CATHOLICAE
ECCLESIAE
ENCYCLICAL OF POPE LEO XIII ON
SLAVERY IN THE MISSIONS
To
the Catholic Missionaries in Africa.
Slavery and the Church
The
maternal love of the Catholic Church embraces all people. As you know,
venerable brother, the Church from the beginning sought to completely
eliminate slavery, whose wretched yoke has oppressed many people. It is
the industrious guardian of the teachings of its Founder who, by His words
and those of the apostles, taught men the fraternal necessity which unites
the whole world. From Him we recall that everybody has sprung from the
same source, was redeemed by the same ransom, and is called to the same
eternal happiness. He assumed the neglected cause of the slaves and showed
Himself the strong champion of freedom. Insofar as time and circumstances
allowed, He gradually and moderately accomplished His goal. Of course,
pressing constantly with prudence and planning, He showed what He was
striving for in the name of religion, justice, and humanity. In this way
He put national prosperity and civilization in general into His debt.
This zeal of the Church for liberating the slaves has not languished with
the passage of time; on the contrary, the more it bore fruit, the more
eagerly it glowed. There are incontestable historical documents which
attest to that
fact, documents which commended to posterity the names of many of Our
predecessors. Among them St. Gregory the Great, Hadrian I, Alexander III,
Innocent III, Gregory IX, Pius II, Leo X, Paul III, Urban VIII, Benedict
XIV, Pius VII, and Gregory XVI stand out. They applied every effort to
eliminate the institution of slavery wherever it existed. They also took
care lest the seeds of slavery return to those places from which this
evil institution had been cut away.
Actions of the Present Pope
2. We
could not repudiate such a laudable inheritance. For this reason, We have
taken every occasion to openly condemn this gloomy plague of slavery.
We worked toward this goal in a letter sent to the bishops of Brazil on
May 5, 1888. In it We rejoiced over their exemplary accomplishments, both
private and public, in the area of emancipation. At the same time We showed
how much slavery opposes religion and human dignity. While writing, We
were deeply moved by the plight of those who are subject to the mastery
of another. We were bitterly afflicted by accounts of the trials which
harass all the inhabitants of the African interior. How horrible it is
to recall that almost four hundred thousand Africans of every age and
sex are forcefully taken away each year
from their villages! Bound and beaten, they are transported to a foreign
land, put on display, and sold like cattle. These eyewitness reports have
been confirmed by recent explorers to equatorial Africa, arousing Our
desire to help those wretched men and to alleviate their lamentable condition.
For this reason We have immediately delegated the task of going to the
principal countries of Europe to Our beloved son Charles Martial Cardinal
Lavigerie, whose swiftness and apostolic zeal are well known. He is to
show how shameful this base dealing is and to incline the leaders and
citizens to assist this miserable race. Therefore, We should feel grateful
to Christ our Lord, the most loving Redeemer of all nations. He in His
goodness did not allow Our efforts to go unrewarded. Rather, He planted
them in fertile soil, like a seed which promises a joyful harvest. Secular
leaders and Catholics from the whole world, everybody who deems holy the
natural rights of people, struggle to discover the rationale and means
to eradicate this inhuman commerce. There was a meeting not long ago in
Brussels for the representatives of European leaders, and more recently
a group of private citizens met in Paris for the same purpose. They clearly
showed how much force and persistence they would use to defend the Negro
cause, how many difficulties oppress these slaves. Therefore, with the
occasion once again given, We praise and thank the leaders of Europe for
their efforts in this matter. We strenuously pray that almighty God might
give a happy outcome to the deliberations they have begun.
African
Missions
3.
Besides protecting freedom, another more serious apostolic concern orders
Us to spread the teaching of the Gospel in Africa. This teaching should
bathe those inhabitants living in darkness and blind superstition with
the light of divine truth, by which they can become co-heirs with Us of
the kingdom of God. We are the more concerned about this because those
who have received this light have also shaken off the yoke of human slavery.
Wherever Christian customs and laws are in force, wherever religion establishes
that men serve justice and honor human dignity, wherever the spirit of
brotherly love taught by Christ spreads itself, there neither slavery
nor savage barbarism can exist. Rather, mildness of character and civilized
Christian liberty flourish
there. Many apostolic men, like standard-bearing soldiers of Christ, go
to the African interior to shed their sweat, even life itself for the
welfare of their brothers. But "the harvest indeed is great; the
laborers are few." Therefore, many others are needed where that scandalous
commerce is conducted. They must be full of the spirit of God, fearing
neither danger, nor inconveniences, nor labors to spread the teaching
of Christ, which is joined to true freedom. This might enlighten even
that wretched part of the human race with the revelation of His divinity
and release it from the mire of superstition and misery in which it has
lain abandoned and neglected for so long.
4.
The money collected in the churches and chapels under your jurisdiction
should be sent to Rome, to the Sacred Council for the Propagation of the
Faith. It will divide the money among the missions which now exist or
will be established primarily to eliminate slavery in Africa. The money
coming from those countries which have their own Catholic missions to
free the slaves, as We mentioned, will be given to sustain and help those
missions. The Sacred Council will divide the rest of the money among those
missions which show the greatest need, according to its discretion. We
are confident that God who is rich in mercies will graciously receive
Our prayers for the unfortunate Africans. You, venerable brother, should
strive to complete this matter. Timely and special assistance should be
given by the faithful to abolish the blemish of human commerce and to
support the messengers of the Gospel in those places where slavery exists.
We trust that nothing will diminish the generosity with which the faithful
customarily support Catholic missions, once the money is transferred to
the Institute "For the Propagation of the Faith."
Call
to Common Action
5.
This salutary work which We have long since commended to the zeal of the
faithful demands many others of similar scope. A great outlay is required
to provide for the education of missionaries, long journeys, constructing
buildings, erecting churches, and teaching, as well as for other similar
necessities. These expenses must be borne for some years, until the heralds
of the gospel can establish themselves and take responsibility for their
own financial affairs. We hope that We have enough strength to undertake
such a project. When
serious difficulties obstruct Us, We turn to you, venerable brother, and
the other bishops, as well as all Catholics. We commend such a holy and
salutary work to your love and to theirs. We desire that everybody participates;
even if the collection is small, the burden spread among many people will
make it lighter for all. Thus, the grace of Christ-for this concerns the
spreading of His kingdom-might reach everybody and give everybody a share
in peace, forgiveness of sins, and special gifts.
6.
Therefore, We decree that every year, wherever the Epiphany of the Lord
is celebrated, on that day a collection should be taken up to help in
the project We have just outlined. We have chosen this day in preference
to others because, as you well know, that is the day the Son of God first
revealed Himself to the nations, when He showed Himself to the Magi. They
were called "the first fruits of our vocation and faith" by
Our predecessor St. Leo the Great. Thus, We depend on the good hope to
come that Christ the Lord
will be moved by the love and prayers of the faithful, who have received
the light of truth. In a new testimony of praise, We pray that He extend
His bounty far and wide and that it flourish in happy prosperity. Meanwhile,
We lovingly impart Our apostolic blessing on you, venerable brother, on
the clergy, and on the faithful entrusted to your pastoral vigilance.
Given
in Rome, at St. Peter's, on November 20, 1890, in the thirteenth year
of Our pontificate.
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