Summi Maeroris
Encyclopedia
Summi Maeroris is one of several peace encyclical
s of Pope Pius XII
focusing in particular on the dangers to peace during the Holy Year . It was given at Rome, at St. Peter's on July 19th 1950, the twelfth day of his Pontificate.
The Pope portrays a mixed picture of his time: on one hand there are millions of people who come to Rome as pilgrims from all nations of the world. They give testimony of oneness in faith, brotherly unity, and piety. On the other, the present social conditions of the people give reason for high anxiety and concern. The call for hate and class-warfare is not going to solve any problems. They need to be tackled not with violence but by the law of justice. In addition, the spectre of another war is looming.
Real peace is only possible on the basis of Christian principles: Such principles and norms, in fact, recall men to truth, justice and charity; they put a restraint on their unruly desires; they force the senses to be obedient to reason; they move the reason to obey God; they produce this effect, "that all men, even those who are rulers of the peoples, may recognize the freedom that is due to religion, which, beyond its primary purpose of leading souls to eternal salvation, has also another, of safeguarding and protecting the very foundations of the State."
But, referring to Eastern Europe
and China
, without mentioning these countries, the Pope continues, in some parts of the world, these principles are trampled upon and the rights of the Church are violated. They forbid her ministers the free exercise of religious worship. They even condemn them to exile and to prison. They impede or directly proscribe and destroy schools and institutes of education which are conducted according to Christian norms and principles. There was always persecution and armed violence against the Church. The Church desires to win over peoples and to educate them to virtue and right social living, not by means of arms but with the truth.
Encyclical
An encyclical was originally a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Catholic Church. At that time, the word could be used for a letter sent out by any bishop...
s of Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
focusing in particular on the dangers to peace during the Holy Year . It was given at Rome, at St. Peter's on July 19th 1950, the twelfth day of his Pontificate.
The Pope portrays a mixed picture of his time: on one hand there are millions of people who come to Rome as pilgrims from all nations of the world. They give testimony of oneness in faith, brotherly unity, and piety. On the other, the present social conditions of the people give reason for high anxiety and concern. The call for hate and class-warfare is not going to solve any problems. They need to be tackled not with violence but by the law of justice. In addition, the spectre of another war is looming.
- Whatever the genius of man has produced that is beautiful and good and holy, all of this can be practically annihilated.
Real peace is only possible on the basis of Christian principles: Such principles and norms, in fact, recall men to truth, justice and charity; they put a restraint on their unruly desires; they force the senses to be obedient to reason; they move the reason to obey God; they produce this effect, "that all men, even those who are rulers of the peoples, may recognize the freedom that is due to religion, which, beyond its primary purpose of leading souls to eternal salvation, has also another, of safeguarding and protecting the very foundations of the State."
But, referring to Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, without mentioning these countries, the Pope continues, in some parts of the world, these principles are trampled upon and the rights of the Church are violated. They forbid her ministers the free exercise of religious worship. They even condemn them to exile and to prison. They impede or directly proscribe and destroy schools and institutes of education which are conducted according to Christian norms and principles. There was always persecution and armed violence against the Church. The Church desires to win over peoples and to educate them to virtue and right social living, not by means of arms but with the truth.