.

120. Let all be of one mind, since-as all know well-in unity there is greater strength. When it is a matter of the cause of the Catholic Church they must be ready to sacrifice personal whims, for nothing is of more value and importance. This should be their attitude, not only in doctrinal matters but also in matters of ecclesiastical and Christian discipline, to which all must submit.

121. The members of Catholic Action must marshal their ranks; they must align themselves beside their bishops and be ready to obey every command. They must advance to ever greater achievements. They must shirk no hardship, shun no inconvenience, that the cause of the Church may be triumphant.

122. But they will accomplish all this as they should only if each of them pays particular attention to his personal formation in Christian wisdom and virtue. They are certainly aware of this fact. For it is obvious that they can impart to others only what, with the help of God's grace, they have won for themselves.

123. These last remarks are meant particularly for the young. They are easily aroused to eager enthusiasm for the highest ideals, but it is most important that they learn prudence, self-restraint, and obedience to authority. We wish to express Our deep gratitude and love for these beloved children of Ours. In them the Church places her hope for the future. We have complete confidence in their industrious and effective service.

The Sick and Suffering

124. And now We hear voices that fill Us with sorrow. We hear those who are sick in mind or body, afflicted by terrible suffering. We hear those who are so beset by economic hardship that they have no home fit for human habitation and cannot by any effort of their own obtain the necessities of life for themselves or their families. Their cries touch Our heart and move Us to the depths of Our being.

125. We wish first to give the sick, the infirm, and the aged that comfort which comes from heaven. They should remember that we have here no permanent city, but must seek for the city that is to come.⁶¹ They should recall that the sufferings of this life serve to purify the soul; they elevate and ennoble us and can win us eternal joy in heaven. Our Divine Redeemer bore the yoke of the cross to wash away the stains of our sins; to this end He endured abuse, torture, and agonizing pain, all by His free choice. Like Christ, we are all called to light, by way of the cross, for He has told us: "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me,"⁶² and he shall have a treasure unfailing in heaven.⁶³

126. We have another recommendation also, and We are sure that it will be warmly received. We wish these sufferings of mind and body not only to be steps in the sufferer's ascent to his eternal fatherland, but also to contribute greatly to the expiation of others, to the return to the Church of those who unfortunately are separated from her, and to the long-desired triumph of Christianity.

Social Justice

127. Those citizens of straitened fortune who are dissatisfied with their very difficult lot in life may be sure that We deeply regret their condition. With respect to social matters: it is Our paternal desire that relations among the various classes come under the guidance, control, and direction of the Christian virtue of justice. We are especially concerned here because the Church's enemies can easily take advantage of any unjust treatment of the lower classes to draw them to their side by false promises and deceptive lies.

128. We ask these dear children of Ours to realize that the Church is not hostile to them or their rights. On the contrary, she cares for them as would a loving mother. She preaches and inculcates a social doctrine and social norms which would eliminate every sort of injustice and produce a better and more equitable distribution of goods, if they were put into practice as they should be.⁶⁴ At the same time, she encourages friendly cooperation and mutual assistance among the various classes, so that all men may become in name and in fact not only free citizens of the same society but also brothers within the same family.

129. Anyone who considers without bias the opportunities and advantages which have recently come to the working classes must admit that they are in great part the result of persistent and effective social measures taken by Catholics in accord with the wise directives and repeated exhortations of Our predecessors. The social teachings of Christianity, then, contain sure and sound principles which will make very adequate provision for the rights of the lower classes if those who endeavor to defend these rights only put those principles into practice.

False Teachings

130. There is never any need, therefore, to turn to proponents of doctrines condemned by the Church; for they only draw men on with false promises and when they obtain control of the state, try boldly and unscrupulously to deprive men of their supreme spiritual goods-the Christian commandments, Christian hope, and Christian faith. Those who adhere to the doctrines these men propose, minimize or eliminate all that our present age and our modern civilization hold dearest: true liberty and the authentic dignity of the human person. Thus they attempt to destroy the bases of Christianity and civilization.

131. All, therefore, who wish to remain Christians must be aware of their serious obligation to avoid those false principles, which Our predecessors-especially Popes Pius XI and Pius XII-have condemned in the past, and which We condemn once again.

132. We know that many of Our children who live in want or great misfortune often protest that the social teachings of Christianity have not yet been fully put into practice. Private citizens, and more particularly public officials, must take steps to see that the Christian social doctrine which Our predecessors have often clearly and wisely taught and decreed, and which we have confirmed, is really given full effect.⁶⁵ Although this will have to be done gradually, no time should be wasted.

Emigrants and Exiles

133. We are also and equally concerned for the lot of those who are forced to leave their native lands because they cannot earn a living there or because of intolerable conditions and religious persecution. They must undergo many inconveniences and hardships when they go from their native land into foreign countries. Oftentimes, in crowded cities and amid the noise of factories, they must lead a life very different from the one they once knew.

134. At times, and this is more serious, they find themselves in an environment that is hostile and hurtful to Christian virtue. In such surroundings many are led into serious danger, and step by step turn away from the wholesome way of life and the religious practices which they learned from their elders. Since husbands are often separated from their wives and parents from their children, the bonds and ties that hold them together are stretched thin and serious injury is done to the family.

135. We give Our paternal approval to the competent and effective work of those priests who have become voluntary emigrants out of love for Jesus Christ and in obedience to the instructions and wishes of this Apostolic See. These priests have spared no effort to ascertain and serve, so far as they can, the social and spiritual needs of their flocks. Thus, wherever the emigrant may journey, he sees the Church's love for him and discovers that this love is even more evident and more effective when his need for care and aid is greatest.

136. We have also observed with great pleasure the praiseworthy steps various nations have taken with regard to this important matter. A number of countries have recently adopted a common plan and program to bring this critical problem to a swift and happy conclusion. We trust that these measures will make it possible for emigrants to enter those lands in greater numbers and with greater ease, but we are even more concerned that they provide for the happy reunion of parents and children as a family unit. Once these sound steps are taken, it will certainly be possible to make adequate provision for the needs of the emigrants, in religion, in morals, and in economic matters; and this, in turn, will benefit the countries which receive them.

The Church Persecuted

137. We have exhorted all Our children in Christ to avoid the deadly errors which threaten to destroy religion and even human society itself. In writing these words Our thoughts have turned to the bishops, priests, and laymen who have been driven into exile or held under restraint or in prison because they have refused to abandon the work entrusted to them as bishops and priests and to forsake their Catholic faith.

138. We do not want to offend anyone. On the contrary, We are ready to forgive all freely and to beg this forgiveness of God.

139. But We are conscious of Our sacred duty to do all that We can to defend the rights of Our sons and brethren. Time and time again, therefore, We have asked that all be granted the lawful freedom to which all, including God's Church, are entitled. Those who support truth, justice, and the real interests of men and nations do not refuse liberty, do not extinguish it, do not suppress it. There is no need for them to act this way. The just prosperity of their citizens can be achieved without violence and without oppressing minds and hearts.

A Self-Evident Truth

140. There is one truth especially which We think is self-evident: when the sacred rights of God and religion are ignored or infringed upon, the foundations of human society will sooner or later crumble and give way. Our predecessor of immortal memory, Leo XIII, expressed this truth well: "It follows . . . that law becomes ineffective and all authority is weakened once the sovereign and eternal rule of God, who commands and forbids, is rejected."⁶⁶ Cicero expressed the same idea when he wrote, "You, the priests, are protecting Rome with religion more effectively than she is protected with walls."⁶⁷

141. As We reflect on these truths, We embrace with deep sorrow each and every one of the faithful who is impeded and restricted in the practice of his religion. They indeed often "suffer persecution for justice' sake,"⁶⁸ and for the sake of the kingdom of God. We share their sorrows, their hardships, their anxieties. We pray and beseech heaven to grant at length the dawn of a happier day. We earnestly desire all Our brethren in Christ and Our children throughout the world to join Us in this prayer. For thus a chorus of holy entreaties will rise from every nation to our merciful God and win a richer shower of graces for these unfortunate members of the mystical Body of Christ.

A Renewal of Christian Life

142. But We ask Our beloved children for more than prayers; We wish to see a renewal of Christian life. This, far more than prayer, will win God's mercy for ourselves and our brethren.

143. We wish to repeat to you again the sublime and beautiful words of the Apostle of the Gentiles, "Whatever things are true, whatever of good repute, if there be any virtue, if there be anything worthy of praise, think upon these things."⁷⁰ "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ." (s. f. – n. d. r.70) That is to say, "Put on therefore, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, patience. . . But above all these things have charity, which is the bond of perfection. And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts; unto that peace, indeed, you were called in one body."⁷¹

144. If anyone is so unfortunate as to wander far from his divine Redeemer in sin and iniquity, let him return to Him who is "the way, and the truth, and the life."⁷² If anyone is lukewarm, slothful, remiss, or neglectful in the practice of his religion, let him arouse his faith and, by the grace of God, nurture, rekindle, and strengthen his virtue. He who "is just, let him be just still, and he who is holy, let him be hallowed still."⁷³ This is Our earnest plea.

145. There are many today who need our counsel, good example, and assistance, for their lot in life is unhappy and miserable. Do you all, therefore, within the limits of your abilities and resources, perform the works of mercy, for they are most pleasing to God.

The Christian

146. If each of you strives to accomplish all this that We have recommended, there will shine forth anew in the Church that which was expressed so wonderfully about Christians in the Epistle to Diognetus: "They are in the flesh, but do not live by the flesh. They dwell on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey valid laws and even go beyond the demands of law in the conduct of - their lives. . . .They are not understood, and yet they are condemned; they are put to death, and yet their life is quickened. They are poor, and yet they make many wealthy. They lack all things, and yet they have all in abundance. They are dishonored, and yet in the midst of dishonor they find honor. Their good name is railed at, and yet is presented as evidence of their justice. They receive rebukes and give blessings in return. They suffer abuse and offer praise. When they conduct themselves like honest men, they are punished like criminals. While they are being punished, they rejoice as though they are being rewarded. . . To express the matter simply: what the soul is to the body, Christians are to the world."⁷⁴

147. Many of these sublime words apply in a special way to those who are members of the "Church of Silence," for whom we are all especially bound to pray to God, as We recently urged in Our addresses to the faithful in Saint Peter's Basilica on Pentecost Sunday⁷⁵ and on the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.⁷⁶

148. We anticipate that all of you will achieve this renewal of the Christian life, this holiness and virtue-not only you who remain steadfastly in the unity of the Church, but all you who with love of truth and with a sincere good will are striving to attain it.

149. With all the love of a father, We impart the Apostolic Blessing to each and every one of you, Venerable Brethren and beloved sons. May it be the occasion and forerunner of heaven's blessings.

150. Written in Rome, at Saint Peter's, on the 29th day of June, the feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul, in the year 1959, the first of Our Pontificate.