THE latest encyclical of the pope is on "The Catholic Social Movement." Our quotations are taken from the translation of the Freeman's Journal, printed in the Catholic Mirror, of July 22. In it the pope removes the prohibition from Italian Catholics, which was placed upon them by Pius IX., forbidding them to participate in Italian politics. This, Catholics argue, is not inconsistent, being a matter of mere policy or expediency, not of doctrine or morals.
Pope Pius X. advises Catholics to unite together and lead the social propaganda, and he advises an organization called "The Popular Union" as the organization. He says of it:
It was founded for the purpose of bringing together Catholics belonging to every social rank. Its special aim is to establish a common center of doctrine, of propaganda, and of social organization. It meets a need felt in nearly all countries. Its constitution, which is extremely simple, is the outcome of the situation which exists in nearly all countries.
He urges upon Catholics "the duty of preparing for political life should they be called to participate in it." But this he must not do for love of country merely, but "he ought to defend the supreme interests of the church."
But the point of "the greatest importance" is—
the relation which all forms of Catholic action must have with ecclesiastical authority. Everybody who gives careful consideration to the doctrines we laid down in the first part of this letter will see at once that all those works which are meant to aid directly the spiritual and pastoral ministry of the church, and which consequently have a religious scope affecting directly the salvation of souls, must, even down to the smallest details, be subject to the authority of the church, and therefore to the bishops placed by the Holy Ghost to rule the church of God in the dioceses assigned to them. The other works also [political] which, as we have said, are instituted primarily to restore and promote in Christ true Christian civilization and which constitute, in the sense already explained, what is known as Christian action, can not be conceived as existing independently of the counsel and sovereign direction of the ecclesiastical authority, especially inasmuch as they must be governed by the principles of Christian teaching and morality; still less possible is it to conceive them as existing in opposition, more or less open, to ecclesiastical authority. Of course, all such works must, from their very nature, enjoy reasonable liberty required for their exercise, for upon them devolves all the responsibility arising out of them, especially in temporal and economic affairs, and in those affecting public administrative and political life, which have nothing to do with the purely spiritual ministry. But as Catholics always hold aloft the banner of Christ, that fact makes them also hold aloft the banner of the church. It is therefore fitting that they receive it from the hands of the church, and that the church watch that its honor be kept untarnished. It is befitting that the Catholics submit as docile and loving children to her maternal vigilance.
And the reader may be assured that the church will be vigilant to direct every political action and movement in favor of the church, and to see that Catholics vote with no party which is considered to be in opposition to the Church.
Of course this is the logic of Rome's attitude to control every government in the interests of the Roman Church. But wherever Rome has the power, the logic and result of her action is the ruin of the government and people she controls.
