ANNUM
SACRUM
ENCYCLICAL OF POPE LEO XIII
ON CONSECRATION TO
THE SACRED HEART
To
the Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops, and Bishops of the
Catholic World in Grace and Communion with the Apostolic See.
Venerable
Brethren, Health and Apostolic Benediction.
But a
short time ago, as you well know, We, by letters apostolic, and following
the custom and ordinances of Our predecessors, commanded the celebration
in this city, at no distant date, of a Holy Year. And now to-day, in the
hope and with the object that this religious celebration shall be more
devoutly performed, We have traced and recommended a striking design from
which, if all shall follow it out with hearty good will, We not unreasonably
expect extraordinary and lasting benefits for Christendom in the first
place and also for the whole human race.
2. Already
more than once We have endeavored, after the example of Our predecessors
Innocent XII, Benedict XIII, Clement XIII, Pius VI, and Pius IX., devoutly
to foster and bring out into fuller light that most excellent form of
devotion which has for its object the veneration of the Sacred Heart of
Jesus; this We did especially by the Decree given on June 28, 1889, by
which We raised the Feast under that name to the dignity of the first
class. But now We have
in mind a more signal form of devotion which shall be in a manner the
crowning perfection of all the honors that people have been accustomed
to pay to the Sacred Heart, and which We confidently trust will be most
pleasing to Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. This is not the first time, however,
that the design of which We speak has been mooted. Twenty-five years ago,
on the approach of the solemnities of the second centenary of the Blessed
Margaret Mary Alacoque's reception of the Divine command to propagate
the worship of the Sacred Heart, many letters from all parts, not merely
from private persons but from Bishops also were sent to Pius IX. begging
that he would consent to consecrate the whole human race to the Most Sacred
Heart of Jesus. It was thought best at the time to postpone the matter
in order that a well-considered decision might be arrived at. Meanwhile
permission was granted to individual cities which desired it thus to consecrate
themselves, and a form of consecration was drawn up. Now, for certain
new and additional reasons, We consider that the plan is ripe for fulfilment.
3. This
world-wide and solemn testimony of allegiance and piety is especially
appropriate to Jesus Christ, who is the Head and Supreme Lord of the race.
His empire extends not only over Catholic
nations and those who, having been duly washed in the waters of holy baptism,
belong of right to the Church, although erroneous opinions keep them astray,
or dissent from her teaching cuts them off from her care; it comprises
also all those who are deprived of the Christian faith, so that the whole
human race is most truly under the power of Jesus Christ. For He who is
the Only-begotten Son of God the Father, having the same substance with
Him and being the brightness of His glory and the figure of His substance
(Hebrews i., 3) necessarily has everything in common with the Father,
and therefore sovereign power over all things. This is why the Son of
God thus speaks of Himself through the Prophet: "But I am appointed
king by him over Sion, his holy mountain. . . The Lord said to me, Thou
art my son, this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me and I will give thee
the Gentiles for thy inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for
thy possession" (Psalm, ii.). By these words He declares that He
has power from God over the whole Church, which is signified by Mount
Sion, and also over the rest of the world to its uttermost ends. On what
foundation this sovereign power rests is made sufficiently plain by the
words, "Thou art My Son." For by the very fact that He is the
Son of the King of all, He is also the heir of all His Father's power:
hence the words-"I will give thee the Gentiles for thy inheritance,"
which are similar to those used by Paul the Apostle, "whom he bath
appointed heir of all things" (Hebrews i., 2).
4. But
we should now give most special consideration to the declarations made
by Jesus Christ, not through the Apostles or the Prophets but by His own
words. To the Roman Governor who asked Him, "Art thou a king then?"
He answered unhesitatingly, "Thou sayest that I am a king" (John
xviii. 37). And the greatness of this power and the boundlessness of His
kingdom is still more clearly declared in these words to the Apostles:
"All power is given to me in heaven and on earth" (Matthew xxviii.,
18). If then all power has been given to Christ it follows of necessity
that His empire must be supreme, absolute and independent of the will
of any other, so that none is either equal or like unto it: and since
it has been given in heaven and on earth it ought to have heaven and earth
obedient to it. And verily he has acted on this extraordinary and peculiar
right when He
commanded His Apostles to preach His doctrine over the earth, to gather
all men together into the one body of the Church by the baptism of salvation,
and to bind them by laws, which no one could reject without risking his
eternal salvation.
5. But
this is not all. Christ reigns nor only by natural right as the Son of
God, but also by a right that He has acquired. For He it was who snatched
us "from the power of darkness" (Colossians i., 13), and "gave
Himself for the redemption of all" (I Timothy ii., 6). Therefore
not only Catholics, and those who have duly received Christian baptism,
but also all men, individually and collectively, have become to Him "a
purchased people" (I Peter ii., 9). St. Augustine's words are therefore
to the point when he says: "You ask what price He paid? See what
He gave and you will understand how much He paid. The price was the blood
of Christ. What could cost so much but the whole world, and all its people?
The great price He paid was paid for all" (T. 120 on St. John).
6. How
it comes about that infidels themselves are subject to the power and dominion
of Jesus Christ is clearly shown by St. Thomas, who gives us the reason
and its explanation. For having put the question whether His judicial
power extends to all men, and having stated that judicial authority flows
naturally from royal authority, he concludes decisively as follows: "All
things are subject to Christ as far as His power is concerned, although
they are not all subject to Him in the exercise of that power" (3a.,
p., q. 59, a. 4). This sovereign power of Christ over men is exercised
by truth, justice, and above all, by charity.
7. To
this twofold ground of His power and domination He graciously allows us,
if we think fit, to add voluntary consecration. Jesus Christ, our God
and our Redeemer, is rich in the fullest and perfect possession of all
things: we, on the other hand, are so poor and needy that we have nothing
of our own to offer Him as a gift. But yet, in His infinite goodness and
love, He in no way objects to our giving and consecrating to Him what
is already His, as if it were really our own; nay, far from refusing such
an offering, He positively desires it and asks for it: "My son, give
me thy heart." We are, therefore, able to be pleasing to Him by the
good will and the affection of our
soul. For by consecrating ourselves to Him we not only declare our open
and free acknowledgment and acceptance of His authority over us, but we
also testify that if what we offer as a gift were really our own, we would
still offer it with our whole heart. We also beg of Him that He would
vouchsafe to receive it from us, though clearly His own. Such is the efficacy
of the act of which We speak, such is the meaning underlying Our words.
8. And
since there is in the Sacred Heart a symbol and a sensible image of the
infinite love of Jesus Christ which moves us to love one another, therefore
is it fit and proper that we should consecrate ourselves to His most Sacred
Heart-an act which is nothing else than an offering and a binding of oneself
to Jesus Christ, seeing that whatever honor, veneration and love is given
to this divine Heart is really and truly given to Christ Himself.
9. For
these reasons We urge and exhort all who know and love this divine Heart
willingly to undertake this act of piety; and it is Our earnest desire
that all should make it on the same day, that so the aspirations of so
many thousands who are performing this act of consecration may be borne
to the temple of heaven on the same day. But shall We allow to slip from
Our remembrance those innumerable others upon whom the light of Christian
truth has not yet shined? We hold the place of Him who came to save that
which was lost, and who shed His blood for the salvation of the whole
human race. And so We greatly desire to bring to the true life those who
sit in the shadow of death. As we have already sent messengers of Christ
over the earth to instruct them, so now, in pity for their lot with all
Our soul we commend them, and as far as in us lies We consecrate them
to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In this way this act of devotion, which
We recommend, will be a blessing to all. For having performed it, those
in whose hearts are the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ will feel that
faith and love increased. Those who knowing Christ, yet neglect His law
and its precepts, may still gain from His Sacred Heart the flame of charity.
And lastly, for those still more unfortunate, who are struggling in the
darkness of superstition, we shall all with one mind implore the assistance
of heaven that Jesus Christ, to whose power they are subject, may also
one day render them submissive to its exercise; and that not
only in the life to come when He will fulfil His will upon all men, by
saving some and punishing others, (St. Thomas, ibid), but also in this
mortal life by giving them faith and holiness. May they by these virtues
strive to honor God as they ought, and to win everlasting happiness in
heaven.
10. Such
an act of consecration, since it can establish or draw tighter the bonds
which naturally connect public affairs with God, gives to States a hope
of better things. In these latter times especially, a policy has been
followed which has resulted in a sort of wall being raised between the
Church and civil society. In the constitution and administration of States
the authority of sacred and divine law is utterly disregarded, with a
view to the exclusion of religion from having any constant part in public
life. This policy almost tends to the removal of the Christian faith from
our midst, and, if that were possible, of the banishment of God Himself
from the earth. When men's minds are raised to such a height of insolent
pride, what wonder is it that the greater part of the human race should
have fallen into such disquiet of mind and be buffeted by waves so rough
that no one is suffered to be free from anxiety and peril? When religion
is once discarded it follows of necessity that the surest foundations
of the public welfare must give way, whilst God, to inflict on His enemies
the punishment they so richly deserve, has left them the prey of their
own evil desires, so that they give themselves up to their passions and
finally wear themselves out by excess of liberty.
11. Hence
that abundance of evils which have now for a long time settled upon the
world, and which pressingly call upon us to seek for help from Him by
whose strength alone they can be driven away. Who can He be but Jesus
Christ the Only-begotten Son of God? "For there is no other name
under heaven given to men whereby we must be saved" (Acts iv., 12).
We must have recourse to Him who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. We
have gone astray and we must return to the right path: darkness has overshadowed
our minds, and the gloom must be dispelled by the light of truth: death
has seized upon us, and we must lay hold of life. It will at length be
possible that our many wounds be healed and all justice spring forth again
with the hope of restored authority; that the splendors of peace be renewed,
and swords and arms
drop from the hand when all men shall acknowledge the empire of Christ
and willingly obey His word, and "Every tongue shall confess that
our Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father" (Philippians
ii, II).
12.
When the Church, in the days immediately succeeding her institution, was
oppressed beneath the yoke of the Caesars, a young Emperor saw in the
heavens a cross, which became at once the happy omen and cause of the
glorious victory that soon followed. And now, to-day, behold another blessed
and heavenly token is offered to our sight-the most Sacred Heart of Jesus,
with a cross rising from it and shining forth with dazzling splendor amidst
flames of love. In that Sacred Heart all our hopes should be placed, and
from it the salvation of men is to be confidently besought.
13. Finally,
there is one motive which We are unwilling to pass over in silence, personal
to Ourselves it is true, but still good and weighty, which moves Us to
undertake this celebration. God, the author of every good, not long ago
preserved Our life by curing Us of a dangerous disease. We now wish, by
this increase of the honor paid to the Sacred Heart, that the memory of
this great mercy should be brought prominently forward, and Our gratitude
be publicly acknowledged.
14.
For these reasons, We ordain that on the ninth, tenth and eleventh of
the coming month
of June, in the principal church of every town and village, certain prayers
be said, and on each of these days there be added to the other prayers
the Litany of the Sacred Heart approved by Our authority. On the last
day the form of consecration shall be recited which, Venerable Brethren,
We sent to you with these letters.
15.
As a pledge of divine benefits, and in token of Our paternal benevolence,
to you, and to the clergy and people committed to your care We lovingly
grant in the Lord the Apostolic Benediction.
Given
in Rome at St. Peter's on the 25th day of May, 1899, the twenty-second
year of Our Pontificate.
|