APPENDIX I.
Encyclical Letter of our Most Holy Lord Leo XIII., by Divine Providence Pope, concerning the Christian Constitution of States. A.D. 1885.
[The Encyclical Letter of Pope Leo XIII., De Civitatum Constitutione Christiana, which is called from the first two words, Immortale Dei, was issued Nov. 1, 1885, during the Cultur-conflict ( Culturkampf ) in Germany, as a mild interpretation of the Syllabus of his predecessor, 1864 (pp. 213-233), which was understood to be an attack upon modern civilization and civil and religious liberty. The Encyclical is addressed "to all the Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops, and Bishops of the Catholic World, in the grace and communion of the Apostolic See," and partakes of that infallibility which the Vatican Decree of 1870 claims for all the official or ex cathedra deliverances of the Pope on matters of faith and morals.
The Latin text of this document is taken from Acta Leonis Papæ XIII. (1879-1885), Parisiis, 1885, pp. 283-321, the translation from the "Tablet," London, Nov. 14, 1885, as revised by authority.]
Immortale Dei miserentis opus, quod est Ecclesia, quamquam per se et natura sua salutem spectat animarum adipiscendamque in cælis felicitatem, tamen in ipso etiam rerum mortalium genere tot ac tantas ultro parit utilitates, ut plures majoresve non posset, si in primis et maxime esset ad tuendam hujus vitæ, quæ in terris agitur, prosperitatem institutum.
That imperishable work of a merciful God, the Church, though she looks essentially, and from the very nature of her being, to the salvation of souls and the winning for them of happiness in heaven, nevertheless she also secures even in the mere order of perishable things advantages so many and so great that she could not do more even if she had been founded primarily and specially to secure prosperity in this life which is spent upon earth.
Revera quacumque Ecclesia vestigium posuit, continuo rerum faciem immutavit, popularesque mores sicut virtutibus antea ignotis, ita et nova urbanitate imbuit; quam quotquot accepere populi, mansuetudine, æquitate, rerum gestarum gloria excelluerunt.--
In truth wherever the Church has set her foot she has at once changed the aspect of affairs, colored the manners of the people as with new virtues so also with a refinement unknown before: and all nations who have received her have been distinguished for their
[Note.--For another translation with notes, Ryan and Millar, Church and State, pp. 1-61.--Ed.]
Sed vetus tamen illa est atque antiqua vituperatio, quod Ecclesiam aiunt esse cum rationibus reipublicæ dissidentem, nec quicquam posse ad ea vel commoda vel ornamenta conferre, quæ suo jure suaque sponte omnis bene constituta civitas appetit. Sub ipsis Eccelesiæ primordiis non dissimili opinionis iniquitate agitari christianos, et in odium invidiamque vocari solitos hac etiam de caussa accepimus, quod hostes imperii dicerentur; quo tempore malorum culpam, quibus esset perculsa respublica, vulgo libebat in Christianum conferre nomen, cum revera ultor scelerum Deus poenas a sontibus justas exigeret. Ejus atrocitas calumniæ non sine caussa ingenium armavit stilumque acuit Augustini: qui præsertim in Civitate Dei virtutem christianæ sapientiæ, qua parte necessitudinem habet cum republica, tanto in lumine collocavit, ut non tam pro christianis sui temporis dixisse caussam quam de criminibus falsis perpetuum triumphum egisse videatur. gentleness, their justice, and the glory of their deeds. But it is an old and time-worn accusation that the Church is incompatible with the welfare of the commonwealth, and incapable of contributing to those things, whether useful or ornamental, which every well constituted State rightly and naturally desires. We know that on this ground, in the very beginnings of the Church, Christians, from the same perversity of view, were persecuted and constantly held up to hatred and contempt, so that they were styled the enemies of the Empire. And at that time it was generally popular to attribute to Christianity the responsibility for the evils with which the State was stricken, when in reality God, the avenger of crimes, was requiring a just punishment from the guilty. The wickedness of this calumny, not without cause, armed the genius and sharpened the pen of Angustin, who, especially in his De Civitate Dei, set forth so clearly the efficacy of Christian wisdom and the way in which it is bound up with the well-being of States, that he seems not only to have pleaded the cause of the Christians in his own time, but to have triumphantly refuted these false charges forever.
Similium tamen querelarum
But this unhappy inclination to
atque insimulationum funesta libido non quievit, ac permultis sane placuit civilem vivendi disciplinam aliunde petere, quam ex doctrinis quas Ecclesia catholica probat. Immo postremo hoc tempore novum, ut appellant, jus, quod inquiunt esse velut quoddam adulti jam sæculi incrementum, progrediente libertate partum, valere ac dominari passim coepit.--Sed quantumvis multa multi periclitati sunt, constat, repertam nunquam esse præstantiorem constituendæ temperandæque civitatis rationem, quam quæ ab evangelica doctrina sponte efflorescit.--Maximi igitur momenti atque admodum muneri nostro apostolico consentaneum esse arbitramur, novas de re publica opiniones cum doctrina christiana conferre: quo modo erroris dubitationisque caussas ereptum iri, emergente veritate, confidimus, ita ut videre quisque facile queat summa illa præcepta vivendi quæ sequi et quibus parere debeat. charges and false accusations was not laid to rest, and many have thought well to seek a system of civil life apart from the doctrines which the Church approves. And now in these last times "The new Law," as they call it, has begun to prevail, which they describe as the outcome of a world now fully developed, and born of a growing liberty. But although many hazardous schemes have been propounded by many, it is clear that never has any better method been found for establishing and ruling the State than that which is the natural result of the teaching of the Gospel. We deem it therefore of the greatest moment, and especially suitable to our apostolic office, to compare the new opinions concerning the State with Christian doctrine, by which method we trust that, truth being thus presented, the causes of error and doubt will be removed, so that every man may easily discern those supreme commandments of conduct which he ought to follow and obey.
Non est magni negotii statuere, qualem sit speciem formamque habitura civitas, gubernante christiana philosophia rempublicam.--Insitum homini natura est, ut in civili societate vivat: is enim necessarium
It is not a very difficult matter to set forth what form and appearance the State would have if Christian philosophy governed the commonwealth. Man has a natural instinct for civil society; for since
vitæ cultum et paratum, itemque ingenii atque animi perfectionem cum in solitudine adipisci non possit, provisum divinitus est, ut ad conjunctionem congregationemque hominum nasceretur cum domesticam, tum etiam civilem, quæ suppeditare vitæ sufficientiam perfectam sola potest. Quoniam vero non potest societas ulla consistere, nisi si aliquis omnibus præsit, efficaci similique movens singulos ad commune propositum impulsione, efficitur, civili hominum communitati necessariam esse auctoritatem, qua regatur: quæ, non secus ac societas, a natura proptereaque a Deo ipso oriatur auctore. he cannot attain in solitude the necessary means of civilized life, it is a divine provision that he comes into existence adapted for taking part in that union and assembling of men, both in the Family and in the State, which alone can supply adequate facilities for the perfecting of life. But since no society can hold together unless some person is over all, impelling individuals by effectual and similar motives to pursue the common end, it results that an authority to rule is indispensable to a civilized community, which authority, no less than society itself, is based upon nature, and therefore has God himself for its author.
Ex quo illud consequitur, potestatem publicam per se ipsam non esse nisi a Deo. Solus enim Deus est verissimus maximusque rerum dominus, cui subesse et servire omnia, quæcumque, necesse est: ita ut quicumque jus imperandi habent, non id aliunde accipiant, nisi ab illo summo omnium principe Deo. Non est potestas nisi a Deo. [336] --Jus autem imperii per se non est cum ulla reipublicæ forma necessario copulatum aliam sibi vel aliam assumere recte potest, modo utilitatis bonique communis reapse efficientem. Sed in quolibet genere
And thence it follows that by its very nature there can be no public power except from God alone. For God alone is the most true and supreme Lord of the world to whom all things whatsoever must necessarily be subservient and obey, so that whoever possesses the right of governing can receive it from no other source than from that Supreme Governor of all, God. "There is no power except from God". [337] But the right of ruling is not necessarily conjoined with any special form of commonwealth, but may rightly assume this or that
reipublicæ omnino principes debent summum mundi gubernatorem Deum intueri, eumque sibimetipsis in administranda civitate tanquam exemplum legemque proponere. form, provided that it really promotes utility and the common good. But whatever be the kind of commonwealth, rulers ought to keep in view God, the Supreme Governor of the world, and to set him before themselves as an example and a law in the administration of the State.
Deus enim, sicut in rebus, quæ sunt quæque cernuntur, caussas genuit secundarias, in quibus perspici aliqua ratione posset natura actioque divina, quæque ad eum finem, quo hæc rerum spectat universitas, conducerent: ita in societate civili voluit esse principatum, quem qui gererent, in imaginem quamdam divinæ in genus humanum potestatis divinæque providentiæ referrent. Debet igitur imperium justum esse, neque herile, sed quasi paternum, quia Dei justissima in homines potestas est et cum paterna bonitate conjuncta: gerendum vero est ad utilitatem, civium, quia qui præsunt cæteris, hac una de caussa præsunt, ut civitatis utilitatem tueantur. Neque ullo pacto committendum unius ut, vel paucorum commodo serviat civilis auctoritas, cum ad commune omnium bonum constituta sit. Quod si, qui præsunt, delabantur in dominatum injustum, si importunitate superbiave peccaverint, si male populo consuluerint,
For as God, in things which are and which are seen, has produced secondary causes, whererein the Divine nature and course of action can be perceived, and which conduce to that end to which the universe is directed, so he has willed that in civil society there should be a governing power, and that they who hold it should bear a certain resemblance to the power and providence of God over the human race. The rule of the government, therefore, should be just, and not that of a master but rather that of a father, because the power of God over men is most just and allied with a father's goodness. Moreover, it is to be carried on with a view to the advantage of the citizens, because they who are over others are over them for this cause alone, that they may see to the interests of the State. And in no way is it to be allowed that the civil authority should be subservient merely to the advantage of one or of a few, since it was established for the common
sciant sibi rationem aliquando Deo esse reddendam, idque tanto severius, quanto vel sanctiore in munere versati sint, vel gradum dignitatis altiorem obtinuerint. Potentes potenter tormenta patientur. [338] good of all. But if they who are over the State should lapse into unjust rule; if they should err through arrogance or pride; if their measures should be injurious to the people, let them know that hereafter an account must be rendered to God, and that with a strictness proportioned to the sacredness of their office or the eminence of their dignity, "The mighty shall be mightily tormented." [339]
Ita sane majestatem imperii reverentia civium honesta et libens comitabitur. Etenim cum semel in animum induxerint, pellere qui imperant auctoritate a Deo data, illa quidem officia justa ac debita esse sentient, dicto audientes esse principibus, eisdemque obsequium ac fidem præstare cum quadam similitudine pietatis, quæ liberorum est erga parentes. Omnis anima potestatibus sublimioribus subdita sit. [340]
Thus truly the majesty of rule will be attended with an honorable and willing regard on the part of the citizens; for when once they are assured that they who rule are strong only with the authority given by God, they will feel that it is their just and proper duty to be obedient to their rulers, and pay to them respect and fidelity with somewhat of the same affection as that of children to their parents. "Let every soul be subject to higher powers." [341]