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More about Pope Leo XIII and Socialism and Labor

Catholic Textbook Project May 13 3 min read Pope Leo XIII Issues the Encyclical “Rerum Novarum”: May 15, 1891 Updated: May 14 This text comes from our book, Light to the Nations, Part 2. During his 25 years as pope, Leo XIII addressed many encyclicals to the Church. The topics of his encyclicals were issues that threatened not only the Church, but the health of the state and society. Because, for instance, European states were allowing divorce, Leo explained the Church’s teaching on marriage in the 1880 encyclical, Arcanum Divinae Sapientiae. To combat Liberal notions of the state, Leo in 1885 published Immortale Dei, in which he condemned separation of the state from the Church and the Liberal doctrine that men have the right to say and publish anything they want, even if it is harmful to morality and the good of society. In 1893, Leo published the encyclical Providentissimus Deus, in which he encouraged the scientific study of the Bible. Pope Leo XIII in 1896 Pope Leo XIII in 1896 Like many in his time, Leo was troubled by the rapid growth of socialism in Europe. Despite the attempts by some governments to better the living conditions of the working class, most workers and their families continued to be exploited by employers and lived in dire poverty. Socialists offered hope to the oppressed workers; but, as Leo saw, it was a false hope. Socialists promised workers that, if they only overthrew existing governments and the bourgeois capitalist class, they could create a workers’ paradise on earth. By abolishing private property, by holding all property in common, every man, woman, and child could have a decent roof over their heads, adequate clothing, and enough to eat, said the socialists. Unlike many of those who opposed socialism, Leo saw that to fight it successfully one had to recognize the evils of laissez-fa

Labor Day and Pope Leo XIII READ THE WHOLE LETTER

This Labor Day I read Pope Leo XIII's encyclical Rerum Novaarum i.e. New Things and without a doubt is more revelant today then when the Pope wrote it. Industrial development had reacheD such a state in 1891 where the wealth of the world was in the hands of the few and where many endured a lot equal to that of slavery. Those who had the wealth felt that this condition was necessary for progress and looked to charities to relieve the plight of the poor. The working classes sought a remedy for this grave injustices in socialized ideals which were beginning to fan a dangeroous revolution. Pope Leo's encyclical letter dealt in a sytematic way with this plight. The solcialissts, working on the poors' envy of the rich, endeavored to destroy ownerhip of private property and make the state administrator of the common property for all. Rerum Novarum states clearly that each worker has a full and real right not only to pay and recompense but also to dispose of that pay as he or she sees fit. The socialist remedy is against"natural justice" for everyone has from his/her nature the right to own and disposse of property. The head of the family has the duty not only to provide for present but also for future family needs, in which property can be transmitted to the children. The state has no right to infringe on the family but the family has the right to call on the state for aid since each family is part of the state.--- the sate has nio right to abolish or absorb paternal authority as the socialist would do for this is going against natural justice. Its consequence is slavery. To the emplyee, the Church says: Respect each contract you have made. Avoid violenc and disorder. To the esmployer the Church says: The laborer is not a slav but is a person with dignity. Wages must be just. The employer is bound by God's law to refrain from fraud and usuary in dealing with the employse. ONE SHOULD READ THT WHOLE LETTER . IT IS EXCELLENT