Evening star., 1922-12-24


]
cyclical. would be s m
most suitable to \
the coming Jubilee va l.2ss9
year, whence i'm n
mense advantage -:
might come to the
cause of peace
after so long and ~ 8S&}
so profound an -
reassembiinS ' 'os of POPE Plus
the ecumenical council at the Vatican
would be such a grave event that il
is necessary to wait and pray, as did
the pfous leader Of Gods elect people,
wishes"
Regrets Strife In Italy.
Tho encyclical begins by express
SONS OF regret for the strife and vic.
lence which. until recently. have rent
italy. the Pontin's own country and
the seat OF the chair of st. Peter
This situation, continues tho docu-
ment. seemed to threaten the very
life Of the country. despite the efforts
OF the Vatican to abate it. But. in
contrast with these deprecated events
were some happy ones. such as the
meeting in Rome of tho twenty-sixth
International eucharistic congress
when the Pontif recalls that he was
able to meet nearly all the members
OF the sacred college, together with
hundreds Of bishops from all parts of
the world.
Another happy event. the encyclical
points out, was the enforceable
manifestation that occurred during
the transportation of the image Of
the Virgin Mary from Rome to
Loretto.
Deep Fog Of Hatred.
Proceeding to enumerate the evils
Of the present, the Pope says that
mankind, the social classes and the
various peoples, have not yet attained
q true peace after the terrors of war.
He alludes to the public life Of the
peoples as still surrounded by . deep
fog of hatred and mutual differences
and offenses.
fering gravely from this" the encyli-
cal continues. the victorious nations
are equally afflicted. Small nations
complain of being outdone. victim
lied and exploited by larger ones.
while the latter complain OF being
disliked and plotted against by small
ones"
This situation, the encyclical points
out, increases the anxiety of the peo-
pies at the threat of new wars
LoosenI.g of Social Ties.
d. Another most deplorable evil is de-
clared to be the loosening Of social
ties, chiefly through Tho class strug-
giles which have become the plague
of society. of which they attack all
the vital forces. namely. work. in
dustry. art, commerce and agricul-
public and private welfare and pros
perity- The struggles appear to be
forever irreconcilable. being infiu-
enced on the one side by the un-
satiable avidity Of obtaining, and on
the other by the tenacious selfishness
of keeping material things"
Between the lower and the directing
classes, the pontiff notes, there is
mutual competition to dominate and
therefore frequent strikes, with both
sides contributing to the cause, to-
gether with revolutions and riots. re-
eral discomfort. with reciprocal Of
fenses and mutual harm.
Depleres Spread Of Restlessness.
family" the. document goes on, "the
trated. fostered by the war and the
increased immortality. whence this
germ is .propagated to all individuals.
We deplore the spread of morbid rest
lessness among the people of all ages
and conditions of characterization and
of unwillingness to labor.
We deplore that modesty in wom-
en- and girls is trampled under foot
by looseness in dressing. in talking
and in dancing unseemly dances, with
open insult to the misery Of others.
often, rendered more provoking by the
all too frequent ostentation and i'm
pudence Of those whom sudden gains
have enriched. but not improved"
The pontin, complains that in conse-
quence of the war the churches have
not all yet been returned to religious
services, while the ranks OF the clergy
are still decimated, and missionaries
are obliged to abandon the fields of
their apostolic endeavors.
These great spiritual evils" he
continues, had some precious COM
peated calumnies. IT being clearly ap-
parent how high the pure and gem
erous flame of love Of country burns
in hearts consecrated to God"
Sentiments AnniAilatine.
Enumerating the causes Of the
present evils. the pontif says their
chief origin was in the right to do
violence which reigned among men,
almost annihilating sentiments OF
mercy, charity and compassion, while
the ficticious peace written on paper
sentiments. indeed has embittered and
almost legtimatized the opposite
sentiments of rancor and revenge,
making men lose the sense OF per-
sonal dignity and of the value OF
human life. owing to the prevalence
of brutal force and Of overwhelming
Love of country incites to many
virtues and even, to admirable
heroisms when it is guided by Chris
tian law: but 1t incites to grave in
justices when it becomes unchecked
all peoples are brothers in the great
family of humanity: that other na-
tions have the right to live and pros
per and that it is never either wise
or just to separate what is honest
from what is useful"
Atheism L. Denounced.
The encyclicaI denounces atheism
as the deepest cause of the evils af.
fiicting the world, as 1t separates
men from Christ, who said: Without
me, ye can do nothing"
The document continues:
The atheists proclaim the necessity
to have laws and governments with
out God, and family without God
lowering the great sacrament Of mar
riage to the level Of mere civil
contract, thereby undermining not
only the domestic. but also the social
foundations.
''The atheists want God banished
from the schools, which, therefore,
would become incapable of preparing
the elementa Of peace and order for
families and for society"
,PaciAcation of the Spirit.
Going on to enumerate the reme-
dies, the pontiff says the most urgent
Is pacification of the spirits. SO az not
to have mere apparent peace. but
that true and cordial peace which can
only be the peace Of Christ: who
ssid. "We are all brethren and also
:.This is NY commandment that ye
love one another as have loved
you," After. which st. Paul wrote to
the Galatians: Bear ye one another 9
burdens, and 50 fulhlf the law OF