The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-01-02
ENCYCuCAL OF POPE BENEDICT
Holy Father Issues Letter Addressed to the Paarchs Prmates
Archbishop Bishops and Other Ordnaries in Peace and
Communion With the Apostolic See.

motive of Our own that We speak.
ly and paternal voice to be raised In
vain.
A War Against Society.
But 1t is not merely the sanguinary
war which darkens passions and
troubles and embitters Our spirit.
There is another furious war which
eats at the entrails of modern society
"a war which terrifies every person
of good sense, because whilst it has
accumulated, and will accumulate ruin
amongst the nations, 1t contains in
itself the seeds of the present disas.
trous struggle. From the moment
when the rules and practices of Chris
tian wisdom ceased to be observed in
States-rules and practices which
alone guarantee the stability and
peace of institutions-these States
necessarily began to tremble at their
foundations, and there followed such
a change in ideas and customs that, II
God does not soon intervene, it ap.
pears as If the dissolution of human
society is at hand. The disorders that
have arisen are the want of mutual
love amongst men, contempt for au-
thority, injustice in the relations be.
tween the different classes of society,
and material welfare made the only
object Of mans activity (as If there
were not other and much more desir-
able blessings to be gained). These,
In Our opinion, are the four causes
why human society is so greatly dis.
turbed. 1t is necessary then that en-.
ergy be exercised generally for the
purpose Of removing such disorders
and restoring Christian principles, II
the object is to put an end to discord
and compose differences.
Christian Charity.
Jesus Christ came down from
Heaven In order to restore amongst
men the reign of peace which had
been troubled by the envy Of Satan.
and He desired to establish it on no
other foundation than that Of love.
Hence the frequent use Of these
words: "A new commandment I give
unto you: that you love one another"
(John Kill, 34); "This is My command.
ment that you love one another" John
XIV, 12); "These things command you
that you love one another" (John xy
10; as If all His mission and His
work were restricted to making men
love one another. And what power.
full arguments did He not adopt
for this purpose? He bids US all look
up to Heaven, For One is your Father
who is in Heaven" (Matt. xiii, 81. He
teaches all without distinction of ma.
tion or tongue the same formula of
prayer, Our Father who art in
Heaven" Matt. vi, 81. Nay, He as.
sures US that this Heavenly Father in
conferring benefits of nature does not
even make distinction of merits:
who maketh His sun to rise upon
the good and the bad and raineth upon
the Just and the unjust" (Matt. v, 45).
he declares, moreover, that we are all
brothers. 'And all you are brethren"
(Matt. xiii, 81; and His own brethren.
THAT He might be the frst-born
amongst many brethren" (Romans
viii, 29). Then-a consideration which
ought to stimulate VS. to fraternal love
towards even thoseHswhom our native
pride despises-He wishes that the
dignity of His person should be recog-
nized in the humblest, "As long as
you did 1t to one of these, My least
brethren, you did 1t to Me" Matt. XIV,
4O). And when about to leave this
life He earnestly prayed the Father
that all those who believed In Him
should be one by the bond of charity.
AS Thou Father in Me and in Thee"
John xvii, 2D. Finally, He hung
on the Cross and shed His blood for
us all that fashioned and formed in
the one body, we should love one an
other with that love which one men,
Der In the same body bears towards
another.
The Spirit Of Fraternity Absent.
But far otherwise do men act today.
Never perhaps was human brother
hood more spoken of than at present;
1t is even pretended, though the words
of the Gospel and the work of Christ
and His Church are forgotten, that
this traternal zeal is one of the most
precious features of modern civiliza.
tion. But the truth is that never was
human fraternity SO little practiced as
1t Is today. Race hatred is most bit.
ter. Nations are divided more by ran
cor than by natural boundaries. In
one and the same country and within
the walls Of the same city different
classes of the citizens hate one an
other; and amongst individuals every
thing is governed by selfishness as by
supreme law.
The Holy Fathers Chief Aim.
You see, venerable brethren, how
necessary It is to make every effort 90
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