PRINCEPS PASTORUM
ENCYCLICAL OF POPE JOHN XXIII
ON THE MISSIONS, NATIVE CLERGY,
AND LAY PARTICIPATION
NOVEMBER 28, 1959
To Our Venerable Brethren, the Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops,
Bishops, and other Local Ordinaries in Peace and Communion with the
Apostolic See.
Venerable Brethren, Health and Apostolic Benediction.
On the day when "the Prince of the Shepherds" (1) entrusted to Us His
lambs and sheep, (2) God's flock, which dwells all over the earth, We
responded to the sweet invitation of His love with a sense of Our
unworthiness but with trust in His all-powerful assistance. And the
magnitude, the beauty, and the importance of the Catholic Missions have
been constantly on Our mind. (3) For this reason, We have never ceased
to devote to them Our greatest solicitude and attention. And at the
close of the first year marking the anniversary of Our reception of the
triple Tiara, in the sermon which We delivered on that solemn occasion
We mentioned as among the happiest events of Our Pontificate the day,
October 10th, on which over four hundred missionaries gathered in the
most holy Vatican Basilica to receive from Our hands the crucifix,
image of Jesus Christ Crucified, before leaving for distant parts of
the world to illumine them with the light of Christianity.
Early Interest
2. The Most Provident Lord, in His secret and loving designs, willed
that, in its very first years, Our priestly mission should be oriented
toward the furthering of this cause; in fact, immediately after the
conclusion of the First World War, Our predecessor Benedict XV called
Us to Rome from Our diocese, so that We could devote Our zeal to the
Pontifical Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, a function
which We most willingly performed during four years of Our priestly
life. We happily recall Whitsunday in 1922, the third centenary of the
foundation of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, which
is especially entrusted with the task of carrying the beneficial light
of the Gospel, and heavenly grace, to the farthest reaches of the
earth. It was with great joy that We participated in the Congregation's
centennial festivities on that day.
3. Also at the time Our predecessor Pius XII by word and example
incited Us to give Our warmest support to missionary activities and
projects. Just before the College of Cardinals was convened for the
Conclave during which, by divine inspiration, he was chosen as the
successor of St. Peter, he spoke the following words in Our presence:
"We cannot expect anything greater or more beneficial from the new
Vicar of Christ than these two most important things: that he will
strive with all his might to propagate the doctrine of the Gospel among
all men, and that he will bring peoples together in a spirit of true
peace and strengthen them therein." (4)
Subject of This Letter
4. With these and many other sweet memories in Our mind, and aware of
the grave duties imposed upon the Supreme Shepherd of the flock of God,
We would like, Venerable Brethren—seizing an occasion offered
by that memorable Apostolic Letter, Maximum illud, (5) with which,
forty years ago, Our predecessor Benedict XV furthered the cause of the
Catholic missions by establishing new rules and enkindling the faithful
with new zeal—We would like, We repeat, to speak to you with
a fatherly heart, by means of this letter, on the necessity and hopes
of extending God's kingdom to the many parts of the world where
missionaries labor zealously, sparing no effort in order that new
branches of the Church may grow and produce wholesome fruits.
5. Our predecessors Pius XI and Pius XII also issued decrees and
exhortations to the furtherance of this cause, (6) which We confirmed
with like authority and like charity when We issued Our first
Encyclical Letter, Ad Petri Cathedram. (7) We think, however, and We
feel sure that We will never do enough to carry out the wishes of the
Divine Redeemer in this matter until all sheep are happily gathered in
one fold under the leadership of one Shepherd. (8)
A Cry for Help
6. When We turn Our mind and Our heart to the supernatural blessings of
the Church that are to be shared with those people whose souls have not
yet been suffused with the light of the Gospel, there appear before Our
eyes either regions of the world where bountiful crops grow, thrive,
and ripen, or regions where the labors of the toilers in God's vineyard
are very arduous, or regions where the enemies of God and Jesus Christ
are harassing and threatening to destroy Christian communities by
violence and persecutions, and are striving to smother and crush the
seed of God's word. (9) We are everywhere confronted by appeals to Us
to ensure the eternal salvation of souls in the best way We can, and a
cry seems to reach Our ears: "Help us!'' (10) Innumerable regions have
already been made fruitful by the sweat and blood of messengers of the
Gospel "from every nation under heaven,'' (11) and native apostles,
with the help of divine grace, are blossoming like new buds and are
bringing forth saving fruits. We desire to reach those regions with Our
words of praise and encouragement, and with Our affection. We also wish
to give them Our instructions and admonitions, which are prompted by
firm hope based on the infallible promise of Our Divine Master, that is
contained in these words: "Behold, I am with you all days, even unto
the consummation of the world.'' (l7) "Take courage, I have overcome
the world.'' (l3)
I
7. The First World War involved many countries all over the world and
caused grievous losses to many individuals and nations. When it finally
ended, Benedict XV's Apostolic Letter (l4) (which We mentioned above),
like the exalted invitation of a fatherly voice, enflamed the souls of
all Catholics to expand peacefully the Kingdom of God, the only one, We
say, which can give and secure permanent peace and prosperity to all
men, children of their Heavenly Father. From that time, during forty
very active years, the works and undertakings of the heralds of the
Gospel have been flourishing and producing increasingly abundant fruits
every day; and the most noteworthy result is the fact that a local
hierarchy and clergy have been increasingly developed in the mission
areas.
A Local Hierarchy
8. It is necessary that missionaries obey the words of Our immediate
predecessor, Pius XII, to the effect that they "must constantly keep
before their mind's eyes their ultimate goal, which is to establish the
Church firmly in other countries, and subsequently to entrust it to a
local hierarchy, chosen from their own people.'' (15) Therefore, this
Apostolic See, abundantly and at the opportune time, has taken measures
especially in recent times, to establish or re-establish a hierarchy in
those areas in which local conditions favored the foundation of
Episcopal Sees, and if possible, to place locally born prelates at
their head. At any rate, it is well known that this has always been the
principal and constant goal of the Sacred Congregation for the
Propagation of the Faith. It was an Apostolic Letter, however, which
highlighted the importance and immediacy of the matter as never before.
In this letter Our predecessor, Benedict XV, urgently reminded the
authorities in charge of the missions to nurture carefully the
vocations of those who felt the divine call to the priesthood in
mission territories and to contribute to the quantitative and
qualitative growth of that clergy which was called native. (Neither
slight nor discrimination was intended by the word "native," or was
ever expressed or implied by the language of the Roman Pontiffs and
ecclesiastical documents.)
Growth of Native Clergy
9. This exhortation of Benedict XV, which was repeated by Our
predecessors Pius XI and Pius XII, with the help of God's divine
Providence has had visible and copious results. We want you to join Us
in rendering thanks to God for the fact that a numerous and elect
legion of bishops and priests has arisen in the Mission territories,
Our brethren and beloved sons, who fill Our heart with great
expectations. If We cast even a cursory glance on the ecclesiastical
situation in the areas which are entrusted to the Sacred Congregation
for the Propagation of the Faith, with the exception of those at
present under persecution, We note that the first bishop of east Asian
origins was consecrated in 1923, and the first vicars apostolic of
African Negro descent were named in 1939. By 1959, We count 68 Asian
and 25 African bishops. The remaining native clergy grew in number from
919 in 1918 to 5553 in 1957 in Asia, and during the same period in
Africa from 90 in 1918 to 1811 in 1957. With such an admirable increase
in the numbers of the clergy did the Lord of the harvest (l6) desire to
reward adequately the labors and merits of those who zealously did
mission work, either individually or in cooperation with many others,
responding with a generous heart to the repeated exhortations of this
Apostolic See.
Mutual Exchange
10. It was, therefore, with good reason that Our predecessor Pius XII
was able to affirm with satisfaction: "Once upon a time it seemed as
though the life of the Church used to prosper and blossom chiefly in
the regions of ancient Europe, whence it would flow, like a majestic
river, through the remaining areas which, to use the Greek term, were
considered almost the periphery of the world; today, however, the life
of the Church is shared, as though by a mutual irradiation of energies,
among all individual members of the Mystical Body of Christ. Not a few
countries on other continents have long since outgrown the missionary
stage, and are now governed by an ecclesiastical hierarchy of their
own, have their own ecclesiastical organization, and are liberally
offering to other Church communities those very gifts, spiritual and
material, which they formerly used to receive.'' (l7)
Encouraging Vocations
11. We wish especially to exhort the bishops and clergy of the new
Christian communities to pray to God, and to conduct themselves in such
a way that the priestly gift they are enjoying may grow in spiritual
fruitfulness; in their talks with the people, as often as feasible they
should praise the dignity, the beauty, and the merits of the
priesthood, and, by so doing, they will induce all those whom God has
chosen for this exalted honor to respond to the call with an open and
generous heart. They should also cause the faithful entrusted to their
care to pray to God for this cause, in unity of spirit with the whole
Church, which, in response to the Divine Redeemer's exhortations, prays
"the Lord of the Harvest to send forth laborers into his harvest," (18)
especially at the present time, when "the harvest indeed is great, but
the laborers are few."(19)
Place of Foreign Missionaries
12. However, Christian communities to which missionaries still devote
their zeal, although already governed by their own hierarchy, are still
in need of the work of missionaries from other countries, either
because of the vastness of the territory, or the increasing number of
converts, or the multitude of those who have not yet benefited from the
doctrine of the Gospel. To such missionaries, no doubt, apply these
words of Our immediate predecessor: "These cannot be considered
foreigners, for all Catholic priests who truly answer their vocation
feel themselves native sons wherever they work, in order that the
Kingdom of God may flourish and develop." (20) Let them therefore work
united by the bond of that loving, brotherly, and sincere charity which
mirrors the love they must feel toward the Divine Redeemer and His
Church; and, in prompt and filial obedience to their Bishops, whom "the
Holy Spirit placed . . . to rule the Church of God," (21) they must be
"of one heart and one soul," (22) grateful to each other for the mutual
cooperation and help; indeed, if they act in this manner, it should be
apparent to everyone's eyes that they are the disciples of Him Who, in
His own and most distinctive "new" commandments, exhorted all to a
mutual and always increasing love. (23)
II
13. Our predecessor Benedict XV, in his Apostolic Letter Maximum illud,
especially exhorted Catholic mission authorities to mold and shape the
minds and souls of the clergy selected from the local population, and
to do so in such a way that their formation and education would turn
out "perfect and complete in every respect." (24) "In fact," he wrote,
"a native priest, having a place of birth, character, mentality, and
emotional make-up in common with his countrymen, is in a privileged
position for sowing the seeds of the Faith in their hearts: indeed, he
knows much better than a stranger the ways of persuasion with them."
(25)
Personal Sanctification
14. Regarding the requirements of a perfect priestly formation and
education, it is necessary that seminarians be induced, tactfully but
firmly, to espouse those virtues which are the prime qualification of
the priestly calling, "that is, the duty to achieve personal
sanctification." (26) The newly-ordained native clergy of those
countries must enter into pious competition with the clergy of those
old dioceses which have long been producing priests in their midst who
were such mirrors of virtue that they are proposed as examples to the
clergy of the whole Church. In fact, it is through sanctity that
priests can and must be the light of the world and the salt of the
earth. (27) In other words, they can, especially by their sanctity,
show their own countrymen and the whole world the beauty and the
supernatural power of the Gospel; they can teach all men that a perfect
Christian life is a goal toward which all of God's children must
strive, struggling and persevering with all their strength, regardless
of their place of birth, their walk of life, or the degree of
civilization they enjoy.
Native Teachers in Seminaries
15. Furthermore, Our fatherly soul harbors the happy hope that
everywhere the local clergy will be able to select from among its ranks
just and holy men capable of governing, forming, and educating their
own seminarians. That is the reason why We are already instructing the
bishops and the mission authorities to choose without hesitation from
among the local clergy those priests who, for their exceptional virtue
and wise actions, qualify as teachers in the local seminaries and are
able to lead their students to sanctity.
Adaptation to Locality
16. Furthermore, Venerable Brethren, as you well know, the Church has
prescribed at all times that priests must prepare for their calling by
means of a solid intellectual and spiritual education. Indeed, no one
will doubt, especially in our time, that young people of all races and
from all parts of the world are capable of absorbing such an education;
this fact has already been clearly demonstrated. Without doubt, the
formation to be given to this clergy must take into account the
circumstances which obtain in different areas and nations. This
extremely wise norm applies to all students for the priesthood; it is
advisable that young seminarians never be "educated in places too far
removed from human society," (28) because "once they step out into the
world, they will have problems in dealing both with simple people and
with intellectuals; this will often cause them to assume the wrong
attitude toward the Christian population, or to regard the formation
they received as a bad one." (29) Indeed, it is necessary that youths
not only conform to the ideal of priestly spiritual perfection in
everything, but also that they "gradually and prudently penetrate the
mentality and feelings of the people" (30)-of the people, We repeat,
whom they must enlight with the truth of the Gospel and lead to
perfection of life, with the help of God's grace. Therefore, it is
necessary that seminary superiors conform to this plan of training and
education while yet welcoming those material and technical facilities
which the genius of mankind has made the patrimony, as it were, of
every civilization in order to insure an easier and better life and to
preserve the bodily health and safety of mankind.
Training for Responsibility
17. The formation of the local clergy, as Our same predecessor,
Benedict XV, wrote, must enable them in compliance with the first
requirement of their divine calling, "to assume rightly the rule of
their people'' (31)—to lead their people, by the influence of
their teaching and their ministry, along the path to eternal salvation.
To this end, We highly recommend that everyone, whether local or
foreign, who contributes to the formation in question, do his
conscientious best to develop in these students a sense of the
importance and difficulty of their mission, and a capability for wisely
and discreetly using the freedom allowed to them. This should be done
so that they may be in a position to assume, quickly and progressively,
all the functions, even the most important ones, pertaining to their
calling, not only in harmonious cooperation with the foreign clergy,
but also on an equal footing with them. (32) Indeed, this is the
touchstone of the effectiveness of their formation, and will be the
best reward for the efforts of all those who contributed to it.
Missiology
18. Indeed, in considering all the elements pertaining not only to the
right intellectual and spiritual formation of the students for the
priesthood but also the needs and to the special mentality and
emotional make-up of their own people, this Apostolic See has always
recommended, both to the foreign and to the local clergy, that they
should study the discipline of missiology. Our predecessor Benedict XV
established chairs of this discipline in the Pontifical Urban Athenaeum
of the Propagation of the Faith; (33) and Our immediate predecessor,
Pius XII, remarked with satisfaction on the founding of the Institute
of Missiology in the same university; "not a few faculties and chairs
of missiology," he said, "have been established in Rome and in other
places." (34) Therefore, in the curricula of the seminaries of mission
countries, there will be no lack of studies pertaining to the various
missiological disciplines, nor of technical training in all the
practical skills which are considered useful for the future work of the
clergy in those countries. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that
their training not only conform to the best ecclesiastical traditions
of a solid and undiluted education, but also that it open up and
sharpen the minds of the seminarians in such a way as to enable each
individual to evaluate correctly his own and his country's particular
kind of culture, especially as it pertains to philosophical and
theological teachings and their relation to the Christian religion.
The Church and Cultures
19. "The Catholic Church," stated Our same predecessor, "has never
fostered an attitude of contempt or outright rejection of pagan
teachings but, rather, has completed and perfected them with Christian
doctrine, after purifying them from all dross of error. So, too, the
Church, to a certain extent, consecrated native art and culture . . .,
as well as the special customs and traditional institutions of the
people . . .; she has even transformed their feast days, leaving
unchanged their methods of computation and their form, but dedicating
them to the memory of the martyrs and to the celebration of the sacred
Mysteries." (35) We Ourselves have already expressed Our thoughts on
this matter as follows: "Wherever artistic and philosophical values
exist which are capable of enriching the culture of the human race, the
Church fosters and supports these labors of the spirit. On the other
hand, the Church, as you know, does not identify itself with any one
culture, not even with European and Western civilization, although the
history of the Church is closely intertwined with it; for the mission
entrusted to the Church pertains chiefly to other matters, that is, to
matters which are concerned with religion and the eternal salvation of
men. The Church, however, which is so full of youthful vigor and is
constantly renewed by the breath of the Holy Spirit, is willing, at all
times, to recognize, welcome, and even assimilate anything that
redounds to the honor of the human mind and heart, whether or not it
originates in parts of the world washed by the Mediterranean Sea,
which, from the beginning of time, had been destined by God's
Providence to be the cradle of the Church." (36)
Conversion of the Learned
20. If native priests are well instructed in these practical matters
and serious disciplines, and if they overcome difficulties and are
equipped to take the right course of action, they will be able, under
guidance of their bishops, to make highly valuable contributions. In
particular, they will find a more sympathetic audience among the
educated citizens of their own countries and will be able to attract
them to the Christian truth, in the manner of the famous missionary,
Matthew Ricci. This will happen especially in those countries which
possess an ancient and highly developed civilization of their own.
Indeed, local priests are entrusted with the mission of "bringing every
mind into capitivity to the obedience of Christ," (37) as Paul, that
incomparable missionary and apostle of the people, affirmed; thus, they
will also be "held in great honor by the members of the intellectual
elite of their country." (38)
Study Centers
21. Therefore, making use of their judgment and cooperation, bishops
will take care to establish, at opportune moments, study centers to
meet the needs of one or more regions in order to make basic doctrine
known and understood. In these, both foreign and local priests can
employ their learning and experience to benefit the particular
countries in which they were born or in which they have chosen to
spread the Christian truth. In this connection, We should also like to
quote the teaching of Our immediate predecessor Pius XII, expressed in
these words: there must be promoted "the publication and dissemination
of Catholic books of every description"; (39) and care must be taken to
advance "the use of modern means of communication in spreading
Christian doctrine. No one can ignore the importance of gaining the
good will of native peoples and making them favorable to Catholicism."
(40) Certainly, all methods cannot be employed in all places; all
opportunities must be taken, however, to fulfill different needs,
whenever they arise, even though, sometimes, "one sows, another reaps."
(41)
Social Welfare Work
22. To propagate the truth of Jesus Christ is the truest function of
the Church. Indeed, "it is the solemn duty of the Church to impart to .
. . peoples, so far as possible, the outstanding blessings of her life
and her teaching, from which a new social order should be derived,
based on Christian principles." (42) Therefore, in mission territories,
the Church takes the most generous measures to encourage social welfare
projects, to support welfare work for the poor, and to assist Christian
communities and the peoples concerned. Care must be taken, however, not
to clutter and obstruct the apostolic work of the missions with an
excessive quantity of secular projects. Economic assistance must be
limited to necessary undertakings which can be easily maintained and
utilized, and to projects whose organization and administration can be
easily transferred to the lay men and women of the particular nation,
thus allowing the missionaries to devote themselves to their task of
propagating the faith, and to other pursuits aimed directly at personal
sanctification and eternal salvation.
Universality
23. If it is true, as We said, that in order for the apostolate to bear
abundant fruits, the most important requirement the native priests must
meet is that they should know, and carefully evaluate, everything
connected with the institutions peculiar to their countries, what Our
predecessor said of the whole world will remain even truer: "the
prospects and plans of the Church, which embrace the whole world, will
be the prospects and plans of their daily Christian lives." (43) To
this end, the native clergy not only will be bound to know the affairs
and developments of the universal Church, but must also be guided by,
and filled with, that charity which embraces all the faithful. This is
the reason why St. John Chrysostom said of Christian liturgical
celebrations: "When we approach the altar, we pray, above all, for the
whole universe and the common good"; (44) and St. Augustine uttered a
beautiful sentence: "Extend your charity to the whole world, if you
want to love Christ, because the members of Christ's body cover the
whole world." (45)
Ultra-nationalism
24. Indeed, it was in this spirit that Our predecessor Benedict XV, in
order to preserve the integrity of the concept of Catholic unity, which
must inspire all missionary work, sternly warned of a danger which he
did not hesitate to define in these words, and which must be avoided by
missionaries in their thoughts, lest it jeopardize the effectiveness of
their actions: "It would be a sad thing if any missionary should appear
to be so oblivious of his dignity as to think of his country on earth
rather than of his fatherland in heaven, and be excessively concerned
with increasing the power and the glory of his own nation above all
other nations. Such conduct would greatly impair the cause of the
apostolate, and would cut the sinews of charity in his heart, while
lowering his prestige in the eyes of the public." (46)
25. This danger, in different ways and forms, could arise again in our
time, especially since several countries already enlightened by the
light of the Gospel have been aroused to seek freedom and
self-government. The acquisition of political freedom can sometimes be
accompanied by disorders and excesses which are detrimental to the
common good and are the opposite of the spirit of Christian charity.
26. We feel perfectly confident, however, that the native clergy is
animated by lofty purposes and sentiments which conform to the general
principles of the Christian religion and entirely correspond with the
teachings of the Catholic Church, which embraces all men with the same
love; We are also certain that they contribute their share to the real
interests of their own nations. In this connection, Our Predecessor
very aptly uttered the following words of warning: "The Catholic Church
is not a stranger among any people or nation." (47) No Christian
community anywhere will ever achieve unity with the Universal Church,
from which emanates the supernatural life of Jesus Christ, if the local
clergy and population succumb to the influence of a particularist
spirit, if they arouse enmity in other nations, and if they are misled
and perturbed by an ultra-nationalism which can destroy the spirit of
universal charity—that charity upon which the Church of God
is built and is called "Catholic."
III
27. Our predecessor Benedict XV, as We mentioned above, stressed
particularly the necessity of a scholarly, intensive, and adequate
formation of the native clergy, which must be equal to current
circumstances. Undoubtedly he was aware of another need, equally
important: the need to educate and indoctrinate the laity of each
nation in such a way that they will not only be worthy of their
Christian calling in their private lives, but will also engage in
active apostolic work. Our immediate predecessor Pius XII dealt with
the subject well and significantly, (48) and recommended again and
again that today this cause be attended to with great fervor and be
carried out to the greatest degree and as soon as possible.
Need for Lay Help
28. Our predecessor Pius XII—and this redounds to his special
credit and praise—exhorted the laity, with eloquent and
abundant doctrine and repeated admonitions, willingly and zealously to
enter the apostolic field and give their active cooperation to the
ecclesiastical hierarchy, in the same way in which, since the times of
the early Church and throughout the centuries, the faithful have
cooperated with their bishops and their clergy, to enable them to carry
out their tasks more easily and with greater efficacy, in religious and
social fields. Our times require this effort, not less, nay, even more,
since requirements of this kind have grown, and the greatly increased
multitudes are hungry for the spiritual food of true doctrine. Indeed,
their circumstances have become more difficult and complex. And,
wherever the Church fights her peaceful battles, she must be able to
count on a complete organization, including not only the different
grades of the hierarchy, but also the ranks of the laity proper. It is
also necessary that her work of salvation be carried out equally by
all. (49)
Numbers Not Enough
29. In order to achieve this purpose, it is hardly sufficient for new
Christian communities to convert men to the Catholic religion and,
after purifying them with the water of Baptism, to number them among
the members of the Church; it is altogether necessary, after giving the
individual a Christian education suitable to his circumstances and
times, to make him capable of promoting, as much as he can, the present
and future good and growth of the Church. The sheer number of
Christians means little if they lack virtue; that is, if, while
enjoying the name of Catholic, they do not stand firm in their
determination; if their spiritual life does not flourish and fails to
produce wholesome fruits; if, after being reborn to divine grace, they
do not excel in that spirit of vigorous and sensible youthfulness which
is always ready to perform generous and useful deeds. Their profession
of faith must not only be a statistic in a census, but must create a
new man, (50) and give all his actions a supernatural strength,
inspiring, guiding, and controlling them.
Need for Planning
30. Nevertheless, men recruited from the ranks of the laity will find
it difficult fully to achieve their goal, if the clergy, either foreign
or local, will not plan, at the right time, the program which We
mentioned above, and which the first Vicar of Jesus already outlined in
the following words: "You, however, are a chosen race, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people; that you may proclaim
the perfection of him who has called you out of darkness into his
marvelous light." (51)
Education for the Apostolate
31. Indeed, a Christian formation and education which would only
consider teaching the faithful the formulas of the Catechism and
inculcating in their minds the principal precepts of moral theology,
with a brief list of possible cases, without inspiring their souls and
wills to act according to the instructions received, would run the
serious risk of acquiring for the Church a passive flock. On the
contrary, it is necessary that the sheep of the Christian flock not
only listen to their Shepherd, but also know his voice, (52) and that
the faithful willingly follow him to the pastures of eternal life, (53)
so that one day they may receive from the Prince of Shepherds the
"unfading crown of glory." (54) These sheep as We said, recognizing and
following the Shepherd, who lays down his life for his sheep, (55) will
give themselves entirely to him, and, obeying the Divine Will with the
most ardent zeal, will lovingly and actively strive to bring into the
one and only true fold all the other sheep, who not only are not
following him, but have long been straying away from him, who is "the
way, and the truth, and the life." (56)
32. Profession of the Christian faith is not intelligible without
strong, lively apostolic fervor; in fact, "everyone is bound to
proclaim his faith to others, either to give good example and
encouragement to the rest of the faithful, or to check the attacks of
unbelievers," (57) especially in our time, when the universal Church
and human society are beset by many difficulties.
Arousing Zeal
33. To make a full and effective Christian education possible, it is
absolutely necessary that administrators and teachers find ways and
means by which they will be able to understand and approach the minds
of others and their characteristic temperaments, their inclinations and
their intentions. This should be done so that the new followers of
Jesus Christ will assimilate the precepts of the truth of the Gospel,
together with its norms and requirements and will be wholly formed by
them. Our Redeemer did, in fact, entrust each one of us with compliance
with this great commandment: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy
whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind." (58)
Indeed, the sublimity of the Christian calling should shine in all its
splendor before the eyes of those who embrace the Catholic religion, so
that their hearts will be fired with the desire, the strong resolution
to lead a life adorned with all the Christian virtues and distinguished
by apostolic activity: a life, We say, modeled on the luminous example
of Sesus Christ, who, taking upon Himself our nature, commanded us to
follow in His footsteps. (59)
Witnesses to the Truth
34. Anyone who deems himself a Christian must know that he is bound by
his conscience to the basic, imperative duty of bearing witness to the
truth in which he believes and to the grace which has transformed his
soul. A great Father of the Church has said: "He (Christ) left us on
earth in order that we should become like beacons of light and teachers
unto others; that we might act like leaven, move among men like angels,
be like men unto children, and like spiritual men unto animal men, in
order to win them over, and that we may be like seed, and bear abundant
fruits. There would be no need for sermons, if our lives were shining;
there would be no need for words, if we bore witness with our deeds.
There would be no more pagans, if we were true Christians." (60)
35. All Christians all over the world must fulfill this obligation; yet
it is easy to see that if it were carried out in the mission
territories, it would bear special and abundant fruits, particularly
valuable for extending the Kingdom of God among those who do not know
the wonderful gift of our Faith and the supernatural power of grace.
Thus Jesus Christ admonishes us: "Even so let your light shine before
men, in order that they may see your good works and give glory to your
Father in Heaven"; (61) and St. Peter exhorts the faithful to "abstain
from carnal desires which war against the soul. Behave yourselves
honorably among the pagans, that, whereas they slander you as
evildoers, they may, through observing you by reason of your good
works, glorify God in the day of visitation." (62)
Union in Charity
36. The testimony rendered by individuals must be confirmed and
enlarged by the testimony of the whole Christian community, in the same
way in which the newly established Church enjoyed the unanimous backing
and close-knit support of all the faithful, who "continued steadfastly
in the teaching of the Apostles, and in the communion of the breaking
of the bread and in the prayers." (63) Their unity in the practice of
the most generous charity gave them profound joy and mutual
edification; in fact, they were "praising God and being in favor with
all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their company such as
were to be saved." (64)
37. Union in prayer and in active participation in the mysteries of the
sacred liturgy enormously enriches and completes the Christian life of
individuals and of the whole community, and it greatly helps educate
the soul to charity, which is the distinguishing mark of the true
Christian; a charity, We say, which overcomes all differences between
languages and nationalities, and amicably embraces all men, whether
brothers or enemies. In this connection, We like to repeat the words of
Our predecessor Pope Clement: "When they (the pagans) hear from us that
God says, 'You have no merit if you love those who love you, but you
have merit if you love your enemies and those who hate you'
(65)—when they hear this, they admire the grace of your
charity; but when they see that we not only do not love those who hate
us, but do not even reciprocate the love of those who love us, they
will mock us and God's name will be blasphemed." (66) The greatest
missionary of all, St. Paul the Apostle, at the time when he was on the
point of bringing the message of God's word to the people, as far as
the farthest reaches of the Western world, wrote to the Romans and
exhorted them to practice "love without pretense." (67) Earlier, with
sublime expression, he had praised that virtue—without which
a Christian is nothing. (68)
Material Help
38. Charity also becomes visible through material help; as Our
predecessor Pius XII stated: "The body also requires a multitude of
members, which are joined together for the purpose of helping one
another. If in our mortal organism one member ails, all the other
members suffer with it; and those members which are sound, come to the
help of the sick one; by the same token, in the Church, the individual
members do not live only for themselves, but also to help the others,
and all of them help one another for their mutual comfort, as well as
for a better development of the Mystical Body." (69)
39. The material necessities which affect the faithful also affect the
life and structure of the Church. It is therefore necessary that native
Christians become accustomed to supporting, spontaneously and within
the limits of their means, their churches, institutions, and clergy,
who are entirely devoting themselves to them. It does not matter
whether they can give much, but it is of the greatest importance that
what is contributed is proof of a conscience that is practicing
Christian discipline.
IV
40. The Christian faithful, members of a living organism, cannot remain
aloof and think that they have done their duty when they have satisfied
their own spiritual needs; every individual must give his assistance to
those who are working for the increase and propagation of God's
kingdom. Our predecessor Pius XII reminded all of their common duty in
these words: "A principal note of the Church is catholicity;
consequently, a man is no true member of the Church unless he is
likewise a true member of the entire body of Christian believers and is
filled with an ardent desire to see her take root and flourish in every
land." (70)
The Duty of Teaching the Faith
41. In this matter, therefore, all Christians must compete in pious
rivalry, and give constant proof of their concern for the spiritual
well-being of other people by defending their Faith and teaching it to
those who either do not know it at all, or do not know it well enough
and therefore misjudge it. It is necessary that priests, families, and
local apostolic organizations instill this religious duty in the young,
from early childhood and adolescence, even in newly established
Christian communities. Nor is there a dearth of favorable opportunities
for stressing, in a suitable and effective manner, this duty of an
apostolate: as for example, the preparation of children or newly
baptized adults for the sacrament of Confirmation, through which "new
strength is granted to the faithful courageously to guard and defend
their Mother Church and the Faith they received from her.'' (71) This
preparation is especially suited for populations who have in their
local customs special initiation rites, through which adolescents are
officially received into their tribal groups.
Catechists
42. We cannot neglect here to give credit to the work of catechetical
organizations, which, in the course of the long history of the Catholic
missions, have always given them special, necessary help. There was
never a time when catechists were not excellent assistants to
missionaries, sharing their labors and relieving them. Our predecessors
have openly affirmed that "for the propagation of the Gospel, it is
important that their numbers be multiplied," (72) and have stated that
their function was "perhaps the most shining example of the apostolate
to be carried out by the laity." (73) We, too, while again giving
catechists Our warmest praise, exhort them to meditate even more
attentively on the happiness of soul which this work brings, and never
to cease from making the greatest efforts, under the guidance of the
ecclesiastical hierarchy, to cultivate better the study of religion and
their own spiritual formation. Catechists must learn from the hierarchy
not only the rudimentary elements of the Faith, but also the practice
of virtue and a fervent, sincere love for Christ. Instrumental in the
establishment and subsequent abundant growth of new Christian
communities is the care devoted to increasing the numbers of those who
effectively help the ecclesiastical hierarchy, and to perfecting their
formation for any other labors they may have to perform in order to
carry out their task in the most effective and perfect manner.
Catholic Action
43. In Our first Encyclical Letter, We already recalled various
important reasons which make it imperative, in our time, to recruit in
all parts of the world "the laity to the ranks of a peaceful militia,
Catholic Action, so that the laity should cooperate in the apostolate
of the hierarchy." (74) We commented on this with the following words:
"It gives Us great comfort that, over the years, in lands that are
still mission territories, these valuable aides to bishops and priests
have worked so hard for the success of their projects." (75) And now,
impelled "by the love of Christ," (76) We wish to renew urgently the
exhortations and appeals of Our predecessor Pius XII: "It is necessary
that laymen give their generous, zealous, and active cooperation,
joining the clergy in their apostolic work and swelling to large
numbers the ranks of Catholic Action." (77) The bishops of mission
countries endeavored to do their best to carry out the directives of
the Supreme Pontiff, together with the regular and religious clergy,
and the most generous and well-trained laymen; We can state that
splendid successes in this field are being achieved all over the earth.
Adaptation to Local Conditions
44. However, it is necessary—and We can never warn
sufficiently of this—that this form of apostolate be
carefully adapted to local conditions and needs. What has been done in
one country cannot be carried over indiscriminately to another. The
people concerned, submitting in all things to the directives of the
ecclesiastical hierarchy and willingly obeying their pastors, must
beware of defeating the purposes of the apostolate by carrying the
burden of an excessive number of activities. For thus they thwart
valuable efforts and dissipate valuable energy through
compartmentalized and overly specialized projects, which, while
satisfactory elsewhere, may be less useful where different conditions
and needs prevail. In Our first encyclical, We also promised to deal
with the subject of Catholic Action in more detail and at greater
length; when We do, We trust that the mission territories will receive
additional support and a new incentive. In the meantime, let everyone
work in perfect harmony and with supernatural inspiration, in the
certainty that only thus will they be able to say that they are serving
the divine cause and the common good of their people.
Training for Leadership
45. Catholic Action is an association of laymen "who are entrusted with
certain duties, which involve executive responsibilities, to be carried
out in submission to the hierarchy"; (78) thus laymen do hold executive
offices therein. For this reason it is necessary to train men who are
capable of enkindling different organizations with apostolic zeal and
insuring their most efficient operation; men and women, We say, who in
order to be worthy of managerial and executive roles in these
organizations, entrusted to them by the ecclesiastical hierarchy, must
furnish convincing proof that they possess a solid Christian formation,
both intellectual and moral, in order that "they may impart to others
what, with the help of God's grace, they have won for themselves." (79)
The Christian School
46. It can rightly be said that the natural seat and, as it were, the
training ground, where these lay executives of Catholic Action are
prepared for their functions, is the Christian school; and this school
will achieve its purposes, and fulfill its task, only insofar as its
teachers, whether priests, religious, or laymen, educate and turn out
true Christians.
Schools of the Apostolate
47. Everyone is aware of the great importance, present and future, of
the mission country schools, and of how much effort and work the Church
has devoted to establishing schools of every description and level and
to defending their existence and well-being. It is obviously difficult
to add to school curricula a program of formation for Catholic Action
executives, and therefore it will often be necessary to resort to
extracurricular methods to bring together the most promising youths,
and train them in the theory and practice of the apostolate. The local
ordinaries must, therefore, use their prudent judgment in assessing the
best ways and means for opening schools of the apostolate, in which,
obviously, the type of instruction will be different from that in
ordinary schools. Sometimes the task will be to preserve from false
doctrine children and adolescents who must attend non-Catholic schools;
in any event, it will always be necessary to balance the humanistic and
technological education offered by the public schools with a formation
based on spiritual values, so that the schools may not turn out falsely
educated men, swollen with arrogance, who can hurt the Church and their
own people instead of helping them. Their spiritual education must
always be commensurate with their intellectual development, and must be
planned to make them lead a life inspired by Catholic principles in
their particular social and professional environments; in time, they
must be able to take their places in Catholic organizations. To this
end, if Catholic youths should be forced to leave their communities and
attend public schools in other towns and cities, it will be expedient
to open social centers and boarding houses, in which Christian life and
morals are safely preserved, and the talents and energies of the young
people are directed toward lofty apostolic ideals. By thus entrusting
to the schools the special and highly useful tasks of preparing
Catholic Action executives, We do not, however, intend to exempt
families from their responsibilities, or to minimize in any way their
influence, which at times equips them even better for nurturing
apostolic fervor in the souls of their children, for instructing them
in Christian precepts, and for preparing them for action. The home is,
in fact, an excellent and irreplaceable school.
Problems in Public Life
48. The "good fight" (80) in the cause of the Faith is fought not only
in the secrecy of the individual conscience or in the privacy of the
home, but also in public life in all of its forms. In all the different
parts of the world there exist nowadays problems of various kinds.
There is no solution to these problems in exclusively human advice nor
in principles which are often in contrast with the precepts of
Christian law. Several mission countries are now "undergoing such
speedy changes in social, economic, and political life that their
entire future appears to depend on the outcome of those changes." (81)
Indeed, problems which some countries have already solved or are
solving with the help of their experience and traditions, are urgently
in need of solution in other countries. There the problems are beset by
serious dangers, inasmuch as they could be approached with deplorable
levity, by resorting to certain doctrines which disregard, or even
oppose, the religious values of individuals and nations. In order to
safeguard both their private interests and those of the Church,
Catholics must not ignore such problems, or wait until they are given
the wrong solutions, which would thereafter require a much greater
expenditure of energy in order to correct them and would place further
obstacles in the path of the propagation of the Christian religious in
the world.
Christians in Public Life
49. The laymen of mission countries exert their most direct and
effective influence in the field of public activity, and it is
necessary that Christian communities take urgent, timely measures to
bring laymen into the public life of their countries for the common
good—men who not only acquit themselves creditably in their
professions and trades, but are also an asset to the Church which
re-created them in her grace. Thus may their pastors praise them with
the words which we read in the writings of St. Basil: "I thanked the
Most Holy God for the fact that, even though busily attending to public
affairs, you did not neglect the interests of the Church: on the
contrary, each one of you has been solicitous of her affairs just as
though they had been your own private affairs, and, indeed, as though
your life depended on it." (82)
50. Particularly in the held of education, in organized public welfare,
in trade unions, and in public administration, will the talents of
local Catholic experts play a paramount role, if they, following the
duty imposed by their consciences—a duty whose neglect would
be traitorous—base their thinking and action on Christian
principles. These, as we learn from experience acquired in the course
of many centuries, possess the highest power and influence for the
pursuit of the common good.
Aid to Missions from Catholic Groups
51. Everybody knows how the mutual assistance which is exchanged among
Catholic organizations established all over the world can
be—as Our predecessor Pius XII has pointed out—of
great use and much value to the apostolate of the laity in mission
territories. On the educational plane, these organizations can help by
devising Christian solutions to current problems, especially social
problems, in the newly established nations; on the apostolic plane,
they can help by recruiting and organizing a body of laymen, willing to
serve under Christ's banner. We know that this has been done, and is
being done, by lay missionaries who chose to leave their countries,
either temporarily or for life, in order to contribute, by manifold
activities, to the social and religious welfare of mission countries.
Let us pray fervently to God that the numbers of these generous
Christians be multiplied, and that God's support will never be absent
in their difficulties and labors, which they are meeting with truly
apostolic spirit. The Secular Institutes will be able to give the local
laity in mission territories generous and loyal help, if, by their
example, they attract imitators, and if they place their talents and
work, promptly and willingly, at the disposal of the local ordinaries,
in order to speed the growing-up process of the new Christian
communities.
Lay Help From Afar
52. We appeal especially to all Catholic laymen everywhere who are
distinguishing themselves in their professions and in public life to
consider seriously how they can help their newly acquired brethren in
the Faith, even without leaving their countries. They can do this by
giving them the benefit of their advice, their experience, and their
technical assistance; they can, without too much labor or grave
inconvenience, sometimes give them help that will be decisive. Good men
will surely find a way to fulfill this fatherly desire of Ours. They
will make Our wish known to those whom they find favorably disposed, in
order first to arouse good will, and then to channel it into the most
suitable work.
Students from Abroad
53. Our immediate predecessor exhorted the bishops "with the same
affectionate interest that shares work with others in fraternal harmony
and excludes all selfish considerations" to provide for the spiritual
assistance of young Catholics who come to their dioceses from mission
countries to study and to acquire the necessary experience for assuming
leadership in their own nations. (83) All of you, Venerable Brethren,
are aware of the intellectual and moral dangers to which they will be
exposed in a society which is not only different from their own but
also, alas, may be unfavorable ground for the growth of their Faith,
and not capable of attracting them to the practice of Christian virtue.
Each one of you, moved by the missionary spirit which is a
conscientious duty of all pastors, will meet this situation with the
greatest charity and zeal, using the most suitable means. It will not
be difficult for you to find these students and entrust them to the
care of priests and laymen who are equipped for this task. It should
not be difficult to assuage their spiritual needs, and, last but not
least, to have them experience the sweet consolations of Christian
charity in which we are all brothers, ministering to one another's
welfare. Therefore, to the many kinds of help which you are now giving
the missions, add this particular one, which brings close to your
hearts those regions of the world which, although far away, are
entrusted to your care.
54. To these students We would like not only to reveal the affection We
feel for them, but also to exhort them, urgently and lovingly, to carry
their heads high and proud, marked with the sign of Jesus' blood and
with the sacred chrism; We would like to exhort them during their stay
abroad never to bypass an opportunity not only to acquire the right
professional training but also to achieve perfection in their religious
education. Although they will be exposed to dangers and evils, they
will nevertheless have a wonderful opportunity to share in many
spiritual advantages while living in Catholic countries, if all the
faithful remember that, whoever and wherever they are, they must be a
good example to others and bring mutual edification to one another.
V
55. After conversing with you, Venerable Brethren, on the most
important and typical needs of the Church in mission countries, We
cannot fail to express Our heartfelt gratitude to all those who are
toiling for the propagation of the Faith in the farthest reaches of the
earth, without sparing any efforts. For the missionaries from both the
religious and the regular clergy; for the holy virgins who are
fruitfully and actively helping the missions; and for the lay
missionaries, precious allies of the clergy, who have been diligent in
helping to advance the cause of religion—for all of them, We
offer Our daily and special prayers, and every kind of help that lies
within Our power. The success of their work, which is apparent in the
spiritual vigor of newly established Christian communities, is an
indication of God's favor and a proof of the solicitude and wisdom with
which the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith and the
Congregation of the Oriental Church are carrying out their work.
A Call for Help
56. We exhort all the bishops, the clergy, and the faithful of the
dioceses of the whole world, who are contributing to relieve the
spiritual and material necessities of the missions by their prayers and
offerings, to increase voluntarily their badly needed contributions.
Despite the scarcity of priests which besets even the pastors of the
oldest dioceses, there should be no hesitation in encouraging
missionary vocations and in releasing the very best and most useful
laymen, that they may be placed at the disposal of the new dioceses;
heavenly consolations will soon be derived from this sacrifice, made
for the furtherance of God's cause.
57. Indeed, just as such needs constantly increase, so in equal measure
increases the generous effort in which the faithful of the whole world
are engaging to cooperate with missionary organizations which, under
the guidance of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the
Faith, are channeling contributions received from every source toward
the most suitable and urgent destinations. Willing help and material
contributions readily and copiously offered by their brethren will
encourage the members of newly established Christian communities, to
live in the service of their religion, and will bring them the warmth
of supernatural affection, which is nourished in the human heart by
grace.
Perseverance
58. Many dioceses and Christian communities in mission territories are
being harassed by difficulties and sometimes even by active
persecution. We therefore exhort everyone to persevere courageously in
the battle which he is fighting for God's cause: the pastors who are
giving their children in God the example of a faith which does not
falter even in mortal danger; and the faithful who are being so
grievously tried by adversity and are therefore so dear to the Sacred
Heart of Jesus, who promised beatitude and abundant rewards to those
who suffer persecution for justice' sake. (54) God, in His inscrutable
but always merciful designs, will sustain them with heavenly favors,
consolations, and joy. The whole Church is united with the persecuted
in a communion of prayer and sorrow, with the certainty that final
victory will be hers.
59. From the bottom of Our heart, We call down upon the missions the
worthy protection of their patrons and martyrs, and, first and
foremost, the intercession of Mary, Mother and Queen of the Missions.
With the greatest affection We impart to each one of you, Venerable
Brethren, and to all those who in any way contribute to the propagation
of God's kingdom, Our Apostolic Blessing. May it be a token and a
pledge of the supernatural favors of the Eternal Father, who appeared
to the world through His Son, the Savior of mankind, and may it kindle
and multiply missionary zeal in the hearts of all.
Given at Rome, at St. Peter's, on November 28, 1959, the second year of
Our Pontificate.
JOHN XXIII
NOTES
LATIN TEXT: Acta Apostolicae Sedis, 51 (1959), 833-64.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION: The Pope Speaks, 6 (Spring, 1960), 123-45.
REFERENCES:
(1) 1 Peter 5.4
(2) Cf. John 21.15- 17.
(3) Cf. Homilia in die Coronationis habita, AAS 50 (1958) 886; TPS
(Spring 1959) v. 5, no. 2, 140.
(4) Cf. La propagazione della fede, Scritti di A.G. Roncalli, Rome,
1958, p. 103 ff.
(5) Cf. AAS 11 (1919) 440 ff.
(6) Cf. Pius XI's encyclical Rerum Ecclesiae, AAS 18 (1926) 65 ff.;
Pius XII's encyclical letters Evangelii praecones, AAS 43 (1951) 497
ff., and Fidei donum, AAS 49 (1957) 225 ff.
(7) Encyclical letter Ad Petri Cathedram, AAS 51 (1959) 497.
(8) Cf. John 10.16.
(9) Cf. Matt. 13.19.
(10) Acts 16.9.
(11) Acts 2.5.
(12) Matt. 28.20.
(13) John 16.33.
(14) AAS 11 (1919) 440 ff.
(15) Encyclical letter Evangelii praecones, AAS 43 (1951) 507.
(16) Cf. Matt. 9.38.
(17) Pius XII's Christmas broadcast, AAS 38 (1946) 20.
(18) Luke 10.2.
(19) Ibid.
(20) Letter of Pius XII to Cardinal Adeodatus Piazza, AAS 47 (1955)
542; TPS (Autumn 1955) v. 2, no. 3, 253-4.
(21) Acts 20.28.
(22) Acts. 4.32.
(23) Cf. John 13.34 and 15.12.
(24) AAS 11 (1919) 445.
(25) Ibid.
(26) Pius XII's apostolic letter Menti Nostrae, AAS 42, (1950) 677.
(27) Cf. Matt. 5.13-14.
(28) Pius XII's apostolic letter Menti Nostrae, AAS 42 (1950) 686.
(29) Ibid.
(30) Ibid., p. 687.
(31) Apostolic letter Maximum illud, AAS 11 (1919) 445.
(32) Cf. Pius XII's apostolic letter Menti Nostrae, AAS 42 (1950) 686.
(33) Cf. apostolic letter Maximum illud, AAS 11 (1919) 448.
(34) Encyclical letter Evangelii praecones, AAS 43 (1951) 500.
(35) Ibid., p. 522.
(36) Cf. "Address to Participants in Second World Congress of Negro
Writers and Artists," AAS 51 (1959) 260. Brief summary in TPS (Summer
1959) v. 5, no. 3, 290-1.
(37) 2 Cor. 10.5.
(38) Pius XI's encyclical letter Rerum Ecclesiae, AAS 18 (1926) 77.
(39) Encyclical letter Fidei donum, AAS 49 (1957) 233.
(40) Ibid.
(41) John 4.37.
(42) Encyclical letter Fidei donum, AAS 49 (1957) 231.
(43) Ibid., p. 238.
(44) Hom. II in 2 Cor., Migne, PG 61.398.
(45) In Ep. Ioan. ad Parthos, Tr. X, c. 5, Migne, PL 35.2060.
(46) Apostolic letter Maximum illud, AAS 11 (1919) 446.
(47) Ibid., p. 445.
(48) Encyclical letter Evangelii praecones, AAS 43 (1951) 510 ff.
(49) Pius XII's Encyclical letter Mystici Corporis, AAS 35 (1943)
200-01; Pius XI's Encyclical letter Rerum Ecclesiae, AAS 18 (1926) 78.
(50) Cf. Eph. 4.24.
(51) 1 Peter 2.9.
(52) Cf. John 10.4 and 14.
(53) Cf. John 10.9-10.
(54) 1 Peter 5.4.
(55) Cf. John 10.11.
(56) John 14.6.
(57) St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae II-II, q. 3, a. 2, ad 2.
(58) Matt. 22.37.
(59) Cf. 1 Peter 2.21; Matt. 11.19; John 13.15.
(60) St. John Chrysostom, Hom. X in I Tim., Migne, PG 62.551.
(61) Matt. 5.16.
(62) 1 Peter 2.12.
(63) Acts 2.42.
(64) Acts 2.47.
(65) Cf. Luke 6.32-35.
(66) F.X. Funk, Patres Apostolici, v. I, p. 201.
(67) Rom. 12.9 ff.
(68) 1 Cor. 13.2.
(69) Pius XII's encyclical letter Mystici Corporis, AAS 35 (1943) 200.
(70) Pius XII's encyclical letter Fidei donum, AAS 49 (1957) 237.
(71) Pius XII's encyclical letter Mystici Corporis, AAS 35 (1943) 201
(72) Pius XI's encyclical letter Rerum Ecclesiae, AAS 18 (1926) 78.
(73) Sermon by Pius XII to participants in the World Congress for the
Lay Apostolate, AAS 49 (1957) 937; TPS (Autumn 1957) v. 4, no. 2, 132.
(74) Encyclical letter Ad Petri Cathedram, AAS 51 (1959) 523.
(75) Ibid.
(76) 2 Cor. 5.14.
(77) Pius XII's encyclical letter Evangelii praecones, AAS 43 (1951)
513.
(78) Cf. Pius XII's Epistola de Actione Catholica, October 11, 1946,
Discorsi e radiomessaggi di S.S. Pio XII, v. VIII, p. 468.
(79) Encyclical letter Ad Petri Cathedram, AAS 51 (1959) 524.
(80) 2 Tim. 4.7.
(81) Pius XII's encyclical letter Fidei donum, AAS 49 (1957) 229.
(82) Ep. 288, Migne, PG 32.855.
(83) Encyclical letter Fidei donum, AAS 49 (1957) 245
(84) Cf. Matt. 5.10-12.