Ecclesiam vero in suorum officiorum munere potestati civili velle esse subjectam, magna quidem injuria, magna temeritas est. Hoc facto perturbatur ordo, quia quæ naturalia sunt præponuntur iis quæ sunt supra naturam: tollitur aut certe magnopere minuitur frequentia bonorum, quibus, si nulla re impediretur, communem
To wish the Church in the discharge of her offices to be subject to the civil power is great rashness, great injustice. If this were done order would be disturbed, since things natural would thus be put before those which are above nature; a multitude of benefits, with which, if there were nothing to hinder her, the Church would enrich the life of
vitam Ecclesia compleret: prætereaque via ad inimicitias munitur et certamina, quæ, quanquam utrique reipublicæ perniciem afferant, nimis sæpe eventus demonstravit. the community, either disappears or at all events is considerably diminished, and besides, a way is opened to enmities and conflicts--and how great the evils are that they have brought on both governments (the ecclesiastical and the civil) the course of history has too frequently shown.
Hujusmodi doctrinas, quæ nec humanæ rationi probantur, et plurimum habent in civilem disciplinam momenti, Romani pontifices decessores nostri, cum probe intelligerent quid a se postularet apostolicum munus, impune abire nequaquam passi sunt. Sic Gregorius XVI per Encyclicas litteras hoc initio Mirari vos, die xv Augusti anno MDCCCXXXII, magna sententiarum gravitate ea perculit, quæ jam prædicabantur, in cultu divino nullum adhibere delectum oportere: integrum singulis esse, quod malint, de religione judicare: solam cuique suam esse conscientiam judicem: præterea edere quæ quisque senserit, itemque res moliri novas in civitate licere. De rationibus rei sacræ reique civilis distrahendis sic idem pontifex: "Neque lætiora et religioni et principatui ominari possemus ex eorum votis, qui Ecclesiam a regno separari, mutuamque imperii cum sacerdotio
Such doctrines, which are not approved by human reason, and are of the greatest gravity as regards civil discipline, the Roman pontiffs, our predecessors--well understanding what the apostolic office required of them--by no means suffered to go without condemnation. Thus Gregory XVI., by Encyclical Letter beginning Mirari vos, of August 15, 1832, inveighed with weighty words against those doctrines which were already being preached, namely, that in divine worship no preference should be made; and that it was left to individuals to judge of religion according to their personal preferences, that each man's conscience was to himself his sole sufficient guide, and that it was lawful to promulgate whatsoever each man might think, and to make a revolution in the State. Concerning the reasons for the separation of Church and State, the same pontiff speaks thus: "Nor can we hope happier results either
concordiam abrumpi discupiunt. Constat quippe pertimesci ab impudentissimæ libertatis amatoribus concordiam illam, quæ semper rei et sacræ et civili fausta, extitit et salutaris." for religion or government from the wishes of those who are eagerly desirous that the Church should be separated from the State, and the mutual good understanding of the sovereign secular power and the sacerdotal authority be broken up. It is evident that these lovers of most shameless liberty dread that concord which has always been fortunate and wholesome, both for sacred and civil interests."
Non absimili modo Pius IX., ut sese opportunitas dedit, ex opinionibus falsis, quæ maxime valere coepissent, plures notavit, easdemque postea in unum cogi jussit, ut scilicet in tanta errorum colluvione haberent Catholici homines, quod sine offensione sequerentur. [380]
To the like effect Pius IX., as opportunity offered, noted many false opinions which had begun to be of great strength, and afterwards ordered them to be collected together in order that in so great a conflux of errors Catholics might have something which they might follow without stumbling.
Ex iis autem pontificum præscriptis illa omnino intelligi necesse est, ortum publicæ potestatis a Deo ipso, non a multitudine repeti oportere: seditionum licentiam cum ratione pugnare: officia
From these decisions of the popes it is clearly to be understood that the origin of public power is to be sought from God himself and not from the multitude; that free play for sedition is repugnant to reason;
religionis nullo loco numerare, vel uno modo esse in disparibus generibus affectos, nefas esse privatis hominibus, nefas civitatibus: immoderatam sentiendi sensusque palam jactandi potestatem non esse in civium juribus neque in rebus gratia patrocinioque dignis ulla ratione ponendam.--Similiter intelligi debet, Ecclesiam societatem esse, non minus quam ipsum civitatem, genere et jure perfectam: neque debere, qui summam imperii teneant, committere ut sibi servire aut subesse Ecclesiam cogant, aut minus esse sinant ad suas res agendas liberam, aut quicquam de ceteris juribus detrahant, quæ in ipsam a Jesu Christo collata sunt. that it is a crime for private individuals and a crime for States to make no account of the duties of religion, or to treat different kinds of religion in the same way; that the uncontrolled power of thinking and publicly proclaiming one's thoughts has no place among the rights of citizens, and cannot in any way be reckoned among those things which are worthy of favor or defense. Similarly it ought to be understood that the Church is a society, no less than the State itself, perfect in kind and right, and that those who exercise sovereignty ought not to act so as to compel the Church to be their slave or subject, or suffer her to have less than liberty to transact her own affairs, or detract aught from the other rights which have been conferred upon her by Jesus Christ.
In negotiis autem mixti juris, maxime esse secundum naturam itemque secundum Dei consilia non secessionem alterius potestatis ab altera, multoque minus contentionem, sed plane concordiam, eamque cum caussis proximis cengruentem, quæ caussæ utramque societatem genuerunt.
That in matters, however, of mixed jurisdiction, it is in the highest degree in accordance with nature and also with the counsels of God--not that one power should secede from the other, still less come into conflict, but that that harmony and concord should be preserved which is most akin to the proximate cause and end of both societies.
Hæc quidem sunt, quæ de constituendis temperandisque civitatibus
These, then, are the things taught by the Catholic Church concerning
ab Ecclesia Catholica præcipiuntur.--Quibus tamen dictis decretisque si recte dijudicare velit, nulla per se reprehenditur ex variis reipublicæ formis, ut quæ nihil habent, quod doctrinæ Catholicæ repugnet, eædemque possunt, si sapienter adhibeantur et juste, in optimo statu tueri civitatem.--Immo neque illud per se reprehenditur, participem plus minus esse populum reipublicæ: quod ipsum certis in temporibus certisque legibus potest non solum ad utilitatem, sed etiam ad officium pertinere civium.--Insuper neque caussa justa nascitur, ut Ecclesiam quisquam criminetur, aut esse in lenitate facilitateque plus æquo restrictam, aut ei, quæ germana et legitima sit, libertati inimicam.--Revera si divina cultus varia genera eodem jure esse quo veram religionem, Ecclesia judicat non licere, non ideo tamen eos damnat rerum publicarum moderatores, qui magni alicujus aut adipiscendi boni, aut prohibendi caussa mali, moribus atque usu patienter ferunt, ut ea habeant singula in civitatem locum.--Atque illud quoque magnopere cavere Ecclesia solet ut ad amplexandam fidem Catholicam nemo invitus cogatur, quia quod sapienter Augustinus monet, credere the constitution and government of States. Concerning these sayings and decrees, if a man will only judge dispassionately, no form of government is, per se, condemned so long as it has nothing repugnant to Catholic doctrine, and is able, if wisely and justly administered, to preserve the State in the best condition. Nor is it, per se, to be condemned whether the people have a greater or less share in the government; for at certain times and with the guarantee of certain laws, such participation may appertain, not only to the usefulness, but even to the duty of the citizens. Moreover, there is no just cause why any one should condemn the Church as being too restricted in gentleness, or inimical to that liberty which is natural and legitimate. In truth, though the Church judges it not lawful that the various kinds of divine worship should have the same right as the true religion, still it does not therefore condemn those governors of States who, for the sake of acquiring some great good, or preventing some great ill, patiently bear with manners and customs so that each kind of religion has its place in the State. Indeed, the Church is wont diligently to take heed that no one be compelled against his will to embrace the Catholic
non potest homo nisi volens. [381] faith, for, as Augustin wisely observes, "no one can believe if he is not willing." [382]
Simili ratione nec potest Ecclesia libertatem probare eam, quæ fastidium gignat sanctissimarum Dei legum, debitamque potestati legitimæ obedientiam exuat. Est enim licentia verius, quam libertas rectissimeque ab Augustino libertas perditionis, [383] a Petro Apostolo velamen malitiæ [384] appellatur: immo, cum sit præter rationem, vera servitus est: qui, enim, facit peccatum, servus est peccati. [385] Contra illa germana est atque expetenda libertas quæ, si privatim spectetur, erroribus et cupiditatibus teterrimis dominis hominem servire non sinit: si publice, civibus sapienter præest, facultatem augendorum commodorum large ministrat: remque publicam ab alieno arbitrio defendit.--Atqui honestam hanc et homine dignam libertatem, Ecclesia probat omnium maxime, eamque ut tueretur in populis firmam atque integram eniti et contendere nunquam destitit.
For a similar reason the Church cannot approve of that liberty which generates a contempt of the most sacred laws of God and puts away the obedience due to legitimate power. For this is license rather than liberty, and is most correctly called by Augustin "the liberty of perdition;" [386] by the Apostle Peter, "a cloak for malice," [387] indeed, since it is contrary to reason, it is a true servitude, for "Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin." [388] On the other hand, that is the genuine and desirable liberty which, if it be considered in relation to the individual, suffers not men to be the slaves of errors and evil desires, the worst of masters; and, in relation to the State, presides wisely over the citizens, greatly facilitates the increase of public advantages, and defends the public interest from alien rule. This blameless liberty, worthy of man, the Church approves above all, and has never ceased striving and contending to keep sound and whole among the people.
Revera quæ res in civitate plurimum ad communem salutem possunt: quæ sunt contra licentiam
In very truth whatever things in the State chiefly avail for the common safety; whatever have been
principum populo male consulentium utiliter institutæ: quæ summam, rempublicam vetant in municipalem, vel domesticam rem importunius invadere: quæ valent ad decus, ad personam hominis, ad æquabilitatem juris in singulis civibus conservandam, earum rerum omnium Ecclesiam Catholicam vel inventricem, vel auspicem, vel custodem semper fuisse superiorum ætatum monumenta testantur. usefully instituted against the license of princes who have not their people's good at heart; whatever forbid the intervention of the supreme authority in municipal or domestic affairs; whatever avail to preserve the dignity of man and his personal rights, or to maintain the equality of rights in individual citizens, of all these things the monuments of former ages declare the Catholic Church to have been either the author, the promoter, or the perpetual guardian.
Sibi igitur perpetuo consentiens, si ex altera parte libertatem respuit immodicam quæ et privatis et populis in licentiam vel in servitutem cadit, ex altera volens et libens amplectitur res meliores, quas dies afferat, si vere prosperitatem contineant hujus vitæ, quæ quoddam est velut stadium ad alteram eamque perpetuo mansuram.
Ever therefore consistent with herself, if on the one hand she rejects immoderate liberty, which both in the case of individuals and peoples results in license or in servitude; on the other she willingly and with pleasure embraces those happier circumstances which the age brings if they truly contain the prosperity of this life, which is, as it were, a stage in the journey to that other which is to endure everlastingly.
Ergo quod inquiunt Ecclesiam recentiori civitatem invidere disciplinæ, et quæcumque horum temporum ingenium peperit, omnia promiscue repudiare, inanis est et jejuna calumnia. Insaniam quidem repudiat opinionum: improbat nefaria seditionum studia illumque nominatim habitum animorum,